Chapter Twenty-Eight

SOOOOOOOO

I lost electricity and internet for FOUR DAYS! My family and I live out on the edge on an Amish community...so because 90% of the community doesn't use electricity we weren't exactly a priority to fix after a mass blackout happened in my area. I mean, usually I'm totally fine with no aspects of modernization, I can go without internet and electricity typically, in fact, you get used to it here.

But I wanted to post so...BAD.

I'm deeply sorry for the wait guys!

Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!

Thank you to: sendou3aichi, ukitakeitalialover041757, LunaNinja, MarshWolffe, Kagz419, magicalluna, Guest, Tiggs1990, JumbledThoughts, Wondla Master, Hina714, Eris Neve, Huggies90, FearOfFalling for your reviews! I always love to hear from you guys!


"Sango? What's the matter?" Inuyasha's timbered voice draws me from my light sleep next to Shippo in the small pile of hay that had been left in the hut. I keep my eyes closed, not wanting to interrupt.

"Nothing is wrong. I just couldn't sleep." Sango answers, her voice too light. I frown to myself, able to easily tell she was lying. A few tense moments of silence pass, before Inuyasha speaks up once more.

"I know I have to kill him." He states, his voice soft and filled with a surprising amount of regret. "I feel badly for you." My breath stills in my chest with shock, Inuyasha's attitude doing a complete turn about from what it had been earlier by the grave.

"I already explained it to you, Inuyasha." Sango snaps angrily. "He is not my brother." Her voice goes softer. "The little brother that I knew could never slaughter all those people. It would go against his very soul. I will put an end to Naraku and the imposter." She proclaims, her voice hardening towards the end once more with anger and determination.

"How can it be that simple?" Inuyasha asks after a few more minutes of silence, sounding genuinely lost. "If Kohaku looks exactly the same, can you really forget everything and turn your heart against him that easily?" He asks, his voice filled with doubt. My eyes snap open at that, ice flooding through my veins.

'He's thinking about Kikyo.' I realize, pain exploding in my chest.

"Don't underestimate me." Sango warns him firmly. "I am a Demon Slayer! I won't fall for Naraku's tricks." She promises.

"If I was in your position, I probably couldn't do it." Inuyasha admits quietly, and it cuts through me like a knife.

'What should I expect, though? That all his feelings for Kikyo, and Mayumi, would just disappear because he has feelings for me?' I think, feeling so incredibly desolate in that moment. 'I wonder, if it ever came down to Kikyo or me, would he still choose her?' I inwardly berate myself for even thinking of such a scenario, the doubt creeping in and leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. 'The way he kisses me, holds me, cares for me…I'm not insecure enough to think he doesn't harbor some feelings towards me. But would I be enough for him if it ever came down to a choice like that?' I close my eyes momentarily at the depressing thought, holding onto the fox demon in my arms a little tighter.

"Inuyasha." Miroku's voice suddenly is heard, low with warning. "Best be on your guard, we're completely surrounded." My eyes snap back open at that as I sit up, pulling the fox demon with me and gently waking him. Once Shippo is coherent I look out the nearby window of one of the only huts that had been left standing to take shelter in. There, in the distance surrounding the village, I could see hundreds of demons. That, however, wasn't what made my heart still.

Kohaku was there as well, standing in front of them as their leader.

I grab my bow and arrows as we all rush outside, Shippo clinging to my shoulder and far more alert as the cool night air washes over his little face. He even catches the movement of the monk going for his Wind Tunnel.

"Miroku, what are you doing?!" Shippo exclaims nervously. "We don't know if more of Naraku's poisonous insects are near!" He points out, and I am once again astounded by Shippo's instincts. Miroku's frown deepens, his brows furrowed.

"But…" He hesitates, knowing that Shippo was right. His newly healed Wind Tunnel wouldn't matter if he was poisoned.

"Forget it, Miroku." Inuyasha states firmly, stretching his arm outwards in a gesture to stop him. "Don't risk your life over this vermin. All I got to do is take out their ring leader and the rest of them are toast." He proclaims, clearly speaking about Kohaku. I frown at that, chewing softly on my lower lip as I glance towards Sango. Her gaze is hard as she stares the boy across from us down, but I can see the conflict on her face as clear as day. Wordlessly Kohaku sends the first wave of demons our way, Inuyasha launching forward and drawing Tessaiga.

"Get lost you pack of rodents!" Inuyasha exclaims, before slicing through the first wave easily with his sword. He continues to slice demon after demon, before a chain comes of out nowhere and wraps itself around the blade of Tessaiga. Forced to a stop, he looks down at the chain with wide eyed surprise, before his eyes narrow as Kohaku makes his attack with the blade end of his chain. I frown deeply, body tense as Inuyasha blocks blow after blow, my energy sparking just at the ends of my fingertips. I hesitate, glancing towards Sango who still looks as lost as she had before.

'Could I do it? Could I kill her brother to save Inuyasha?' I can't help wondering in that moment, feeling sick to my stomach. Inuyasha disengages after Kohaku's last attack, now going on the offensive.

"You're going to have to do better than that if you're going to take me down!" Inuyasha boasts, Kohaku now on the run from him. The boy leaps into the air, but Inuyasha grabs the end of the chain from around his blade, yanking down hard to send the boy plunging to the ground. Hardly hesitating enough to even let the dust settle, Inuyasha leaps into the air with his sword poised dangerously towards Kohaku. "It's over!" He shouts, about to come down on the boy. I look to Sango once more, eyes widening as I see the utter horror written across her face.

'No, not this way! It can't happen like this! Naraku won't destroy their lives too!' Turning back towards Inuyasha I throw a barrier up in front of Kohaku. Tessaiga hits the barrier harmlessly, grazing off of it and instead landing in the dirt directly in front of Kohaku's face.

"Inuyasha! Please! We need to find another way!" I beg him. His furious gaze lands on me, before softening as he no doubt sees not only my expression, but Sango's as well. Eyes narrowing once more, the nod is almost imperceptible as I let the barrier fall, Inuyasha turning quickly to land a punch to Kohaku's face and sending the boy flying backwards. Though it was a far cry from Inuyasha killing the boy, it still made me uneasy. Would Inuyasha have enough control to pull back his punches?

He lands punch after punch in quick succession, before a pained grunt escapes the kid as he sent flying onto his back a few feet away. Inuyasha stands over him, shoulders squared and a look of annoyance on his face. "I don't know why I caved in." He grumbles at the boy, my own heart softening. I knew exactly why he did. He caved in because he understood how Sango must be feeling.

He was showing empathy, something I hadn't though him capable of all those long months ago when we first met.

"It's okay to kill him, he's just another trap set by Naraku!" Inuyasha goes on, obviously talking to himself at this point. "I should kill him. I have to." My heart leaps into my throat at the obvious dilemma he was facing in that moment. Kohaku slowly stands as the dust settles around where he had just landed.

"You're right." My eyes widen in shock hearing the boy's smooth voice, his head hung low. "You should kill me." He agrees, voice bordering emotionless. "I deserve to die." I could hear Sango gasping softly behind me. "I killed them all. Father, our friends, and the villagers." He lists off, face still hidden by his bangs. "I slaughtered them one by one." He admits in his detached voice. "It's true, that's why I shouldn't be allowed to live." He finally looks up, expressionless brown eyes, still so alike to Sango's, gazing unnaturally ahead. My heart leaps into my throat when I see him raise his sickle up, pointing the blade directly at himself. In a large arch he brings the blade around, and before I can stop it the blade strikes him in the back. Kohaku falls to his knees with a soft grunt, his face still void of an emotion, even pain.

"Kohaku…" I frown deeply, hands clenching tightly into fists.

"Hey, what are you doing hitting yourself?" Inuyasha demands, frowning in clear confusion. "What are you trying to prove?" Kohaku doesn't answer, heading reaching over his right shoulder with his left hand, the glow of the jewel shard emitting brightly.

'He's trying to take the shard out!' I realize. 'But then he will die!' "Kohaku, wait!" I shout, frowning deeply as I nudge Shippo off of my shoulder, running forward. 'Sango can't lose him, not again!'

"Yua! Get back!" Inuyasha shouts lowly, his voice commanding. I causes me to hesitate, before I shake the command off and continuing running towards the boy.

'I could heal him like I had Sango, before the jewel shard was taken from her back!' I think desperately.

'Yua! You don't know that for sure! He could have been too close to death by the time Naraku placed the shard in his back!' Mayumi warns me.

'I've got to try!' I argue with her, before gasping and skidding to a halt when Inuyasha suddenly jumps in front of me, standing between the boy and I. I blink in shock, mouth falling open slightly as I see the look of utter determination on his face.

He wasn't about to let me anywhere near him!

'Yua, listen to me! If he was as close to death as I suspect, healing him could kill you too! You could be dragged down into Hell with him!' Mayumi goes on urgently.

"Inuyasha, let me pass!" I exclaim in frustration, glaring up at him stubbornly. 'What are you talking about?!'

'Your life energy, your very soul, is what your healing powers use! If his soul is ready to leave his body when you connect your energy with his, it could drag your soul from you as well!' Mayumi elaborates, my heart leaping into my throat.

'So that guy from yesterday, the one that I had almost tried to heal on the road….?' I trail off in question, the answering grim feeling from Mayumi was enough. If Inuyasha hadn't of stopped me…

This was different! Kohaku wasn't near death, not if he was up and moving like he was. The shard couldn't be that powerful, could it?

"Go back to the others, Yua. Now." Inuyasha's voice is low and commanding once more, his chest slightly puffed out, shoulders squared, and fists clenched tightly, his entire stance daring me the challenge him. A shudder runs through me once again, the pull undeniable and almost impossible to resist.

Suddenly I hear a whirring noise.

"Sango?! What are you doing?!" Shippo's horrified voice cries out just seconds before Inuyasha is grabbing me and forcing me to the ground with him. His body is laying flush over my own protectively, arms covering over both of our heads. He looks up, amber eyes dark and fangs glinting in the moonlight as he snarls, shifting onto his hands and knees above me. His entire body is tense as he remains over-top of me, his look deadly as he glares ahead towards our friend. Shifting my own head to see, my eyes widen at the sight of Sango capturing her weapon, and looking at the both of us with deep regret. My stomach drops in understanding.

She was going to defend her brother, imposter or not, against Inuyasha. To the death, no doubt, if she had to.

Looking up at Inuyasha as he continues to growl low in his chest, positioned protectively over me, I can tell he didn't take the threat lightly. Not even when Sango had been attacking him personally had he looked so viciously towards her as he did now, his body nearly vibrating with rage as his nails dig sharply into the earth on either side of my head. He was in full protective mode, looking unforgivably at Sango for her threat against us.

'No, against me.' I realize, swallowing thickly as I reach up and grip onto the front of his kimono tightly. "Inuyasha, calm down." I murmur soothingly to him, his gaze snapping down to my own in disbelief.

"Calm down?!" He growls, voice so low it causes an icy shiver to run down my spine. "She nearly took your head off!"

"Sango?" Miroku's voice calls out, looking towards the nearly hyperventilating woman with concern. "Sango, what were you thinking?" Meanwhile Sango hardly acknowledges anybody, her gaze instead drawn the the reverted Tessaiga still stuck in the ground. I frown at that, before hearing movement above us, seeing Kohaku riding away on one of the larger demons from over Inuyasha's shoulder, the others soon following him. Inuyasha slowly gets up off of me, reaching down and offering me a hand up as well as I turn to watch Kohaku leave, before my gaze once again lands on Sango as she continues to eye the sword in what appears to be deep thought. My eyes widen in realization.

She hadn't been aiming for us, she had been aiming for the Tessaiga!

My thoughts are only confirmed as she suddenly rushes forward, grabbing the sword before calling for Kirara. The cat demon transforms, Sango leaping onto her back and dashing from the ruined village without a second glance.

"Wait! Sango! What the hell are you doing?!" Inuyasha shouts as he glares up at her quickly disappearing form in the sky. I frown, chewing hard on my lower lip as an ominous feeling overwhelms me.

"We have to follow her!" Miroku exclaims, worry clearly in his voice as he doesn't take his eyes off of her shrinking figure in the distance. I nod in agreement, frowning as I look to Inuyasha. I figured I would see rage, utter disbelief and betrayal on his face.

Instead, all I surprisingly find is worry.

"I can smell Kohaku's blood still, he's not far." Inuyasha states, Miroku nodding in agreement.

"And I can still sense the jewel shard." He agrees, tense. Inuyasha looks to me then, his gaze determined.

"Yua, get on my back, be quick about it!" He snaps, his turning back to the dark horizon. I scramble on, Inuyasha taking off full tilt in the direction Sango and Kohaku had disappeared. Miroku was able to keep place with surprisingly little effort, Shippo on his own back.

'You're not going to go through this alone, Sango.' I think to myself, my hands gripping tightly not the back of Inuyasha's kimono. 'Not when you don't have to.' As if sensing my anxiousness I feel Inuyasha's hands squeeze my thighs firmly.


What feels like hours later, we break through from the forest and come upon a ridge looking over a large castle looming in the distance. The cold, ominous feeling before before had only amplified ten-fold the closer we had gotten, and looking up to the sky the clouds even looked off in color. Black and purple swirled above us unnaturally, almost as unnatural as the castle itself looked with no activity seemingly happening beyond it's walls.

A cry breaks the silence, causing my heart to leap into my throat.

"That was Sango!" I can't help gasping, knowing that voice well enough by now. I can feel Inuyasha tensing below me, his grip tightening once more on my thighs as Miroku's face tightens with worry as well. Shippo was trembling against the monk's back, his big eyes looking nervously at the fortress before us.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha curses, before leaping forward with me towards the walls of the castle. Miroku and Shippo aren't far behind, and as we get closer her cries of pain only got louder, and more frequent. When we finally reach the courtyard, the sight is absolutely horrific. Sango and Kirara are both laying on the ground, the cat demon unconscious while Sango clearly fought to remain so. It was clear she had multiple wounds on her body, blood soaking through her clothing in large stains. Kohaku was standing over her, his sickle lowered and his face filled with horrific realization.

"S-sister?" He stutters out, as if emerging from a dream.

Shippo immediately jumps off of Miroku's back and runs to Kirara, checking on her. She's breathing, though it's shallow, but she'd be okay for now without my help. Inuyasha lets me down slowly, his stance protective as we all take in the scene before us, Kohaku dropping his weapon weakly to the ground as he stares down at his sister's bloodied body. I move to step around Inuyasha, but his hand grips onto my wrist stopping me.

"He made her brother do this to her?" Miroku growls in, hate dripping from ever word. Kohaku had fallen to his knees by Sango's head, the look of horror still on his young face.

"Naraku! Show yourself!" Inuyasha demands angrily, his grip on my wrist subconsciously tightening. "Where are you?!" Silence follows, Naraku remaining out of sight. I gently pull my wrist from Inuyasha's hand, rushing forward to Sango and grabbing her carefully, lifting her head so it rested more comfortably in my lap. My hands start to glow purple as I hover them over her body, looking up tenderly towards her little brother as he stared at her with complete and utter remorse.

"Kohaku, right?" I ask softly, the boy's eyes filled with emotion this time, rather than cold detachment. He looks up to me, his brown eyes the exact same shade as Sango's, and my heart aches at the tears there, threatening to spill over. "She's going to be alright, I'm going to heal her and make her better, just like I'm going to do for you." I murmur softly, Sango's breath finally evening out as her wounds sealed together and the blood stopped flowing from her body. "Then we can take that shard from your back, and release you from Naraku's grasp." I promise him, his mouth dropping slightly as hesitation clearly shows in his face.

"W-why would you do that for me? Why would you save a monster like me?" He asks, voice broken. I frown at him, Sango starting to stir against my lap.

"You're not a monster, Kohaku. None of this was your fault." I answer in return, keeping my eyes locked on his own scared ones. "Sango has told us all about you, you know. How gentle and kind you are. That same sweet boy would never do the things you've been forced to do. The blame lies solely in the manipulation of that cruel bastard, Naraku."

"Such sweet words, dear Yua." Naraku's voice echoes throughout the courtyard, sending a chill down my spine. Sango's head lifts from my lap, her brows furrowed in anger.

"Naraku! You coward!" She shouts towards the skies, the disembodied voice chuckling coldly in reply. Suddenly miasma erupts in front of the steps of the main building, Shippo crying out and dragging Kirara closer to us with him. I stiffen as the miasma moves and creates a circular wall surrounding us, with our group left in the middle.

"Foolish mortals! Now you can all die in this sea of poison vapor!" Naraku calls out, the wall slowly closing in around us. An electric pulse runs through me, eyes widening at the all too familiar chilling aftereffect. Turning my head slowly, I could sense the jewel shards from where he was staying behind the protection of his wall of miasma and slowly approaching me, unbeknownst to the others. It was clear what his new plan now was, since Sango had refused to bend to his will. He would allow the others to choke to death on his poisonous gases, while kidnapping me in their distraction.

Like hell I was going to let him kill my friends.

Sango struggled to her feet, healed but weak. I stood quickly, turning to face Naraku head on with a determined glare.

"What do you intend to do, little girl?" Naraku asks snidely from his place hidden behind his wall of miasma. Instead of answering him I dig deep into my pit of energy, pressing my hands together in front of me like I have done before. My aura surrounds my body, lifting me slightly into the air.

"Yua?! What the hell are you doing?!" Inuyasha shouts, clearly unaware of the situation, and unaware of Naraku. His senses were no doubt dulled due to the poisonous gasses, and the only reason I even knew Naraku was there myself was because of feeling the jewel shards. I close my eyes in concentration, before flinging my arms outwards, palms facing away from my body. As if I was parting the sea, the miasma blew away from in front of me, revealing Naraku sans his usual baboon pelt attire. I hardly take the time to reflect on his new physical appearance, decidedly human in nature with his long black hair and regrettably handsome face. My aura continued to eat away at the miasma, purifying the air once more before I landed on the ground, creating my signature bow and arrow made up purely of my own energy. Glancing towards Sango as she knelt before her brother, thinking of what he had just tried to make them do to one and other, I feel my rage pulse and overflow into my aura. As a result the usual light purple suddenly turned a deep shade of red, something I had never had happen before.

"Die, Naraku!" I shout loudly, all the anger I felt towards him poured into that one shot as I released it. I watch the look of shock on his face, his blood red eyes widening in disbelief as my arrow meets it's mark just above where his blackened heart should have been. He's helpless to stop it, my aura burning away at his chest and the rest of his body before he manages to swipe it away. With only his upper half left intact he was suddenly gone with a rush of air, the wind tunneling towards where his body had been. The very buildings in front of us start to disintegrate into the void Naraku had created in his escape. Everyone, including myself, is struggling to not get sucked in as well.

"Kohaku!" Sango's voice suddenly shouts out in horror, and looking up I feel icy dread hit me. His little body was floating up high above us, clearly about to follow wherever Naraku had slithered off to. I raise my own hands up, surrounding his body in my own aura and gritting my teeth as I try to pull him back down to us. However, in my moment of distraction I loose my footing, and a weightlessness takes over as I start to lift up into the air as well.

"YUA!" Inuyasha's voice shouts, and I twist around mid-air to see him bounding towards me, his hand reached out. I stretch as far as I can, before just barely grasping at the ends of his fingers with my hand as he plants his feet into the ground. "I've got you!" He growls with effort, grabbing onto my other hand as well when I managed to bring it around, pulling me down slowly bit by bit till him and I are both on the ground together, his body covering my own protectively. I shut my eyes, beating my fist uselessly against the ground in frustration.

I had been so close to getting him!

And then, just like that, the wind stopped and the warmth of the sun could be felt on my face. I blink in surprise when I open my eyes, tilting my head around so I could see over Inuyasha's shoulder towards the blue sky above us. Inuyasha frowns, gently moving off of me and standing, helping me to my own feet. My mouth drops open in shock as all I see are trees and hills surrounding us.

The castle was completely gone.

"It was a phantom castle." Sango answers everyone's silent question as we all gaze around in disbelief. I look to her, her sad brown eyes staring at the spot in the sky Kohaku had just been, and the guilt washes over me anew. She slowly looks around to me, but I hardly have the guts to face her as I turn away, looking down and to the side. I had let her down, I had let Kohaku down after I had promised him I could help him.

'Damn that fucking bastard.' I think to myself, hands clenching together at my sides tightly. 'I'm going to make him pay for everything he's ever done.'

"Yua! Your hands!" Shippo's little voice calls out nervously as he stands near Miroku, Kirara still in his arms and unconscious. I frown, looking down before my breath stills in my chest. My hands, having once always glowed with purple light in reaction to my aura, were now glowing red.

'Just like my arrow had.' I think to myself, bewildered, the rage washing away in my shock. Just like that, my aura turns back to it's normal purple colour, before I allow it to fade from my hands entirely.

"Your aura had turned red when you released your arrow on Naraku as well." Miroku speaks up curiously, a concerned frown on his own handsome face.

"I-I honestly don't know what that was about." I murmur softly in wonder, feeling anxiety bubbling in my stomach. I would have to question Mayumi about it when I got a moment to clear my head.

"Perhaps we can think on it later." Miroku suggests, before he glances towards Inuyasha, his eyes widen and he points his staff in the distance just over the half-demon's shoulder. "Inuyasha, look."

"Huh?" Inuyasha questions, turning away from me then as he looks over towards where Tessaiga was rested, blade down in the grass. I feel relief flood me seeing the old sword, happy Naraku hadn't been able to get his hands on it as well. Shippo approaches me with Kirara, holding the poor cat demon up towards me with sad eyes.

"Can you heal her too?" Shippo asks softly, and I kneel down before the small boy. Raising my hand I hesitate, momentarily afraid I would see that unfamiliar red haze. Frowning I force my energy forth, relaxing when instead I see the familiar purple once more, Kirara's breathing evening out.

"She's going to need to rest still, Shippo, but she's going to be okay." I murmur gently to the boy, relief flooding his features. He nods thankfully, holding the little cat into his chest protectively.

"I'll take good care of her!" He declares, and I can't help a small smile at just how adorable he was in that moment.

"I know you will." I agree, before he walks off with her, back towards Sango. I swallow heavily, before frowning as my brows furrow in confusion noticing her weakly trying to pull her boomerang up over her shoulder.

"Sango! Stop moving! You're going to hurt yourself!" Shippo helplessly begs with Kirara in his arms. I stand, swallowing back the guilt once more as I move over towards the woman.

"Sango, he's right. I healed your wounds, but you're still weak from bloodloss." I speak up, Sango's entire body stiffening hearing my voice. Miroku approached next to me, taking a few steps closer to the woman that I dared after seeing that reaction.

"Where are you going? Rest a while, we'll take care of you. I'll take care of you." He offers, his voice sounding so genuine it nearly melts my own heart.

"I'm sorry." Sango murmurs lowly, still facing away from us. "I can't stay with you any longer." My mouth drops in shock hearing her, a lump forming in my throat.

What was she saying?! Was this because I had failed to help her save Kohaku? Was she really so angry with me?

"Sango, we all understand that Naraku was threatening you with the life of your brother if you didn't give him over the sword." Miroku replies knowingly, and my eyes widen at her instant response.

"Exactly! I'll end up betraying you again!" She exclaims, glancing at us from over her shoulder, her eyes filled with frustration with herself. I chew on my lower lip, glad I had listening to Mayumi's advice. "As long as Naraku still controls Kohaku he will have leverage over me. At the end of the day, no matter how much I care for you all, my brother's life will always come first!"

"And that's how it should be." I speak up, walking over to her and resting my hand gently on her back. Her stiff muscles relax as she looks over at me with a surprised look.

"Then you understand why I must leave." She replies firmly, and I simply shake my head.

"No, I understand why you need your friends now more than ever." I argue, her eyes widening a little in surprise at that.

"If you go after Naraku alone, you'll never succeed that way." Miroku adds, Sango turning to look back down at the ground with a frown now. The slumping of her shoulders told me she knew Miroku was right, even if she wasn't ready to admit it.

"I don't have any other choice, Miroku." Sango speaks softly, her voice cracking weakly.

"You do have a choice." I insist gently. "You have a choice to allow us to help you save Kohaku. I won't fail you or your brother again, that I can promise." I add with determination, feeling it deep in my very being. Sango turns towards me once more, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion.

"Why are you still wanting to help me after everything I just did?" Sango asks, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Would you stop whining, Sango?!" Inuyasha's irritated voice cuts in as he approaches to stand next to Miroku. "We want you to stick with us because you're not a half bad fighter, and that's all there is to it!" I look over my own shoulder at him as Sango gazes on at the silver haired half demon in surprise.

'Sango is his pack now too.' I realize warmly, my hand moving from her back to gently squeeze her shoulder. 'She's his to protect, just as she helps to protect us as well.'

"You see?" Miroku grins, placing his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Even Inuyasha wants you to stay, and that's something coming from a guy who's sword you stole so easily." Inuyasha narrows his eyes at the monk, turning towards him with his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Don't say that! It makes me sound like a stupid half-wit!" He snaps, and I can't stop the giggle that erupts, catching Inuyasha's attention. For a split second I see his eyes warm towards me, before his face settles back into that cocky smirk of his.

"I'm just saying you're a very generous person, that's all." Miroku continues on, baiting Inuyasha further. I can easily tell he's trying to lighten the mood for the Demon Slayer standing so indecisively before us.

Shippo, however, makes the most heartbreaking argument of all.

"Sango? Don't you like us anymore?" He asks, his voice wobbling with sadness. Sango looks down at the sweet boy, her face softening and growing sad all at the same time. She kneels down to his level on the ground.

'Should have set the kid on her to begin with. That easily trumps all of our arguments.' I think to myself dryly, watching as she tilts her head down, her bangs covering her eyes from our view.

"Of course I do!" She assures the little boy, her body shaking slightly. "But it's all my fault this happened, and I might end up doing something like this to all of you again!" She insists, stubbornly sticking to her argument from before. I kneel down as well slightly behind her, gazing at Shippo and winking at him seeing his troubled gaze, wanting him to know it was going to be okay.

"Sango, you don't have to be alone in your struggles any longer. We're your family now too." I murmur softly. A moment of tense silence holds over us all, until Sango sudden flings herself around, her head landing against my chest as she wraps her arms around me, her body shaking with sobs. Tears of my own fill my eyes as she cries so brokenly against me, knowing she had to have been holding all this in since her family and village had been destroyed. I soothingly rub her back with one hand, my other gently cupping the back of her head and running my fingers calmly through her hair. Looking over her head towards Miroku and Inuyasha, my own gaze locks with Inuyasha's as he looks up from watching Sango with a soft eyes. He didn't have to say a word to know he felt the exact same way we all did.

We would all be in this together, right till the bitter end if need be.


We spent the remainder of the day there, making use of the slightly damaged hut that had been left behind in all the chaos. Both Sango and Kirara slept the day away, and it was almost dark by the time I manage to find an excuse to get away from the group for a little while. Sighing heavily I walk down the road a little ways, wary I had promised Inuyasha not to wander too far, finding a solitary tree nearby. I head towards the tree, leaning back against the trunk once I had reached it and looking down at my hands once more.

'Mayumi?' I reach out, chewing softly on my lower lip.

'I know, Yua. I'm just as concerned as you are, and just as lost.' Mayumi replies softly, her tone sincere. This time I was confident she wasn't lying to me. 'I had never had my aura change colour like your's did today.'

'Red…red is usually associated with evil, isn't it?' I ask, remembering that Kohaku had been bathed in the red aura of Naraku before my own had taken over.

'Not necessarily. Auras often reflect emotions, not whether or not a person is good or evil.' Mayumi replies.

'When I think of red I think of anger. Rage.' I state, thinking back to my feelings the moments I had seen my aura change colour. I had most certainly been feeling those emotions at the time.

'And purple I often think of as the colour of benevolence and courage. Nobility even.' Mayumi states, before sighing heavily. 'Your emotions would have had to be very powerful indeed to change the colour of your aura like that.'

'Would I ever become corrupt like the jewel?' I ask, the thought having crossed my mind a time or two since these events had unfolded. What if my powers, pure and untarnished, could be corrupted by such selfish emotions as anger and hate?

'I don't honestly know, Yua. The best thing we can do is keep an eye on it.' Mayumi replies gently. 'You were very brave today, by the way, and fought well.' She compliments, and I can't help a heavy sigh.

'I failed to save Kohaku.' I can't help argue, thinking of poor Sango still sleeping in the hut.

'You succeeded in saving the rest of your friends.' Mayumi replies evenly. 'You even saved Inuyasha from dying inside of Naraku's miasma.'

'You think I should point that out to him the next time he acts like a cocky asshole?'

'Oh, most definitely.'

I can't help giggling as I slide down with my back against the tree still to sit, sighing heavily and watching the sun set over the mountains just beyond.

"You've been gone for over an hour." Inuyasha breaks me from my mindless daze, looking up at the slowly appearing stars in the fading light. I tilt my head forward, watching him as he approaches with an easy smile.

"It was peaceful." I reply teasingly, Inuyasha smirking slightly at me before stepping up beside me as I continue to sit.

"Move forward a little." He murmurs, and though confused, I do as he asks. My heart races when he steps in between me and the tree, sliding down so he was leaning against it and pulling me back so I could lean against his chest. His knees are bent to either side of me, effectively giving me the feeling he was blocking me off from the world as his arms came to lightly rest together over my waist. I sigh softly, relaxing fully with him as I lean my head back against his shoulder.

"I can't believe how much Sango has been through." I frown in concern, remembering the way that she had broken down earlier.

"She's tough, she'll get through it." Inuyasha states with assurance, and I realize it was because he had basically gone through the same thing as Sango just had himself fifty years ago. Naraku had turned Kikyo against him, and he in turn was manipulated into killing her thinking he was taking revenge for Mayumi's death.

'I couldn't even begin to understand what that must have done to him. To have a woman he once loved kill the love of his life right there in front of him.' I frown, turning and nuzzling my face against his neck softly. 'He had loved Kikyo so deeply before he had fallen in love with Mayumi…he must have felt so betrayed to have her turn against him like that. To wish him dead as well.'

'You have to remember too that Inuyasha killed Kikyo as a direct response to Naraku's manipulations, having not realized that Kikyo had been tricked herself.' Mayumi speaks up softly, her voice tender. 'I can't imagine the guilt he must be feeling over his actions against her.'

"I've never seen you fight like you had today." Inuyasha comments, his voice filled with pride. As trivial a thing as it should be, I can't stop the warmth filling my chest hearing I had made him proud today. "You were almost as good as me." I lift an eyebrow at that, leaning away to look up at him with an unimpressed expression.

"Says the man I had to save. Again." I comment teasingly, reaching up and lightly flicking the tip of his nose. He smirks at me, grabbing that hand then and lowering it to press again his chest. I could feel his heart beating steadily under my palm, the warmth of his body seeping into my own and combating the cool night air that began to settle around us.

"Don't get too cocky." He mutters playfully, taking the hand that had settled my own against his chest and rising it up, his thumb moving to gently trace along my pouty lower lip.

"I only learn from the best." I reply, batting my eyelashes at him mockingly. Inuyasha smirks, before leaning down and gently brushing his lips against my own. It's a short kiss, soft and sweet, and unhurried. When he pulls away I can't help the stupid happy smile on my own face.

"Damn straight you do." He confirms, before gently using his hand that had been resting on my back to cup the back of my head, tucking me under his chin. I sigh softly, relaxing once more against his solid form. A thought hits me so strongly it nearly overwhelms me with the wave of emotions that quickly follow.

Inuyasha was mine to protect, just as much as I was his.


Well there ya have it :). Thoughts? Concerns? Go ahead and leave a review! :D I always love to discuss aspects of my story with readers!

Until next time!

T.O.T.