The True Holder of Shikon

Disclaimer - Don't own Inuyasha.

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Chapter 16 - Unspoken Promise

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Sesshoumaru had caught the scent of her blood just in time to race there to see her kill the bear youkai and plunge with it toward the ground. The instant he had her in his arms, he calculated her injuries.

Right arm, left leg, and a head injury...

She had gotten her breath knocked out of her and her breathing was quick and shallow, albeit labored.

"Damn." He hissed; biting his lip to keep his enraged growl from escaping his throat. He walked over and carefully shifted the injured taiji-ya to pick up the unconscious neko youkai. She had probably fought with the bear quietly and had been knocked aside. He then ran quickly back to where he knew their encampment was. He saw Inuyasha look up at the scent of Sango's blood. The panicked look on the hanyou's face alarmed the others into following his gaze to see Sesshoumaru emerge with Sango in his arms. "Heal her." He demanded; storming right over to the miko. She immediately began to dig in her bag for her supplies.

"How the hell did this happen?" Inuyasha snarled.

"Bear youkai." The Taiyoukai replied sharply. "There would be no poison, in that case."

"She must have not been at her full strength when fighting." Kagome said quietly; her eyes on the injuries. "She didn't eat anything last night nor this morning and only ate a little for lunch. Her fatigue didn't help her." He gently set her down when the young miko gestured to. Miroku then took to Kirara. Rin and Shippou were trying to make sense of the situation.

"Is Sango-chan hurt, Shippou?" She asked; her voice shaking from fear. "Will she die?" Sesshoumaru turned his head toward her with a fierce look on his face.

"No, she will be fine." He said roughly. Inuyasha raised a brow at his brother's tone but brushed it off. Sango had survived worse.

Hell, if she can survive in Naraku's clutches then she can survive this.

Miroku was pale, Kagome noticed. He looked like he had seen a ghost. However, he tended carefully to Kirara and used some smelling salts to wake her. The neko sneezed and opened her ruby eyes cautiously.

"She normally wouldn't get these injuries if she were only fighting one bear youkai." Inuyasha pointed out. "She's stronger than that even if she wasn't well."

"She was in a tree. The youkai had every advantage." Sesshoumaru stated shortly. Then, silence fell over them. No one felt as though they should break it.

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Sango woke up, feeling very weak. She hurt all over.

What...?

Then, her memories came flooding back. She groaned. How stupid she was. She knew she had been weaker than usual but to go off like that and climb a tree...

I knew youkai were out there...but not what kind they were. I was foolish. It was my fault.

Then she remembered Kirara... She felt so terrible. Her neko had tried to protect her silently rather than to draw more attention. Her eyes widened then. Sesshoumaru... She sat up quickly and regretted it instantly. She fell back from the dizziness and pain.

"Sango." Kagome rushed over to her and smiled. "We were just going to wake you so that you can drink some broth from the soup that I made for you." Miroku hurried to them and helped the taiji-ya sit up.

"Easy now. No need to rush." He said softly. Kagome put the bowl to her injured friend's lips and tipped it up. The warm broth filled her mouth and she swallowed it.

"You haven't been eating well, Sango. I'm worried about you. You look like you lost weight, too." The young miko fussed. She pulled the bowl away to give Sango a moment to breathe and respond.

"I-I didn't even notice." She said quietly. When she finished drinking the broth, Kagome put the bowl aside and checked the bandages.

"I need to change these. Miroku, would you get me the other bandages in my bag?" He nodded and hurried to the bag. He dug through it momentarily before successfully pulling out the bandages. He then took them to Kagome and handed them to her.

"Do you need anything else?" She shook her head before unravelling the bloodied ones.

"Boy, Sango..."

"If I had any strength left...I would heal myself." The taiji-ya said quietly. Kagome smiled reassuringly.

"Just get some rest. I will tend to these."

"All right..."

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After two days of getting fed broth, getting her bandages changed, and feeling so utterly helpless because she needed help to stand when nature called, Sango was sick of it. She ate soup that Kagome had prepared for her, finally not having to drink only the broth and water. She was going to go mad if they didn't continue soon. When no one was watching her, she used her power to heal herself. The next time Kagome went to change her bandages, she fell back in surprise.

"W-What? Sango! You shouldn't have..." She scolded her for the better part of five minutes. Sango only smiled.

"I feel better now, Kagome. Besides, I was going mad. I could not do anything by myself and it made me feel helpless." The taiji-ya explained as she stood up and stretched.

"Well, Inuyasha will be happy. He's been edgy. He wants to leave." Both of them smiled at the thought of their crazed hanyou.

"I do not want to be the one that he yells at." Sango paused. "Speaking of Inuyasha, where did he run off to?"

"He went out to hunt for himself." The young miko answered. "Miroku has been gathering wood with Kirara and the children and...I haven't seen Sesshoumaru since he left the night he brought you back." The young taiji-ya felt upset.

Is he avoiding me? Why else would he not join us here? Sure, not many of us but a select few can carry on an intelligent conversation but...he would be here for Rin if...he was not avoiding someone.

She felt guilty and she had no idea why.

Maybe he is embarrassed that he kissed me... Is he thinking that it was a mistake? Does he hate me now?

She knew that their neutrality had been fragile. Perhaps he had pitied her and that was the sort of comfort he thought that she needed. Though, that did not explain why he bolted.

"Miroku is back!" Kagome chirped happily. Sango looked at the houshi as he set the pile of wood down.

"That should last us three days." He said with a smile. Then it faded when he saw the look on the taiji-ya's face. "Should you be standing, Sango?"

"I healed myself, Houshi-sama." She said softly. He gave her a concerned look.

"Should you be doing that? You need rest..." He walked to her side and took her arm briefly in his grasp.

"I am not weak." She stated; frowning.

"I did not say that, Sango." He sighed. She stared at him sharply for a moment before her face eased and the look she had when he arrived came back.

"I am sorry for snapping, Houshi-sama. I just need time to think." She apologized quickly. Kagome smiled and left them alone to go and find Inuyasha. Rin and Jaken had been with the houshi and Kirara. Rin put her two pieces of wood on the pile as soon as she got back and ran to Sango.

"Sango-chan! You are well?" The little girl attached herself to the older girl's leg.

"I feel fine now, Rin." Relief filled Rin's chestnut brown eyes and she broke into a large smile.

"I was worried for you!" Shippou watched with a smile as he sat by Kagome's bag. He liked Rin's company. For once, someone was young like him and did not understand things that the older people did. Sango bent down and picked the little girl up.

"Well, you needn't worry any longer." Her hand fondly brushed through the small child's short black hair.

"Boy, will Sesshoumaru-sama feel better when he learns that you are well! He looked so angry when I thought you would die." Sango was beginning to suspect that Rin was trying to set her up with Sesshoumaru.

No, Rin would never do that...would she? It is a foolish thought. She is only a child!

Miroku watched the two with a small smile. Sango had a way with children. She had such a warm smile and this motherly love in her eyes every time she looked at the adoring girl. Rin loved the taiji-ya, that much was clear. He knew now why the little girl wanted Sango to be her mother. It was very clear now.

"Rin did well gathering wood today." He said softly. Rin blushed at the comment before grinning widely.

"Jaken-sama pointed them out, though! He is a big help!" It was also obvious that the girl adored Sesshoumaru and Jaken as well. "Kirara brought back one, too!" The houshi felt like he was growing used to them, even Sesshoumaru, who never appeared much anymore. He closed his eyes. It was nice to have such a close-knit group.

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They set out the next morning after a quick breakfast. Once more, Sesshoumaru was being elusive and getting no closer than he had before. Sango wished that she could thank him for saving her from that fall. She could have been fatally wounded or could even have died. Inuyasha seemed a little happier than he had before. He had wanted to get out of that spot for a while.

"Inuyasha, when I went patrolling the other day, I saw smoke coming from that direction." She pointed to their right. "I think there is a village where the forest ends." The hanyou contemplated.

"Well, we're not looking for a village. Anyway, if we keep going straight, we'll hit a main road after getting out of here." She nodded, seeing his point. They were looking for Naraku. That fact alone left her chilled. They were silent for a long time after that. It seemed as though no one had anything to say. Sango wanted to avoid her thoughts. She didn't feel as though she should think about anything. It was all too awkward.

I have had too much time to think about things.

Though she wanted to think about nothing, something came up to the surface of her mind. It was something out of the depths of her mind.

No...this is not my thought. Midoriko's thoughts, possibly?

She ventured to try and dig up what she could. The shards in her forehead had joined the two together. That meant that their thoughts rotated around the other's. But Midoriko was neutral. She could not think freely anymore and her memories seemed to act like Sango's past life. That was all. There really was no intermingling involved.

It was around two hours later when she stopped walking, causing Miroku to nearly crash into her.

"Sango? What is it?" He asked; causing Inuyasha and Kagome to stop and turn around. A name formed on her lips as her eyes met with Inuyasha's.

"Kikyou." She stated evenly. Her mahogany gaze met with Kikyou's honey brown one as the dead priestess appeared from the trees. Her soul collectors floated about, casting an eerie glow over the forest.

"Your power... It is familiar to me." The priestess stated in her normal, emotionless tone. Then she stepped closer. "Why have I never sensed it before, taiji-ya?" Kikyou inspected her before her eyes went to the shards in Sango's forehead. A slow smile appeared on her lips. "Midoriko..." She paused, as if thinking of something to say. "Why are you alive?"

"Midoriko is not alive, Kikyou. She is part of me now. I have her memories and her powers. I am one with her." The soft voice was even softer than usual.

"Is it not you that has been using those powers? I sensed them a while back." A smirk formed on Sango's lips.

"Naraku captured me." She watched Kikyou's reaction. Then her smirk faded and she lifted her hand. "The shard has been tainted by my blood. Naraku is planning to use me to permanently taint the Shikon no Tama so that it can never be purified." The information sunk into Kikyou's mind and she closed her eyes.

"I see." She looked then at the girl before her. "He is planning to fuse the Shikon jewel to himself." Sango frowned. Kagome stepped forward.

"How can he do that?" The young miko asked. "Doesn't he need the complete jewel to do something like that?"

"He would." Kikyou answered. "That is, unless every piece is tainted. I can see that it is not so. He will be in for a surprise then." She reached up and traced a finger over the smooth yet faceted surface of the four shards on the taiji-ya's face. "He will never be able to, even if you die. These are permanently purified by your blood and your soul. He cannot defeat that." Sango felt an odd sense of relief at her words.

"He can never do anything with the Shikon jewel as long as...Sango has these shards?" Kikyou nodded.

"It would be likely that she would be burned if she died, correct?" Sango nodded. "They would be burned with her. Naraku cannot see nor sense them because he only craves power." She pulled her hand away and gave Sango a look that the taiji-ya understood. For once, she realized the torment Kikyou went through in possessing the jewel. She also knew why the priestess had taken the first opportunity to use it and turn Inuyasha human. Not only to live a normal life, but also to have the responsibility of the jewel lifted from her shoulders. "You must never give in to him."

"I will never give in, Kikyou." Sango said in a reserved voice. "Never." Kikyou allowed another smile to pass her cold lips. Sango felt her heart twist painfully. Kikyou's smile was so sad and tormented. She felt one hot tear escape and roll down her face. "What...did it do to you?" The priestess closed her eyes as a breeze drifted past her, her ebony locks flowing with it.

"The great responsibility is upon you now, taiji-ya. You must make certain that the jewel never falls into the wrong hands." It was Sango's turn to promise. It was time for her to receive the full responsibility. Since now, priestess and taiji-ya were merged, it was time that she end the greatest bane to existence. It was time that she took the remainder of the great Midoriko's soul into her body.

"I promise." She whispered. "I promise that it will never again be used for evil and selfish gain." In saying such words, she promised the unsaid.

I promise to make sure that no one will suffer the fate that we, as Holders, had to endure.

The two shared a smile before Kikyou turned around and was about to leave.

"Is that all?" Inuyasha asked; his eyes on her back. She faltered before stopping completely.

"Now is not the time to drag you with me, Inuyasha. I do not feel like fighting you nor my reincarnation." In truth, she knew that if she had tried, Sango would interfere. That would cause the new Holder more pain than was necessary. Kikyou had went through the torment before. She understood that it wasn't the time. Inuyasha saw her gaze back at them, her eyes on Sango and her face betraying the emotion that she felt.

She knows what Sango is going through. She knows what's gonna happen when Naraku is defeated... She knows what has to be done and she doesn't like it.

Sango sighed softly, her unsaid promise lingering in her mind.

That is one promise that I must keep...even if I die trying.

The soft wind caressed her ebony locks. She closed her eyes. She had faith. She had hope. She had a goal to achieve.

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That's it for now! Until next chapter! Please, keep those reviews coming! They really help me and encourage my writing!

Thank you!