Disclaimer: I do not own Sango, Miroku, Kohaku, or Naraku. I do, however, own every other facet of this story, so no stealing!

Author's Note: Well…that took longer than expected, but not as long as the other chapters. I didn't get any reviews on Chapter 18, which makes me think either everyone hated it, or no one knew that I reposted. I hope it's the latter, but it's probably the former. So please, before you read this chapter, go back and read the other one.

Well, here's Chapter 19. It's short, but I think you all will understand the story a little better after this, you know, fill in the blanks. .

Translations:

-dono (doh- noh): Honorific. This is even more respectful than –san. It is usually used to show the speaker's humility, but here, Arisa uses it sarcastically.

Kitsune and Inari (kit-soo - neh and ee-nah-ree): Kitsune are fox spirits. There are countless tales told about kitsune, in which they range from cute, compassionate beings to mischievous troublemakers. Usually, though, they are solitary beings with magical powers. The Fushimi Inari Shrine outside of Kyoto is dedicated to the god Inari (the god of rice), who the kitsune serve.

Oni (oh-nee): Ogre, usually portrayed as having horns. Oni are evil, and usually posses inhuman strength.

Chapter 19, Three Tales

A chilly wind descended upon the plain, bending the long grass like ripples in a vast body of water. A lone figure picked its way through the tall yellow stalks, head bent against the wind's battering. The figure wore a cloak the color of soot, which billowed out behind her despite her efforts to keep it close. A sudden stirring in the grasses to her right alerted the figure to another presence. She drew up short, her dark eyes scanning the twilit scene for an enemy. With stealthy movements, she reached behind her, procured an arrow from her quiver and nocked it on her graceful long bow. She held her bow at ready by her side, pouring a small amount into the arrowhead.

The grass in front of her parted, and beautiful kitsune stepped forward. Shee was in her youkai form, her silvery fur catching the grayish light and reflecting it with healthy splendor. Herr three tails –a token to her ancientness—shook agitatedly. Two deep blue eyes surveyed the figure in front of her before she said in a bell-like voice, "Good evening, miko."

The figure was obviously startled by this statement. She threw back her hood, revealing her own exquisite beauty. Her hair and quiet eyes were as black as ebony. Her thin, pale face was perfectly formed, as though carved from stone by a master. She turned her red lips down in a grimace as she stared at the kitsune. "How did you know that I'm a miko?"

The kitsune offered a toothy grin. "You have several more centuries of training to forego before you can fool an experienced youkai like myself." The kitsune reached down to lick a small cut on her right foreleg. "But I haven't come all this way to harass you, miko."

"Then why?" The miko asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Are you the famous miko, the one who is called Sanda Kioko? The one who slew the Great Oni of the North, as well as his brother with one arrow?"

The miko's frown deepened. "How did you learn my surname? I don't give that to youkai."

The kitsune grinned again. "Like I said, such feats are nothing for a talent like myself." She slid her uninjured paw forward and dipped her head in a kind of genuflecting "I am called Arisa."

"Pleasure," Kioko responded tartly. "Now, why have you sought me?"

"Word has it that you were headed towards a village that has recently been terrorized by Ezakiya Ryudaisetsu, the dragon of the Northern Range," Arisa reported, her eyes watching the women in front of her as if she were seeing right through her.

"That is correct."

"Then, it is my duty to tell you that said village has been destroyed."

Kioko gasped and for the first time since they had begun speaking, lowered her bow. "How long ago?"

"Three days; as soon as Ezakiya-dono heard of your intentions to seal him, he destroyed the village and retreated to the mountains." Arise ran her purple tongue over her small fangs in irritation. "Everyone was killed.

"Now, for the reason I've sought you out," Arisa continued. Her eyes darted to her paw. "That village was a favorite of mine. Every year, the villagers presented me with their five plumpest chickens. In return, I protected their homes. When Ezakiya-dono arrived, I warned the villagers and fled."

"How noble," Kioko sneered.

Arisa glared at her. "Youkai are not like humans, miko. When I know I'm outmatched, I run. Ezakiya Ryudaisetsu can control humans and most youkai with just a word. He has no power over kitsune, but I wasn't going to stick around and wait for him to order one of the villagers to kill me.

"Anyway, when Ezakiya-dono finally left, I returned to the village. This was two days later. It was a scene of carnage, not a living soul in sight. Children lay dead in their mothers' arms, their fathers' hands still closed around their necks. Lovers lay curled together, having been forced to stab one another. The houses were burned, the livestock escaped or were picked up by the dragon, who has a special love for horse meat. Just when I was about to leave, I spotted something."

"What?" asked Kioko, intrigued. She knelt on the ground in front of Arisa.

"An untouched chicken coop."

Kioko grimaced. "Honestly, you have a heart of gold."

The three tails shook angrily and the hair along Arisa's back stood on end. "Listen, miko. Any other youkai wouldn't have even bothered to return. I did so because I cared about the fate of the village. Even if it was a feeling rendered mostly because of food, it was a feeling. I did not feel sorrow at seeing the state of the village, but I will not admit to having felt nothing.

"I went to the chicken coop, but I found it devoid of chickens, a most displeasing observation. But as I turned toward the door, something moved in the straw. I stepped forward hoping to find a chicken. What I found was a young woman clutching a tiny bundle in her arms." Arisa shook herself here, dispelling her anger. "She was almost dead, a gash on her leg was badly infected."

Kioko blinked. "Well? What happened?"

"She looked at me and said, 'Arisa-sama, please…protect my daughter.' Then, she died. I took the bundle from her arms and found a tiny baby girl inside, barely two days old, most likely born just before the attack on the village." Arisa frowned darkly. "I had lingered too long. As I headed for the door, carrying the baby, the usual batch of youkai scavengers arrived. I fought them off, and was injured in the fighting. Then, I ran off to find you, knowing that the child would be safer with you than she could ever be with me."

Kioko smiled kindly, and was suddenly and strangely filled with admiration for the beautiful creature in front of her. "You protected the baby?"

Arisa ruffled her fur, murmured something unintelligible, and disappeared into the grasses. When she reemerged, there was a tiny bundle dangling from her mouth. She set it down at Kioko feet. Then, she flicked her gorgeous tales. "Miko, see these tail? A kitsune receives another one for each century it has lived. I have lived two centuries, and seen many things. But by Inari, I have never seen a tale unfold quite like this one. Take care of her, miko." With that, she turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Kioko called, collecting the sleeping child into her arms.

Arisa turned. "Yes?"

Kioko held the child forth. "Do you want to name her?"

Arisa blinked and frowned so gravely that for a moment Kioko thought she had insulted her. But then Arisa stepped forward and bowed her head over the child's. "Scarlet, so she will not forget the color her village was painted at her birth." Then she lowered her muzzle to the baby's forehead. There was a flash of light and then Arisa lifted her head away.

"What did you do?" Kioko asked. In all her years of training, she had never seen something quite like that…

Arisa shook her head and flashed Kioko a slightly bitter smile. "I think you of all people would recognize a blessing when you see you, miko." Then, she vanished into the surrounding grasses.

Kioko bent over the child and examined her. She found on the girl's chest the mark of a crimson phoenix. Kioko smiled softly and looked at the spot where Arisa had disappeared. "A kitsune's blessing, huh? Kitsune really are strange creatures." She stood, cradling the child, and headed home.

- Ichimu