After Tōran and her panthers vanished, Maria and I shared our goodbyes before she followed the wolves back to the mountains where they lived. The exhaustion hit me quickly after, and I barely managed to stay awake long enough for the gang to finish their preparations for us to leave. The villagers thanked us for saving them- though they eyed me a bit suspiciously- and handed us some bags full of food and even some money.

I guess they still thought I was a demon after that little fire show in the hut. I couldn't hate or blame them for it; foreigners weren't exactly common or trusted here in this era. There were trade routes… I think, since we were in the middle of the fifteen hundreds- but there was still tons of war and fighting. It made sense that so many people were suspicious.

So, not wanting to invoke any of their wrath or cause even more unease, I remained in the corner with Kirara, Shippō, and Inuyasha. Yawning, I fell to the side, and Inuyasha tensed- raising a brow at me when he saw I was currently using his shoulder for a pillow. "Seriously?"

I didn't have the strength to use my voice, so I simply gave a weak nod instead. The half-demon sighed, but to my surprise he didn't push me away. He… must have been really worried. It was little things like this that helped remind me that, despite all our differences, we were truly friends. It was… nice.

I had been so scared during the kidnapping; I couldn't get myself out this time. I was to sick and weak and exhausted, all I could do was hope and pray my friends would come rescue me. And they did. I could feel eyes start to burn a little just thinking about.

Inuyasha stared at me for a moment, contemplating something, before making a face and asking, "Just what the hell went on between you and those demons, anyway? Tōran was trying to kill you before- or did you already forget that? Honestly… talk about stupid."

"Irene just has a habit of befriending people." Shippō defended, crossing his arms at Inuyasha before looking up at me, his eyes stern. "And that includes the bad guys, apparently."

To be fair, I didn't really befriend anyone this time around. "A-All I did… was… trying to warn her… n-not to… revive the… demon… person."

"Didn't stop 'er." Inuyasha huffed. "Still, now we know why she was so insistent on taking care of you when you were unconscious. So…" He turned his head and looked down at me, and I slowly lifted my gaze to meet his. He seemed both curious and annoyed. "You two gonna be an item now? Is that a thing that's happening?"

Though tired and drained, I could still feel the heat rise to my face as I remembered what happened only an hour or two ago. I buried my face in his arm, trying desperately to hide the embarrassment and uncertainty I felt, clinging to the red cloth of his kimono. "I-I don't- I don't know…!"

How the heck am I supposed to know? I've never been in this situation before. I mean, I wasn't exactly planning on dating Tōran. Hell, I wasn't planning on dating anyone. I just wanted to live long enough to defeat Naraku and Anastasia, but now I had a wrench thrown at me and I had no idea how to handle it.

Biting my bottom lip, practically pouting, eyes as teary as they could be as I fought against a cough, I wheezed and mumbled something unintelligible before pulling away and grabbing onto Kirara's fur. "I-I'll talk to her… later."

Yes. I have to turn her down. I'm not even from this time period.

If I don't die soon, then I'll be heading home eventually. Just because I liked the kiss, doesn't exactly mean that I viewed Tōran in a romantic sense. I'll have to turn her down. I just… hope I don't hurt her too badly in the process. Ugh, I hate this. Why is this happening? Why did she even do that to me of all people? I'm not likeable in the slightest! Not in that way. Ugh, my head hurts.

I leaned down, hugging Kirara and squeezing my eyes shut, praying the pain in my head and chest would go away soon. I'm so tired. Maybe we could go bathe in a nearby hot spring or something; that might help energize some of my sore and exhausted muscles. I really want to take a bath. I miss hot water.

I miss… Maria already, too…

Against my wishes, lured into relaxation as I leaned against the soft fur and listened to the heartbeat of the cat demon I was cuddling with, the exhaustion won over me and I fell asleep. Again. And only awoke sometime when we were in the mountains.

Sango and Kagome fussed so much when they found I had another fever- this one much lighter than before- but it only got worse two days later when it began to rain during our travels. Our trek through the mountainside took way longer than it should have, and that was after I had managed to somehow convince them to keep going without waiting for me to completely recover.

We had already lost so much time because of the kidnapping and my being momentarily comatose. I didn't want Naraku and Anastasia to have the upper hand any longer. Ayame Village was still a good three days away. It wasn't like a complete recovery was possible for me, anyway. I get sick so easily.

But this rain… ugh. I shivered and huddled close to Kirara, burrowed in her fur, sitting on her back, my body covered with a thick blanket and an uncomfortable straw hat tied to my head.

Miroku and Sango also wore hats, and Shippō sat in my lap with a large leaf over his head, while Kagome held a pink umbrella over herself. Inuyasha, though… that doofus was more stubborn than me, and he was marching through the rain soaking wet from head-to-toe, even if his own sneezes annoyed him.

Gods, I'm so tired…

I don't want to nap again- I've had so many of those recently, and the amount and the durations of the time spent asleep just kept increasing, yet I feel so awful that napping seems like a really good idea.

I have to stay awake… just a bit…. Longer…

I jolted, eyes wide, startled by a loud noise, only to make a face when I realized it was just Inuyasha sneezing for the fifteenth time. Frick, man; just share Kagome's umbrella already! Don't scare me like that.

"Lousy weather." Inuyasha grumbled, rubbing at his face. He sniffled loudly.

I shivered at a particularly cold breeze and huddled closer to Shippō and Kirara, burrowed as far as possible within the thick blanket. I could almost feel the piercing stares of concern coming from Sango and Miroku, but thankfully Kagome distracted them by striking up conversation with our favorite stubborn resident half-demon.

"Why don't you use an umbrella to cover your head?" Kagome suggested, looking over at Inuyasha.

"Hats and those umbrella things of yours are only for women and children." He responded, refusing.

Shippō blinked at him, and Miroku frowned. I hung my head to the side, feeling even more sleepy as the cold weather made my fever try to rise up even more. I was just thinking about making a comment about how ridiculous Inuyasha's statement was when another yawn escaped and I hunched over, coughing into my shoulder, before blinking groggily and watching the middle schooler raise her eyebrows at the half-demon.

Kagome, having seen it coming, was unphased by his response. Still, she was determined. "That pride of yours is gonna get you a nasty cold." She warned.

Inuyasha turned his head away, stubborn, ears twitching. "I'm not a weakling like some people."

Oh.

I stared at him for a moment as we walked, vision a bit blurry from the dizziness I felt, and I turned away and tightened the hold I had on the blanket wrapped around me and the fox demon who sat in my lap. I didn't want to automatically assume Inuyasha was talking about me or that he was trying to be insulting, but with my condition and the continual downfall of my health it…

It made it difficult not to.

They cared and were more than generous, but… that didn't exactly change the fact that I was still a burden to them. I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from trying to apologize, as I knew that would only escalate the situation and start an unnecessary argument, and instead I sat in silence as the rain continued to pour down, dread settling in my stomach and pulling my heart down with it.

"Irene…?" Shippō raised his head up to stare at me, and seeing the concern in those green eyes of his I flashed a weak smile.

"It's… It's nothing. I'm fine."

"You just don't understand." Kagome said, letting out a dramatic sigh, still talking to Inuyasha.

She then brightened, wearing a mischievous smile on her face, clearly planning to lure him into some trap or plot of hers. Being an avid reader of fanfiction and romance novels back home, I had a feeling I knew where it was going. It was… kinda amusing, watching her flirt and the half-demon being too dense to realize it.

"Understand what?" Inuyasha demanded. Kagome grinned.

"Well, umbrellas can really come in handy, you know?" Her brown eyes glanced over at me. "Isn't that right, Irene? You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"O-Oh, yeah." I tried to match her smirk, though I lacked the energy to do so properly. I freed one of my hands from the blanket and pointed at the gloomy grey sky. "E-Especially… on a rainy day… like this."

She giggled, and Inuyasha made a face.

"So, are either of you going to explain?" The half-demon grouched.

"You know it." Kagome beamed. Suddenly, the group stopped moving- but she kept walking. I looked down at Kirara in confusion, then around us, and when Kagome noticed the lack of footsteps she paused and did the same. "Huh? What's the matter?"

Miroku narrowed his eyes and gripped the rim of his straw hat, staring ahead of us intently. It was like he was trying to… gauge something- as if he could sense demons or some other threat heading our way. Yet, despite all this time I've spent learning how to sense them, I couldn't feel a single demonic aura at all.

"Something is coming." He stated. The monk frowned deeply. "I can feel it."

Sango nodded, reaching behind her to grip her hiraikotsu in case she needed to pull it out at a moment's notice. "Me too. Humans."

What? That explains the lack of demonic aura, but… what? Seriously?

"Yup." Inuyasha nodded, expression becoming a lot more serious. "And lots of them."

Kagome and I looked forward, utterly baffled by this. How on earth could they tell it was humans approaching us? Could they sense the vibrations through the earth? I knew they were powerful, but that is some insane level of six sense to tell just from the strength of the footsteps. What the heck.

Right when I think I'm done being amazed by my friends, they give me another reason to be awed by them. At least Kagome is with me in the normal sense area. Neither of us noticed the footsteps or approaching humans at all.

I coughed and wiggled my nose, feeling a sneeze trying to happen, and I huddled further into my blanket- watching through the misty fog of rain as a horde of… soldiers came marching our way? Weird.

Their clothes were colored in orange-and-black, and their armor a heavy shade of dark green. They passed straight through Kagome and Kirara- and by extension Shippō and myself- and headed right towards our favorite hiraikotsu swinging brunette. They bowed to her, kneeling on the ground, and her brown eyes gazed down at them in surprise.

"Would you be Sango, the demon slayer?" The leader asked, only shocking her further. "And… her travel party?"

Everyone was dumbfounded. Even Inuyasha was no exception. "Huh?"

"Uh, yes." Miroku blinked, taking over when he saw Sango was still recovering from the surprise. "This is Sango here."

The soldier on the ground nodded, pressing a hand to his armored chest. "I am the vassal, Asarti, representing the Taketa clan. We have come to speak with Sango."

Sango blinked once more, lifted her straw hat up to get a better look at his face, and furrowed her brows. "Excuse me?"

Though confused by this sudden turn of events, we ended up following the soldiers to a worn down hut- one that was void of all people and served as temporary shelter. There, the man continued with his tale, and I curled around Kirara to try and warm up- taking a drink of some nice warm herbal tea Kagome had prepared for everybody. She chose herbs that would specifically help with my breathing, though I think our group was the only ones to actually realize that.

A subtle thing, but a kind gesture nonetheless. They were so overprotective of me and my health it almost felt like they were pampering me, which… honestly only made me feel worse about my impending fate. My gratitude and guilt would know no end until my death, and even then… it would probably remain in the afterlife. Perhaps it would become even stronger.

The thought left me cold.

"I had been asked to request that you destroy a demon that plagues our castle at night." The soldier spoke to Sango, informing her of his lord's desires. "We will not question your methods, and if necessary- we will evacuate the castle."

The man pulled out a dark blue bag of coins, setting it down on the floor in front of her, and everyone gaped at the sheer size of it.

"Consider this an advanced payment." He said. "After the demon is destroyed, you will receive the other half of the sum." Asarti then raised a brow, observing our reactions. "I believe this offer is more than fair… What do you say?"

"But…" Sango stared at the large bag of coins in front of her. "...that's far too much money!"

Miroku nodded, eyebrows high on his forehead. "Yes, it's twenty times what she normally gets paid."

"Then, you will accept?" The soldier inquired.

Sango hurriedly shook her head, waving a hand in the air. "The offer is too generous. I'm sorry, but I must decline."

How did they even know how to find her? Was she that famous? I wasn't even aware she occasionally took on demon slaying jobs outside of our hunt for Naraku and Anastasia. I guess, despite all this time we spent together, there was still a lot I didn't know about everyone.

That's… actually a little bit distressing.

I know we're close- emotionally wise. Time and again it was proven we'd risk our lives for each other. But what do I actually know about them, aside from their goals and kindness? I don't even think I know everyone's favorite color or food. I know Sango enjoys pink colored fabrics and that Inuyasha loves ramen, but times like these just… really remind me that, despite everything, I was still just an outsider.

Heart falling heavily into my stomach, strengthening the emptiness I felt, I cradled the cup of warm tea close, feeling it burn through the coldness of my fingers. It did little to distract me, though, and I found myself holding back another sneeze.

They would definitely be upset when I died- if I died- but this realization hurt me inside. I want to know more about them. If I do survive long enough to get back home, I want to remember everything about them. I don't want to forget.

I don't want to be forgotten, either.

I just…

I let out a long and quiet sigh, staring into the warm liquid, before turning my head to watch everyone try and decline the overly generous pay. It almost felt like deja vu- back when little Sachi's parents and even the Kasasagi Town Headman tried to give me money, they all insisted that I take it even though it was way too much.

Now here they are- behaving the exact same way I did.

It was hard not to notice the irony of the situation- although, to be fair, Sango and Miroku weren't there at Akebi Village or Kasasagi Town when that happened. Cracking the smallest of smiles, I tilted my head and leaned over to look at everyone, allowing the soldiers to finally get a glimpse of my face. "It'd be… rude to refuse, y'know."

Everyone looked at me in surprise- even the soldiers, who seemed like they wanted nothing to do with my presence. Some actually looked like they were glaring at me, eyes full of distrust. Knowing that it was because I was a foreigner, I decided to ignore them- instead flashing my friends a weak grin.

"We should… help if we can."

"True, but…" Sango hesitated. She raised a hand to her chin, looking down at the bag full of money. "It's still so much…"

"You can not refuse!" A voice suddenly bellowed from outside.

To our alarm there was a white horse visible from the open doorway, and a man was sitting atop it. I took another sip of my tea, squinting to get a better look at his face before he climbed off the horse. His clothes were in shades of yellow and blue, and he wore a hat over his head to protect him from the rain. Around him, all the soldiers bowed. His hair was brown and pulled back out of his face, and his dark grey eyes were unmistakably full of affection as he gazed at our resident demon slayer.

"It's been far too long, Sango." He greeted, voice full of warmth.

"Uh…" She blinked, not at all recognizing the stranger. "Do I know you?"

The silence that followed was so awkward, it was almost painful. Finishing off the tea that remained in my cup, I set the cup down and scooted closer towards Sango. I had no idea who this guy is- he was clearly someone of status judging by all the soldiers and how they bowed their heads- but he was eying my favorite demon slayer with some pretty sus' lookin' eyes.

Sango turned her head when she felt me slide in beside her, wrapping my hands around her right arm protectively. I frowned deeply, dizzy yet determined, observing the stranger intently.

What could he want with her? Not just to slay demons, I bet.

In this time period, Sango was considered of marriageable age. She was also beautiful and strong and intelligent, and was an amazing sister. Only fools wouldn't fall for her.

But none of them deserved her. Not even this creep in front of us.

"Look closer, Sango." Kagome urged, flashing a tense smile as she leaned over to whisper. "Doesn't he seem a little bit familiar?"

Shippō nodded, climbing onto my lap. "He certainly seems to know you."

The soldiers appeared startled when Sango rested her free hand against mine, having not expected such an easy show of affection- especially not to a foreigner such as myself.

"Yeah." She said, furrowing her brows. The woman squeezed my hand. "But I don't recall where or when we could have met…"

My heart started to pick up pace, nervous and wary, and I could feel my head pound. It made it hard to focus and I had to close my eyes for a moment to breathe. Everything was going to be fine. Sango was going to be fine. No matter what this guy tries to pull, we'll be able to put a stop to it. Besides, there's no way she'll let him get away if he does hurt her somehow. Sango is incredibly powerful, and has a strong sense of justice.

She doesn't even let Miroku get away with all his gross womanizing. This man won't stand a chance against her wrath.

I watched with narrowed eyes as the stranger forced a smile, the man doing his best to remain cordial. "Well, I… can't blame you for not remembering. It was an awfully long time ago: six years, in fact."

He then walked forward, escaping the cold rainy weather by entering the hut. To my alarm, he wasted no time in rushing over to us, sitting down on his knees in front of Sango. She blinked and opened her mouth to protest when he snatched her hands off my arms, grasping them in his own, but he spoke before she could protest.

"Please, let us retire to the castle! There we can talk in leisure, and become reacquainted with one another."

Okay, yeah. I really don't like this guy.

Miroku clearly felt the same, if the intense stare he was sending him meant anything. We both eyed the feudal lord skeptically, but Kagome seemed to have reached some kind of realization- for she was quietly cheering to herself about how, "This is it!"

Feeling my nose start to tickle, I quickly pulled away from Sango and sneezed into my shoulder, scooting back and huddling into the blanket I was using before. Within moments Shippō was fussing over me, and Sango took that chance to snatch her hands away from the lord to tend to me instead.

I tried to ignore the surge of satisfaction that washed over me, knowing that I was able to use my sickness to help Sango escape an uncomfortable situation, but it was quite difficult. I had to hide my grin behind the blanket she was forcibly wrapping around me so the baffled lord couldn't see it.

He and his soldiers were watching in such confusion as these people, my friends, tended to someone who was clearly a foreigner. Hearing me let out another sneeze, my fever rising up again, Inuyasha let out a very grumpy sound of disapproval.

"No dying on us." He barked.

I said nothing in response, merely sniffling as I tried and failed to get my nose to stop running. Miroku was completely silent though; something I found quite strange. I thought he of all people would have had at least something to say in this situation.

Even if it would just be to ask if there were any beautiful women inside the castle…

Sango helping me up onto Kirara, she took a seat behind me- declining a ride with the lord- to ensure I wouldn't fall off the cat demon, the slayer wrapping an arm around my middle to keep me close to her. The rest of the gang walked, save for Shippō who sat in my lap, and before long we were making our way up the mountains, heading to the strange lord's castle.

The thought of being in another castle unnerved me, reminding me all too much about Naraku and what happened to the samurai and citizens that had died there. So many people- so many innocents- who had lost their lives. Gods, I'm so scared.

Everyone… I'm so sorry.

The stress made my fever worsen, my eyes sliding groggily shut as my head bumped against Sango's shoulder. Just how much longer do I have? Will I even survive another use of my Shikigami? If Kagura and Kanna attack us, I don't think I'll be able to help this time.

Really… things just kept getting worse…

And I can't even… stay awake…

When I awoke, it was on a futon- a beautiful kimono draped over my form as a blanket. I furrowed my brows at the weight on my forehead, only to realize shortly after that it was a damp rag meant to absorb the heat from my fever.

"How are you feeling?" Sango asked softly, noticing I was awake. She rested the backs of her fingers gently against my cheek. "Any better?"

Ah. I guess we were at the castle, then. I blinked a few times and gave a weak nod, before trying to speak- throat quite parched. "Th-Thirsty…"

"Here."

She picked up a ladle and scooped up some water from a wooden bucket, and helped me sit up- pouring it into my mouth. I swallowed greedily, gasping a bit when I was done. Setting the wooden ladle down, she rubbed my back with a concerned gaze.

"How's your breathing? Dinner is about to be served soon; if you want, I can try and ask the lord to bring it to your room for you…"

Room. My room? I have a room? Oh, guest room. Right. Brain, come on. Ugh, I'm so dizzy. "Food is… nice…" I leaned over, head plopping down against her chest as I struggled to breathe, sweat beading down the sides of my face.

I really am nothing but a burden like this.

Taking a shaky breath, I opened my eyes and looked up at her, trying to get my thoughts in order. "The… lord… dude. What happened... with him?"

Suddenly, and to my alarm, her cheeks flushed pink and she awkwardly turned away. "W-Well, that's… I mean, he asked me to slay a demon for him. And… um…"

Her face is even more red than pink now. Sango pressed a hand to her cheek, clearly flustered over something that I was too tired to figure out. Squeezing her eyes shut, she inhaled deeply, before ducking her head down and blurting out,

"He asked me to marry him!"

I blinked, letting it register. Several seconds passed, the shock and alarm washing over me as my eyes widened, fear for my friend filling my heart. No. No, we have to stay calm. Don't panic. Furrowing my brows, I tilted my head, greatly concerned. I needed to focus on Sango right now. Her feelings mattered most. "What… did you say to him?"

"N-Nothing yet, but…" She faltered. Sango sighed and reached out her arms, surprising me by pulling me in for a hug. She buried her face in my shoulder. "I just don't know. I want to decline, and yet… I want…"

What? What do you want? "You don't… actually want to marry him, do you? I thought… you liked Miroku?"

"Th-That's…"

Oh. She didn't outright deny it this time. Placing my hands over her arms, I pulled away slightly to look at her, completely serious. "Sango. Do you… want Miroku to say something? Is… Is that why you haven't declined the proposal yet? You want him to stop you from accepting the proposal?"

She said nothing, face red as a beet as she bit down on her bottom lip. Her eyes actually looked a bit misty. Suddenly, she groaned, hanging her head and hiding her face with a hand. "I'm such an idiot, aren't I? Why would he say anything? Why do I even care? He's a two-timing, philandering monk!"

I nodded my head thoughtfully, agreeing one hundred percent with that. "I meaaaan… I won't argue with you there. You could do way better. You… deserve better. But…"

Taking a deep breath, I gave her arms a comforting squeeze and flashed a small smile.

"I'm not going to… tell you how to feel. So long as you don't accept the offer out of some… misguided… hope or jealousy attempt, then you should take all the time you need to figure out your feelings. Okay?"

She gave an awkward nod, tense and more than a little out of her comfort zone with this situation she found herself in. But I was going to be there for her, even if I have to suffer to do it. That means it was time to answer her earlier question.

"I'll join you for dinner." I stated firmly. "That way… if anything happens, you got… backup."

"Are you sure?" She asked, eyes both pleading and worried. "I don't want to make you-"

"It's fine."

I would just like to take a bath first, if that's possible. When I mentioned that to Sango, she agreed that a bath sounded great, so she went and asked one of the servants if they could prepare a bath. They did so- under orders of the lord, Kuranosukei Taketa, to do whatever Sango wished, and the demon slayer and I made our way to the steamy water.

It was there that I discovered that all my previous wounds had healed and were scarred over- even the ones on my back. I guess I just never noticed before due to everything that was happening, but… that cat from the old temple…

When it healed me, it healed everything else too. Not just my broken ribs, but the deep gash on my back, my wounded arm, and even my feet and the burns on my hands. It was nice, though I knew if Maria ever found out she would lose her mind over how scarred up I was. It looked like I was put through a blender twice. Like, jeez. The only thing that didn't scar were the burns.

It really makes me wonder how I survived this long. Or… maybe all of what I've been through is the reason why I'm not going to last much longer? Why my body can't keep up anymore? I sighed and tried not to think too much about it, leaning against the side of the tub to escape the majority of the suffocating steam. Sango watched me for a few seconds before sinking into the water and putting some soap in her hair, cleaning herself, and I rested my chin on my arms near the wooden porch.

I was really sleepy… but… I needed to stay awake. At least long enough to eat dinner. I'm worried that guy might try to pull something on Sango- even with the knowledge that she'd beat him up if he tried. I still can't believe how silent Miroku was earlier. He looked even more bothered than I was, yet said nothing. He didn't even make a quip about beautiful women or anything of the sort.

I didn't want to assume anything, but… was he jealous? Was he upset at all? What was going through his mind during that time? I know Sango has feelings for Miroku, but did Miroku have any feelings for Sango? I'm so confused. I wasn't exactly all that close to the monk, but we were still friends. Would he be annoyed if I asked?

"Sango…"

"Hm?" She paused, having been running her fingers through her hair to wash out the soap. "What is it, Irene? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just…" I hesitated. It really wasn't my place to intervene, but I don't think Sango was all that comfortable with the feudal lord hitting on her either. "Are you okay with this? W-With… everything that's… happening?"

"I…" Sango faltered. The demon slayer looked down, then turned away- getting back to work with washing her hair. "I don't know. It's all so sudden. To be honest, I'm more worried about finding the demon they were speaking of… and making sure you recover."

There it was again. That familiar pang of guilt.

I wanted to apologize. To tell her everything that's been plaguing me, to let her know it was never my intention to befriend her and then slowly wither away until it was time for death to come collect me, but… I couldn't. It was too much. I didn't want to burden her even more. "I…"

She turned around and swam over to me, flashing a small smile, before cupping my face with her hands. "Let's just focus on your recovery at the moment, okay? The others and I will take care of the demon, so you just need to work on feeling better. Don't worry so much about us. Just concentrate on you."

I bit down hard on my lip- feeling my eyes start to tear up. She was looking at me so gently, her expression so soft that it hurt, and I found the self-hate in me grow even more, for soon that smile would be gone. Soon, she would be heartbroken and betrayed, and it would be all my fault. I would be the one to hurt her.

Because… more than anything… she wanted me to live.

And that was going to be impossible.

"R-Right." I choked. "I'll… do that."

For as long as I could manage, I would keep surviving. Until this weak body of mine is unable to move no more, I'll fight. I'll fight against the reaper that was coming for my soul, and against death that was trying so hard to claim me. Until I am unable to speak or see or hear or move, until I am nothing more than a motionless sack of human flesh, I would live.

Until then…

I would do my best to meet her expectations, and the expectations of those around us. Our friends. My friends. I'll live on until it's no longer possible, just to prolong their disappointment. Their heartbreak.

Sango…

A sob got caught in my throat and I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, resting my hands over hers and leaning into her touch, trying desperately to rid the expressions Miroku and Kagome had back in the hut when they thought I was going to be sacrificed from my mind. "I-I… I'm…"

"It's okay." She whispered. Sango leaned forward, pulling my head to her shoulder, letting me cry against her. "I'm here. Just let it all out. We'll always be here for you, Irene, so there's no need to hold anything back. Just make sure to breathe, okay?"

That was easier said than done.

After several minutes of crying and me nearly fainting in the bath, we got dressed again. Kagome panicked when she saw my puffy eyes and the way I was being carried by Sango, but after feeding me some more medicine she calmed down and we headed to the main hall for dinner. I could feel the eyes of the soldiers and servants on us, most of them glaring at me, but I was too tired to care.

Some of theirs eyes nearly bugged out of their skulls upon seeing Sango carrying me in her arms. For such a beauty, she was strong. Kagome was actually quite buff herself from all that archery she does, but she doesn't come anywhere close to Sango's level. Sitting down in specific spots, the servants then brought over little wooden tables that had our food resting atop them.

Inuyasha scrunched up his nose, looking at the large array of food in front of Sango. He propped an elbow up on his thigh, palm pressed to his face. The half-demon grouched, "How come she gets the royal treatment?"

Sango looked down at her food, both embarrassed and uncomfortable. While the rest of us only had one table of food, she had three.

Kagome tried to lighten the situation. "So what if she has more food than us? The lord is trying to woo her, so you can't blame him for treating her better."

I poked at the rice with my chopstick, noting that my portion was ridiculously smaller than everyone else's- and that it was the only thing I got to eat. I didn't even get a fish to go with it. It's a good thing I wasn't that hungry, what with the way my stomach was churning grossly, otherwise I would be super upset.

The medicine wasn't really settling well with me right now either, though I was happy that my fever had finally gone down. Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact that I was still quite groggy.

"Irene, you barely have anything!" Shippō exclaimed, brows furrowing as he quickly became upset. "Why'd they give you so little?"

"What?" Inuyasha blinked, and Kagome and Sango both turned their heads towards my very sad tray of food. "The hell is up with that? Sango's being wooed, so sure- fine, she gets royal treatment, but shouldn't they at least give a sick person a decent meal?"

"Why…" Kagome frowned, and Sango looked like she was going to start apologizing to me for some weird reason, but I quickly flashed them all a weak smile and held up my hands.

"I-It's fine. I'm… not that hungry, so…"

Kagome's eyes suddenly flashed with realization and she looked at me in horror, as if finally realizing all the discrimination I had been putting up with all this time. "Irene, you-"

Mikoru was silent, having been praying the moment the food arrived, before he sighed. He then opened his eyes, irritated, before standing up from his seat. He glanced down at me, then at Sango, and started to turn away. "You can have my share, Irene."

Wait, what?

Never in my life have I been so alarmed. He loved eating as much as Inuyasha did. "I-I'm really okay-"

"W-Wait, Miroku!" Sango exclaimed, seeing him start to leave the area. She sat up on her knees, jolting and reaching a hand out as if to stop him. "Where are you going- eh?" The monk stopped by a nearby servant, grasping her free hand and flashing her his typical playboy smile.

"Would you consider bearing my children?" He suddenly asked the woman, who gave a surprised gasp before laughing at his audacity.

Sango fell sideways upon hearing the question, and I recoiled in disgust. Why- just why- was I considering trying to help Sango and Miroku get together? I regret every decent thought I ever had about it.

I hate that I even felt concern about him giving me his food. Screw it. It's mine now. I slowly pushed my way up onto my feet, stumbling a little as I made my way over to his seat- plopping down in it in a fashion similar to the way Inuyasha was sitting, snatching up a fish with the chopsticks and sending Miroku the stink eye as I took a bite.

Hmph.

I watched in annoyance as the servant made her escape through the sliding doors, waving Miroku off with red cheeks, flustered from the blatant question he had asked. "Surely you jest with me, my itinerant monk!"

"Not at all!" Miroku exclaimed with a laugh, raising his hands up as if to appease her, despite clearly being aware of the demon slayer that was raging behind him, Sango having stood up after her fall. After the door closed behind the servant, Sango marched right up to the monk and smacked her palm against his face as hard as she could. Miroku yelped, knocked down onto his rear. "Ow!"

"Hmph!" Sango opened the door, but before she left she called over her shoulder, voice cold as ice, "Irene- you can eat my share as well! I'm suddenly not feeling hungry anymore."

Oh. Oh jeez. Sango is super pissed right now.

"I-I can't eat all this-" I started, frantically swallowing the fish I had been chewing, only to flinch when the door slammed. "-myself…"

Shippō made a face, staring at Miroku who was stuck on the floor, not at all surprised. "What an idiot."

I shook my head, taking a bite of the rice. That idiot really had it coming for him. The monk grimaced, rubbing at his wounded cheek, and slowly made his way back to my old seat to pick up a cup of tea.

"Good grief." He muttered, sitting down. "Now that hardly called for such brutality."

I looked at him, expression completely blank. Chopsticks to my lips, I swallowed my rice and stated bluntly, "It should have been worse."

"Huh?"

Kagome sighed. "Miroku, you can't really blame Sango for being jealous after that way you came onto that other woman."

Shippō nodded in agreement, crossing his arms over his chest. "No wonder she was so angry!"

Inuyasha huffed, waving a hand in the air, now laying on his side after he finished eating his food. He practically scarfed it all up while the two were fighting. It made me wonder if he ever bothers to actually chew his food, or if he just swallows them whole. "What's the big deal? It's not like she's never seen him do it before. He flirts with practically anything that moves."

He's not… wrong. But still; Miroku was acting way out of line.

Kagome scowled at the half-demon. "That's typical; you don't understand anything!"

"Like what, for instance?"

"Like how Sango wants Miroku to stop her from accepting the proposal!" Kagome exclaimed.

I almost choked a second time. I looked at her with big eyes, wondering why she was blurting out such an important secret so quickly. "You can't just-! K-Kagome, you can't just tell on her like that!"

"What? Why not?" Kagome frowned. "This is an emergency!"

"What are you two talking about?" Inuyasha demanded. "What emergency? Stopping Sango from accepting what?"

I'm going to hurt these boys, I swear. I leaned my head back, smacking a hand to my forehead. "The proposal, ya moron!"

"Oi! You're the moron, moron!"

"Stop it!" Kagome snapped. "We need to focus!"

You know what? I can't deal with this. Carefully setting my chopsticks down across the bowl, I sighed and started to stand. "I'm going after Sango."

"What?" Kagome looked up at me in surprise. "Are you sure? You still need rest-"

"It's fine." She needed someone beside her right now.

"Wait!" Kagome suddenly exclaimed, standing up. The middle schooler forcibly grabbed a startled Miroku's left arm and rushed over, forcing me to sit back down by placing a hand on my shoulder. She seemed excited, and I had a bad feeling over what it was. "You just wait here with Inuyasha and the others, okay? I'll take care of everything! Miroku, come with me!"

"What are you- whoa!" The monk yelped, having no choice but to follow as the middle-schooler dragged him out of the room.

Oh boy. This really isn't going to end well. Pushing my tray to the side towards Inuyasha, who raised an eyebrow at me as he watched me stand up, I fiddled with my sleeves and started to slowly wander over to the door. Pawsteps reached my ears and I blinked, pausing to look back- realizing Kirara had followed me.

I flashed her a small smile and shook my head, the exhaustion clear in my eyes despite how well I tried to hide it. "Stay here, okay? I'll be fine." Ignoring Inuyasha and Shippō's intense stares I slid open the door and wandered outside, determined to find my friend- or at the very least stop Kagome from having Miroku do something stupid.

It was one thing to encourage someone, but it was another to purposefully interfere.

I walked across the wooden floor of the castle aimlessly, not quite knowing where to head, and shoved my hands into my jean pockets to hide my fidgeting when I saw passing servants glare at me or send me distrustful looks. I don't even think I was five minutes into my walk before I had to stop and sit down near some steps, drained and gasping for breath.

Elbows propped on my knees, I hunched over, sweat dripping along my brow. I'm really not… able to keep up anymore, am I? Damn. I'm way worse than I initially thought. Being spoiled by riding on Kirara all the time probably wasn't helping with my stamina either.

I was just about to try standing up again when something bumped me hard on the head, a sudden coldness washing over me- leaving my hair and clothes completely wet, body drenched head-to-toe. I blinked, utterly stunned and just a bit dumbfounded, and I lifted up the bucket that was obscuring my vision to get a peek at who just assaulted me. A woman stared down at me with hateful eyes, long black hair tied back with a ribbon.

She was… one of the servants that delivered the food earlier. Lifting the bucket off my head, I shakily stood, standing on a step below her, and held it out to her. "I-I think… you dropped this?"

The woman hmph'd at me. "So I did."

Yet instead of taking the bucket, she shoved her shoulder into mine as she walked down the steps, pushing me off the porch. I let out a startled yelp, dropping the bucket and flailing my arms, only to flinch when I landed painfully on the ground below. She picked up the bucket then, and walked off without saying another word.

I stared at her for a few seconds, baffled by her behavior, the water dripping from my hair and down my face, only to let out a painful sneeze shortly after she vanished from view.

Sniffling, I coughed a few times and used the porch as leverage to stand back up, not at all annoyed by the dirt that was on my drenched clothes. I was used to rough weather nowadays, though my body didn't really appreciate it at all. Gods, I… I don't think I can go talk to Sango like this. She'll throw a fit.

I don't want to upset her more than she already is.

I flicked my hands, trying to get some of the water off of them, and looked up at the sky, rubbing at my face. It was nearly evening. The sun was getting ready to set. I doubted any of the servants would prepare fresh clothes for me if I asked them- if they did, the clothes would probably already be dirty. Well... I suppose dirty clothes would be better than wet ones with the condition I'm currently in, so… yeah. Might as well. It's not like I haven't been wearing the same outfit for several days on end.

Actually, nah. They might have already prepared night clothes for everyone, so I can just wear those for now and let these dry in the meantime.

Now, where was my room again…?

I wandered for a while, feeling a little guilty for getting water all over the floors that have undoubtedly been cleaned in preparation for having Sango and the others as guests, but I tried to remind myself it wasn't entirely my fault. The woman clearly dropped the bucket on me on purpose. Which was super rude, might I add. I bet she was the one who decided I would only have the tiniest of the rice bowls, too.

Gods, all this walking is making me dizzy…

No. We can do this.

This is… the right room… isn't it? I tiredly slid it open, only to blink in surprise when I saw it definitely wasn't the right room, as there were several pairs of familiar eyes staring at me- all having been in the process of the devouring their food. Inuyasha swallowed his fish, looking up at me in alarm, and I realized very quickly that I had walked in a circle- or at the very least came back the way I had left.

Whoops.

Stepping back, I closed the door in front of me before anything could be said, but then there was the rush of footsteps and Inuyasha was slamming the door back open, an unfamiliar rage flashing across his features. "Who did this to you!?"

What?

"Who did this to you?" He repeated, very much angry. "They know you're sick! The food was bad enough, but now this?"

Oh. Oh, of course. Inuyasha was a half-demon.

He had been put through situations far worse than what I had ever experienced, or could even imagine, so he knew right away what was going on. He's probably long-since figured out that a lot of villagers, and just humans in general, had been quite cruel and prejudiced towards me for not being from here.

Yet none of them actually hurt me before, save for the ones from Akebi Village who thought I had been a demon, and the ones from Kasasagi Town who were convinced I had been a criminal. It was a bit odd, but I guess because I was a human that could barely walk on her own rather than a half-demon fully capable of self-defense, he felt the need to get angry on my behalf.

No wanting to cause any problems, despite feeling a bit warm from the concern, I shakily raised my hands up to try and placate him, a weak smile on my face. "I-It's fine. It's not like I was hungry, and I just fell earlier… so it's really-"

"Shut it!" He growled, snatching one of my wrists, and I yelped as he tugged me into the room. I watched with wide eyes as he turned his head and barked at some servants that were still in the room. "One of you get her a towel or something! Didn't your lord say to treat us all with respect? What do you call this, huh!? Fuckin' assholes."

A few of the servants hurriedly stood, clearly afraid of him, and I was left standing in shock as he yanked off the top of his red kimono and forcibly threw it over me like a blanket.

"Come on."

I couldn't bring myself to argue as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and brought me further into the room, Kirara wasting no time in transforming. Inuyasha dragged me over to her and forced me to sit down beside him, the half-demon demanding another servant to bring fresh hot tea as Kirara curled around us. He was grumbling to himself as he tied his kimono top around me, making sure it wouldn't fall off, and Shippō took that moment to bounce over with worried green eyes.

"Irene!" He stood beside me, wrapping Kirara's tail around my lap to try and help get me warm. "Here- I'll go ask one of the servants to make you some warm soup, okay? So you stay with Inuyasha and Kirara and feel better!"

I wasn't entirely sure what was happening. I don't… think I've ever seen Inuyasha act so soft before. Is that why he's been so quietly lately whenever Sango or Kagome have been fussing over me? He's been trying to hide how much he actually cared? I… guess that would make sense.

I think the only one he can openly bring himself to admit about caring for is Kagome.

Did… Did the kidnapping mess with him more than I previously believed? I guess one of our last few conversations was a huge argument, and then the panther demons happened directly after. Was he upset with himself for not being able to protect me?

"I-Inuyasha, I…" One of his ears twitched and he turned his head, letting out a grouchy hum to show he was listening. I sniffled and shivered, curling my knees up to my chest and hugging the warm red top of his kimono around me, my head hanging low. My first instinct was to apologize, and I almost did, but I caught myself in time and tried to remember what he told me before. "...Thank you."

He tensed at that, clearly a little bit awkward, before he removed his hand from my shoulder to bop me lightly atop the head, the teen refusing to look at me. "...Whatever. If you really wanna thank me, stop getting so damn sick all the time. Got it?"

Heh. I wish I could.

Eventually, Shippō returned with a servant carrying a bowl of soup, and several other servants came after with a fresh pot of tea and some towels. Though tired, I did my best to dry my hair and face, and Shippō helped me with my sleeves. I returned Inuyasha's kimono to him, which he obviously complained about being wet, but he put it back on anyway. I was covered in so many towels at this point I looked a bit like a giant marshmallow, Kirara even nuzzling my face to try and warm me up.

They made me feel like such a kid being treated like this, but beneath all the guilt it did feel a little nice. I loved knowing I had people to care for me, who cared about me, but… it was hard to appreciate it when all I could think about was how sad they were going to be later.

"I'm really not that hungry…" I mumbled, staring at the bowl of soup.

Shippō and Inuyasha and Kirara all gave me the stink eye when I said that, so I ended up caving in and drinking the soup.

I also fell asleep at one point, but when I woke up I discovered that everyone else had passed out as well. It was night time already, and… people were shouting? I coughed, wheezing a little and patting my pockets for my inhalers, watching as Inuyasha, Shippō, and Kirara all stood up. Kirara was hissing, fur standing on end as she glared at the door.

My head was starting to pound, too, and just as I took the last puff from my daily inhaler Kirara dashed forward and forced me onto her back, and Inuyasha slammed the sliding door open and dashed out- the ground rumbling from the giant footsteps of the bear demon we had been hired to slay. Shippō, clinging to Kirara's tail, cried out and barely managed to climb his way up onto her back, Inuyasha unsheathing tetsusaiga and glaring up at the massive demon before us.

And when I say massive, I mean massive. It was there that the pounding in my head grew worse, and a painful dizziness washed over me- nothing but the roar of the bear resounding with my skull. It was… awful, and aching, and… familiar?

"What took you so long!?" Inuyasha demanded of the demon, just as Kagome, Miroku, and Sango ran up with their weapons in hand.

"Inuyasha!" The monk exclaimed.

Inuyasha glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes, huffed, and looked back up at the demon bear. "It's about time. Don't matter, though. I'm about to take care of that demon with one strike of my sword!" He grinned cockily, confidence oozing from his being, despite having just woken up mere moments ago.

I sat up from atop Kirara, fingers gripping her fur, eyes worried as I looked up at the beast. I really hoped Inuyasha could do it- because there was no way my body would last if I tried to use the Shikigami again. What was even going on with me right now? I could feel a ringing of sorts, and a sudden warmth from my nose as the spot behind my eyes stung with pain.

This sensation… this was...

Suddenly, Sango ran forward in front of the half-demon, pretty features twisted from held back rage, and I blinked in surprise at the sight. "Stay out of this, Inuyasha, and let me handle it!" The slayer hissed, heels digging into the ground as she gripped her hiraikotsu tightly.

"What's the problem?" Inuyasha was baffled. "I can handle that little demon on my own."

"Slaying that thing is my job." She stated fiercely. Sango then narrowed her eyes, glaring at the demon with a fiery sort of determination. "Besides… I wouldn't mind letting off a little steam right now."

Oooh. Oh, Sango is mad right now. Even Inuyasha was a little frightened, lowering his sword to the ground and taking a tentative step back. "Uh… okay." I blinked, wiping a hand beneath my nose and staring at the blood. No one seemed to notice, too focused on the demon ahead of us, and I was left alone with my thoughts.

Something was wrong. Not just with Sango, but with that demon as well.

Kagome and I both turned our attention to Miroku, instinctively knowing he was the cause of her anger. "What happened!" The teen demanded. "Did you say something to her?"

"N-No, nothing in particular…" The monk stammered.

Making sure no one could see the blood, I glared at him. "Details. Now."

"What details!? All I did was wish her happiness!"

Oh my gods. I slammed a hand to my face. "You… are so dumb."

Miroku was utterly lost, not understanding at all what was wrong with what he said. I shook my head at him and turned back to Sango, ignoring the throbbing ache in my skull and the deafening roars that echoed within it, instead watching as the slayer let out a battlecry and charged into the fray, sliding forward and leaning backwards to avoid a deadly swipe from the bear demon.

"Hrah!" Seeing the demon about to attack again, she slammed the bottom of her hiraikotsu into the ground to block the blow, a victorious smirk spreading across her lips when it worked. The demon became frustrated, yet could not react in time when Sango leapt into the air- running up its arm and jumping again, swinging a solid kick hard against its throat. "Guh! Hyaaah!"

I gaped, awed by her strength and skill.

The demon landed on its side with a satisfying thud, collapsed upon the earth. Sango, falling back, landed on her feet and brushed her bangs out of her eyes, pleased with how the battle was going, before picking up her hiraikotsu and running forward again, ramming into the demon time-and-again. She was completely relentless, switching from physical melee and then back to her weapon, beating the creature into submission.

Shippō clung to Inuyasha's arm, more than a little intimidated by this side to her. "I've never seen Sango look so fierce in battle…!"

"I don't think there's a person in this whole world who'd be able to defeat Sango right now." Inuyasha stated, exasperated and just the tiniest bit concerned. "Why's she so pissed?"

"Hraaah! Hyah!" Sango roared, bashing her hiraikotsu into the demon's skull and leaping back. Twisting the weapon, she sent it flying through the air until it rammed into it's stomach, then caught it as it swung back towards her. "Grah!"

Miroku tightened his grip on his staff, a bit pale in the face as he watched Sango unleash her fury. Kagome turned her head away from the monk, eyebrows raised, hands laced behind her back. "Don't come crying to me." She stated bluntly, ready to let the man meet his doom.

Though it hurt, I cupped my hands around my mouth and cheered. The ringing in my ears was almost like a siren at this point, yet somehow less painful than it was when we were at the castle. The last time this happened was because of the hundreds of undead soldiers and servants wandering around, yet this was just a simple demon. So why… was it happening now? It was alive, wasn't it?

"Beat him up, Sango! Woo!"

There's something I'm missing. My sinuses are burning right now. Frick. This is just a normal demon, right? It's not secretly a zombie as well or anything? Gods, it's… getting harder to think. Focus, Irene. I can't… I'm so dizzy. Black spots are starting to form in my vision.

The lord of the castle finally arrived in time to watch the commotion, and everyone observed as Sango launched one last good kick against the demon bear's jaw. "This'll finish you off!" She declared, raising her hiraikotsu up above her head. "Take this! Hiraikotsu!"

She swung the weapon while being suspended in mid-air, slicing the demon from navel to neck. Falling towards the ground, Sango rolled and stood up gracefully on her feet just as the demon collapsed- the woman catching the hiraikotsu in her hand without so much as a slip in balance when it returned to her.

Kagome beamed, clapping her hands together. "She did it! Way to go!"

Sango glanced over her shoulder at us, a smile on her face. She started to head back our way when the demon bear suddenly twitched, all previous wounds gone as it stood up, the creature roaring loudly as Sango whirled her head around to look up at it- her eyes wide. Taken by surprise, she wasn't able to move in time- and neither were we.

But… Miroku was- and he took full brunt of the demon bear's blow, grabbing Sango even as his arm was torn by the creature's claws, the man leaping away from the danger with her in tow. "M-Miroku!" Sango exclaimed when they landed, quickly pulling out of his grasp to view the damage he had sustained. She gasped. "You're wounded!"

"You miscalculated." He said, gripping his bleeding arm, flashing her a strained grin. Miroku glanced back up at the demon. "Sango, when I was watching you fight, I noticed something; I realized that this demon was actually a ghostly spirit seeking vengeance. It can't be destroyed in the usual way."

"A… what?" God damn it. I brought my hand up to my face again, watching as the blood dripped against my fingers, and suddenly Inuyasha tensed. He whirled his head around to look at me, amber eyes widening, and I flashed a weak grin in response to his stare. I waggled my fingers almost jokingly. "Undead… really don't like me, huh?"

The bear demon roared and moved towards our friends, ready to lash out again, and Sango quickly took out her wakizashi while Miroku pulled out his talismans.

"I'll exorcise… this demon!" The monk declared.

Dashing forward and dodging its claws, Miroku slapped several sutras to the beast. It screeched in response, pitiful and pained, and swinging his staff he slammed the bottom hard into the ground, right in the middle of sutra, and held his right hand up in a prayer. The sutras on the demon ghost sparked and caused the bear's form to flicker, slowly vanishing into nothing.

Miroku waited in silence, gaze intense, until he was convinced it had left for good, and with its disappearance the throbbing in my skull vanished and I fell forward against Kirara- wheezing as the ringing in my ears ebbed away. Kagome and Shippo wasted no time in rushing towards Miroku, determined to fix his wounds, and Inuyasha wandered over to me- hands folded in his kimono sleeves and eyes very much annoyed.

"So." He stated, leaning to give me an irritable look. "When were you gonna tell us the demon was a ghost, huh?"

"T-To be fair…" I coughed. "I didn't figure it out until Miroku did."

I had no idea that my Shikigami reached out towards demons. Inuyasha hmph'd at me, unimpressed and annoyed, and bopped me lightly upside the head. Kirara let out a low growl, concerned since she could smell the blood. She looked back at me and I waved at her, chuckling wetly, before she and the others decided to make sure everyone was unharmed and to return to the castle.

Everyone threw a fit when they saw the blood on my hands, and Kagome made me stick some tissue up my nose as she took my vitals. Miroku's arms was covered in stitches and bandages from the attack, for despite being a ghost the demon could still do some very real damage. I still can't believe a demon poltergeist was a thing.

In the Feudal Era, I guess really anything was possible, huh?

Between demons and magic and ghosts, I'm not sure what's left to surprise me.

The next day, Sango spoke to the lord of the castle and we wound up being led to a small shed. There, some of the castle's men opened up the doors and revealed nothing but… demon bear figurines made out of wood? Sango was baffled. "Bear ornaments?" There were masks and keychains and figurines. It was ridiculous.

"Is that why the bear demon was so vengeful?" Shippō asked, picking up a mask and wearing another atop his head.

"No." Miroku informed, shaking his head. "It's not that simple."

The mask on Shippō's head fell over his face and he squeaked, startled by it, and I picked him up from my spot on the ground beside Inuyasha- setting the fox demon on my lap and lifting the mask up so he could see again. Miroku held his staff up into the air, pointing deep into the shed.

"Take a look over there, if you will!"

Oh. Oh my. There, in the back of the shed, buried behind all the dumb wood ornaments, was a patch of fur hanging off a wall.

"It's a bear pelt!" Kagome exclaimed.

Sango stared at it for a few moments, then gasped, visibly alarmed. "But that's the same demon we slayed six years ago!" She glared at the men. "We told you way back when to offer up your prayers and then bury the thing!"

"Please allow me to explain." One of them sighed, pressing a hand to their head, exhausted and ashamed. "We were following your instructions and were about to bury the demon, when the late master stopped us and gave us new orders! We were instructed to make wooden carvings of the demon and market these tokens as our regional keepsakes in an effort to restore the clan's finances."

What… the frick.

"The wooden carvings were soon followed by big bear bean jam cakes, the big bear towels, and the big bear wooden coins!" With each item, another servant would walk up to show off what exactly was being described.

"Don't' tell me," Kagome deadpanned, "they didn't sell."

All the servants hung their heads. "Not a one."

Well, that's humiliating. Also sort of funny. I'm honestly not sure why the previous lord thought they could make money off of selling items based off of a demon when so many people hate and are terrified of them. It wasn't very smart of him.

Shaking her head, Sango quickly instructed the men to take down the bear pelt and follow through with what they should have done years ago. Offering their prayers, they made a bonfire to burn the pelt, and later that day- shortly after it had started to rain again- we started getting ready to leave.

Sango was speaking to the lord at the entrance, while the rest of us had to wait by a tree several feet away- too far away, in fact, to actually hear what was being said. I watched with narrowed eyes, leaning forward and trying to figure out the context of what was happening, and squinted when Sango bowed to him.

I could only look on in relief when Sango turned around and started to run towards us, a hand on her straw hat to keep the rain out of her face. I relaxed my shoulders and smiled at her, and together the gang began to walk off. It was quiet for a while, and Kagome and I watched Sango worriedly- noticing she seemed a bit down, and not knowing what else to do I awkwardly reached out and tugged on her sleeve.

"You okay…?"

She blinked, surprised, and flashed me a small smile. "Yes, I'm… fine. I just rejected his proposal, is all."

Oh. I guess... she was upset because Miroku didn't convince her to do it? She had done it of her own volition. She really did want to see him jealous, even just a little bit, but instead he just made things worse by assuming she would choose the lord over him and saving her brother. Honestly, it was dumbest thing Miroku has ever done, and I mean really.

Sango would never settle down until after Naraku had been defeated and her brother's safety had been ensured. Miroku was being a complete idiot.

"Hey, Miroku!" Kagome suddenly called out. "What happened to your hat?"

"I've got it." He explained, only to chuckle and grin awkwardly when he held it up for her to see. "But the strap is broken, I'm afraid."

Aha! Kagome and I shared a look, and I gave her a nod. Kagome smiled, turning to Sango and tapping her on the arm. She held up the extra umbrella she had strapped to her backpack, and Sango looked on with wide eyes before accepting it, shyly opening the device and walking up to Miroku to share it with him.

Miroku stopped walking, startled, and looked down to see Sango glancing up at him with nervous eyes, a hand held up to her chin. Her cheeks were pink, timid as could be, and Miroku smiled at her, his expression soft. "Thank you." He said.

I swear to god if Miroku doesn't treat Sango right after this I'm going to have to hit him.

We all let the couple walk ahead of the group, allowing them to chat in private, though it took a bit of force to make Inuyasha slow down and match our pace. The half-demon made a face, carrying the hiraikotsu for Sango so she could walk with Miroku, and Inuyasha looked at Kagome. "So, what are they all chummy about?"

"I told you umbrellas were convenient." Kagome said, grinning. "It's brought them together!"

"Now shush!" I gave Inuyasha a playful shove, wheezing a little. "Don't ruin it for them."

Sango has been upset for at least two days because of this whole crazy situation. She deserves some bit of happiness right now.

"Just look at how happy they are!" Kagome gushed.

Inuyasha did as told, looking ahead at the pair, but the looks on our faces quickly soured when we saw Miroku's hand move outwards to a place where it really shouldn't be, the perverted monk taking that chance to grope Sango's bottom. Miroku shrieked when Sango smacked him as hard as she could in response, the umbrella going flying, but before it could hit the ground she caught it, huffing in annoyance.

She marched ahead of the group, leaving Miroku to sit on the muddy ground and rub his now sore face, and I sighed. "Kirara, can you bite him for me? Please?"

"Mrrrow!" The cat demon walked forward, but instead of biting him she instead just smacked him in the face with her tail. "Grr…"

There's no saving him. I really don't understand why Sango liked him so much. Is it because he's pretty? It has to be because he's pretty. I coughed a few more times and looked up tiredly at the sky, seeing the grey clouds clearing as the sun began to peek through once more, wondering just how much longer it would take before we got to Ayame Village. I really hoped we could get a decent lead there, because quite frankly... it's really hard just trying to stay awake. I'm starting to get worried that if I fall asleep, I might not wake up.

Please... let there be something there.