"Oh! So many kinds of weapons!" Andy hears Shippo cry from where he's standing in front of what she supposes must be an armory of some sort.
It's been three days since the incident with the demons in the slayer village. Sango has woken - though she remains quiet and somber despite her anger - and her wounds carefully tended to by Andy and Kagome both while the boys have rid the village of debris and demon parts. Andy makes her way over to where Shippo is standing and peaks into the gloomy armory to view the masses of different weapons Shippo has managed to find. The attack, or maybe the scramble for people to arm themselves, has left the armory a complete mess but even still Andy can tell that the weapons were incredibly well cared for.
"With these arms, the people of this village slew demons." Myoga tells Shippo as the kit goes to pick up some sort of range weapon.
"So there are strong humans, too." Shippo marvels to which Myoga nods sagely.
"That's why demons despised this village." The little flea tells Shippo.
"And Naraku took advantage of that hatred."
"Naraku took advantage of a lot of things," Andy adds on, brushing her fingers over a polished staff of wood. A training weapon most likely. Can't teach a child to fight with steel until they understand how to fight with wood. "Come on, Kagome's washing clothes and could probably use some help."
Shippo nods obediently and allows Andy to guide him away from the hut. Kagome's not too far away from them so when Shippo takes off running for her Andy lets him go. He's quickly given the task of scrubbing dirt out of the clothes on a washboard while Kagome moves off to start hanging the items she's already cleaned. There's really not much considering none of them have an abundance of clothes but there's enough that it needs to be done while they have the time and quiet to do it. Andy settled beside the basin of clean water and takes up the task of rinsing the soap out of fabric when Shippo passes items off to her. Within an hour all the laundry's been done and left out to dry.
"Have you checked on Sango?" Kagome asks as Andy moves to dump the basins.
"I did before breakfast. Her wounds are pretty much healed up but she's sore." Andy tells the other girl, careful to avoid the water as she dumps it onto the ground.
"Should I check on her?"
"Probably wouldn't hurt," Andy sets the empty basin aside, "She doesn't seem overly fond of me."
Andy knows it has to do with the fact that she's very obviously not entirely human. While her appearance isn't distinctly demonic her ability to heal isn't human. Seeing as her entire life was torn apart by a demon Sango isn't overly fond of having to be in her company. Andy gets it, she does, so she tends to Sango when she needs to be tended to and then tries to keep her distance the rest of the time. If Sango wants to make friends with her it'll happen on it's own time. Trying to force a bond with Sango won't do anything but alienate her from the group. Kagome, on the other hand, is completely human and therefore received by Sango far better than any of the non-humans in the group.
With her little first aid kit in hand Kagome makes for the house they've been keeping Sango in. Andy watches her go for a moment before moving to dump the basin full of soapy water.
"Do you think Sango will come with us to fight Naraku?" Shippo asks from his perch on a post not far away.
Andy nods. "It's likely," she admits, "I'd go after the man responsible for the death of my people."
Contemplation colors Shippo's features for a long moment before he says, "I hope she avenges her people."
"No Shippo," Andy shakes her head, "hope that she finds closure. Whether that comes from avenging her people, destroying the Jewel, or living her life in peace."
"Closure?"
"Yes. Sometimes hurting those who wronged you doesn't take away your pain at the end of the day." Andy tells him.
"Like with my father's pelt?"
"Have you come to terms with what happened? Are you able to put the pain aside and not focus on it every day?" Andy asks, then says, "Emotional closure allows you to be aware of the pain you've felt but come to terms with it. After you've come to terms with it, you're able to put the pain aside and look back on it without letting it consume your life."
Shippo's ears flatten a bit as he says, "I suppose that makes sense."
Andy smiles softly at Shippo and says, "Sango's going to look for closure in whatever way she can, all we can do to help is support her and make sure her quest for vengeance doesn't get her killed."
It's just about then that Kagome comes rushing around the corner calling for everyone to gather up. Sango ambles along behind her at a far slower pace and when everyone's gathered around the slayer, who tells them that she wants to show them where the Shikon no Tama was created. Inuyasha is absolutely delighted. So delighted that he scoops Sango up, adjusts her on his back, and begins walking toward the opening in the wall before any of the others in the group really get what's happening. They manage to get themselves together pretty quickly though and take off after Inuyasha before he's even left the village.
They walk for about thirty minutes or so, the path they take isn't exactly a road but it's been taken enough that there's a clear footpath. Andy glances around, suspicious of the trees and what could be hiding in them even as Sango leads them to a cave burrowed deep in the mountainside. Here, it's quiet. So quiet that not even the wind dares to rustle the branches over their head. Andy wouldn't exactly call it a bad omen but it's definitely ominous. She sticks close enough to Kagome to protect the sister-of-her-soul should anything go badly for them. Which it very well could seeing as their a hazy barrier around the mouth of the cave keeping anyone who would wish to enter out. Maybe it'll try to burn them all to death like Andy's barriers do. Wouldn't that be pleasant?
"At least, we'll be able to enter this limestone cave... where the Sacred Jewel came to be." Miroku tells them all after a moment of tense silence.
"So Sango... Just how do we get rid of this barrier?" Inuyasha asks, tone weirdly calm.
From Inuyasha shoulder Myoga claims, "We must say the age-old incantation and the barrier will be broken-" "-There's no such incantation." Sango interrupts.
"Then how?" Myoga demands, clearly upset that his thunder has been stolen.
"This is a graveyard," Sango says.
"A graveyard?" Inuyasha sounds surprised, as if the bones splayed out on the cave floor didn't suggest something like that.
"It's useless to just look for way in. At first, we all thought that demons had placed a curse to keep anyone from entering. But it seems she is the one who keeps intruders out."
"Uh," Andy steps a little closer to the barrier, "Who?"
"The person from whom the Sacred Jewel was born. Her sadness and regret keep people from entering... That's what I sense." Sango replies in that soft tone of hers. "It'll be easier to understand if we go in. Go ahead, enter."
And so Andy steps forward, because if anything goes wrong at least she'll heal from it, and slips right through the barrier. No sparks, no wave of power, nothing but a sense of loneliness that seems to settle in her bones. Andy shivers a bit as she trudges deeper into the cave, the rest of the group following closely behind.
"Are you sure?" She hears Inuyasha demand.
"Until now, countless people have become victims of the Sacred Jewel. You sympathize with them, so I'm sure she will allow you to enter."
Sympathizing with victims is how they passed the barrier? Who wouldn't sympathize with someone who's life was ruined by that stupid fucking jewel? Andy grits her teeth as she steps deeper into the cave alongside the rest of her friends... except Myoga. Apparently he doesn't sympathize. Sucks to be him, Andy supposed.
The deeper they go the more bones they find, where at first they've been a sparse scattering across the forest floor it's not impossible to step down without stepping on the remains of dead demons. In the center of the mess is a large collection of various demon wrapped around what looks like a woman.
"What is this?" Inuyasha demands.
"Demons, dragons and spiders all merged into one to wage a battle against one single human." Sango tells them.
Kagome speaks as she helps Sango off of Inuyasha's back, "There's a mummy in the stalagmite!"
Mummy isn't a good term to describe what they're all seeing. Because the woman encased in the Stalagmite is perfectly preserved, as if someone took her image to clay or marble with painstaking care. She looks like something out of a dream, Beautiful in her fierceness but... sad. So very, very sad. Andy doesn't reach out to touch the woman but she wants to. Offering comfort to those in pain is something Andy is good at. She wants to comfort the woman despite the fact that she's long since dead and there's no point in trying.
"The demon has her in his jaws." Miroku mutters, more to himself than anyone. "And ancient armor? A warrior from long ago?"
"It's a woman. A priestess from several centuries ago." Sango corrects.
"A priestess?" Kagome wonders.
Miroku can't contain his horrified awe as he says, "But look at the number of demons surrounding her... This priestess must have had immense spiritual power."
"The court nobles controlled power at that time," Sango says, "Wars and famine dragged on and on and countless people perished. By devouring the dead and near-dead demons grew in number. Many priests and warriors went out to slay them, but one priestess known as Midoriko was able to purify demons' souls and render them harmless. She ranked the strongest of them all."
Sounds like a woman after Andy's heart.
"She was able to purify the souls and weaken the demons?" Kagome asks, awed.
"Yes, in this world humans, animals, trees, and stone alike all are created through four souls." Andy turns to give Sango a sharp look, as if demanding her to continue or explain, but Miroku beats her to it.
"I've come across it in my readings. The four souls are namely: Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama. Combines they become the soul of one person housed inside the heart. Aramitama governs courage, Nigimitama governs friendship, Kishimitama governs wisdom, and Sakimitama governs love. When four souls work properly in harmony it is called Naobi and the human heart is filled with good," Miroku steps closer to the crystallized figure and bows his head over his hand, "Inuyasha, do you follow me?"
Called out for not paying attention Inuaysha stutters out a, "w-what?"
"When one does bad deeds," Sango tells them, "the four spirits energize evil and the human looses his way."
"In other words, with both humans and demons the soul can turn good or bad." Miroku tacks on.
"She must have been something great if the demons wanted her dead so badly." Andy breathes, suddenly awed by just how fierce this human must have been in her life.
Inuyasha scoffs, "She fought off an army of demons but her power didn't last... Just means that this Midoriko wasn't much of a priestess."
"She hasn't lost the battle yet," Sango tells Inuyasha.
"What do you mean?" Andy wonders, moving closer to Sango so as to check her wounds.
The younger girl seems a bit pale, worn down, Andy doesn't much like it.
"After battling for seven days and seven nights a demon got its fangs into Midoriko. With the last ounce of her energy Midoriko seized the demon's soul, took it into her own soul, and forced it out of her body."
They all stare up at the woman, the warrior, the priestess, and the gaping hole in her chest seems far more horrible than it had when Andy had first glanced over it. That would have been the spot she forced her soul out of. How awful that must have been for her, knowing that there was no way to win but desperately trying anyway? Andy shivers a bit as Sango goes on to explain that the Sacred Jewel is the product of Midoriko's last efforts to vanquish the demons who had fought against her. Unable to purify the demon's soul, unable to continue fighting, what other choice was there for her than to trap them both in an endless cycle of pain and war? Andy finds herself grieving for the woman who's had to spent hundreds of years locked in a war she may never win.
Around her everyone is somber, save for Inuyasha who scoffs and gnashes his teeth and claims a victory not yet certain. His claims of using the jewel to become a full demon so that Midoriko can rest in piece even gets him booted from the cave. Fucking idiot. Andy pinches the bridge of her nose but doesn't go to check on Inuyasha. He'll be fine, she's certain.
With nothing else to discuss and the creation of the Sacred Jewel made known the group prepares to leave. Andy lingers though, just long enough for the rest of the group to be further down the tunnel before she moves to place her hand on ribs of the dead woman - without a hand to grip onto Andy needs to adjust - and stares into that cool face.
"I promise you, that Naraku will be defeated and the shards collected and no one will ever, ever, suffer from the jewels power again." Andy whispers to the woman and around her the room seems to warm, just a bit, as if Midoriko heard her and is attempting to hold her to that promise.
Andy leaves quickly after that.
When they return to the village the sun is beginning to set in the sky, bathing everything in soft golden hues. Andy takes a moment to bask in the warmth of it before helping with the chores that need to be taken care of before they all go to dinner. Laundry is taken down and put away, borrowed items returned to the places they were found in, and inventory taken over what's left in the girls' packs. Dinner is a simple meal of ramen and junk food Andy had brilliantly remembered to bring - because she's an awesome friend for introducing her people to all her favorite snacks - and soon everyone finds themselves settled in what has been dubbed Sango's House for some sleep. Inuyasha has settled himself on the roof so he can keep watch, go figure. Andy rolls her eyes as she adjusts the strap of her tank top.
"i believe it has something to do with Midoriko," Sango is saying, "but the villagers worked as slayers for generations. Over the centuries the Jewel passed through the hands of various humans and demons, and it returned here during my grandfather's time. It came out fo a demon he slew, but his life and so many others were sacrificed in the fight... The Sacred Jewel removed from the demon was horribly defiled and beyond the abilities of the demon slayers to handle."
"So they put it in Kikyo's care." Miroku says.
Sango looks at Miroku in confusion. "Kikyo? I heard of a priestess so named who was able to purify the jewel."
"Naraku learned about her and killed her." Miroku says.
Andy stops listening, she knows what happens when people handle the jewel with bad intentions. Nothing good can come of owning the jewel or even burying it somewhere not even the most powerful of demons could find it. The Sacred Jewel needs to be destroyed. Andy wonders if she could maybe destroy it... she's old - older than dirt and she's going to make that pun for the rest of her existence - and powerful in her own right. Maybe she could burn away the taint. Would that free Midoriko though? The woman deserves to be at peace after everything she's been through. Andy sighs and slips into her sleeping bag.
She falls asleep quietly, peacefully, and is woken by the ground trembling beneath her body so violently that vibrates her bones. Around her the group if waking with cries of distress and confusion. Andy is out of her sleeping bag in seconds, followed closely by Miroku, and the two of them sprint out of the house as the tremors stop to find Inuyasha waiting for them.
"What was that tremor?" Inuyasha wonders, none of them have an answer.
Seconds later Kagome rushes from the house with a terrified, "Inuyasha! The Sacred Jewel fragments are gone!"
"Something's happening in Midoriko's cave!"
They don't bother lingering and waiting for the others. If something bad is happening in that cave it involved the Jewel shards, which they can't allow to fall into enemy hands. So they run, run as fast as their feet will carry them until they come to a skidding stop outside of Midoriko's cave and tomb. Beyond the barrier is a strange hazy orange glow and the yowls of a large cat. Kirara.
"Demon spirits, come on!" Inuyasha yells before unsheathing his sword and rushing into the cave.
Andy and Miroku are quick to follow, quick to rush into the danger that the Sacred Jewel has brought to this cave. What they see is a large dragon-like demon attempting to crush Kirara with its coils. Surprisingly, Inuyasha doesn't even need any of his swords special abilities in order to take down the spirit. Once it's gone the orange haze disappears and Kirara lands softly on her feet, Miroku snatches up the fragments of the jewel shortly after.
"I cannot linger here with the jewel fragment!" Miroku cries, "I'm going out of the cave!"
He takes off at a sprint with Inuyasha's shout of, "Go!" nipping at his heels.
Once he's gone Inuyasha turns and begins searching through Kirara's downy fur, "Now then, I only know one creature who would do something so stupid."
When he pulls out Myoga the flea Andy finds herself less than impressed with the tiny demon.
"You handle this," Andy hisses at Inuyasha, "I'm hardly in the mood to deal with this kind of idiocy."
Then she's gone. Striding out of the cave and back in the direction of the village without so much as a backward glance at Inuyasha, who's berating the flea demon quite viciously. Not that he doesn't deserve a little bit of it. What Myoga did today was so incredibly stupid. He could have gotten himself killed! Or Kirara! Andy grits her teeth as she stomps by Miroku. What did she do to be cursed with such an idiotic friend? Well, maybe not friend but certainly a sort of companion. Andy rolls her eyes. She must have done something very naughty in the past for fate to be playing with her like this. She stews over everything she might have done - significant or otherwise - that might have been the reason fate's decided to curse her. Nothing really turns up by the time she gets back to the village and informs the others of what happened, so she's forced to assume that her luck's just shit as she curls back up to go to bed while the others mutter among themselves.
Waking the next morning to a wide eyed tiny cat demon staring at her while the others gather their things is a dream.
Andy reaches out to scratch Kirara behind the ear before getting up so she can help the others get ready to leave. It doesn't take long really, everything they need to take had pretty much been packed up the evening before, so what little does need to be added is quickly done. Andy almost finds herself surprised when the group heads out of the village well before the sun has really risen into the sky, following Sango's hesitant directions. It's clear she isn't sure where she's going, only following the little clues she can remember from her brief journey with Naraku. No one really seems to mind though. They're all too worried about what will happen when they do find Naraku to worry about what will happen if they don't. Andy rolls her shoulders in an attempt to ease the tension there. She already knows what she's going to do; burn Naraku to nothing but smoke and a foul memory that'll one day be forgotten by everyone.
On they walk, going until around noon when Kagome insists they stop. Having been walking for hours with no sign of a castle or Naraku's demon insects, it's quickly decided that Shippo will go off and look for anything that could be of use to them, like a village or even a different lord's castle. Something, anything, that might help them locate their enemy. Inuyasha isn't too pleased but he can't exactly say no when Shippo volunteers and heads off before he can make a fuss about it. So he sits off to the side and fumes until Kagome attempts to settle him down. What follows is a conversation about vengeance that drifts into Miroku propositioning Sango, who pinches his hand rather viciously until he lets go. it's about then that Shippo returns with news of a great lake not far from them that has a large shrine in the middle of it. A shrine that Inuyasha immediately believes Naraku is hiding in. So off they go again, only this time with Shippo at the lead.
The further along they go the muddier the ground gets, and soon after that wreckage begins to stretch out before them. Andy notices men and women attempting to dig out fallen trees and other debris that have littered their fields. She presses her lips into a tight line as she sinks deeper into the earth.
"A flood?" Miroku wonders, to which Andy frowns.
A chime rings out, pulling the attention of the group to a procession of men carrying a palanquin.
One of the men clearing the field mutters, "It's the procession of the human sacrifice."
To which another says, "It was a bad flood this time."
But the worst is when one of the older men asks, "Whose child is it this time?"
Who would be making demands for a child to be sacrificed? Certainly not Naraku, he's too calculating to risk having people bring him sacrifices. It's too obvious, it draws too much attention. But whoever is asking for the children deserves a good punch in the throat. Andy scowls as she watches the procession go, heat beginning to flood her veins as she wonders how old the child in the palanquin is. Not that it really matters. Andy's going to brawl with someone today it seems.
Rustling beside he and a flash of red is the only warning Andy gets before Inuyasha goes bounding toward the procession. Andy hot on his heels. She reaches him just as the headman begins to demand who Inuyasha is and what he is and why he's there. Andy shoves through the small gathering to stand at her friend's side.
"What's going on?" She asks, the boy in red, ignoring the way the men accuse her of being a demon too.
It's not like they're far off.
"This is a peaceful village!" The one who must be the Headman says, "Protected by the Water God! Demons begone!"
"A god?" Andy turns to look at the man, he's not all that threatening from a physical standpoint but she supposes that when you aren't afraid of a half-dead-eight-foot-giant-man one isn't going to be afraid of a man who's only just pushing five feet and seven inches. "I've met Gods before. Can't say I find them overly frightening."
The Headman's cheeks flush but whatever he might say is stopped by the arrival of the others.
Likely sensing the tension Miroku steps forward and addresses the Headman, "We are not suspicious folk. We travel around the country coming to the aid of those in need. We heard of your misfortune. If you will allow me, I will exorcise this village."
"Can you really do that?" One man asks, eyes wide.
Perhaps it's the fact that someone might be able to rid the village of the demon plaguing it and keep more children from being slaughtered that has the man so hesitantly hopeful. His reaction is mirrored by that of another man. Both of them are quickly silenced by the Headman.
"No, do not be deceived! They are fakes!" The man growls at them.
Andy rolls her eyes, turns away, and makes her way over the side of the Palanquin where the child is being hidden by flashy red and gold fabric while the Headman argues and bemoans the sacrifice of his own child. There's something weird about the way he's going on but she can't think about that now, not when there's a tiny wooden face peaking out at her from the crack in the fabric. Why would a sacrifice be asked to wear a mask? Andy can't think of any religious reason for it nor can she think of why a demon would demand it. Someone ordering the sacrifice of a child isn't going to be persuaded to let said sacrifice go when it offers up tears and terror. Andy offers a reassuring smile, reaching out to pull away the fabric and reveal the child so that she might offer him comfort and protection, only to have her fingers brush a man's shoulder as he and the others move along the path with the Palanquin held high.
"That Headman is fishy." Shippo says when they're far enough away not to overhear.
"He acts like he wants his son to be sacrificed." Inuyasha adds on.
"He was quite upset with out interference." Miroku agrees.
"Well, what'll we do? Leave em alone?" Inuyasha asks to which Kagome lets out an offended shriek.
"What are you saying? We're going to save him right?" The sister-of-her-soul demands.
Sango and Andy agree. Neither of them willing to let a child be sacrificed. The others will have no choice but to follow their lead lest they want any of the girls to end up in a situation they can't handle. Who knows, maybe the demon's in it with Naraku somehow. Saving the child, smiting the demon, and knocking some sense into the Headman couldn't hurt. Andy's knuckles crack as she curls her fingers into a tight fist.
"Are you serious?" A hushed voice calls, causing everyone to glance into the field where a pair of eyes peak out at them from under a straw covering of sorts, when Kagome nods the person says, "Then follow me!"
The child, because it is a child, disappears for a moment before reappearing a little ways away on a smaller path. When he realizes no one is looking the child turns and calls, "Hey! Wanna be left behind?"
Not needing to be told twice Andy rushes to catch up with the boy, followed closely by Kagome and the others. The boy leads them into the woods outside the village father from the main road and the field, only stopping behind a specific tree where he throws off the straw covering, reaches into a burrow, and pulls out what looks like a yukata - it's wrapped around something large so Andy can't tell but when the child shakes it out Andy finds she doesn't much care. Because there are pearls and gold and bolts of colorful silk and other items Andy doesn't recognized spilled out over the ground at their feet. Each item must cost a fortune on its own, why would the child be showing them this? Why would he be offering this?
"You can have 'em, take your pick!" The boy tells them, eyes fierce.
Miroky bends down to pick out an object while Inuyasha asks, "What is this?"
"Oh... Quite valuable." is Miroku's reply.
Andy ignores the group as they look at the silks and other objects, opting instead to kneel in front of the child so they're eye level and place a hand on his shoulder. It's shaking. He's shaking. His entire body quivering beneath her fingers like a dead leaf clinging desperately to a tree. She feels for him. Not pity, but something softer. Something similar to how she felt for Iphegenia all those years ago.
"Sweetheart, why are you offering these things to us?" She asks, careful to keep her tone light and calm.
He gives her a look like she asked him the meaning of life and says, "As payment. I'm hiring you."
"To save the sacrifice?"
"You were telling the village men before that helping people is your business. So I wanna hire you to defeat the Water God." says the boy.
Andy reaches up to stroke his cheek with her thumb and says, "You didn't have to offer us payment to do that, sweetheart."
Her heart cracks a little bit when the boy gives her a look of disbelief, as if he can't quite understand why she would help him without payment of some sort. Surely the world hasn't been so cruel to him yet that he would mistake kindness and decency for something more nefarious. Andy pulls away quickly and turns to the others, who are all looking at the two of them with strange looks. Miroky sighs delightedly and gathers up the silk and other items of value, making sure not to spare anything as he thanks the boy for his generosity. Andy scowls a bit at the Monk but doesn't say anything because it won't stop him from taking the items. Besides, what should she care? All she's worried about if the sacrifice, not how the boy got the materials needed to pay someone for a rescue mission. Once everything is gathered the boy begins leading them through the woods again, only this time it's clear he's taking them toward the lake. Andy only knows because the boy begins talking about it not long after.
"The human sacrifice is taken to the shrine by a boat," The boy tells them, "so we'll follow the boat and attack just when the Water God appears to devour the sacrifice. Got it?"
He whips around to face the group only to find Andy and Sango paying him any attention. The others are too busy bickering over whether or not the goods he'd offered as payment are stolen. For a Monk, Miroku has some pretty loose morals.
"Are you listening?" The child cries, face flushed red.
Kagome turns to look at him with wide eyes and asks, "Who's child are you?"
"It's not of your business!" is the sharp reply.
But Andy's pretty sure everyone is already guessing. Either this boy is the Headman's son and the other sacrifice is a fake, or the other sacrifice is the Headman's son but not the one he actually cares about. Either way it's pretty shitty of the Headman. Andy understands attempting to save your child but at the expense of another? If she gets the opportunity to kill the Headman she will... or maybe she'll just blacken both his eyes.
"I bet you're the real son of the Headman." Kagome says, bending a bit to be closer to the boy.
He flounders a bit, clearly caught of guard, and Miroku swoops in with a soft, "Now that you mention it the eyebrows look just like that Headman's."
"Even his cocky manner." Inuyasha says.
"Then the one in the Palanquin is a stand-in?"
Andy brushes hair over her shoulder.
"Clearly," She says. "What better way to set an example by pretending to sacrifice your own child. It keeps the villagers compliant, makes him look like an active member of the community, and allows him to get out of the pain of loosing his son while everyone else suffers."
Brown eyes meet hazel and the boy nods his head.
"My name is Taromaru, the Headman's heir." The boy says.
"So who's the sacrifice?" Andy asks, hands on her hips.
"The Water God began demanding sacrifices about half a year ago. Heavy rains, flooding, he said in order to lift the curse human sacrifice was necessary. When the white arrow landed upon our roof my father told me to hide."
"And he found another child to take your place." Inuyasha finishes for the boy.
"He and I grew up together, I won't let him take my place."
"Good thing no one else is dying for this stupid sacrifice then isn't it?" Andy turns to the adults in the group, "Come on, let's go finish off this Water God. I want to have a few words with the Headman after."
Around her the group nods, Sango even slips off for a moment to change out of her casual clothes, and then they're off in the direction of the lake. Andy isn't sure how they're going to do this but she figures that it won't be too hard right? Andy's got fire on her side, Inuyasha's got his sword, Kagome has her arrows, Sango's a badass, and Miroku is far from useless. They're a team of scary talented people. The demon plaguing this village may be powerful - and jacked up on Sacred Jewel juice - but Andy doubts it'll be able to defeat them. Their only real issue is finding a boat but... well, Inuyasha is also good at sniffing stuff out for Miroku to acquire. It takes a little bit but they do eventually get the boat, though, it only fits a few of them so Sango and Andy end up hitching a ride on Kirara while the others stay in the relative safety of their boat.
Fog rolls in around them, paired with how dark it is Andy thinks it's the great beginning to a horror movie. Only this time their group is the crazy axe-wielding psychopath.
Ahead of them a wooden structure slowly reveals itself as the Water God's shrine gate. Andy squeezes Sango's shoulder as they get closer. The shrine beyond the gate only adds to the horror film vibe. Andy shifts, Sango's shoulder tenses beneath her fingers for a moment, and the two of them slip through the shrine gate followed closely by the boat.
"The human sacrifice has entered." Sango breathes, horrified.
Whether the guards heard her or not doesn't matter because Inuyasha leaps from the boat and knocks them both to the side with a vicious swipe of his claws before pushing the doors to the shrine in. Andy hops off Kirara - making sure to pat her rump in thanks as she does - and clambers up the steps so that she too can enter the shrine.
"Hurry up!" Inuyasha calls back to the others, "We're going in!"
Then they run.
Inuyasha kicks in doors and shoves aside guards, leading the group deeper into the shrine where the Water God is hiding. They don't stop until they reach the final door and Inuyasha begins taking out guards - large fish-like beings that really channel the Creature from the Black Lagoon - along with the others, but even then Andy doesn't stop. Because the thing that calls itself the Water God has the child by the face and all Andy can see is red and hate and a struggling figure beyond barely transparent hangings. She quikcly closes the distance, grabs hold of the demon's wrist, and waits until he lets the child go with a shrill cry of pain before rushing backward away from him, only this time the kid is safe in her arms and sobbing hysterically against her collarbone. It's about then that Inuyasha comes barreling in with his sword drawn, eyes blazing. Taromaru appears at her side and Andy quickly pulls him against her side, throwing up a barrier between the three of them and the Water God. She isn't worried about the others, they can handle themselves fine, but these children? Andy doesn't even know if they can swim. She's not about to let them fend for themselves while she fights off a juiced up demon. No way in hell.
Sparing a glance at the boy in her arms to check for injury Andy misses Inuyasha's first attack, she does not miss when he's tossed back and the Tetsusaiga's is forced to take it's less deadly form.
"A demon's sword like yours is no match for my sacred weapon, the Trident of Amakoi." The 'Water God' says. "You have committed a grace crime is defacing my shrine! You will pay with your lives!"
Fire flares out from Andy, spreading around her people like a protective cocoon just as the demon brings the Trident down upon the shrine floor with a follow thunk and a wave of power that makes Andy feel oily. She doesn't know what the attack does but when the shrine disappears and they're swept into the water Andy has a pretty good idea. She's quick to release the barrier. The last thing she wants to do is accidentally kill someone with it should it not be put out by the lake water, she figures almost drowning beats getting reduced to ash before you even know what's happening. Andy keeps a firm grip on the two children as she tries to navigate the water trying to drown them, it's difficult without proper use of her hands and a floundering child in her arms but Andy somehow manages to get their heads above water... Only, they're not above water. They're not even in the water anymore.
Andy looks up to glare at the demon smirking at her.
Separating them all was smart, she'll give him that, but he's severely underestimated how viciously she will defend these children.
"When you get the chance," she whispers lowly to the children, curling low so her mouth is practically touching their ears, "run. Don't stop running until you find Inuyasha or the others, if you can't I want you to hide. Understand?"
"Yes." The children whisper.
With a nod Andy pulls away from the children, bringing her feet under her so that she can launch herself at the demon. She sees the children move into better positions as well and when she's certain they're ready, Andy springs forward. She doesn't know if the children make it out of the room before she and her fire collides with the demon's Trident but there is no terrified cry from them so she suspects they have. Which is good. Andy smiles wickedly at the demon as she presses closer to him.
"You can't kill me," she finds herself saying, "but I can kill you. I will burn the heart out of you! And then I will melt your Trident down and use the parts to make myself jewelry!"
The demon thrusts his weapon at her, the power brushes over her but does nothing to stop her from moving in closer, closer, closer until they're almost nose to nose. Movement in her peripheral vision allows Andy to stop the oncoming slap, the fleshy appendage in her hand sizzling and charring away until the pressure of Andy's grip snaps the arm clean in half. She backs up as the demon screeches and roars, holding his damaged arm out before him like he can't believe that he's seeing. Then the rage comes. It lights the demon with a sort of blue tinge and that's when Andy knows things have gotten interestingly dangerous.
She can't help but smile.
She hopes that it terrifies him.
Then they collide.