There were sooo many spelling mistakes. I'm surprised it could be read.
Revised chapter. (6/6/2011)
Chapter 2 :: Withdrawn
Sango's breathing was off and scattered, the ice-cream she just got was dashed on the ground. Her eyes scanned Kouga's face, the floor, his shoes. Her eyes welled up with tears as she gripped his arm, desperately trying to pull it off her mouth.
Why did no one notice?
He leaned in, her head tilting back on the wall, his face almost brushing against hers. "I need you to be a good girl and—," Sango pushed his hand down quickly move, roughly grabbing his flesh between her teeth before she bit down hard, eliciting a stifled yell from the man. This caused him to lose the grip he held and was the perfect opportunity for her escape.
The young woman shot her leg out, kicking him between the legs to further incapacitate her captor as she skittered off to the side running to her freedom. The two men, Miroku and Inuyasha, were on him in a second as she escaped. Kagome trailed behind Sango for what protection she could give. The older woman's mouth said 'Run,' so she did. She ran far. She ran fast. She ran away… again.
Her legs beat, arms pounding beside her as she pushed through the crowd at the mall, giving small pardons to everyone she hit. Sango's breathing was off kilter, her face a wreck as she darted this way and that, reaching the end of the mall and the last of her ropes.
How did they know?
Her steps slowed and her body slumped over as her chest started to burn in pain. The auburn haired girl staggered towards a restroom, slipping inside and going to the farthest stall in the back. She stayed in the handicap stall, locking the door and sitting on the toilet, hands pressed to her temple as she desperately tried to regain her scattered thoughts and staggered breath.
Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.
Kouga was roughly hit by the silver haired man, a small crowd seeming to gather by the trio as the failed kidnapper slid across the floor a bit. He stood to his feet, wiping the small amount of blood that appeared on his face from the punch.
"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha spat at him, his hand clenched at his side in preparation for another swing.
The dark haired man just grinned, running forward as if to rush into his opponent, but instead, Kouga bolts through the crowd. He was quick, so fast, in fact, that there was no trace of him in the immediate area. There were gasps and whispers around as Miroku pulled his angered friend back towards his frame, whispering near his ear.
"We have to find the girls. I don't think he's through with us yet." The silver man nodded, rushing with his friend to look for the other two.
She sat there, huddled up in the bathroom for what felt like forever. Her breathing had calmed down until she heard the door open. Sango's heart sped up a few beats while she tried to reason with herself that it was normal—it was a bathroom, after all.
The steps came closer to her position, pushing on her stall. Her eyes went wide, her feet slowly lowered themselves to the sleek floor as she prepared to bolt one again.
"Sango?" The voice was sweet, familiar, feminine—Kagome's.
The younger girl rushed to the door, opening it to see just who she expected. "Where is he?"
"He's with the boys, don't worry." Kagome grabbed the younger girl's hand as they both whisked themselves out the bathroom. Kagome peeked out the bathroom, looking both ways before exiting the semi-safe confines of the female restroom, her 'tail' following behind with no questions asked. They prepared themselves, going towards the exit.
With little warning, Sango was pushed to the ground hard. Her palms turned red as she gripped the tile floor, stopping a fall face first into the floor. She opened her mouth in protest before seeing her newfound protector held in a tight grip, her mouth covered, and her arms pinned against her body. Sango failed to find her words for a few seconds before slowly coming to a stand, staring with quite the heated intensity.
Her voice was soft, wavering. They were in a sheltered part of the mall where there weren't many people, so her quiet voice carried in the abandoned portion. "Let her go."
The man looked his prize over in his arms, chuckling and tossing his head back. His dark hair fell in waves, tied up in a ponytail as he grinned back at his target. "She looks pretty, maybe I'll keep her for myself."
Kagome's eyes went wide with fear as he spoke. Her legs looked like jelly as if she wished to collapse to her knees out of fright. "You can have me. That's what you want, right?" Sango tried to bargain with him, hoping to get something to go her way. At her words, the bound woman seemed to glare, shaking her head fervently in disapproval.
"Or maybe I could keep both? You caught me off guard last time around, but I won't allow it this time." Kouga seemed to twist Kagome's head, almost as if he was about to snap her neck before he chucked her body against a wall. Her body fell limp as she slumped face first on the floor.
This move elicited a large shriek from Sango, "Kagome!"
Kouga rushed at the now unguarded heiress, grabbing her arm in the blink of an eye. He was too fast. Her hand shot out to punch him in the face, but he swiftly grabbed her wrist. With her body now fully facing his, she kicked at him, but he tossed her down before she could even land it.
Sango was a fighter and would not let his job be that easy. She got up, only for him to strike her hard in the stomach, all in a matter of seconds. She crumpled to the ground, grabbing her abdomen in pain as her brown locks spilled over her shoulders and she doubled over, collapsing to her knees. Her long brown hair splayed itself on the ground before her—she was that close to the ground. Her shoulders quivered while she fought back the tears—she was in so much pain right now.
Inuyasha stopped running and looked up, "I know where they are." Running up the stairs, he made a few turns down a long, nearly deserted hallway. What they came upon were two wounded girls: one who lost the struggle and the other who was quickly losing hers.
"Hey!" Miroku sprinted towards the speedy man who, by then, leaned in and picked Sango up by her arm. The violet eyed man stopped in his tracks, staring forward with both his hands clenched at his sides. Sango's eyes slowly gleamed out from beneath her matted hair, but she did not move much or at all. Her legs were not supporting her weight, and the only thing that kept her slightly up was the fast man's firm grip and hold.
Inuyasha had taken the time to get closer to Kagome. Once he reached her side, he checked her pulse, leaning in to hear her breathing. She was fine. He stood up, growling. "Why don't you fight us, you piece of shit?"
The dark ponytailed man looked behind him, a little caught off guard that the silver haired man was there. "Maybe I will. You both look like losers anyway." He disappeared, ending up a couple feet back with cradled Sango in his arms. He laid her on the ground far away from them all before he vanished again.
The two buddies looked around before Inuyasha was punched in the face, much like what he had done previously to the other man. Their opponent appeared in the center of the room, and before he could make another move, Miroku removed the beads from his hand, revealing the large vortex opening up and pulling anything in its path inside. The man did not see this coming as his feet slid in closer to the void. Inuyasha held onto Kagome tightly, gripping the handle on the door, even though he was a little bit out of the way and was not getting the full effect. Sango's body, on the other hand, was drawn closer and closer with each passing second.
Kouga ran, gaining some distance before escaping as Sango was swept right up in the air—she having been knocked out by now—all before she was carefully caught by Miroku. The beads fell around the hole just in time, closing off his 'gift' while he stumbled back from his catch. As both men held onto one woman, their stalker and captor fumed, glaring at the man holding his target—he then left without a word.
Sango awoke on a soft surface. Her hands brushed the linens on the bed while her eyes fluttered open to meet the day—but she was met with darkness instead. Her eyes got used to the room with no light and she soon came to realize that she was lying in a very familiar place. Her eyes glanced towards the door, there were loud noises that came from downstairs and one voice in particular seemed to be seething with anger—anger she couldn't validly compare to anything she's heard in her life.
As she reached the bottom step, the sound took on the form of Inuyasha's rough voice. She rounded the corner, holding her back against the wall as he yelled at Miroku, while a weary Kagome sat on the couch trying to calm him down to the best of her abilities.
"What about Kagome's safety, or my safety, or even your safety? Why do you want to risk your life for some girl you don't even know?" The silver haired man continued to shout at Miroku, berating him on his actions for protecting her.
Sango stood, her hands clenched at her heart, her feet wobbly, her head weary, her lips chapped and looking for moisture. She unconsciously licks them, keeping the bottom one in her mouth for a few seconds longer than the top.
Miroku answered back calmly, "I don't know, but we can't leave her. It's not right."
Kagome nodded from her seat, pressing a hand to her temple as if she had a migraine. "She's a sweet girl. She didn't ask for this, and I'm fine. I can take care of myself." She nearly spat the last part at him, sending him a heated stare with narrowed eyes, her black hair framing her face to make it look even more sinister.
"Feh. Whatever. Don't come cryin' to me when you get hurt." The silver haired man walked away, noticing the slight shadow from the corner that led up to Miroku's room. "She even listens in unannounced."
Sango shrieked back just a little at the words, Miroku having already walked over and looked at her shrunken form in the small stairway. "You can come out. Most of us won't bite." He sent a small look towards Inuyasha, who looked away with his arms crossed over his chest.
The phone rang, and everyone stared at it for a few moments until it rang again. Miroku sighed, standing up and walking over to the device, picking it up and listening in. "Hello? Ahh… Jiro, how nice to hear from you again…"
They drove up in two separate cars, stopping at Jiro's little shack of a home. The man cautiously peered out, grinning wildly to the group. He waved a hand at the four, "Come in. Come in." He took a long, sidelong glance at Kagome and Sango with a grin. Inuyasha glowered at Jiro, "And Inuyasha! It has been a while!" His greeting held a sort of false harmony to it.
Once everyone was shuffled into his home, Jiro flipped on the lights. The place was dingy with an odd, horrid stench in the air. They were all directed towards a couch, which looked worn with old age—the white seeming to have taken on a pale yellow color over the years.
Sango and Kagome took a seat, the latter scrunched her body into a smaller, less space taking form. She tried to touch as little of the seat that she possibly could. Both the girl's faces were set in an unmistakable frown that seemed to mask the rest of their features.
The men stood on either side of the couch, Inuyasha's arms crossed at his chest, and Miroku's hands hung at his sides, save for the wrapped and beaded one.
They all drank in the silence, keeping it up for as long as they possibly could, however, Sango was the first to break it.
"What do you know about my condition?" Her voice was meek and somehow alluring.
The brown haired man nodded, remembering what he called them all here for. "Well, you see. You're special. Your body is a tomb that holds immense power—not for you but for others. You create wonders in people that they could have never imagined or dreamed of. With training, of course, they can keep those powers under control, but you… you are quite the catch."
With each word said, he seemed to slip a little closer to her form, all before he nearly touched her face. Sango quickly smacked his hand and backed away from him, sinking deeper into the horrible couch. He frowned, taking a few steps back. Sango was now uneasy.
"Stop fucking around and get to the point." It was Inuyasha who said something, all their eyes moving to his tall form. Jiro turned around, grabbing a box off a tiny table behind him. He handed it to the young woman.
"Your answers and more are in there. I left a few papers for you to read."
The brunette carefully took it giving the man a tiny smile. They got what they came for, and as Inuyasha walked towards the exit, they left just as fast.
Jiro eerily waved to the group as they left and drove away in their cars.
A woman's voice slowly came alive in the background. "So you gave them the bait?"
Jiro nodded as he closed his door, turning the lights off so he was once again swathed in darkness. "So I will be able to get a kiss—to..to gain power?"
A thin black line glinted in the little bit of brightness that passed in from the outside. It was floating dangerously close his face before it turned. Many black strands of hair appeared and constricted his face. Small trickles of blood formed on his face and began to drip across his cheeks. Jiro's eyes went wide and glassy as he tried to speak through the pain. "Y-Y-You promised."
The woman walked up, pushing a finger out which swiped across his face and smeared blood across his cheek, back towards his ear. It was a dainty move, meant to be sweet, but in the current circumstance's it was terrifying. She laughed, "I promised you a kiss." She leaned in, pressing her lips against his, "—and power. As my puppet, you will be powerful."
His eyes watered, his body tensed, and the strands of hair grew, piercing him through his stomach, leaving a large hole in his center. Blood pooled in the dark area, dripping in mass amounts along the ground. His hands twitched and his head rose. Jiro's once lively eyes were filled with nothing, a brown ring forming around his pupils as death overcame his body. The hair that was used to kill him seemed to meld into his body, causing him to stand—the grip she had on his face still left marks akin to being lacerated, but he still stood as if to challenge his death.
His mouth moved, forming the words that proved the being before her was now just a minion to do her very bidding. "I will do as you command, Yura." The stench in the room grew, as another dead body joined the mix.
The dark haired woman leaned forward on the dashboard, staring out at their home. "I don't trust that man." She looked over at the golden eyed man, "I don't trust that box. I think she's in danger."
Inuyasha leaned back, listening to her words, his hands still on the wheel as he stared forward into the night. Her words were met with silence as he sat and thought out in the cool night.
"I like her," the woman's words came out quietly, painfully, "I don't want her to die, Inuyasha. Doesn't she deserve a chance at happiness, too?"
The man groaned beside her, reaching into his pocket. He gruffly stated, "I'll call." A small cell phone was flipped up towards his ear as Miroku's number tones dialed ran in the background.
Kagome smiled from her place next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder as she mouthed a 'thank you,' her eyes closing as he spoke.
Miroku walked back towards Sango on the couch. She was staring at the box with such determination.
"Inuyasha called to say that we shouldn't open it, courtesy of Kagome." He plopped down next to her on the couch.
She frowned, never taking her gaze off the object, "Why not?"
He shrugged. She could clearly see the movement out of the corner of her eyes.
"It's not like you've opened it yet. You couldn't have wanted to know that badly."
"But I do!" She sighed, plopping it down beside her and leaning back. "I want to know so much, but I'm unsure…" She pouted, walking towards the door to his home, opening it into the night, and tossing it out on the front lawn for everyone to see. "Now I won't be tempted," she grumbled, stomping off back to the room she grew to claim as her own.
The next morning there was no box on the front lawn, perhaps it was picked up by some passerby—it did not really matter because whatever chance they had of knowing what laid inside was now gone. Sango stood at the door for a good, long while, frowning and staring outside as if it would appear again.
This morning they would all be going out, and Miroku handed her new clothes to wear: pants, shirt, and a cap—all to give her the appearance of a male. She tried them on, and they were very baggy—seeing as the man who owned them was taller than her.
She eased downstairs after getting dressed and did a little circle once she made it to the middle of the room. Her long brown hair was tied up in a bun, stuffed under the cap and flattened several times. "How do I look?" The cap covered her face perfectly, hiding most of her feminine features from view.
"Wonderful. Like the brother I always wanted." He chided in jest. His smirk told the truth as he extended his hand courteously. She smacked it with her own.
"Keep treating me like a petite young girl. If you continue that kind of talk, this costume will work out perfectly." Her sarcasm dripped off of every word said.
He placed a hand to his heart, "I would never, dear lady Sang—," he was cut off by her.
"Kohaku. Use that name." She looked down with a frown afterwards, "I've always liked it." Her last few words came out slowly, as if there was some hidden meaning—though the male in the room with her never asked about it.
"Very well then. Shall we be on our way?" She nodded, moving towards his door and exiting. He shut it behind her and locked the place down.
The group of four took the subway, finding that their cars might be used against them to track their movements. They were all mostly separate, standing around the young girl in some way or another in case someone might jump out at them as a group.
The train came to a stop as people got up and out. It was so full that most of them had to stand—just like Sango had. She was close to the doors and a window, staring out, being able to see the two boys of their group on either side of her, a few people over, from the glass's reflection.
It was boring, she slumped, holding onto the hand rail above as her body moved along with the others' around her. It was almost calming and it almost made her forget before she felt a hand on her hip—maybe for support—but it was an unwanted feeling. She shoved it off, leaning away and moving in even closer to the window if she could. It seemed to happen again, but this time the hand jerked off of her by its own will once Kagome screamed. The older was wiping off her shirt with both hands.
Everyone turned to look at the dark haired woman as a small spider fell to the ground before her and was dutifully smashed beneath a leather toe by a stranger. She blushed and gave a thank you—it was the perfect time for Sango to scoot farther away, bumping into people with small, forcefully gruff excuses.
Their ride came to a stop and they all filled off, the young brunette was farther away from her companions than she had hoped for. At the very instance she went to jolt towards them, she felt someone grab her hand. Her eyes were downcast, helping to cover her face.
Where the feeling of human flesh from a hand should have been was, instead, replaced by a fuzzy feeling—one that pricked her palm and caused her immense pain. As much as she wished do voice her displeasure on the matter, it decided to stop working when she needed it most. The voice that came from the being felt sinister and gave her the chills.
"Go towards the silver haired man and bring me the girl… meet me in the back tunnel."
She felt no need to comply, but assumed she should play along. With her voice still broken from fear she nodded in response and once the immense pain left—the appendage that was touching her hand had removed itself—she ran towards the desired bunch.
She grabbed Miroku's shirt, looking up at him. "Someone is here! We have to go!" Her whisper was loud enough for him to know that it was urgent.
Inuyasha gave them both an odd look before the situation explained itself through his buddy's firm features. They all began to bolt until a few screams got them to turn from the direction Sango just ran from.
On the ground there was a sea of black that seemed to be moving in their direction. People scattered and ran out of the area as fast as they could. The little creatures happened to be spiders, and there were plenty of them.
The creepy male man from before was in the middle of all the commotion. People continued to scream as they all tried to rush out of the subway to the best of their abilities. Many people were trapped inside because it was taking just too long to get out, or they were trampled by others in the mess.
Miroku and Inuyasha decided after some time to push the girls behind them and stand their ground, preparing for a fight. Many people did not look their way as Miroku brought his hand up, holding it directly in front of his face. Dropping the beads—of which he still used—where the void began to suck in all that was there before them.
Many of the spiders were swept up in the mist and pulled inside to never be seen again, leaving only a few remaining morsels and people strewn closer across the ground. He closed it in time, not wanting to hurt any innocents in the area.
The man in the middle hunched forward, his beige trench coat doing little to hide the growing bulge on his back. His face peeked out through the hood he had at the top. He had the appearance of a robust, bald man. His coat exploded as eight furry, black legs splurged out of his back and landed on the ground. His body, however big it was, was being carried by the weight of these spindly things. He moved fast across the ground, taking the weak that were pulled in close and lurching forward to feed off their bodies.
His monstrous frame ripped apart some of those who could not get away, leaving some bodies, a few huddled people, and the four down in the subway docking area to fend for themselves.
Inuyasha did not even look back as he quietly spoke to the two women behind him, "Run."
As if the newly created monster knew what was said he knocked down booths and slammed whatever he could hard into the only real exit that existed, half way blocking them off from the world.
His voice came out in a sinister squeal, "Why did you test me, boy?" He stared straight at Sango.
Miroku piped up, "Kohaku, Kagome, I need you both to stay back."
The male name further confirmed for the monster that the capped figure was, indeed, a male.
Inuyasha began to change in his own way. His fingernails elongated and his stance grew wider as he posed and waited for the man to attack. There was a small, lingering question itching in the back of Sango's mind, but she dared not ask as she and Kagome ran deeper into the subway and closer to where the wall and the tram's track lines met.
The creature sliced at the air with a spindly leg, hoping to catch the two men at a low point. Inuyasha swept up and sliced at the human spider creature's stomach, causing a few faint lines to expose his skin. He was fast.
The bald man laughed, raising several large legs to stomp on the ground as Miroku came up from underneath with a knife, stabbing one with his hidden weapon. The bald creature squealed in pain, knocking the ebony haired man back and onto his bottom, where he clutched his abdomen for a short while before shakily getting back to his feet.
Inuyasha jumped up again after his friend was injured and prepared to swipe at his opponent's face before a human woman was quickly pulled in the way as a shield. He missed on purpose, cursing aloud as he skidded across the ground, landing behind the creature. His prey screamed, wiggling in the hairy grasp that was the spider's leg.
The changed man grinned, "You did not think it would be that easy?"
The captured woman's yells intensified as the appendage seemed to grip her body tighter. Miroku and Inuyasha felt like they were on pins and needles trying to get her free.
Right before the women made it to the wall, a man came up and grabbed onto Kagome's arm, doing his best to pull the girl along with him. She kicked and hit, as did Sango, but the latter was shoved harder. This gave Kagome the opportunity to punch the man in his groin. He hobbled away, crawling towards the blocked exit nearby. Sango stumbled back and fell on her butt near the track lines, causing her cap to fall off and her messy hair to show itself in full.
The spider creature looked, quickly tossing the unknown human woman towards a wall as he began his fast paced trek towards their fallen ally.
Miroku ran and caught the bystander before she hit the ground. "Shit! Inuyasha!" His silver haired friend ran straight towards the spider.
"She's here!" It squealed, closing the distance between it and its prize.
Kagome had quickly gathered Sango up, pulling her along beside the tracks in hopes to find an escape.
Inuyasha, who was still behind the creature leapt forward, slashing off one of the legs, crippling the creature and causing it to fall to the ground in a loud thud. The chubby human part of the spider pushed up on his arms and legs, reaching out for Sango's figure a mile away.
He quickly turned, hoping to dispatch the silver haired man as he came even closer to his position, one leg rising up to grab him, however his luck turned for the worse as that leg, too, was chopped off. Red blood spurted out of this one like the last, covering the ground in a thick ooze.
Inuyasha proceeded to rip each and every one of the legs from the spider's back, causing a deafening scream to fill the area as he tossed each limp leg off to the side.
Miroku quickly made his way over to his violent friend's side, breathing deeply and giving him a firm stare. He looked at the pitiful man before him, whose back was littered with blood and eight, disgusting deep, dark red holes where some legs were ripped from. "Who sent you? Who are you?"
The man giggled, his laugh taking on an eerie pitch. "Do you think she remembers my kiss, or yours?" He coughed, "We know. We are drawn. We will get her back… what gives you the right to have her all to yourself?"
Miroku growled, pressing his foot into the man's bleeding and wounded back. Inuyasha stood by and watched, waiting for the abomination to try something new. "Who sent you?"
"More of us will come… Miroku. We know all about you now." He started to giggle again right before Inuyasha pressed his boot onto his throat. The man choked and gargled while blood began to drain out of his mouth.
"That's enough. Let's go." Miroku started to walk in to the girl's direction.
Inuyasha left his foot there a moment longer, pressing it in deeper before walking off to follow his comrades.
Sango and Kagome ran for a while coming across a door, to which they posted their backs along and stood flat against.
Through heavy and labored breaths, Sango shook her head. "I can't do this anymore. There's too much… just too much going on."
Kagome grabbed her shoulders, trying to look the brown eyed girl straight in the eyes, "What? Are you going to go back and create more of those… monsters? Tell me, do you feel better knowing nothing about your life?"
Sango looked away without an answer.
"Everyone is fine. I'm fine… a few people got hurt," she bit her bottom lip, "—but that's to be expected when God knows how many of those things are running around. Get a grip."
The brunette nodded, her messy bun freeing some loose strands of hair. "Okay."
They had all walked back home in silence and separated before getting too close to each other's houses. Sango was sent off with Kagome and Inuyasha for a few hours as Miroku had 'business he had to take care of.' To the teenager, this meant he had no time for her or was trying to get rid of her to the best of his abilities.
Their house was cozy, nicer to be in than Miroku's. It had a livelier feel to it. It was certainly bigger, with a more comfortable couch to sit on a few rooms past the entrance. There she sat in silence, waiting for something to happen.
Kagome brought her dinner and gave her a smile, handing her the remote at one point. She was allowed to watch the TV that sat directly across from her. It was large and old and sat on a stand. The noise filled the air while she picked at her food, taking small pieces at a time. It was not like she really was looking or listening in on her entertainment, it was just nice to have some sound going on around her.
After she finished eating and after the darkest hour, the brown haired girl found her peace on the couch, resting with her legs draped over the edge and her arms crumpled together beneath her head as a pillow. The light from the TV illuminated her face, casting glares along her nose and forehead before a hand turned the screen off, brushing a lock of her hair away from her face with a cherishing hand that soon caressed her warm cheek. The hand trailed from her face to her shoulder and lightly shook her out of her dreams, her eyes blinking the sleep away as she stared up into a violet dream.
"Huh?" Her voice came out in a grumble, low and uneasy. Her head slowly turned to take in the unfamiliar surroundings before it all came back to her.
"We have to go." His hand strayed from her shoulder to cup her tender face, moving to rest on her elbow. Miroku carefully pulled her up, reaching another arm beneath her slender frame.
She eased into his grip, coming to a stand on her own as she slowly pulled away from his grasp. Her eyes looked behind her at the wall, and all around until she met the hallway, and then to a door she was told lead to Kagome and Inuyasha's room.
"Are they up?" she mused aloud, turning her wondering eyes back to his face in the darkness.
He shook his head. His locks a mess as he took her hand in his and lead her towards the door. "We have to go. I'll explain on the road."
That was when she noticed the large backpack he was wearing and she was now more aware than ever. She knew what was happening and she could understand why.
They were leaving for safer grounds. To protect their friends.
He grabbed her hand and she let him, calmly following him out the door without a word or a second thought. The man quietly opened the door, tacking a note upon its frame before shutting it, and without even looking back, they were gone.
Goodbye, you two.
There was no car to take. The walk felt like it was taking forever, her legs burned, but she did her best not to complain as she trailed behind him, her hands wrinkled up in the folds of her shirt. She had just another possibility at life to go back on the lam with the man that stole her away from her nightmares.
"Where are we going?" Her voice said she was out of breath, but when Miroku looked back at her, she did her very best to hide that fact, her face holding a more stern look to it.
"Anywhere. Anyplace." He was quiet for a few seconds, deciding to give her a better answer, "We are going someplace low-key. I know a tiny bar nearby."
Nearby. How close was this nearby?
It was not very nearby. In fact, Sango was so tired, so worn out, and so hot to the touch that Miroku had to carry her on his back the rest of the way. She inwardly whined. Her face set in a frown as he placed her down in front of the place.
The man was about to walk in before she grabbed his hand, pulling him with what little strength she had to look her in the eye. "Why are you doing this?" He was silent for a very long time as she looked up, trying to read his face—she knew it was useless—he could hide his emotions better than her. "Money? Sex? Power?" The last word caused him to flinch as he pulled his hand away.
The black haired man shook his head, leaning down so they were at eyelevel. "None of that. It's just… I don't know… Something in me says I should." He stood back up, pushing open the door for her, "Let's go."
The answer wasn't enough, and he knew it, but she let it slide as they entered the busy establishment.
They both held hardened face, though Miroku's changed as he walked straight up to the bar, grabbing hands with someone behind the counter. The man had a long, scraggly, orange beard. His laughter was big and his arms were just as big if not larger.
"It's been a while!" The man said, his belt of laughter coming out once again.
The two seemed to talk, Miroku leaning in to speak in hushed tones with his friend. Many people turned to look at her and the green eyed fellow began to nod before giving the thief a toothy grin and a large pat on the back. The man slid to the left of his counter as Sango quietly walked up to that opposite area.
"What's happening?" she leaned on the bar, looking back at Miroku and over to where the larger man wondered off to.
With obvious sarcasm, he said, "It's time for sex." Before he could get out a laugh, she punched him square in the shoulder with all her might. Miroku winced, bawling over the counter and gasping, "Damn! I was kidding!"
Sango covered her mouth, "Sorry! I didn't think it'd be so hard!"
The man walked over, hearing the last bits of their conversation and said nothing, handing Miroku the keys to the room he ordered. The two scampered off upstairs. There were not many rooms, three in total, and their door was on the right.
He opened it and was met with one bed, a chair and a desk with a lamp on it. It didn't seem to be too dusty, but the paint was peeling on the walls as they all walked in.
Sango rubbed her arm self-consciously and before she could ask or think about getting a word out, Miroku plopped himself down on the chair, "You get the bed. You'll need the rest. We have quite a morning ahead of us."
She scuffled towards the bed and sat down, hearing loud squeaks as if the bed was about to give at any moment. She laid back down on it, staring up at the ugly, cracked ceiling above her. "Will I see them again?"
His answer was abrupt. "Yes." He was unsure and kept things simple.
"Do you think more people will die because of me?" Her words came out quietly, barely above a whisper.
There was no answer for quite some time, and she was about to pass out before he asked her a question. "Do you miss your family? Do you want to go back?"
Her answer came quickly. "I miss my brother and my father, but they're no longer there."
"Your mother?"
She paused, "She is—," Sango sat up, "—she is my mother, I guess. I—I guess no."
Miroku mhmmed in the darkness and answers her previous question, "I do, but I will try to change that."
She slumped down in the bed, curling up on the pillow.
She awoke to being pushed off the bed, thumping along the ground.
So much for a goodnight's sleep!
It was daylight outside—that much she was sure of by the light peeking in through the crappy curtains on the adjacent wall. Two men were in her room, one staring directly at her with a glare as she quickly got to her feet. They had splotches all over them with a lobster tan and patches of white skin. They wore everyday clothes and looked very similar in her half-awake state of mind. There was a loud commotion downstairs.
"What's going on?" She asked in a fervent whisper towards the two.
They both began to roll up the bed sheets, tying everything together as they walked out the room. The closest one to her spoke, "There's some people here. They is shootin' up the whole damn place looking for somebody."
"Who is it?" She grabbed the wall as she stood up.
"Dunno, but I'm gonna take all's I can get!" With that he was gone.
There was a shot again and Miroku soon appeared at her door, looking frazzled with a wary grin. "Good. You're awake." An older blonde haired woman walked in, her clothes looked a little too small for her as she waved to the younger girl in the room. "Follow Raina, dear, and she'll get you to where you need to be."
The blonde woman, named Raina, walked in and snatched Sango's hand up with a giddy smile, despite the pressing situation downstairs.
Before Sango was pulled directly out the door, she managed to ask a large, pressing question in her mind, "What about you?"
"I'll be there. I promise." He dashed back downstairs.
She took his word as she was led into the room on the left. The door was swung open and the skimpily dressed females shut and locked the door behind her. Raina slammed her foot down on the floor. "Hey! Company!" She moved her foot back and a small underground compartment opened up. "Get in." Raina's voice was calm and sultry, "We'll have you dressed up in no time."