InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow's Warrior ❯ A Change in Plans ( Chapter 2 )

Here is the long time coming second chapter. If you have any questions or comments on it please put it in a review. Also if you find any typos please get back to me so I can fix them.

There are a few dream and flashback scenes in this, they will be marked by both italics and ().

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

In thoughts allusive the warrior plans.

Away in the trees strategies are reviewed till the day of action comes. Shadows are a blessing providing cover and protection; for secrecy is the weapon of choice and with speed justice will soon be wrought.

- - - -

Sango looked at the man she had never planned on being here. Miroku had left two years before the night she had fled the town. He had been a boy then, but everyone had expected great things from him, and so he was sent into the world to become his own man.

She had never known where he had gone. The most she ever got was a bit of gossip from one of the towns' busy bodies or a quickly scribbled note from him saying he was fine and mentioning a memory they had shared as kids. Even those had stopped after a few months however and to Sango Miroku had become one who was gone forever.

Well this would teach her to assume anything again. Her mind was numb, and her thoughts were running away from her in every direction. How could he be here? Where has he been? What has happened to him? Did he just say something?

"Sango did you hear me?" Miroku asked looking carefully into her face. "I just asked how you are."

Sango shook her head a little in embarrassment. She was acting like a stubborn and confused child. It wasn't anyone's fault he had come back without her knowing, and now that he was it didn't mean that her plans were ruined. All she had to do was work his presence into the whole equation.

Her first job would be getting out of the center of the town. It made her nervous to be standing in the same place she had run from like the very hounds of hell were after her. Also getting into a less public place would allow her to dig some valuable information out of Miroku.

"I'm good but a little hungry actually. Do you mind if we catch up with each other over some food."

Miroku smiled at his old friend, "What a wonderful idea my lady." Offering his arm to her he did an overly proper act that used to make Kagome roll on the ground in laughter. "The inn serves a wonderful Sunday brunch."

Sango might be all business and very set on her goal in town but she couldn't resist reminiscing a little on her childhood. She would only be in town for a few days so a little of her past life sounded good to her. Doing the haughtiest impression of a high class woman she could, she took his arm.

"Yes that would be lovely good sir."

- - - - -

The moon rose in a slow methodical fashion along the dome of the sky. Its pace was maddeningly constant, never feeling the need to rise more rapidly or to linger longer behind the protection of earth. For the lone impatient woman standing among the trees it was a frustrating reminder that time was unmoving; no matter how hard you try to hold onto the present it will always inevitably become the past.

("San hurry up they are going to start without us." A small boy called as he skidded to a halt on a dirt path in the woods and called back to his friend.

Presently a girl of the same age came walking furiously and soaking wet along the path.

"Well it's all your fault. You are a bad looser Miroku. Just because I beat you, don't mean you had to push me into the lake."

The boy started to back away from the girl but continued to keep the cocky grin she so hated plastered across his face.

"Beat me? Ha, I won fair and square and you had to do the dare. You only wish you could beat the UNDEFEATABLE MIROKU."

He loved to see her mad, and by this point he was just trying to push all her buttons. The best one to push though was still up his sleeve.

"Besides, I would never be beat by a wimpy GIRL."

THUD!

The girl jogged briskly down the path to the parade, leaving her half conscious friend with a large bump and yet another memory of why he shouldn't make her mad.)

Being with Miroku had reminded her of a simpler time; one when life was basic and untainted, and when she held none of the scars the currently adorned her. Being with her old friend had made her feel like she never thought would again.

Their meal had been simple and uneventful. Sango and Miroku seemed to both try hard at keeping the conversation light and harmless. While Sango did try to subtly to learn information about the current military standings in the town, her efforts proved unproductive because both friends had stuck to near childish banter that they had used all those years ago.

Altogether the only thing Sango learned about was Miroku's standing was with the general. Though Miroku mentioned nothing of his journey and return to the village, he did talk a little about his newly appointed position of captain.

Over the entire meal Miroku had queried once as to Sango's current home and the purpose for her visit. She had answered calmly a well rehearsed answer. She now lived with some cousins and she had decided to stop by for a day to see how the old village was because they were all in the area for business. Regretfully the business could not be delayed and so she would leave tomorrow.

Sango let out a sigh of relief at that thought. Everything would be done and she would finally be able to leave her old self behind forever. As fun as being around Miroku had been, acting like her old self, as if nothing had happened, was a painful reminder of just how much had changed.

Miroku was still the same however. He still hit on all the girls that came near them, and was just as much of a sweet talker as he had always been. He also still possessed the unfaltering loyalty and honor to his job and the empire that Sango too had once shared.

She had parted with him saying she hoped to see him again on her return trip through and that she would pray for God to keep him forever in his favor. Miroku had tried to get her to stay but of course she had declined. Now looking back on their parting Sango could not help but scoff at the irony. The forever loyal and promising young Captain Miroku Houshi inviting a traitor to stay with him; how he would regret his proposal when he learned the truth.

The truth, knowing that Miroku would hate her and never think about her except to curse her, stung a little but it was the way of the world. She would be long gone by the time it would be discovered, and she would never have to give another thought to any of her past again, including him.

Standing in the forest alone Sango gazed at the world around her. The moonlight looked so innocent and pure, as it covered the landscape in its unearthly glow. Everything seemed so perfectly unworldly; nothing was wrong in this dream world of the moon. Her mission seemed miles away as did the reasons behind it. She stared up at the moon one last time and a feeling that she had lost a long time ago filled her briefly, peace.

A rustle in the bushes caught Sango's attention and drew her from her thoughts.

"Meow." Called the little creature as she searched for her mistress.

Sango smiled a little. She had missed Kirara on her journey and was glad to see her again. It had been in the woods on a night like this they had first met. Two years ago Kirara had found and saved her from throwing her life away in the quest for blind vengeance.

(They would pay, and she would be the one to bring it about. Naraku had turned on her family and by some twist of fate she was the only one to survive and he would soon learn what that would mean.

The moon was high over head, a cold and tired Sango weaved her way through the moonlit forest. Her steps were growing heavy and her mind was starting to run away. All sense of direction and thought seemed to be lost, save one: Naraku would pay.

Tripping on a root she fell to the ground and started to cough. Her body was protesting the harsh conditions it had been subjected to but its master would hear none of it.

For days she had been on the run, trying to get away from the truth about her family. She hadn't slept or eaten anything in far to long and her mind was starting to lose control in its state of fatigue. Even though the burn on her back was infected and her body was in no condition for anything, she had decided to turn around and go back to kill the bastard that got her family.

It would be a suicidal mission, no doubt about that, and the chances of her succeeding were near nonexistent, but in her mind the thought of Naraku paying was the only thing ringing clear.

When Sango stopped coughing, she tried to push herself up from her knees, only to fall back to the ground. Relenting for a few minutes, she lay on her stomach and rested. That was when a rustle in the bushes and a `meow' caught her attention.

A small cat like creature poked its head out of the undergrowth and trotted over to Sango. Sitting on its hunches the creature took one look at her before letting out an impressively loud mew.

"Kirara," a girl's voice called from where the creature had just came, "come back here. Your mother will never let me live it down that I lost you."

Sango numbly thought she should move out of sight and hide from the approaching girl, but the action didn't move past its thought process.

A girl about Sango's age stepped out from the foliage and turned her head around looking for her feline companion. Seeing Sango lying in the dirt she slowed and carefully examined her.

Sango in turn managed the energy to reach down and grab her sword from its sheath. The girl halted when a glint of light hit the sword blade making it known to her.

"I am not here to fight you, so you can put your sword away." Spoke the girl in a remarkably relaxing voice.

Sango merrily dropped the sword because she wasn't sure she could get it back to its holder. Resting her head on the ground she sighed deeply.

"You seem exhausted." The voice continued. "This forest can be a very nice place to rest, but if it doesn't know you very well you might not survive the night alone. It is lucky I found you."

Looking up at the strange girl, Sango noticed her strange dress was of the native group that lived in the region and refused the rule of the empire. The reason the town of Agnus was the base of the largest military base on the edge on the empire, was to protect against these obstinate, brutal and heathen people.

Sango, being originally from the capital of the empire and being in obvious solider dress, could not help but be wary of the stranger's kindness.

"Why do you want to help me?" voiced Sango. "It is obvious I am an enemy to you."

The girl smirked a little. "Are you? Well I wouldn't let the forest hear that. It protects our people and lets no one that will do us harm pass through it. Since you have already gotten this far, it seems to view you as a friend. Besides," the girl continued pointing at the feline who had started to lick Sango's face, "Kirara likes you and she is an excellent judge of character.)

"Here I am Kirara." Spoke Sango stepping out into the moonlight. "You know you are late right."

Kirara hoped over to Sango and jumped up onto her shoulder, nuzzling her head against Sango's. "I know I have missed you too and I guess I will forgive you this time. Now where is your fellow traveler?"

"I'm right here Sango." Said the same girl who had accompanied Kirara two years previous, as she stepped out into the light. "You really need to work on your patience."

"I don't need to work on anything Kagome. It's been a long day and I'm eager to finish my mission here and go back home."

Kagome walked over to Sango and took a seat on a rock in front of where she was standing. "Well I do come with information about your mission, but first I want to hear how your day went."

Sango looked off into the forest. "Umm, it went just fine. I scoped out the village, which is looking a lot worse than it did two years ago. It looks as if everyone has hit pretty hard times. I had a meal with an old acquaintance today and I spent most of lunch gaining information on Naraku. From the little I learned, everything is how we expected it to be, there is a heightened security around Naraku but nothing I can't get through. Which means tomorrow night I'll…"

"Ah Sango, that is one of the things I need to tell you." Kagome interrupted Sango, a little nervous to bring the bad news. "Naraku knows that something is in motion and that we are going to strike against him soon. He has moved everything of importance out of his palace at the base and to an undisclosed location. Our sources swear he just disappeared but since orders are still coming from him we know he is nearby."

Sango bit her lip and took in the new knowledge. It meant that either everything she had spent the last two years working on was a bust or her mission that she had planned to be over in a few days would go on much longer.

"What do you want me to do now that he, and everything we need from him, can't be found?" Sango queried, "I can trail a supply person or a messenger to get to the hiding place no problem."

"No we have tried that already. I'll give you the note with your orders on it in a second, but first I want to hear about your friend. Is she at all close to Naraku, and do you think we can use her to get close?"

Sango sighed, she knew that this train of thought that Kagome was on would only mean trouble for her. "Well she is a he, and yes he is close to Naraku; but Kagome there is no way getting close to him will help us. If anything he is the only person I was worried about stopping me. Miroku isn't an idiot and he is very dedicated towards his job."

Kagome looked at Sango with a glint in her eye. "A guy is he? You'll have to use him to get close to the General, it's the only way. If he is single you should get close enough to him that he'll start taking you as a date to the banquets that Naraku loves to put on for his men. Besides if something comes up he'll be able to vouch for your innocence. It's the perfect plan with a great alibi!"

Sango looked at Kagome with wide eyes like she was crazy. "No way, I am not going to do it. Send someone else in to get cozy with a solider, but not me."

Kagome shook her head. "You know perfectly well Sango that no one is an insider to that town like you are. You know how you empire people think and act. No one would ever be able to pull this off if it isn't you. Also Sango, would you ever let anyone get the satisfaction that you are going to when you bring that bastard down."

Sango nodded; this was her chance, what she had been planning towards for the last two years. No one would take this away from her and nothing would stand in her way. "I'll do it."

Kagome jumped up and hugged Sango.

"I knew you would." Kagome spoke, then taking a step back, she looked Sango and pointed a finger at her like a mother scolding a child would, "Be safe Sango, do what you must but be safe. We would all miss you in Celedig if you never returned; the capital is so different without around. So please don't throw your life away."

Sango smiled at her best friend, "Don't worry Kagome. They won't know what has hit them. Will you be staying close by?"

"No I can't. Lord Sesshomaru needs all his advisors and members of his council in Celedig for the time being. You aren't the only one working hard you know." Kagome said the last part with a comical flip of her hair.

"Right and your willingness to return so quickly, has nothing to do with the Lord's second in command, does it?" Sango teased her friend.

Kagome blushed furiously, "I am very dedicated to my work Sango, and I would never go for a jerk like him. I am expected back soon however so I must be off."

Sango nodded, "May your return journey be safe."

Kagome waved one last time and called for Kirara before she disappeared into the forest as if she had never been there.

Sango turned slowly and started her unhurried journey back to town. She would visit an old friend the next day and ask for lodging. Miroku would of course agree and welcome her with few questions. Sango couldn't help but regret how terribly she was going to use him.

- ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

I always like to have interesting names for the people and cities in my stories. Since this story isn't based anywhere near Japan, Japanese names seem inappropriate for the towns but plain English just seems boring. This story uses an elaborate mix of Latin, for the empire cities; Welsh, for the native cities; and a few Japanese names, because this is still an Inuyasha fanfic. All names of course will be translated below the chapters.

The Shikons- This is the name I gave the natives. This is what they call themselves to the Empire they are merely Natives. I didn't mention them by this name in here because the only time they were mentioned was by Sango when she was still of the empire mind set.

Celedig(Welsh)- Hidden; It is the main capital of the Shikons in the area. It got its names because it is protected and hidden by the forest that surrounds it.

Agnus- This is Latin for sheep or lamb, and the name I gave the village where the story will take place. The name is supposed to be ironic.

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!

Thank you to- Sango, Squeekers, and You Know Who. You three read both of my stories and review all the time. I am forever in your dept.