Disclaimer thingy that is supposedly necessary: I don't own it. If I did, there'd be more fluff between these two, Kikyou (as much as I like her) would have only died once and stayed that way, and Naraku would be very,very,very dead. For good.

AN: Thanks to the...four... people who reviewed. One of them made a good point about how most people don't do the whole "review" thing. I'll finish the story no matter what, but if people review, I'll get it done faster. Inspiration, you know. Sorry if my plot is moving slower than frozen molasses right now. And yes, that was a reaaally stupid metaphor I just used.

Rewritten

- Again -

It took everything in Miroku's power to tear his gaze away from Sango when the headman approached and spoke to their group. He had chosen this of his own volition, but it still didn't feel right, not speaking to the woman he was so accustomed to laughing with, talking with, holding and comforting. He remembered telling that he loved her the night previous, though to anyone other than himself he had pursued the younger sister of a late princess, fervently avoiding said girl upon finding out that she didn't have the same looks as her sister. He was the newest member of a small group with a common cause, still new to the emotional conflicts and people they had already faced; so used to his years of traveling in solitary that he often felt conflicted between taking avid interest in their affairs or mentally withdrawing altogether.

His thoughts were disrupted by the headman's voice.

"So travelers, in what way have the jewel shards become relative to our safety? More importantly, how is it you know of the ones we have here?" he inquired, a slight air of sternness to his voice.

Again, it was Miroku who took the liberty of responding. "To answer the latter of your two questions, this young woman here," he gestured to Kagome, who gave a small wave, "is able to sense the shards, and also has the rather unique ability to purify them. As for your other question, well, it's not so easy to answer. I'm sure you're aware of the fact that a multitude of youkai are in pursuit of the power they can derive from even the smallest piece of the sacred jewel, and I fear there may be a plan or trap in which the extermination of your village is the goal. If this is true, you'll most likely be attacked even if we purify it at this very instant."

Sango's father was unsure of what to say. Here they had a young houshi, speaking of a mass slaughter he seemed entirely sure would occur, in the company of a young women who seemed to have the abilities of a highly skilled miko yet was dressed in strange, and much too revealing, clothing. Then there was the hanyou, who stood there gruffly and without words, and the kitsune, who watched and absorbed all information through wide and intelligent eyes.

"You are aware of the fact that, as taijiya, we are quite capable of handling attacks, and have done so before," interrupted Sango. She was still wearing the clothing of an ordinary village girl, yet had brought her hiraikotsu as a precaution. She noticed a slight flicker of something – she thought it to perhaps be hesitation – go through the houshi's face before he addressed her. He gave her a soft smile.

"I'm quite aware of that, taijiya-san. However, it all depends on the circumstances. Have you, by any chance, been hired for a task that would require the combined skill of your best slayers?"

Sango's eyes widened somewhat, though she wasn't sure if it was her sudden understanding of what the man in front of her was about to say, her surprise at his suspiciously acute guesswork, or both. Her father seemed to be caught off guard as well, though being older and more experienced, he did a better job of maintaining his professional attitude.

Miroku, meanwhile, was mentally cursing himself. He had shown himself to know more than he should have with that last statement.

"Are you trying to tell us," began the headman, "That we may very well be walking into trap that will leave us vulnerable?"

The fact that he could not discern emotion from the man's words made Miroku nervous. It wasn't often that he met someone who could mask their emotions and do it well. Even Sesshoumaru, whose entire countenance and demeanor often was characterized by lack of emotional involvement and detachment of all things, had at times shown flashes of anger in manners of his sword, or of Inuyasha. Even so, Sesshoumaru was a demon who had wandered countless years with only his retainer and no being who could in any way change his priorities, until the girl Rin arrived by chance. Miroku himself had been completely alone in the years following his father's death, save for times of brief accompaniment by Hachi. It was in that time that his con man habits had truly come into play, the time in which he had been able to hone his acting skills.

Still, this was a man surrounded by family and friends. The fact that he was so stoic...

"Hai," he said reluctantly, meeting the gazes of the two demon slayers. "That's what I'm saying."

When Sango's father spoke next, the tone of his voice had become softer. Perhaps he was only paranoid, but Miroku could have sworn it was more dangerous as well.

"How do you know this?"

Miroku could only imagine what the looks on the faces of his companions were. He had dragged them miles on what he considered a half-baked excuse, only to engage himself in a conversation that he logically should have known nothing about, yet was talking about quite obviously.

"I...I just assumed it, sir."

On top of that, the unfamiliar feeling of desperation was causing him to say increasingly stupid things.

The headman was silent for a moment, before addressing the monk before him.

"The knowledge that you bring, it seems that it is either completely fabricated, or the way in which it was brought to you, you have yet to tell us," he insisted, his stern glare seemingly darkening.

"Which is it?"

Miroku felt frozen, something that did not happen to him often. The times he had – they almost always involved Sango in some way. Only Sango. Only her.

He breathed. "In our travels recently, we had passed by the estate of – 'Dammit, what name did he go by? - Kagewaki, and was there that we heard of a demon extermination..."

Inuyasha's ears twitched. What the hell was that bouzu talking about? He opened his mouth as of to ask, but this was met by a sharp jab in the ribs from Kagome, who had apparently sensed an importance in this that he had not.

There was a momentary silence in which Miroku realized that the next words out of his mouth would have to be the right ones to say. And there was only one person who they'd be right to say to.

He turned his head to meet Sango's gaze, which was steady and unwavering just as his was. He refused to hold back, to avoid talking to her because he himself felt hurt.

"What I'm saying may not be completely logical," he began, resisting the urge to swallow. "But my intentions are honorable. I want nothing more than for this village to be safe."

"Why?" she asked softly. He confused her. The wind rustled in-between the two of them, and for a moment it seemed they were the only ones there.

"Because," he stated simply, "There is something precious that ties me to this place. And even if I've had to let that go, I will never let it be broken."

He stepped forward.

"Please," he said, and it came out almost as a plead, something that sounded odd and foreign on his tongue, "Trust me."

And she found that she did.

-

Inuyasha had formulated in his head a list of things he didn't like to see in people. Mystery topped the list. He liked to know exactly how people were, because he couldn't trust them otherwise.

He couldn't trust Miroku. Especially now. Not when he wasn't telling them things. When he was dragging them all over the place without reason.

The most confusing thing to him, however, was that he had not groped the girl yet. She was certainly pretty enough, and Inuyasha could not process the possibility the Miroku was somehow not attracted to her. Which meant that he had one hell of a distraction.

Thus, when he saw Miroku near the front gate, Inuyasha resorted to confrontation.

"Okay, what the hell's going on here? What are you doing? What are you up to?"

Miroku, who had been staring nonchalantly into the sky for a moment, sighed and looked back at him.

"Haven't we had this conversation before?"

Inuyasha scoffed. "You know, if this is another one of your tricks to get a room for the night, these people aren't going to take it lightly."

Miroku's expression became noticeably more serious. "Do you really think me to be that kind of fool, Inuyasha?"

The dog-eared hanyou stood there for a moment, his arms crossed. He looked rather childish. "How should I know?"

-

Kohaku, upon hearing that they weren't going to slay the demons at the castle, was temporarily relieved. When he found out the reason, however, his hope was deflated quite swiftly.

The idea of countless demons attacking his home was not a pleasant one. Nothing new was pleasant anymore.

He hoped that it wasn't true. Everyone around him seemed to have bravery in his or her blood, but it was as if he had to work to summon it. He took a walk, trying to focus on the dust particles that shone in the setting sun rather than his own fear.

He made the mistake of looking up.

When he looked up into a blood red sky that had begun to swarm with demons, all of them writhing and snarling and spitting and smelling of death, he felt himself freeze in terror.

Involuntarily, his hand tightened around his scythe.

-

Miroku closed his eyes for a second, trying to conceal the fact that he was frustrated.

"How should you know?" he repeated. "You seem obsessed with knowing my motives, yet without being sure of anything that could lead you to a conclusion on the matter, you remain at a standstill."

"I'm tired of being tricked," growled Inuyasha, one of his fangs biting into his lower lip. "Kikyou shot me with an arrow fifty years ago, and I never knew why. I didn't even know that bastard Naraku and he wanted me dead. My half-brother tried to kill me over a fucking sword. What I want to know is if you'll turn out to be one of those people."

He received a wry grin from Miroku.

"You want proof, is that it? Proof that there'll really be an attack?"

Inuyasha nodded, his ears twitching agitatedly.

-

Kagome, not sure who else to talk to, decided to make an acquaintance out of Sango.

"I didn't know people slew demons for a living," she said in awe, looking around her. Shippou was perched on her shoulder, doing the same.

Sango smiled. "There are some people who have never heard of us, but nonetheless it's a steady profession."

Kagome suddenly remembered a nagging thought that had entered her head.

"What kind of demons do you slay, exactly?" she asked, still glancing about.

Sango blinked, not understanding the implications. "What do you mean?"

"It's just..." Kagome began a bit nervously, and Sango couldn't help but wonder what had made the girl seem so innocent. "When villagers ask you to slay demons for them, does it matter what they are? I mean...do you do it, no questions asked?"

The realization of what the girl was saying dawned on Sango. She had, in the past, been hired by people who had simply wanted demons or half-demons slain because of what they were, even if said demons were peaceful and had never done any harm. She gave Kagome yet another smile. "We don't do that," she assured her. "Only when there's real reason do we take action."

It seemed as if a weight had been lifted off of Kagome. "I'm glad about that," she said in relief. "We've ran into a lot of people who –"

Shippou gave Kagome a questioning look as he moved to her other shoulder.

"Why'd you stop talking Kagome?"

Then he sensed it too. His tail quivered.

Sango, meanwhile, braced Hiraikotsu, watching as even the youngest of the villagers grabbed weaponry in preparation for battle. Kirara appeared at her side, transforming in an instant.

'He was right...'

-

Miroku's bangs covered his face as he bent down to retrieve the staff that he had left laying on the ground. The sky darkened behind him ominously.

"So," he said casually, ignoring the fact that there were hundreds of bloodthirsty demons coming into full view behind him. He directed his attention at Inuyasha. "Can I assume that this argument has ended?" He grinned. "If so, I believe we have a fight ahead of us."

Inuyasha tensed and pulled out his sword, hiding his anger at the fact that he had absolutely no idea what was going on, though he knew Miroku did.

Out of the corner of his eye, Miroku saw Kagome and Shippou running towards them, as well as Sango and Kirara.

'One last time,' he thought. 'We'll fight together.'

-

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