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Sango fell to her knees once the group had gotten far enough away from the flower demons.

"Oh Kohaku!" she cried out tears rolling down her cheeks, her hands fell to the ground as tears coated the dirt. Her body shook from the sheer despair she was feeling, she had lost her brother she had tried to protect for so long. Miroku placed a gentle hand on her back and rubbed it soothingly.

"He did it so we could keep going," Kagome said hoping that it would help, but it only made it harder on Sango to bear.

"I should've stayed, to help him out," she whispered as her arms began to shake.

"That would've defeated his goal, and only made it worse for him," Miroku said.

"We should keep going West, I'm pretty sure the scent of the demon is back and it's headed in that direction," Inuyasha stated.

"Can I at least go and bury his body?" Sango asked sitting up on her knees and wiping away her tears. Miroku looked at Inuyasha and the half-demon shrugged.

"What about the flower demons?" Kagome asked.

"I'll kill every last one of them," Sango spat grabbing for the rope that held her weapon as if she would swing it at that very moment.

"I'll go with her, and use the wind tunnel if I have to," Miroku offered. Kirara purred and stood by Sango.

"Shippo, go with them," Inuyasha stated to the fox demon. Shippo looked surprised for a moment but nodded.

"I'll carry Kagome the rest of the way," Inuyasha added putting Shippo at ease.

The four took off back the way they had come to search out the area for Kohaku. Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Kagome continued on.

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Once the four reached the large flower patch they were all surprised to see that almost the whole field had been wiped out.

"Kohaku did all of this? He had really honed his skills over the years," Miroku observed. Sango ignored his comment and kept frantically searching for her brother's body.

She spotted it moments later, Kohaku's armor lay in shreds and yet no actual body, as if the demons ate the bones and everything. Sango thought she'd be sick.

"Did you find…" Miroku stopped when he spotted Kohaku's armor as well and fell into silence.

Sango bent on her knees and grabbed for the familiar breast plate that all the demon slayers from her village used to protect their flesh from demons. She looked down at it for a few moments without uttering a word. Miroku, Kirara, and Shippo watched her silently.

Sango took in a deep breath and turned her head to the sky blinking away her tears that were threatening to fall at any moment. Once she got a hold of herself she looked back down at the breast plate and then onward to see the rest of Kohaku's remaining armor.

"Kirara," Sango called the tiny cat, the demon meowed in response, "Can you get the rest of Kohaku's armor for me?" she asked and the demon meowed once more before walking over and grabbing Kohaku's face mask in her mouth and proceeded to walk back to Sango and give it to her.

When Kirara reached her, Sango had already dug a hole with the breast plate and placed the plate down lovingly and petted the armor before grabbing the face mask.

"Thank you Kirara," Sango whispered and rubbed her thumb over the front of the face mask just as lovingly as she had done to the breast plate. Kirara made a sad meow sound before whirling around and hurrying to grab the rest. Shippo joined her and grabbed more of the armor. The process continued like that, it was a long one, but one that needed to be done.

"At least you are free from Naraku's clutches now brother," Sango whispered patting the now covered up hole where Kohaku's armor laid underneath. Kirara meowed again and rubbed her head against Sango's right arm giving her comfort.

"Let me say a prayer for him, so his journey towards the afterlife will be in peace," Miroku stated and placed his hands together and proceeded to pray. With all the womanizing Miroku did Sango sometimes forgot that he was a monk. She smiled warmly at him as he prayed and she felt so happy. She couldn't explain it, but now she felt like Kohaku could really be free and be with their family again.

Once Miroku finished Sango got up from her knees and gave him a hug. Miroku blinked in surprise a couple times but soon embraced her back. Of course whenever Miroku embraced any woman….The next moment the entire field was filled with the sound of a loud smack.

"Miroku!" Sango screamed in disapproval, Miroku nervously laughed and rubbed his red left cheek. Sango glared at him for another moment before her scowl broke into a smile and she started to giggle. Miroku stopped laughing and gave her a questioning brow, but she kept on laughing and smiling. She never looked more beautiful in Miroku's eyes.

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Sesshomaru slowed his pace when the trio arrived at what looked like a swamp.

Inuyasha stopped soon after but not without making a little slip and nearly ending both his and Kagome's lives. Sesshomaru kept his comments to himself and convinced himself to keep on task.

"There's no way around, I made a few large jumps before we got here, the swamp goes left and right for miles. We'll have to swim through it," Sesshomaru stated. He heard Kagome give out a disgusted moan and looked over his shoulder at her to see her eyeing what looked like a brand-new outfit. Sesshomaru was spoiled he supposed, he was so used to Rin's constant positive attitude and her philosophy that what Sesshomaru says goes. Above all, no complaining whatsoever, yes he was really missing that trait right about now.

"If you wish to stay then be my guest, but I must retrieve Rin," he said still looking over his shoulder at Inuyasha's mate. Kagome glared at him and stomped her foot on the ground making her look very childish.

"Do you think that I would choose a brand-new outfit over Rin? How dare you think of me that way!" she screeched and Inuyasha quickly stopped in front of Kagome and pulled her aside so she'd be as far from Sesshomaru as possible.

Sesshomaru droned out what the couple was saying to one another, it didn't really matter to him. After a good five minutes of the couple's whispering elevating to screaming at each other Sesshomaru gave up on waiting. Without saying a word to the two he walked into the swamp until only his neck was above the murky water.

The couple must've noticed him, because soon after Inuyasha and Kagome joined him at his side. The two had to start paddling since they weren't as tall as Sesshomaru.

"How far does this swamp stretch out?" Kagome asked looking at Sesshomaru; he could sense that she was still angry at him.

He looked over to her out of the corner of his eye and responded, "About five miles I would say, not very far at all," he stated and held in his need to smirk when he saw Kagome's shoulders sag. Obviously five miles was a long distance to a human.

When Kagome didn't say anything else Sesshomaru walked further down into the swamp until he too was starting to swim.

"Keep your guard up Kagome, who knows what lives in this swamp," Inuyasha warned, Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. His half-brother would be the one to say such a thing; he had no idea that to keep a woman calm you had to not tell her about possible dangers. He heard Kagome give out a shriek and started to slash around in the water.

"I think something touched my leg," she shrieked. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and held in the need to sigh, this would only be a set back for him. He chose to ignore her and continued on. He swam a head for a bout two minutes before he heard his hot-headed brother call after him.

"Sesshomaru! You have to learn to wait for people, we can't all keep up with you," Inuyasha scowled and Sesshomaru turned back to see that Kagome was on Inuyasha's back now and he seemed to just barely be able to keep his face up from the water to breathe.

When Sesshomaru was about to respond Kagome gave out another shriek and Inuyasha groaned.

"I felt something; I swear I did this time! It's grabbing my ankle!" Kagome cried her hands grabbing Inuyasha's shoulders so hard that her knuckles had turned white. Inuyasha winced slightly but moved his hand back to feel for whatever Kagome was going on about.

"There's nothing Kagome…" Inuyasha muttered while Sesshomaru treaded water and rose a brow at him. The next moment Kagome gave out another shriek but both men believed her when she was tugged away from Inuyasha and roughly pulled underwater.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried and spun around to try and see her but the water was too murky to even see his hands blindly searching for her.

A little after she sprung out of the water a few feet away from them taking in an eager breathe before whatever had her tugged her back down.

"I'll go get her, you go and find Rin," Inuyasha said and Sesshomaru nodded towards him before continuing on.

Once Sesshomaru was out of sight Inuyasha turned back towards the spot he had seen Kagome last and quickly swam towards it hoping with all his might that he could find her.

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Meanwhile Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippo were making their way back towards the others. The walk was made in silence, Sango's laughter only an echo in their minds.

Shippo stopped in mid stride and grabbed Miroku's sleeve, still being of short stature Shippo's head only reached Miroku's upper arm. The monk turned his head to look down at the fox demon as Shippo pointed upward.

Miroku looked to where Shippo was pointing and his eyebrows furrowed forward slightly. Up a head, but he wasn't really sure, were what looked like two enormous birds flying towards them.

"Sango…" Miroku said and blindly grabbed for her shoulder, the demon slayer looked a head and spotted the two birds as well.

Shippo froze still looking opposite from the two birds before he snapped out of his awe and jumped up to push Sango and Miroku to the ground.

"Get down!" he had cried as the three fell to the ground.

Sango and Miroku looked up to ask what was wrong with Shippo when they spotted her. A beautiful woman with wings and a bow and arrow covered in flames. She swooped down and would have collided with the slayer and monk had Shippo not pushed them out of the way.

The three watched in amazement as the woman flew towards the birds and shot multiple fire arrows. She caught one with her arrows and it gave out a high shriek of pain. Sango was the first to snap out of her awe and grabbed her large boomerang and swung it a couple times for momentum before letting it go towards the birds.

She was able to hit the other bird breaking the bone in the bird's left wing. It fell to the ground and gave out a squawk. Sango ran forward to grab her weapon but the bird had recovered from the shock of getting hit and blocked her way with its good wing.

She stared up at it and took in its appearance. It was a large bird possibly as large as Sesshomaru in his true form. It was covered in green feathers and its eyes were a yellow color. Its beak was blood red as it came bearing down on her. She quickly jumped out of range and rolled under its wing to stop right next to her weapon.

The bird turned around and was about to swipe her away with its mighty wing when it was hit by a large amount of burning arrows. Sango turned her head upwards to spot the fire woman still shooting down at it. The bird shrieked and tried to cover its face but in the end but shot in the head killing it.

Sango looked to her right once the bird had gone down and saw that the other had been taken out as well.

"Sango!" Miroku and Shippo yelled in unison running towards her.

"Are you alright?" Miroku asked extending his hand; Sango stared up at him and nodded before taking it and allowing him to pull her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.

"Good to hear," all three jumped when they heard the fire maiden speak, she had somehow appeared there beside them.

She looked more amazing up close, from far it just seemed like she was surrounded by flames but up close all of them could see that her features were made out of flames.

"You must be frightened of me, but I promise you there is nothing to fear. I am here on Rin's behalf, she needs your help," the fire maiden said.

"What's your name?" Shippo asked.

"Tya," she replied the flames on her face pulling up showing a smile.

"I will get you as far as I can to her, but there is a swamp up head where I can go no further," Tya explained.

"But I don't understand, aren't you part of that sword that Rin carries?" Miroku asked.

"Yes, but after Rin was kidnapped, her kidnapper pulled us all apart. The sword, Otaku is his name, was only able to hold onto one stone. That was the stone of wind; the other three were taken out. We were set out of them, so now only our powers remain in the stones. None of us are sure what the kidnapper has planned for us, but I'm sure it isn't good," she explained.

"Then let's go," Sango nodded and the others mimicked her and they set off with Tya and Kirara flying above them.

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Inuyasha kept swimming and swimming but couldn't find Kagome any where. He could even see past his nose in the dirty water.

Right when he was about to give up a bluish light caught his eye and he swam towards it. Oddly the light seemed to be coming towards him as well.

Once the light came into full view it seemed to be in the rough shape of a fish of some kind. It swam upward and Inuyasha was forced to be pushed upward by it. Once it resurfaced Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was on its back as well.

"Kagome," he said her name in a whisper and grabbed for her and shook her gently. She fluttered her eyelids open before looking up at him and smiled slightly.

"Inuyasha?" she asked quietly. Inuyasha could only nod.

"I was so scared," she added and pressed her head against his chest, he just rubbed her back and held her.

"I'm glad…I got to you two… in time," a third voice added as the couple jumped and looked around before looking down at the bluish light holding them up.

"I'm Uka…or the stone of water," he stated.

"Like the ones that Rin has?" Kagome asked looking back up at Inuyasha.

"Yes," Uka replied.

"She is…in trouble…she needs…you to…help her," Uka added. Kagome and Inuyasha shared worried looks before they looked back down to their savior.

"What kind of trouble?" Kagome asked.

"She was…kidnapped by a…demon and is…being held hostage. I'm not sure…where it is…exactly, but I…can help you…cross this swamp," Uka offered.

"Thank you, we'll find her and save her," Inuyasha stated and Kagome grabbed for his hand and squeezed. The two shared a small smile before Uka started to move across the swamp.

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"Rin, if we don't make it out alive I want you to know. Oh God what do humans say at a time like this…? Oh yea! I love you and all that, uh I'll never forget you, blah, blah, blah," Otaku said breaking the silence that had been going on for a good hour. Rin rolled her eyes as she tried to move her head to the right following the sword's voice.

"Otaku now isn't the time for that. Besides you said it all wrong, for one you need to actually say it like you mean it, and we'll get out of here I just know it. So don't start saying stuff like that," Rin scolded and Otaku nervously laughed.

"Just trying to put a smile on your face that's all," he defended and Rin couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks," she replied.

"Promise me something though?" Otaku asked.

"Anything," Rin said almost immediately.

"You will put me and the stones away for good after this," Otaku said. Rin felt her eyebrows furrow down in confusion.

"Why can't you travel with me?" she asked.

"Our powers are too great Rin; it will overpower us and will most likely make us do bad things. I can see that Mika was already affected by the bad mood she was in when we first met her. I was able to calm her down and take some of that power so she could get a hold of herself, but I can only handle so much. So please, after this seal us all away," Otaku pleaded.

Rin felt her eyes tear up at that, they had traveled so far and done so many things together. She didn't know if she could bear losing them all now.

"Promise?" Otaku asked again. Rin wished she would wipe away the tears that were falling down her cheeks but she shook her head. She would miss them all terribly, how could she?

"Yes," she mumbled after a few moments of silent sobbing. She hated that they would be apart but she would do it for Otaku and all the other stones.

"Thank you," Otaku said warmly. It made Rin only want to sob harder.

The moment was broken when the sound of feet hitting the floor at a quick pace echoed throughout the cave. Rin tensed and shook her head trying to wipe off the evidence of her tears.

When the sound stopped and the feet slowed she held in her breath waiting for what would happen next.

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Sorry I just love doing this!