InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Looking For You ❯ Part 1 ( Chapter 1 )

“I’ve been looking for you so long, that it doesn’t even feel like you’re real anymore.” -Looking of You, a song I’ve wrote.

Two young children rushed into the hut. They yelled in their twin voices, “Father, there’s a woman outside for you!”

The young monk looked up and smiled as his twins rushed towards him. “Really, and did she give a name?” He asked.

“No, sir,” the girl replied, her name Chidori, or bird. Her brother, Tsubasa, or winged one stood beside her. Their father stood up and walked outside, the two children following behind, curious as to what was going on. It was nothing new for people to call on their father at random times, he being the village monk and all, but still, there seemed to be something special about the woman calling on their father this time.

The village was larger than it was had been the last time she had visited, to bury a friend. She had no idea that when she had left, she would almost die. The stranger was standing in the middle of the village, looking for something when two children, a boy and a girl, had run by.

“Excuse me,” she asked them, “but who protects this village?”

“Our father, ma’am,” the boy replied.

“Why, do you need to speak to him?” The girl asked seconds after her brother.

“Yes, I would,” the woman answered politely.

“Follow us, we were on our way home anyways,” the boy had told her.

The young monk followed his two children outside and saw none. “Children, where is this woman?” He asked, bending down to their level.

“I am right here,” a feminine voice replied, stepping out from the shadows of a tree. “You are the village protector, am I correct?” The voice asked from behind her veil. She took another step forward and into the light. It was now that the young monk could make out some of her features. She was tall; her hair long, though it looked as though some had been hacked off recently. Of her face, only the eyes could be seen, her veil covered the rest. She wore a cloak over the rest of her body, which hid any indications of, if she was thin or not.

“Yes, I am. I am also the village monk,” the man replied. “Good, for I need a favor. Is there any place I could spend the night? I can pay,” she elaborated.

“You can stay at my home, but pray tell, why did you want me? You could have easily asked anyone in the village,” the monk articulated.

“I would like to know if you would kindly let me be your helper,” the woman asked, a faint pink touching the little skin that you could see below her eyes.

“It depends, but for now, would you like to have dinner with my children and I?” Questioned the monk. The woman nodded and followed the three inside the hut.

“Father, the miso is ready,” Chidori announced as she walked over to the simmering pot. Her brother walked over to the cabinet and took out eight bowls. He placed two bowls at each spot at the table. The monk had already set an extra spot at the table and invited their guest to sit. Chidori brought a pot of rice over gave everyone an equal portion. The monk brought the pot of miso soup over and filled the second bowl that each one had. When all of this was done, the three set down and immediately the two children looked at their father. The monk had his head bowed and hands together, as did the children. The woman realized they were praying thanks and quickly said a prayer of her own. After this was done, the children began to eat.

“Tell me, what is it that has brought you here?” The monk asked, turning to the woman.

“I have already said so, my lord monk,” the woman answered, head down.

“Then please, if you do not mind my asking, whom have you lost recently?” The monk replied after taking a bite of his rice.

“I found out recently from an old friend that the man I loved when I was younger had disappeared,” she answered after a few moments. The table was quiet for the rest of the meal. Afterwards, while the two children cleared the table and washed the bowls, the two adults went outside.

“Please, sit,” the monk gestured to the spot next to him when he had sat down.

“Thank you” replied the woman as she did so. The monk turned ever so slightly so that she was within his line of vision. “If you don’t mind my asking, what is your name?” He asked.

The woman, obviously startled, replied, “My name is of no importance but you may call me Yume if you so desire.”

“Dream. That is an interesting name. I assume it is a false name, but that is okay. I understand. There are times when the truth hurts. I myself have been called monk for so long that my name is but a distant past. I doubt few remember anyways, so please, call me that as well,” the monk replied to the unasked question.

“Okay,” Yume made to leave but felt something on her arm. It was the monk’s hand. “Stay with me for a while, won’t you?” He asked, his eyes pleading for her to stay. She sat back down and looked up at the sky, which had turned indigo without her realizing it.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” He broke the silence after a bit.

“Are what beautiful?” Yume responded with a question. The man sighed, and replied, “The stars.”

“Yes, they are. But, I have seen them so often that it seems like I don’t even see them anymore,” she told him. “If you do not mind, may I go to sleep? It has been a long day for me and I have not been able to sleep these past few nights.”

“Of course. I will be coming in a little bit so no need to worry if you need to change,” the monk murmured.

Inside the hut, the woman, Yume, took her veil off of her head and her cloak off as well. She took off her outer kimono and lay down on the tatami mat and soon fell asleep. After a little bit, the monk came into the hut. He looked at his two children and smiled. Then, his gaze found Yume and he had a mental shock. Her face was scarred horribly.

Her left cheek had a few, seemingly random scars, while her right was divided into two x’s. There was one scar that started above her left eye and ran down to her chin. Her nose was missing a small chunk on one side. It was no wonder she wore a veil, her face was so bad. The monk sighed and lay down on the extra mat since Yume had taken his.

The next morning, the monk arose to something cooking. He raised his head and squinted, sunshine had hit his eyes. Turning his head, he found that Yume was making something. Sitting up, he noticed that his two children were helping her. He noticed that she was lean, her cloak lying next a small bag he had failed to notice before. She did wear the veil though.

With a twinkle in his eye, he coughed, startling the threesome. They turned around and looked at him. “I hope our making breakfast has not woken you, sir monk,” Yume apologized. The young monk smiled and replied, “Not at all.”

After they had eaten breakfast, the two children went outside to play for a little while with all the other village children until it was chore time. This gave the monk and Yume time to get to know each other.

“You say you would like to be my assistant,” he began, pausing for effect. “Yes,” Yume answered in the pause. “What weapons can you use?” The monk asked.

“A sword, a whip, and I have some skills in poisons,” Yume told him as they walked. The monk raised his eyebrows at the poisons, but let it go.

“Please then, let us fight,” the monk told her. His staff jingled, or the rings at the top did, at least. Yume stepped back and brought out a katana. She held it in front of her, blocking the monk’s attack. She then twisted to the side and tried to strike his left side. The monk dodged to the right and struck her with his staff. It hit her leg, for she had jumped at that precise moment. She fell, clutching her leg. The monk was concerned that he had really hurt her and so rushed over to her. “Are you okay?” He asked, concern written on his face.

Yume moved quickly and before he knew it, she had her katana around his neck. “Don’t move,” she whispered. The monk smiled and dropped down to his knees, sinking underneath her sword. His staff lay on the ground and he grabbed it, striking Yume on her left leg, the one that he had already hit.

“Truce,” the monk told her. “Your skills are excellent. I shall take you as my assistant.”

Yume’s eyes brightened as she excitedly replied, “Really? Oh thank you.”

The duo began their walk back to the hut, Yume limping slightly. As they walked, the monk requested, “tell me about yourself.” Yume sighed, and began; “I was separated from my family when I was 16. I took my skills and sharpened them as I traveled the countryside, searching for them. But I know now that they are dead. But, during my travels, I had met a group of people that became a second family to me. But, during a battle, I was captured. I know you have seen the scars. That’s when I got them,” she paused and collected her thoughts. “But, I fell in love with one of the people I was traveling with. But, as I told you last night, I found out that he has disappeared.”

She stopped and turned to the monk. “What about you? What is your past?” She inquired eyes wide and innocent. The young man gave her a tired look and replied, “I do not wish to bring this topic up just yet. If you wait, I’ll tell you in due time.”

They began to walk again, both deep in thought. But, as luck would have it, it was at that precise moment when a young woman ran up to them, begging for help. “What’s wrong?” Yume asked. The woman pointed at something that had come up behind her. The monk turned around just in time to see a fox demon emerge from the shadows. The eyes glowed an eerie color as the demon transformed.

“Look out,” the monk cried, pushing Yume out of the way as the demon sent an attack at the women. But, by doing so, he received the attack. He fell to the ground with a large flop and lay bleeding.

“Sir monk, please, don’t do anything,” Yume whispered to him before turning to the demon. She held a look of fierce determination in her eyes as she walked ever so slowly and cautiously towards the demon. She was a predator and this demon was her prey. She cracked her knuckles and grinned, confusing the demon.

“Why aren’t you afraid of me?” The demon asked, it’s voice giving away its male gender. Yume looked into the demon’s eyes and replied, “I have seen hell. I have survived. Nothing can scare me anymore. Especially not a demon who holds no powers but trickery and deception.”

The young demon could tell that the human woman was telling the truth by the look in her eyes and he shuddered to think of what happened to her. Without so much as a word, the demon turned around and ran off, not wanting to tangle with the deadliest thing in the world, someone with nothing to lose.

“Thank you,” the young village woman told the duo when Yume had returned to the monk. The woman had kept him still during the showdown, not letting him do more harm than good to himself. Yume gave the woman a genuine smile as she answered, “It was nothing.”

The woman bowed and headed back to her home. It was up to Yume to take the monk back to his hut. It passed in her mind that she should have asked the woman for a little help, but she shook the thought out of her head. Helping the monk to his feet, she let him lean on her as they headed back to his home.

“Now, let’s see your wound,” Yume told him when they arrived. The monk began to protest, but she told him to shush. After taking a few moments to look at it and prepare a diagnosis, she opened her mouth and was told, “Thank you.”

“Really, like I told the village woman, it was nothing. Now, lay still while I boil some water and bandages,” she instructed. The monk did as he was told and watched as Yume busied herself. And, it was then that he sunk into a dark oblivion, most likely brought on by the loss of blood.

It was night. The group sat around their campfire as Kagome told them a tale. She called it a “ghost story” and it was quite spooky. Shippo was quivering in fear next to the monk and even Inu Yasha looked around, searching for an unknown something.

“Inu Yasha, what’s wrong?” Kagome asked when she finished. The monk laughed and told her, “I think your story has scared him lady Kagome.”

Kagome laughed and turned to Inu Yasha. She looked at him and asked, “Is Miroku right, Inu Yasha? Did that ghost story really scare you?”

The half demon looked at the young monk and glared. He replied, “Feh. No.” But it was obvious that it had, which made the two humans’ laugh while both demons looked around.

“Monk. Wake up,” a gentle, feminine voice ordered. The monk groggily asked the air, “Sango, is that you?”

Yume stiffened from her position next to the monk. How did he know her name? She hadn’t told anyone ever since she had been taken what her name was. Instead, she told them pseudonyms. She glanced up, snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the monk get up.

“Father!” Two voices yelled, breaking the silence in the room. Tsubasa and Chidori burst into the hut. They held a fish between the two of them. “Look what I caught, Father,” Tsubasa proclaimed.

“And I helped him,” Chidori added proudly.

“Wow, we will eat well tonight,” he told the two, pride gleaming in his eyes. Yume stood up and walked over beside the monk. “Chidori, why don’t you and I clean the fish and start making supper?” She suggested. Chidori’s eyes widened in excitement as she looked over at her twin. He nodded and she brought the fish over to Yume. Yume took the fish and looked around for a knife.

“Where are your knives?” She asked the monk. He pointed to a drawer and she nodded in thanks. He then turned to his son and said, “Well son, why don’t you and I mediate while your sister and Yume make our supper.”

“Yes, Father,” the boy answered. The two walked outside and sat down on the lovely green grass. After a few minutes, the boy opened his eyes and asked, “Father, how long will Yume be staying with us?”

The monk opened his violet eyes as well and answered, “As long as she wants to.”

“Why Father?” Tsubasa replied. The monk sighed and told his son, “because, she has no place to go and besides her talents are great when it comes to demons.”

“But Father, people in the village are talking about her and us,” Tsubasa complained. The monk looked directly in his son’s eyes and spat out a little too sharply, “What have I told you about listening to the evils people spread through mouth?” Tsubasa looked down at his hands and mumbled, “I am sorry, Father.”

Inside the hut, Yume had heard every word the father and son had uttered in their short conversation. She felt hot tears fall down her cheeks. But, when she felt something tug at her kimono, she brushed them away and turned to look at who had tried to get her attention. “What’s wrong Yume?” Chidori asked, eyes wide and full of concern.

The woman smiled a small smile and knelt down. “Nothing is wrong, now, why don’t you go and get your father and brother?” She suggested. Chidori nodded and ran out the door. The trio soon came in and sat down for dinner. The foursome was quiet with not a word uttered.

“Yume, may I speak with you outside?” The monk asked afterwards. She nodded and followed him out to the porch. “I know you heard my son’s words earlier and I would like to apologize on his behalf,” began the monk. He opened his mouth to say more, but Yume interrupted, “It’s okay. But, I have a question for you that I have wondered since I met you.”

“Go ahead; speak it,” encouraged the young father. Yume hesitated but then blurted out, “If you are a holy man, why do you have children?”

The monk laughed and replied, “It happened a few months after I arrived in this village two years ago. I was still mourning the loss of my love when a village woman died. The villagers called her children the spawn of the devil since their father was a half demon. But, the woman had been a close friend of mine, so I took her two children and I have raised them as my own.”

The mood between them had gone from stressed, to happy, but it resonated sadness due to the bittersweet memories that the monk had just had. Finally, Yume began to shiver and headed inside. The monk stared at the stars and asked the night, “Where is my Sango?”

Yume was lying on a tatami mat when she heard the monk’s voice ask, “Where is my Sango?” She shivered, and it wasn’t due to the cold. Soon, she heard the monk come in. Just as she was about to fall asleep, a loud crash brought to full consciousness.

“What was that?” The monk yelled out almost immediately. Both children were rubbing their eyes and yawning as Yume was getting up and putting a robe over her sleeping kimono. The monk followed Yume out the door and they stood, staring at the sight before them. Two demons were locked in battle and didn’t seem to be stopping any time soon. The monk’s face lit up when he caught sight of one of the demons’ face.

“Shippo, Inu Yasha, how nice to see you,” he called out. Yume stood rigid in shock. If the two demons were Inu Yasha and Shippo, then that would make the monk next to her Miroku. But, where was Kagome.

Miroku’s words came back to her. “It happened a few months after I arrived in this village two years ago. I was still mourning the loss of my love when a village woman died. The villagers called her children the spawn of the devil since their father was a half demon. But, the woman had been a close friend of mine, so I took her two children and I have raised them as my own.”

Kagome had died and her two children were inside the hut, adopted by Miroku.

“Hey Miroku, long time no see,” Inu Yasha’s voice called out as he strolled over to the two. “Who’s next to you, some random woman who’ll bear you a son?”

Yume, or Sango in reality, flinched at the half demon’s words. But, she kept her tongue. She wanted to greet them like old friends, which they were, but she wanted to stay behind Yume’s identity too. She wanted the protection Yume held with the friends that Sango had. She wanted the best of both worlds and it wasn’t going to happen due to a little thing called Fate.

“Hey, Miroku, we stopped by Kagome’s hut and her and Inu Yasha’s pups were gone. She wasn’t there either. What’s the deal?” Shippo bounced over. He had grown up quite a bit the last seven years Sango had been absent. But, when she saw his eyes, she gasped. She had looked into those eyes just the day before when she had her showdown with the fox demon.

“It’s you!” Cried the young demon as he ran over to Inu Yasha. “Don’t come near me!”

“Why are you so afraid of her?” Inu Yasha asked, amused. The fox told the dog something and the dog took a step closer to Yume and Miroku.

“Wow, you’re right Shippo; her eyes are freaky,” Inu Yasha said in amazement. Yume looked straight in the half demon’s eyes, a fire burning inside her as she yelled, “and what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, it’s just your eyes aren’t like a normal humans, that's all. Hey, Miroku, you never did answer my question, where’s Kagome and the pups?” Inu Yasha asked, moving to another topic. Miroku didn’t answer; he just looked at the ground.

“Father, what’s going on here?” Tsubasa’s voice broke the silence. Everyone turned to the two small children. Tsubasa looked around, not quite getting what was going on while Chidori rubbed her eyes and yawned. It was at that moment Inu Yasha’s hopeful and happy face fell.

“Inu Yasha,” Miroku began. “Save it. I know what happened. Just, when?” The half demon’s voice asked, cracking as the demon dealt with all the emotions that had surfaced.

“Almost two years ago, right after you left,” Miroku replied, trying to keep his calm.

“Damn,” the half demon swore, hitting the palm of his hand with his fist. Yume, or in actuality Sango, was getting curious as to how Kagome had died and so, she asked.

“She had a disease and I told her to wait for me to come back. I told her I would find a cure. And, I did. But, I’m too late,” the half demon told her, swearing after every word, though it’s not mentioned here.

“Father, who are they?” Chidori suddenly asked out of the bloom. Miroku knelt down and smiled as he told her, “He’s your father, and the younger demon is Shippo.”

“Really, that’s our father?” Chidori asked in amazement as she stared at Inu Yasha. “He’s got doggy ears!” She exclaimed, rushing over to the half demon. Sango held a smile on her face as she watched Inu Yasha pick up the girl and hold her tight to his chest. She struggled against him, intent on petting his ears.

“Why don’t we come inside?” Miroku suggested, watching the two with a smile on his face. “I’ll make some tea,” Sango replied, heading inside. The others soon followed and as she put a pot of water on to boil, she picked up her veil and fixed it onto her head. She stayed by the pot, collecting her thoughts as the guys talked about something. After a little while, the tea was ready and she brought it over to the table.

“So, Miroku, what’s the deal with her?” Inu Yasha asked as Yume made the tea. Miroku sighed, and answered, “She says she’s looking for her love that disappeared a few years back. She says she is an orphan and that she disappeared a few years back herself. If you want the truth, ask her. But, she’s staying here for a while, helping me slay demons.”

“Really?” Inu Yasha asked. “And I’m sure that’s not all she does either, right?” Miroku had to stifle a laugh as his half demon friend nursed his head. Yume had taken the pot of tea and hit the demon with it at his last remark.

“No, in fact, I’ve done nothing with her. I haven’t even groped her;” Miroku answered after he was done laughing. The jaws of both demons flew open and they stared at the monk in disbelief. “Is that true?” The younger demon asked, turning to Yume. She looked lost in thought, but nodded yes. Both demons said in amazement together one word, “Wow.”

“What is it so hard for you to believe that I can act like a gentleman now?” Miroku asked. “Ever since Sango was taken, I’ve never thought about another woman the same way,” he added quietly. The mood in the hut turned sad as the three men thought about Sango. Miroku noticed Yume fidgeting uncomfortably and then announced that they should all be heading back to sleep.

The next morning, Sango awoke to the smell of something cooking. She sat up in her bed and looked around. She saw Miroku making something, presumably breakfast. It was then that she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw that it was Inu Yasha. He mumbled it low enough that only she heard.

“Meet me outside.”

Sango nodded and reached over to put her veil on when she noticed it was still on her face. She got dressed and told Miroku she was stepping outside.

“What do you want?” She asked Inu Yasha. He waited a moment before he dragged her off into the forest named after him. At first, she protested, but then accepted and let the demon drag her away. But, as they went, she noticed the forest looking more and more familiar. He was taking her to the well.

“So, why are you really here, Sango?” He asked. She gasped and looked at him in amazement.

“How do you know?” She replied with a question.

“What, that you’re Sango? You gave yourself away countless times last night. I mean, every time your name was brought up, you’d freeze for half a second. Not to mention your smell. It’s changed, but I can still recognize it,” Inu Yasha smirked. “So, what happened to you those seven years?”

Sango sighed and took her veil off. She watched as Inu Yasha gasped in horror before she turned away.

“Hey, don’t turn away. This is the first time I’ve seen you since you were kidnapped and I don’t care. I was just shocked,” Inu Yasha told her, turning her face to him. “And, you have to stay strong. This is the first time in years I’ve seen Miroku out of his slump. Really, the last time I saw him two years ago, he was getting a little better, but it was rare occasion when he smiled. But, I saw how he acted with you last night,” Inu Yasha confided in her.

“Do you think Shippo knows?” Sango asked after a few minutes. Inu Yasha snorted, “That kid would lose his head if it weren’t attached to his shoulders. I have to constantly look after him and keep him out of trouble.”

“He hasn’t changed a bit, has he?” Sango asked, laughing as a small smile light up her face. Inu Yasha sat up and turned towards the direction they had come from. “The monk’s calling us,” he told her. Sango nodded and put her veil back on. Inu Yasha looked at her quizzically. “Why do you wear that anyways?”

“To hide my face. People stare at it and treat me badly if I don’t,” Sango told him, eyes full of sadness.

“I wonder what’s taking her so long,” Miroku asked the sky. Just then, Shippo popped up beside him and asked, “Whatcha doing Miroku?”

The monk looked at the fox demon. It was evident how much he had grown. Instead of being short and scrawny, the demon was now as tall as his chin and he was lanky, his body starting to go through puberty.

“Looking for Yume,” the holy man replied, turning back to the clearing. “She freaks me out,” Shippo replied.

Miroku turned to the demon and asked why. Shippo then answered, “It’s her eyes. They creep me out. Its like she’s seen hell and come back.”

“I think she has,” Miroku replied quietly. “Huh?” Asked the clueless demon. It was at that moment that Yume and Inu Yasha appeared. Both seemed lost in thought and didn’t notice the monk or fox.

“Were they together?” The monk and demon asked each other at the same instant. They followed the two inside and ate with them and the two children.

“So, what were you and that woman doing Inu Yasha?” Shippo asked afterwards. Inu Yasha was watching his children play with one another. He was sitting against a tree, letting the sun hit his face. He seemed at peace, a look Shippo rarely saw on him.

“We were talking about her past. That’s all Shippo, but I suggest that you pay close attention to her scent next time you see her. But, when you figure it out, don’t tell the monk. She needs to tell him, or he needs to figure it out for himself,” Inu Yasha ordered eyes closed as the sunlight warmed his tanned face. The teen fox looked at his half demon friend who was really more of a father and big brother mix in confusion. He didn’t say a word and looked out at the two children, as they played, unknown to the hidden world that was right in front of them.

“Say, Sir monk, is it all right if I call you Miroku?” Sango asked as she and Miroku walked into the village to get supplies. He paused for a moment and she stopped and looked back at him. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked into his eyes and heard him say, “Yes, I would like that very much. It sounds nice when you say it. It doesn’t sound nice, it sounds perfect, like a chorus of angels,” he corrected himself, making her blush with the compliment.

She stammered, turning her face away, and told him, “Please, my voice isn’t that nice.”

Miroku lifted her chin and looked her in the eyes, telling her, “Don’t kid yourself, you’re more beautiful than you think.” And, with that, he kissed her on the lips, turning her face a brilliant crimson. They broke apart almost immediately, Miroku adamantly apologizing to her, telling Sango that he had gotten caught up in the moment. He began to walk towards their original destination, Sango still standing in the spot where they had just kissed. He turned to look at her and called out, “Hey, hurry up!”

Sango nodded and ran to him. She walked just a little behind him and she heard him tell her, “but it’s true you know, about you being beautiful.”

That night as the six of them sat around Miroku’s table, the two children chatted away, telling of their day. Inu Yasha listened enthusiastically, trying to make amends with his children. Shippo was looking across the small table at Sango, trying to figure out what Inu Yasha had meant. Sango was eating her food, though; she had something on her mind and was far away from there.

She cleared her throat and looked at Inu Yasha, “May I speak with you outside in a little bit?” He nodded and she turned back to eating. The others looked between the two in a mix of confusion and wonder. What was going on between these two?

Sango sat outside, on the porch as she listened to Inu Yasha putting his children to bed. When he was done, she heard him come outside and sit down to her left side.

“They’ll eavesdrop you know,” he told her. She laughed and answered, “I figured that much.” She looked around and pointed to a spot, and asked, “Over there?”

He nodded and they walked over to the spot she had pointed to.

Inside the hut, Shippo was slightly cursing and Miroku fumed.

Outside, Sango looked at the stars before giving Inu Yasha a question that had bothered her. “What happened to Kirara?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her in years. Myoga tells me that she’s fine, I guess he sees her from time to time, but other than that, I have no idea where she is,” he told her, looking up at the waning moon.

“It will be the new moon soon,” she said aloud after a moment or two of silence. He snorted and replied, “Of course. Always at the most incontinent time too. Although, not this time. I do have to say I will like not having to depend on Shippo for protection for once.” Sango stood up and told the demon good night as she headed back to the hut for sleep.

Miroku tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Something was wrong, very wrong. It was then that the dream he was having turned sour. It wasn’t really a dream, it was a memory. Sango was standing next to him, laughing at a something Kagome had said. He couldn’t remember what. Inu Yasha and Shippo were away somewhere. And then, a demon came out from nowhere, picking Sango up in its mouth. She screamed and as she did so, he also yelled. His yells woke him up. That, or the soft, cool hands that pet his face.

“Wake up, it’s only a nightmare,” a sweet voice told him. His eyes remained firmly shut. “It’s okay; to want to let the memories destroy you. I know, I’m haunted by my love everyday. But, you need to remain strong, because, who knows, you might get a few of those burden’s lifted,” the voice told him. And then, the voice, he took it to be feminine, sang. Miroku fought to open his eyes, but the voice, that oh so lovely voice led him to sleep.

“Father; wake up,” twin voices chimed. Miroku’s eyes instantly opened and he looked to see Tsubasa and Chidori staring at him. Groaning, he asked, “What do you two want?”

“Father, Yume has made breakfast,” Tsubasa replied. Chidori smiled proudly as she added, “And I helped.” The monk sat up and looked around. The room was empty of everything but the three of them. He felt something tug on his arm; looking down, he saw that it was the twins. He sighed and got up, quickly pulling his monks robes over his head.

“Good morning,” Yume told them, setting a plate in front of Miroku. She sat beside him, looking only at her food. The twins were talking animatedly to two demons. Miroku looked around, not knowing what to do. It was then that a knock on his door caught his attention. “I’ll be right back,” he told them, rising from his spot.

Sango listened as closely as she could to what was being said. She heard the words Kohaku and brother, which was enough for her. When Miroku came back, Shippo asked, “What was that about?”

“Sango’s brother, Kohaku has been found. He’s near the wolf den. Kouga’s taking care of him” answered the holy man. Sango looked over at Inu Yasha, and she saw that he was looking at her as well, his eyes practically challenging her to do something to betray her identity. The look she gave him back impressed the demon. She had met his challenge, keeping the silence between them.

The day went by agonizingly slow for Sango. She spent the time formulating a plan though. She would run away, leaving a note of thanks and get her brother. She had lost him before and did not want to lose him again.

“Inu Yasha, I think I’ve figured out who Yume is,” Shippo told his companion as the two watched the kids play with Miroku.

Inu Yasha looked over at the demon, eyebrows quirked up and asked, “and who is she?”

Shippo fidgeted, looking into his hands before mumbling, “Sango.” He looked at Inu Yasha, expecting the demon to be annoyed at him for coming such a stupid conclusion. Instead, he was surprised to see Inu Yasha smiling. “Is she really?” Asked the fox demon, amazed. Inu Yasha just looked out at the kids and nodded his head.

Though it seemed like a decade or more to Sango, night finally fell upon the area, making Sango more determined than ever to go along with her plan. Chidori helped the woman make their dinner. Sango looked around the table, at each and every person, drinking in their appearance. Especially Miroku’s.

“Good night,” they told each other. Sango lay awake until she was sure that Inu Yasha was asleep. She put on her travelers’ robe and laid the note she had written on the table, a rock holding it in place. And, with that, she stepped into the cool night air, not daring a look back in fear that she wouldn’t be able to go forward.

A/N: Well, that’s quite long, huh? I was planning on it being only one chapter, a story all on itself, but, it was getting way too long, so now, it’s going to have a second part. This story has been pure hell for me to write. The plot was easy enough. The hard part was pushing myself to write more. Writing big chapters or fictions is a problem of mine. I don’t like to write much in one sitting and usually, a sitting is a chapter. At least, that was the case for the Nagataka trilogy, Help, and my other multi-chapter fics.

Well, I hope this has been quality reading. I’ve really tried my hardest to keep everyone in character and keep them true to the plot. I have no idea how Chuquita does this with the consistency that she does. She truly deserves the respect that she gets. To give you a quick intro if you have no idea, try doubling this with a weekly update and a two-week or so time period between fics.

Disclaimer: I own Tsubasa & Chidori, but otherwise, no one featured in this fic is mine.