One Year Later

Story: Before the Twist Of Fate

By: Sky

Grandfather continued to sweep the grounds of the temple, humming to himself as a light breeze undid his work just slightly. But he didn't mind. It was a nice spring day. And he couldn't find a better reason to be outside then to be doing this. The flowers had been particularly beautiful this year. And the sakuras had bloomed spectacularly. There were thousands of them it had seen, and the festival had been one of the best he could ever remember. He just wished….

Grandfather sighed as he looked towards the shrine building where she had met him with the school kids that had come to visit. She had worn the traditional garb that day, and had made a striking figure in the black suit, and she had made him so proud to wear it. That was the last time he would ever see her, as she excused herself from his side because she thought that she had seen a student wondering where they weren't supposed to go. He had thought nothing about it, as sometimes students did that; even the older ones it seemed. Now he wished he had never let her go. If he had only known that he was to never see her again…

He shook his head. No, that wasn't true. He would never give up hope that his daughter would return. Though, she never knew she was his daughter. She knew him as Grandfather, just as everyone else did. Against all odds, he had fallen in love with her mother, and though she was betrothed, she had come to him. They had spent many nights and days together, talking about a life they could never have, and the children they could never raise. And then, she was no longer his. 8 months after her wedding, she gave birth to Sango, and when she had been able to get away to visit him, she had told him that Sango was his. He had never felt such pride as he watched the little one grow up, chasing butterflies, picking flowers, and imparting his wisdom to her. When they could, they would spend a little time together in the back of the shrine, usually while Sango was taking a nap, or off training with one of her teachers. And that is how Kohaku came to be, though all believed he belonged to her husband. She knew better.

Sango was strong like her mother, and he knew she could care for herself. Though, he dreaded where she had gone. Ever since her disappearance, there seemed to be something drawing him to the old well-house where the Bone Eaters Well had stood for countless generations. It was here, that he had noticed the wood that had been covering the well was gone, and there were fresh scratches along the framing. He had run to the well to look down and make sure she had not fallen in, and it was there that he had found her bracelet, which had somehow fallen off. Sango had been here. She had fallen into the well, and now who knew what had happened to her. Though he couldn't understand how. The well was known for eating the bones of the dead, and nothing had happened to it for centuries. Why now? What had caused it to awaken?

Along with the missing Sango, was a boy. It was the student that she had been going after he assumed. Yasha Takahito, or more commonly known as InuYasha. Anyone who walked the streets knew his name. He was a ruthless gangster, though with a seemingly tender spot for women and children. His gang usually never touched them, and when someone did, there was usually a body found the next day in some state or not. Not many challenged him for authority. The other gangs usually tried to stay away from his territory, unless they were feeling bold. Or Suicidal. Though, sometimes they almost seemed to be recruited by InuYasha to take care of one of his gang without fear of retribution. And with some of the bodies merely beat to non-recognition, he could assume that they enjoyed their job. InuYasha was strong, fast, and territorial. That's how he had become the Dog Lord of the streets, the Dog Demon of the city, and then the 'Inu' was added to his name, and stuck.

Grandfather had been surprised when Sango had said she was going to train an outsider, and it turned out to be him. Though she said he had been learning rather quickly. He had found the journal she had written about his training. The boy was surprisingly smart, when you showed him you were boss. According to the books, that happened at least three or four times a training session. InuYasha would test the bonds of how strong she was, and she would beat him down. Then he'd behave for a bit until he thought he had served his time, and went to challenge her again.

All grandfather could guess was that the boy had fallen down the well, Sango had tried to rescue him, and had fallen in as well. That's why her bracelet had fallen off. He would never know, until the day she returned. Grandfather had originally planned on sealing the well again, but that might be her only way home, so instead he stood guard over it, hoping and praying that one day, he would hear the voice of his beloved daughter again, and see her smiling face, and listen to her story. He was the only one who had any hope anymore. There had been a funeral for the pair 6 months after they had disappeared. Someone had even come up with a story that they had run off to be together, and were living it up somewhere. He knew that wasn't true. Sango would never do that. Many people had shown up for the funderal, and he had to endure them talking about how Sango was gone. He had sat silently.

So now, he waited patiently, keeping an eye towards the well. Once or twice, he had had to save Kohaku from it. He had heard from Grandfather what he thought had happened, and had tried jumping down it a few times too see if he couldn't, too, join his sister. All had had was a rough attempt at climbing out, and then having to wait for Grandfather to come back with a rope after he had been discovered. Whoever had smoothed the stone along the sides had apparently never had to try to climb out. But he came to the shrine every day he could, and would look down the well, hoping to see Sango sitting at the bottom, needing the rope to climb out. Like his Grandfather, he too had hope. And would give up his dream of being a soccer player and learn how to take care of the shrine, if it meant keeping guard of it, until his sister came home. And he would too.

Kohaku made his way up the stairs, nodding to Grandfather, who was sweeping the front again today. He knew that Grandfather was just keeping busy. He knew the old mans ears were turned in the direction of the well house. He knew, as his did too the moment he came to the shrine. He was coming for training, but he always had a part of him tuned into the location of the well. It had been a year since she had disappeared, and he would wait until he was Granfathers age, if not longer, before he ever gave up on his sister.

Hey guys, sorry it's taking me so long. My life died over here. My sister has cancer, and I am just trying to get another job to support my appartment, and food. Food is always nice. I also have an actual book I'm trying to put together, and that's made my life interesting as sometimes the characters try to cross. If I can ever get the thing done, you will probably see some character in the Twist of Fate series that you would recognize in the book. The next chapter is almost done. I was hoping to get it up in July. Late again. Anyway, so you know I'm not dead, the next chapter is going up, and it's getting fun to write again. I hope you will find it's was worth the wait, as things will now start to get interesting. Thank you again for being so patient with me.

Sky