A Reason to Live
Chapter Three
Confrontations of the Strong Willed
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
It had been a few shorts weeks since the night that Miroku had broken Sango's already fragile heart, and still things were tense among the group. Once Miroku had made it back to the camp fire, he tried to punch Inuyasha, who was able to dodge the blow. Before Kagome could react, the two were involved in a fistfight. Later on, Sango returned to the camp, and went directly to bed. The next morning the group began walking, and only stopped to eat or rest for the night.
"So when are we going to get some food," Kagome questioned, as her stomach began to rumble, causing a heavy blush to appear on her face.
"You just ate a few hours ago," Inuyasha supplied in a dry voice.
"Yes, but I am a human you idiot," Kagome snapped in anger. "I need to eat more then you to sustain myself."
"Kek," Inuyasha snorted. "I guess Sango is the only one I can count on to act like a true warrior."
"I'm a little hungry as well Inuyasha," Sango supplied in an even drier voice. Suddenly Sango's stomach rumbled as well, causing Sango to blush just as deeply as Kagome.
"Well if you would eat when we stop, you wouldn't," Inuyasha sneered. "Fine we can stop for the day, but tomorrow we are going to continue even harder.
"Really that was to easy," Kagome said, her voice laced with astonishment. 'So what's up with Inuyasha? He would never be this willing to stop, unless...'
"What is it Kagome," Inuyasha asked, seeing her look at him with understanding eyes.
"Tonight is the night of the new moon," Kagome stated. Sighing deeply, Inuyasha just nodded his head.
"Hey I think I'm going to go for a walk with Kirara," Sango said, as the small neko demon jumped onto her shoulder.
"Ok, but don't go to far, because dinner will be ready in a little bit," Inuyasha exclaimed.
"So are you going to give me back my companion, or do I have to take it by force," the black haired youth questioned a large group of people. His blue eyes roved over the group, giving each of them the sharpest glare he could manage.
"If it is truly yours, then prove it by picking it up by yourself," one of the villagers yelled.
"Better yet," the youth called out. "How about I pick it up with one hand?"
"No one could do that," another of the villagers spat in disbelief.
"I can," the black haired youth supplied in a calm and confident voice. Quickly the villagers made way for the black haired young man, and allowed him to gaze upon the massive halberd. "Oh my baby Banryuu!"
Quickly the youth dashed towards the halberd, and grabbed hold of the handle with his right hand, before easily lifting it into the air. "What is this man," a scared voice called from the mass of people.
"What is your name stranger," an elderly man asked as he approached the black haired youth.
"I'm Bankotsu," the black haired youth answered without looking at the elderly man.
"We shall build a shrine in your honor," the elderly man exclaimed, causing Bankotsu to eye him from behind the halberd.
"Why would you do that," Bankotsu questioned. His face was reflecting just how confused he was.
"It is a monument to your strength," the old man replied. "It took ten of our strongest men, just to lift that weapon, and it took the combined strength of forty men to carry it here."
"Whatever," Bankotsu supplied. "Do as you wish, just don't expect to see me around here ever again." Without another word, Bankotsu turned from the village, and walked away. 'I must be going soft or something. Normally I would have just killed them all, but for some reason, I don't feel like expending the energy. Besides I got bigger fish to fry. Get ready Inuyasha and Naraku, for I shall kill you both.!' Lifting his Banryuu onto his shoulder, Bankotsu made his way into a nearby forest.
After nearly two hours of walking, Bankotsu decide to try out his companion on a series of trees that were blocking his way. Pulling back his right arm, aiming the point of his Banryuu behind him, he quickly swung it forward, shouting, "Dragon Wave!!!"
A large burst of energy flew from the end of the blade, cutting through the trees with ease. The blast also took out another hundred trees past where he stood. 'Amazing! I have become even stronger then when I had the jewel shards!'
Suddenly a noise to Bankotsu's drew his attention. "Who is there," Bankotsu called out.
"I could ask you the same thing," Sango's voice echoed from behind a row of trees. Soon Sango's form appear in the recently made clearing. "Bankotsu?!"
"Who are you," Bankotsu asked as his eyes continued to examine Sango's face. "I have seen you before, but I can't quite remember where." As Bankotsu looked the rest of Sango over, he noticed Kirara sitting on Sango's shoulders. "Wait, don't you travel with Inuyasha?" Quickly Bankotsu pointed the edge of his Banryuu at Sango, preparing to attack.
Sango in turn took the Hiriakotsu off her back, and got herself into a fighting stance. "How the hell are you alive again," Sango questioned. "I saw Naraku take the jewel shard from your neck."
"That is none of your business! Now tell me where I can find Inuyasha," Bankotsu yelled. "I got a score to settle with him."
"No," Sango replied. "Inuyasha is in no shape to fight you right now."
"Listen to me slayer," Bankotsu snapped angrily. "I have no desire to fight you right now. All I want is to get my vengeance on Inuyasha. Once I have finished with him, I will kill Naraku. Then should you wish to fight, I will gladly kill you."
"I told you already," Sango stated. "Inuyasha is in no shape to fight you, and if you wish to purse a fight with him, you will have to get through me first."
"Is that so," Bankotsu asked cockily. "In that case, I will just have to beat the information I want out of you." Without hesitation, Bankotsu rushed at Sango, and tried to slam Banryuu into Sango's side, but Sango moved the Hiriakotsu in front of the massive halberd. The force of Bankotsu's swing forced Sango to slide backwards a few feet, leaving her open to a swift kick to the midsection. The kick nearly caused her to lose grip on Hiriakotsu, but using all of her strength, she was able to bring the massive boomerang up in time to block another strong blow from the Banryuu. This time she was forced to crouch onto one knee. "I warned you slayer. All you had to do was tell me where Inuyasha was. Now I will ask you once again. Where is Inuyasha?"
"Screw yourself," Sango shouted as she pushed the Hiriakotsu forward, knocking Bankotsu a little off balance. Before Bankotsu could regain his balance, Sango threw a kick directed at his chest, and landed it squarely, causing the black haired young man to back away from her. "Hiriakotsu!" Quickly Sango threw the weapon at Bankotsu, who ducked under the attack, and rushed at Sango, who was now nearly defenseless.
"You lose slayer," Bankotsu sneered as he approached, but before he could attack her, he spun around, and slammed his halberd into the boomerang, causing it to fly into a tree, where it got stuck. "You should feel lucky that I'm in a generous mood. Otherwise, you would already be dead. Now are you going to tell me where Inuyasha is, or do I have to skin you alive?"
'I can't tell him where Inuyasha is, or he will kill Inuyasha,' Sango said to herself. 'I won't allow another of my friends or family to die because of me.'
"So what will it be slayer," Bankotsu asked while moving Banryuu to Sango's neck.
"If you are going to kill me, then just fucking do it already," Sango screamed, catching the black haired young man off guard. "I won't give up Inuyasha, so you should just kill me, and get it over with."
"Is that what you really want slayer," Bankotsu asked. Sango did not answer the mercenary, but instead dropped to her knees, and lowered her head. "Well then I guess all that is left to do is finish this." Sango shut her eyes, as she heard Bankotsu shift his weight, preparing to strike her dead.
'So this is how it is going to end for me,' Sango thought. 'I figured I would always die in battle, so I guess this is the way I wanted to die.'
Suddenly a sharp pain rushed through her face, as Bankotsu's fist connected with her cheek. "Stupid bitch," Bankotsu sneered. "What happened to you? If I remember the last time we met, you fought so hard, and would never have just given up like that! So tell me, what has changed?"
"What does it matter to you," Sango spat, allowing blood to land on the ground beside her. "You are just a cold hearted monster."
"At least I have a heart though," Bankotsu hissed. "I would never allow someone to win that easily. I figured you would not give up Inuyasha, but I never figured you would just give yourself up so easily. It is pathetic. I can't believe you are considered a demon slayer. And you wish to save Kohaku from Naraku. Phh! You can't save yourself."
"You bastard," Sango hissed as she jumped to her feet, and slammed her fist into Bankotsu's face, sending the mercenary sprawling to the ground. "How dare you speak of Kohaku like you know him. He was far better a person then someone like you!!!"
"What do you mean 'he was'," Bankotsu questioned as he rubbed his jaw.
"Kohaku is dead," Sango snapped as tears threatened to roll from her eyes. "And I killed him!"
"You what," Bankotsu questioned as he got to his feet, not fully understanding what she had just said. "What do you mean?"
"It is none of your business," Sango blurted out. She tried to sound as mean as she could, but her voice had began to crack as silent sobs racked her body.
"Listen to me," Bankotsu said in a low voice. "Kohaku was one of my few friends. Even though he worked for my enemy, he was still kind. So tell me what happened to him now."
"I killed him," Sango said through a cracking voice.
"You idiot," Bankotsu sighed, losing all interest in fighting the now openly crying Sango. "So are you going to tell me what happened?" Quickly Bankotsu stuck Banryuu in the ground, and sat down in front of the still sobbing demon slayer.
After retelling the story of Kohaku's demise, Sango peered into Bankotsu's dark blue eyes, as he stared back into her hazel brown orbs. "You truly are a moron woman. That was not Kohaku that you killed. That was Naraku's little fucking puppet. If anything, you set the poor boy free. Imagine all of the pain that would have been inflicted upon Kohaku had he killed you."
"What are you talking about," Sango questioned while wiping the last of her tears on the sleeve of her kimono.
"Think about who we are talking about," Bankotsu replied. "Once you were dead, Kohaku would have lost his value to Naraku. Therefor, Naraku would have given him back his memories, including all of the horrible things that he did while under Naraku's control. That is before he just decided to kill Kohaku himself."
Strangely, Bankotsu was making a lot of sense. It was strange that he was talking to her in a civil manner, considering they were fighting to the death less then an hour before. 'Perhaps he is not as bad as he seems,' Sango thought to herself as she studied Bankotsu's features, paying extra attention to his intriguing blue eyes, which seemed to be a deep as the ocean. Soon Sango found herself being drawn into the blue pools, and lost nearly all conscious thought, until Bankotsu stood up.
"I'm sorry to hear about Kohaku," Bankotsu said in a solemn voice. "Since I liked your brother, I shall allow you to leave here without following you. Make no mistake though, next time we meet, I will find Inuyasha, and I will kill him."
"But why," Sango questioned. "Inuyasha was only defending himself. In fact, Inuyasha tried to rescue you before Naraku could take your jewel shard."
"What are you talking about," Bankotsu asked as he crouched down to become eye level with Sango.
"You were still alive after your battle with Inuyasha," Sango began to explain. "As Inuyasha turned to leave you there, Naraku appeared. He used his new body and powers to hold Inuyasha as he took your jewel shard out. Inuyasha shot the Wind Scar at him, but it was no use."
"Why would he do that," Bankotsu asked in disbelief. "I was his enemy."
"Inuyasha doesn't kill humans," Sango replied. "He only kills other demons. Please do not try to go after Inuyasha. End the senseless fighting, so we can focus on defeating Naraku."
"Even if I do stop pursing Inuyasha, how do I know he won't attack me as soon as he sees me," Bankotsu asked as he stared deep into Sango's brown orbs.
"I promise I won't allow Inuyasha to attack you," Sango replied, once again allowing herself to get lost in Bankotsu's intense blue orbs.
"Well slayer, I will be seeing you around," Bankotsu said as he prepared to stand up.
"I have a name you know," Sango stated in an annoyed voice.
"And what might that be," Bankotsu asked, still crouching down to her eye level.
"I am Sango," she answered.
"Well Sango, I will be seeing you around," Bankotsu said as he stood up to his full height. "And since I enjoyed our little conversation, don't get yourself killed before we get to talk again ok?"
"And when will that be," Sango questioned.
"I don't know exactly," Bankotsu said over his shoulder. "But you can guarantee that I will be watching over you from now on."
"And why is that," Sango yelled at his retreating form.
"Because you give up way to easily," Bankotsu replied before he disappeared into the forest. Once he was gone from her eye sight, Sango got to her feet, and retrieved Hiriakotsu from the tree it had gotten stuck in.
"Well that was weird," Sango said to herself, as Kirara hopped back onto her shoulder. "There is something different about him. He doesn't seem like the same cold blooded killer he once was. What do you think Kirara?" The only reply Sango got was a purr from the neko demon, as she nuzzled Sango's neck. "My thoughts exactly."
A/N: Well that is chapter three. I hope you enjoyed it, and once again sorry for any mistakes or OOC. And I hope this was an acceptable way for the two to meet up again. I know it seems kind of cliche, but it is hard to have them meet in a really original way. I was going to have Kagura and a few demons attack Sango, but I just couldn't find a decent way to right it in. Well tell me what you think, and thank you to everyone for their reviews, and remember, Please R&R!!!