01-11-10: Okay!! I got some reviews!! Yay!! So thanks to those who did, aannnd here we go!

gnksfnskfnskfs I was just rereading some things.. it seems I have forgotten about Kaori meeting up with Koga after the new moon :l and in chapter 42 I said they hadn't met up since before the new moon. Mleh I'll have to fix that..

Uhm I skipped a few chapters. The chapter with the water god just seemed more as a filler annd the one with Miroku's wind tunnel being cut seemed also more as a filler as well. In the end of that chapter, yes, Inuyasha did use the Tetsusaiga properly and stuff but... adding all of that chapter in just for the sword still seems kinda unnecessary.

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You're Kinda, Sorta, Basically, Pretty Much, Always On My Mind.

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I Don't Own Inuyasha

"Talking"

44. Sango's Betrayal

I leaped into the hot spring, dipping my head under as soon as possible. The air was cold. Snow now covered every surface freezing the ground rock solid. Winter had come early considering it was still half way through November but I was glad. I'd been yearning for snow for the longest time. There had been so much teasing.. the night I met Koga for the first time and the morning before we set off to Sango's village there had been frost or a little bit of snow. But now, finally, we get a real snow fall. I was satisfied.

But the snow did cause a problem. For one, shelter was harder to find. Inuyasha and I, maybe even Shippo, could stand this cold as our body temperatures were higher but Sango and Miroku would most likely struggle. We would either have to figure out ways to build a better shelter instead of just sleeping on the ground, or we would have to travel to villages every night until spring. Another problem was that the snow had washed away any faint scents that could have been left by Naraku. Sango still couldn't remember the location of the castle and now Inuyasha and I tracking him down was out of the question.. so we were all depending on my ability to sense jewel shards.. but I couldn't even feel a trace of anything nearby.

"Erm.. They wont peek will they?" Sango asked timidly as I brought my head above the water. I had loaned her my spare one piece bathing suit so the boys peering wouldn't even be an issue, but she didn't seem too assured. I didn't blame her.. this was the feudal era after all.

I snapped the strap on my own swim suit. "Miroku might, which is why we're wearing these to cover up what he wants to see. As for Inuyasha he probably wont. He acts like he doesn't care."

She gave me a strange look. "Do you want him to?"

I felt heat rushing to my cheeks and I sank deeper into the water. "Defiantly not." I mumbled.

A small smile played on her lips. I fanned my hair out around me as I let the red in my cheeks creep away. My hair was a dark blue when wet.. I never noticed this before.

"What exactly.. is your relationship with Inuyasha?"

I looked up. She was watching me, her dark eyes careful. Instantly I was reminded of Kikyou again.. "What are you to Inuyasha?" I sighed. "It's complicated. He and my.. well I guess, my older sister, were in love at some point. But technically Kikyou wasn't my older sister. Mika just dumped me off in their village when I was little and they, Kikyou her mother and Kaede, the miko I told you about, raised me. Kikyou died a few years later.. and I was sent away when she did. A couple of months ago I came back and I guess you could say Inuyasha and I's relationship kind of flourished. But Kikyou recently has been resurrected. Everything was confusing even without her and now that she's back it's even more of a headache.."

"Oh.." She muttered.

"Er don't get me wrong!" I added quickly. "I love Kikyou very much but.."

"Don't worry, I understand completely."

I wondered how she could and we lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. "Why the sudden question..?" I asked finally.

She shrugged. "How you guys were acting in the cave the other day got me curious. Also youkai usually tend to mate with their own kind, and you both being inu hanyou.."

"But us being hanyou means our parents stepped away from the usual." I informed her.

"Yeah, I know that." She replied. "But it's just, you could say, human nature to mate within our own kind. Doesn't mean it's impossible to be with anyone else. It's just what we're drawn to, especially with youkai and part youkai."

I scratched an itch behind my ear as I thought this over. I understood that.. I guess I was just thinking too much with my human brain. It was very possible that being part youkai those 'animal' instincts could lead me and Inuyasha being drawn towards each other.. but I highly doubt anything would even happen.. even though things already have.. but those were due more to being intoxicated in some way.. and besides I want to be in a relationship where it's not just because we're similar so we're just supposed to be together.. Some sort of emotional connection has to go along with that as well.

"Nevermind." Sango said, turning away. "It was just from plain observations. Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"No! It's okay, I've heard all this before.." I I noticed a giant scar in the middle of her back, and trailed off swallowing nervously.

"Oh.. my scar. It's still there.." Sango mumbled as she looked over her shoulder.

"From a youkai?" I asked.

Sango looked away from me again, staring off between the trees. "No.. the one who made that wound.. was my younger brother before dying.. He was controlled by a youkai at Naraku's castle.. and even killed my father and our friends in the end.."

A strange feeling washed over me.. as if a rock had just dropped into my stomach.

"He was a timid and kind child." She continued. "But.. before he died.. he returned to being Kohaku.. to being my brother again."

I looked down at my hands. "I'm sorry.."

"It's okay, really." She assured me. "Everybody here, has a similarly painful relationship with Naraku, don't they? Besides.."

I heard a rustle of leaves and her eyes narrowed back into that dangerous glare.

"YOU DID COME TO BLOODY PEEK!" She snarled, launching a rock through the bushes. An animal like 'eek' replied and I leaped over back into the cold air to see.

A monkey lay unconscious in the snow, a large pink bump forming on his little head. I laughed silently under my breath and Sango stared at the animal, her face blank.

But then Inuyasha's and Miroku's head popped up between the trees in front of us. Of course!

"Hey, what's all the commotion.." Inuyasha asked.

"Nothing." I replied. But Sango freaked and jumped back into the spring.. well after giving each of them a punch in the head..

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The cold wind tossed my hair around my face and I furiously pulled it all back into a braid.

"What the hell is your problem?" Inuyasha asked, as his own silver locks whirled around blocking his eyes.

I quickly snapped a hair elastic around it and trudged off into the snow after the others. "Nothing really." I replied as he kept at my heels. "But just because you enjoy frosty hair in your face, doesn't mean we all do."

"Who said I enjoyed it?!" He snapped as we came up to the others.

"I did. But if I'm wrong why don't you just let me tie it back!?"

"No way! I'm not a freaking girl!"

I exhaled sharply. "Just because it's tied back doesn't mean you're a girl! Look at Miroku his hair is tied back!"

"Who cares about Miroku?!"

"I take that offensively." Miroku butted in.

"Shut up, monk!" Inuyasha growled.

"Fine, fine." Miroku sighed and took his place back beside Sango.

"Just let me tie it up if you don't like it in your face." I said, avoiding Sango's curious and amused gaze. I had the feeling she was questioning if really there wasn't anything going on between me and this boy.

"No!"

"Just let me!!"

"Why should I!?"

I let out a low growl and he replied with an aggressive one. The wind blew once more and his silver hair was whipped around his head and even into my face. That's it! I snatched the ends and pulled. He yelped loudly, grabbing onto my shoulders resisting.

"Kaori that hurts! Let go of me, damnit!" He shouted.

"No!" I shouted back. I managed to scramble onto his back and he fell face forward into the snow. Quickly I pulled everything back and tied a dull red tie around his hair. Just as I had finished he leaped up, causing me to fall to the frozen floor. A shiver ran up my spine, and I looked at him, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the glaring sunlight.

His golden eyes were dark and angry.. even his face was red. Ears back against his head. Hands clenched into tight fists. I smiled. "See you look nice with your hair back."

"I'll kill you!"

I squeaked as he lunged for me. I tried to dodge him but I slipped on the ice beneath the snow. His arms wrapped around my waist and I fell back.. But the falling never stopped and I felt my stomach leap as I watched the sky fly past me over and over and over.. and as the snow was pushed down my shirt.

My head hit the ground and I lay on my back staring up at the sky, Inuyasha still attached to me. Why was the sky spinning? Why did I suddenly feel like puking..? Inuyasha lifted himself up and he stared at the ground, his eyes unfocused and his face a little green. I looked up at the two human figures standing on top of a giant snow bank.. We'd just summersalted down that hill.

I laughed and pushed Inuyasha off me. I stumbled to my feet and kicked snow over him and ran. I heard him growl and listened to the soft crunching of snow behind me. Suddenly a snow bomb exploded on the back of my head and more icy chills slipped down my black long sleeve shirt and some even into my jeans.

I squirmed uncomfortably, forgetting all about Inuyasha. Snow down your shirt was never enjoyable. But suddenly I felt two large things grab my waist and the ground disappeared from under my feet. A small scream escaped my lips as the two things holding me swayed dangerously. Inuyasha snickered and I realized he was holding me above his head.

I felt self conscious about my weight as he started walking but he acted as if I weighed nothing more than a small apple. I squirmed and tried to see where he was going.. I notice a giant sparking bank of snow quickly becoming larger and larger as Inuyasha stalked towards it..

"No!" I screamed, flailing my arms and legs. "Let me down!! I'll kick your but to high heaven if you do it!!"

"Hah! Yeah right!" Inuyasha scoffed as his grasp on my body became tighter.

"Wanna bet!?" I threatened.

Silence was my reply.

"Ouswari!"

Both of us fell and snow flew up around us like fluff off a dandelion. I shivered. It felt like more snow was in my pants than in the north pole!! That defiantly wasn't one of my best ideas.

"Kaori-sama! Inuyasha!" I heard Miroku call from some distance. "Stop fooling around and come look at this!"

He was kneeling beside a dead man when we arrived. Balding, cold, and fresh blood soaking his clothes.. What a buzz kill. I sniffed the air. The scent of fresh blood was everywhere, and not only from this villager.

"I smell blood from others." I said as Miroku checked the mans pulse. " And a lot of it.."

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We arrived at a village moments later. It was gruesome.. much like what we had seen at Sango's village. Bodies of women, men, and children littered the ground, the white now splattered with pools of red. Some eyes didn't close and just stared blankly ahead at nothing.. dull and glazed over. I shut my own eyes and tried to keep the rustic scent from getting to me.

"Everyone's been killed.." The taijiya murmured darkly from my side.

I heard the sound of crunching snow under sandals and the jangling of Miroku's staff. "Everyone was felled by one blow."

"The wounds aren't from a sword.." Sango whispered.

"Who in the world would.."

A creak of wood in the hut closest to us sent my body into defencive mode and I was more aware of my body than since that day I became what I am. Before the thought even entered my mind my katanas were out and air was rippling up my throat in a low but menacing growl. I heard a deeper growl came I sensed Inuyasha's presence at my side. He sprinted forward, Tetsusaiga already in hand, and sliced through the wooden hut a second later.

The roof tumbled down a few feet away and the rocks broke through the wood with a loud crash. Dust particles were thrown into the air blocking anything beyond the hut. A child sized silhouette steeped out into the air born earth. Miroku and Sango gasped behind me.

The silhouette leaped into the air and with a small flick of the wrist a sharp curved bone attached to a silver chain was hurtling toward me and then deflected with a loud clang moments later by my katanas. Silhouette snapped the chain back and caught the weapon in it's small palm as the dust cleared.

Silhouette was a boy of maybe 12. His dark brown hair was pulled back in a short but high ponytail and he was dressed in similar armour to Sango except in green. Bloody chain blade grasped firmly in his fist, he glared viscously back at us with familiar brown eyes.

One name entered my mind. Kohaku. Sango's younger brother.

The boy ten abruptly spun around and dashed off into the opposite direction. Sango was the first one on her feet to follow. "Kirara!" She called and the tiny cream colour neko ran between her legs and transformed. We ran after them. But I was stopped when a painful throbbing entered my head. This throbbing was familiar.. but why did the throbbing of shikon shards only affect me sometimes???

I glanced ahead. Kohaku had a shard in the back of his neck.. Throbbing continued, getting louder and louder. Harder and harder. Black spots appeared before my eyes although I blinked to force them away they multiplied. I heard Inuyasha yelling at me to hurry up.. but his voice sounded like he was talking from another room.. house.. I couldn't hear anything.. and suddenly my mind went black.

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Voices.. I heard them.. soft murmurs.. but I couldn't understand them, nor tell who they belonged to. I felt an itchy dry fluffiness underneath my body, prickling me in certain places, and I felt a heavy.. thing.. over me. It was warm. So were the prickles.. but I dared not to move to get more comfortable. Something about the tone of the voices kept my body frozen.

They grew louder and I could understand what they were saying.

"..after your brother and failed to get him? I didn't think you made mistakes like that. Just what are you hiding? What happened when you went after your brother earlier?"

"Nothing happened.. besides I already told you. Kohaku.. my brother, is not someone who could do such a cruel thing. He'd never kill people like that.. He is no longer.. my brother."

"Do you really think it's that simple?"

I recognized the people speaking..

"No matter how much he changed," Inuyasha said. "He's still your brother isn't he? He should not.. be able to forget, and hate you so easily."

"What would you understand about it!?" Sango snapped.

I opened my eyes and came face to face with Shippo's little tail. I knew what Inuyasha was talking about.. I knew what he was thinking of just then. Kikyou.

"Inuyasha don't be careless." Miroku's voice came out barely any louder than a whisper. "We're surrounded."

The painful throbbing came back to me and I gasped in pain.

"Kaori!" Inuyasha's hands were on my head and I clenched my teeth together trying to keep myself from fainting again.

"Kill them!" The ground started to shake. I felt a large amount of dark energy fast approaching.

"Damn!!" Inuyasha's hands disappeared. "Miroku, watch Kaori!"

"No!" I hissed. I pushed myself up and ran past the approaching monk. The earth spun and I leaned up against the door frame. "Ugh, why does this stuff always happen to me..?"

"Kaori, go back and lay down." Miroku said, his voice hard and serious. "We can take care of this."

I took in a deep breath and shook my head. "I will not let this take over me." I pushed myself out the door and scoured the scene for Inuyasha. I found him, off to the side, with the silver chain around the Tetsusaiga. About a hundred youkai corpses littered the earth, and Kohaku thrust down the chain blade on top of the demonic sword.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh! With this level of strength.. Don't think you can fight against me!!" He grabbed the chain and whipped it in the opposite direction taking Kohaku with it.

"Inuyasha don't kill him!" I shouted. He looked over his shoulder his face angry yet slight panicked. Panic must be for me.

"I know that!" He snapped.

Kohaku finally landed in the snow. He picked himself up into a crouch, his face expressing no pain. My head pounded.

"I'll grab you and make you wake up!" Inuyasha shouted.

The scent of blood suddenly filled the area. Kohaku had stabbed himself in the back, and Inuyasha froze mid-step. An icy chill ran down my spin, and the boy lifted his hand to his back and started digging his fingers into the bloody wound..

"He's trying to take away the shikon shard!" I shouted.. half in pain.

Sango gasped and suddenly her large boomerang flew over our heads, knocked Tetsusaiga out of Inuyasha's fist, and brought it back to her.

"Sango!" Inuyasha hollered, furious.

The boy stopped digging. His eyes met with Sango's for a moment and I felt an odd feeling form in the pit of my stomach. Yes, she was defiantly hiding something from us. From the corner of my eye I saw snake like whips of light float through the trees. As they neared I saw that they were giant glowing flying snakes, who at that moment, picked up the boy on their back.

The air grew tense as the boy disappeared into the dark night sky.

"Sango.." Inuyasha said. "You.."

Her eyes narrowed. "Kirara!" Once more the neko transformed. Sango grabbed snatched the Tetsusaiga out from the snow and in a matter of moments they were chasing off after the young taijiya..

What the hell was going on?

End Of Chapter 44.

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R&R Please

Thanks 4 Reading

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~Ergg I also just reread the time when Sesshoumaru had a jewel shardd.. Kaori's head never hurt then.. hmm.. I'm gonna need an idea to work in her head hurting only on certain times.. If someone has an idea for it then can you help please??