InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Heart Within ❯ Chapter Forty-Six ( Chapter 48 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.
THE HEART WITHINSummary: She has carried vengeance in her shadowed heart for 500 years, sacrificing her self for that dream. Now, Sango just might get her chance… (IY/YYH crossover) A/N: I have Guyute24 to thank for two black eyes. And Craza2k for pointing out that you should never eat spicy food before going “downtown.” Not good. Definitely not good.
WARNING! SPOILERS FOR YYH CHAPTER BLACK, THE THREE KINGS SAGA

Chapter Forty-Six

His head felt like a moose had stepped on it. “Ugh.”

Swallowing, he made a face. His mouth felt like that same moose had deposited a number of droppings inside of it. “Ergh.”

His stomach lurched, and he barely made it to the trash can, where he retched up about seventeen straight shots of tequila. Or was it the mudslides? Or could it be the champagne? Hell, he couldn’t remember much after the sixth Guinness…

He shouldn’t have taken each of those damn demons on, goaded into the challenge by Hakkaku and Ginta, who had been singing-drunk on top of the bar by the eighth round. That had been the round of fruity concoctions with the perky little umbrellas. He might still have one---he’d saved it for Ayame, who liked cutsie crap like that. But the memory of that fruity beverage had his stomach roiling again, and he ended up back at the trash-can, retching his guts out in a sound that couldn’t be described. Nor the bad words he used to emphasize his pure disgust over a situation he hadn’t found himself in in more than two hundred years---give or take a few decades.

Exhausted, Kouga fell back against the side of the bed, and winced at the bright light coming through the cracks in the drawn curtains. Gah, that was almost as bad as the gag-awful smell coming from the trash-can, or the dueling snores from the two wolf-brothers draped over either end of the small sofa in their shared suite. Those two lack-wits even snored in bad counterpoint!

Rubbing his face, Kouga stumbled his way to the bathroom, where a good piss and a rough scrub made him feel somewhat better. Better enough that he felt ready to take on Mutt-face, which he intended to do today. Eying the two ookami still blissfully snoozing across the couch, Kouga shrugged and literally shut the door on that concern. Hakkaku and Ginta should have woken their stupid asses up if they’d wanted to come with him. He had two things in mind: finding food, and then finding Kagome.

Finding food wasn’t hard, they had a convenient Scarbucks in the lobby of this hotel. And lo and behold, there was some of the guys from last night, looking just as disgruntled as he felt. Ha. Served them right, the bastards!

The only one who looked even remotely half-awake was that crazy Irishman, Jin, and even he had dark shadows under his reddened eyes and was rather green about the gills. But it could be the perky, blue-haired girl who sat across from him, enthusiastically chirping away with her hands clasped in front of her as she leaned across the table. She wore a strange pair of white sunglasses with a stylized spiral etched into each lens. That swirly-eyed decoration made Kouga’s stomach twist uneasily, so he turned his eyes away to the sullen boy who stood behind the counter.

“Coffee, black, and meat.”

“No meat.” The boy yawned.

“No meat?” Kouga stared at him.

The boy shrugged.

Kouga glared.

“We got pastries,” the boy offered.

Kouga’s eyebrow twitched.

“You want one or not?”

Disgusted, Kouga finally took his steaming coffee and very-berry sugared muffin and stalked to the nearest empty table, which happened to be beside Jin’s. Miss Perky with the bouncy blue ponytail and annoying Mary Poppins accent was scolding the hapless wind demon for looking like something the cat dragged in.

Desperate for any relief from her thorough coal-raking, Jin’s blue eyes lit on Kouga. “Morning, lad!” he said, far too happily.

Kouga scowled over his cup of coffee as he sucked it down too quickly. Ow, hot! But already the caffeine was clearing up the remaining cobwebs inside his head.

“Mmhmmm,” he tried for a noncommittal sound, hoping they’d leave him alone, but Miss Perky was nothing if not inquisitive. Where the hell had she dug up that ridiculous pink cape?

“Why, hello,” she said, eyes rounding on him. Kami, even her eyes were pink. Like cotton-candy. The thought made his stomach churn, and Kouga hastily bit into his muffin. “Are you a friend of Jin’s?”

Not at the moment he wasn’t, especially since Miss Perky perked up even more at the notion. Barely knew the guy, anyway. Though the crazy bastard sure could drink. But even he couldn’t stand up to that giant Aussie with the blue Mohawk, or the crazy wench in the maroon leotard. Only that red giant, Enki, could keep up with her. Gods knew the demon had the capacity for it, built like a giant barrel as he was…

“Sure he be, lass! Why, I’m that surprised you don’t be knowing me old friend, Kouga. Well, I can rectify that now, can‘t I just? Kouga, lad, this be Botan, and Botan, this be Kouga. Now, why don’t you just set your pretty self down there and get nice to know each other, eh? For I’ve got me something I should be going and doing---”

“Why, Jin, nonsense!” Botan cheerfully interrupted the youkai’s hoped-for exit. “You can’t let your old friend eat his breakfast alone! Why, that would be rude.”

She neatly propelled the resigned wind demon into an empty chair across from Kouga, plopping herself down alongside to prohibit any retreat. Jin sighed morosely, and Kouga grinned. He suddenly liked this Botan; she had a certain skill when it came to manhandling demons. She wasn’t a demon herself---her energy felt weird. Sorta like Kagome’s, actually.

“Are you a miko?” he blurted, surprised by the thought.

“Me?” Botan blinked. “Spirits, no!” Then she frowned, a worried line forming between her brows. “Oh, darn. I think I left that shield-thingy back in my room. Koenma is just going to kill me. It’s supposed to mask our spiritual energy, make us blend in better with the you know.”

Kouga stared at her in baffled incomprehension.

“You know. Demons,” she exaggeratedly whispered behind her hand, eyes flicking from side to side as if it were a Big Secret.

Kouga stared at Jin, who was going red in the face trying to hold back his laughter.

“We’re not supposed to be here,” Botan explained. “We’re in disguise. But we had to come, for Yusuke. We couldn’t leave him hanging like that, now could we?”

Yusuke? Oh, yeah, the loudmouth from last night who’d dared Koku to a game of quarters and stubbornly refused to give up, even after she won ten rounds in a row. It was only Enki’s interference that stopped the game from going on all night.

“Right ye are, lass.” Jin grinned at her, and chugged his coffee. “Can’t leave your friends hanging.”

Speaking of which, Kouga now had the perfect opportunity to break away from this crazy duo and head out to Kagome’s. He wasn’t looking forward to putting one of those jyaki-eating leeches on his chest to get through the kakai barrier. Those things were just plain itchy-nasty, even if they helped him cross the barrier by decreasing the strength of his jyaki to miserable D-class.

But Jin was already leaning companionably back in his chair---entirely too comfortable now that he had a fellow demon to suffer along with him---and was babbling in that thick brogue, “Now, Botan, here, isn’t what you be calling a miko, Kouga, but be one of them ferry girls---”

Kouga’s eyes widened, and he suddenly became very interested in the blue-haired girl, who blinked at his intent expression. “You’re a ferry girl?”

“Um…” She stirred uncomfortably.

“One who can cross the barrier from Makai to Ningenkai?”

“Er…”

Jin cocked an eyebrow, and Kouga suddenly grinned. This morning was definitely looking up! Why, he wouldn’t need one of those nasty little leeches after all! He’d just have to turn on a bit of the ol’ wolfly charm---maybe persuade Jin, since it seemed he was such good friends with Sango---and the problem of transport would be neatly solved.

And surprisingly, it was easy, once he made known what he intended, and who he was going to visit. It seemed Botan somehow knew Kagome, who she called a “detective-in-training,” whatever the hell that meant. Even more surprising, so did Jin. He’d trained with some creepy old witch, who was also training Kagome, and well, when Kouga made known his intentions involving Sango, why then it was all a done deal.

Well, for the most part. For Botan insisted that she disguise them both in some ridiculous human clothing she insisted wasn’t ridiculous, even if Kouga knew this pin-striped sissy suit was just the end. At least he didn’t have to suffer a trench coat and slouchy brown fedora that reeked of ogre, as Jin had to, since he was taller and it was the only thing that would hide the distinctive white horn on his head. In Kouga’s opinion, the red bandanna spelling “Jr.” he had to use to hide his pointy ears was bad enough. Botan worried more that her boss would be mad when he finally woke up, since they were using his and Jorge’s costumes.

Perhaps he should’ve been impressed that he was wearing the Prince of Spirit World’s clothes, but Kouga could only think the boy had horrible taste, even for a spoiled brat of a demi-god. He could just imagine Inuyasha’s reaction when the mutt saw him in this get-up, and sighed for the things he had to go through for his love--cough, former love---Kagome.

But she had to know, and with Botan going along, they could bring her back to Demon World so she could see for herself…


Sango took her time waking up. Nestled by warmth, she buried her head into Hiei’s chest, unwilling to surrender yet the dreamy, contented feeling of being so thoroughly surrounded by those she loved. It felt almost too good to be true, and she didn’t want to wake up to that sweet dream being shattered.

*Fool.* The bite in the sharp thought was so typical of the fire demon, though not the surprising tenderness with which he said it.

“Hiei,” she murmured, opening her eyes to smile up at him, pure delight suffusing her that it had been real, that it was still real.

“Who else would it be?” Hiei scoffed, and Kurama chuckled, his breath feathering across Sango’s cheek. The weight of his chin settled on her shoulder as he tightened his arms around her in a hug of greeting.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice so gentle it made Sango ache. The Jagan briefly flared as Hiei caught her reaction, and for a single moment, they were all swept up together in that perfect oneness they had shared before. One mind touched across another’s, and then another’s, renewing that heady sense of completeness and unity, before falling lightly away. But that departure did not leave her empty, as Sango thought it might, but more reassured of her new reality---that they were both hers as much as she was theirs.

But Kurama, ever sedulous, was already slipping free of the bed. Aware of the appreciative eyes on him, the fox languidly stretched. He really was a beautiful man, Sango thought, more lean and graceful than Hiei’s compact strength. His pale skin was unblemished by the scars that decorated hers, and his long torso ended in lean hips and a flat ass. No bubble-butt for Kurama, that was for sure!

Hiei, amused by the fox’s deliberate display, suddenly laughed, having caught the taijiya’s idle reflection. Sango blushed, still unused to the easy way the apparition could read her distracted thoughts, and jerked in surprise as a hard palm slid over her own ample rear to give it a good squeeze.

“Hiei!” she shrieked, and his laughter made her punch him in the stomach. Which didn’t even faze the demon, who was acting uncommonly childlike, as if something had finally been released within him. He playfully pounced when she would have rolled off the bed in a huff, and his fingers relentlessly tickled down her bare stomach, making the muscles tighten as she struggled in a fit of helpless laughter. His demonic grin only made Sango redouble her efforts to win free, and they fell in a tangle of rolling bodies as pillows slipped over one another in their antics.

Kurama, the ever dignified, could only stare at them in surprise as they finally separated, utterly spent with laughter. Hiei’s breaths came hoarse, and Sango’s breasts heaved in helpless giggles. A wild urge suddenly hit her, and she debated the idea, her natural reserve still warring with the evil grin that twisted across her lips. Evil won, and she grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it with all her might.

The fox stiffened as the soft missile bounced harmlessly off his shoulder. He slowly turned as Sango snickered, infected by Hiei’s strange mood. Her brown eyes widened at the sudden flare of gold in Kurama’s, and she froze as Kurama deliberately advanced on the bed.

“Hn.” Hiei grinned, baring his sharp canines as his red eyes glittered for what lay in store for the slayer.

He never knew what hit him. Taking advantage of his distraction, Sango walloped the fire demon in the back of his bristly head with a large, overly-embroidered square. He blinked even as Sango squealed, sliding out of Kurama’s reach to start hurling pillows in every direction, trying to stave off reprisal. Kurama caught the first two, and managed to squarely peg both of them, his cool façade disappearing as laughter lightened his golden eyes into sunlight.

The fight was on as the three antagonists squared off, each ruthlessly using whatever missiles came to hand. Hiei, not as apt as the other two in the game, finally attacked with his own body. Using his hands to twist Sango into a pretzel, he unmercifully tickled her into submission even as Kurama ineffectively pounded him with a pillow that burst into feathers around them. Caught off-guard, all three fell into helpless surrender as the joyous laughter bubbled out of them. They slumped into a pile of tangled exhaustion as their carefree emotions finally drained away into a contentment as sweet as it was reassuring.

And when desire finally stirred, there was an aching tenderness to it that left Sango feeling even more humbled and buoyed by what she had been denying for so very long. There was still some hesitancy, especially between Hiei and Kurama, who were uncertain what might be welcomed yet by the other. Even Sango felt skittish with the overwhelming newness of it all, and her body’s ready response to both demons left her shy and sometimes awkward. It was all still so new and precious---she didn’t want to question, only feel. That in itself was enough right now.

“Where the hell have you been?”

The pretty, black-haired girl rounded on the angry demon with a glint in her eye. “What do you mean, where the hell have I been?”

“Uh-oh.” The boy beside Shizuru Kuwabara shook his head. “He’s in for it now.”

“Got that right, kid,” Shizuru agreed. Flicking ash off the end of her cigarette, she sat back to enjoy the show. There was nothing more entertaining than seeing that Mutt getting sat by his girlfriend.

“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Higurashi looked concerned, though Shizuru wasn’t sure if it was for her daughter, her perspective son-in-law, or the geraniums that were about to receive a nice, hanyou-sized hole in them courtesy of Kagome’s ire.

“Don’t worry, Inuyasha!” Shizuru’s idiot brother, of course, could be counted on to miss the whole point of the argument. “With the great Kazuma Kuwabara by her side, Kagome had nothing to fear! I take it as my personal honor to escort Kagome wherever she needs to go.”

Ignoring the miko’s staunch defender, Inuyasha growled, “You’re late!”

“Not that late.” Kagome put her hands on her hips.

*One,* Shizuru mentally counted.

“Feh! Late enough!” Inuyasha crossed his arms and glared down at his mate.

“Twenty minutes is not late!”

*Two.* The end of her cigarette flared as Shizuru idly inhaled.

“Uh, Inuyasha, I think you should---” Kuwabara, finally aware of the danger his friend was in, tried to stave off the inevitable.

Inuyasha wasn’t having any of it. “It is, too!”

“It. Is. Not!”

“Is t---”

*Three.* Shizuru exhaled the fragrant cloud of smoke with a faint smile.

“Sit, boy!”

“Stupid, Inuyasha.” Souta shook his head.

“Yep,” Shizuru agreed, putting out her cigarette.

“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Higurashi was now looking at her ruined geraniums.

“He kind of asked for that one,” Kuwabara muttered under his breath, and then stiffened. Feeling it as well, Shizuru stood up, her brown eyes wary as she raised a hand to shield them against the sun.

“Wha…?” Kagome was certainly no slouch. She’d already felt the disturbance that had the two psychic siblings staring hard at the three odd figures emerging from the top of the steps leading up to the shrine.

“Why do I smell wolf?” Inuyasha snarled from his prone position, dragging himself up with remarkable alacrity, considering the size of that hole.

“Kagome!” A sudden rush of wind whipped Shizuru’s long hair in front of her eyes. By the time she’d dragged it back, she found some creepy guy in a pin-suit and black pony-tail hugging the miko like he never meant to let go.

“Kouga!” Inuyasha howled, his giant sword already out and flaring to life in his hands.

“Yo, Mutt-face.” The man---no, wait, that wasn’t a man. By his aura, that was a demon. Shizuru raised a brow, for her brother didn’t seem too fazed. In fact, he was peering at the other guy in a slouchy hat and perv’s trench coat---the kind of perv who couldn’t wait to jump out from behind some bushes and flash you. But the bouncy blue pony-tail on the chick in pink explained a lot. Shaking her head, Shizuru turned to reassure Mrs. Higurashi, who had gotten rather used to oddballs showing up at the shrine, as Kuwabara greeted the ferry-girl enthusiastically.

“Botan!” The big ape gave her a huge hug, immediately demanding, “How’s Yusuke?” If Kuwabara wasn’t so in love with his little demon girlfriend, Yukina, one might question why the big buffoon was so obsessed with his best friend, ex-teammate and former rival as Head Dumb Ass Punk at Sarayashiki Junior High.

“Oh, hello, Kuwabara! You’re certainly looking fit,” the spirit guide cheerfully greeted and Kuwabara blushed. Idiot.

“Well, I have been working out…”

“And isn’t that Shizuru?” Botan lifted her swirly sunglasses and waved in the direction of the porch. Smiling faintly, Shizuru flipped two fingers back even as Kuwabara’s excited shout drew everyone’s attention.

“Wait a minute---I know that aura. Jin?” Kuwabara’s black eyes widened, and the flasher tilted his slouchy hat back to wink at him.

“Oh, aye, it is at that, lad! And it be good to see---”

“I haven’t seen you since the Dark Tournament!” Kuwavara excitedly interrupted, and Shizuru finally placed the youkai. He was that mouthy wind demon Yusuke had defeated in Team Whatever-It-Was during the Dark Tournament. He was Irish, or something. She shrugged, not really remembering too much about him, having been a little distracted at the time. She smiled sourly. Sakyo was still a sore point for her.

“Wow, you’ve grown stronger!” Kuwabara gaped.

“So have you, m’boyo!” Jin mock-punched him.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, as to that---” Botan began, but was interrupted by a distinct howl.

“Kagome!”

“I said stop it, Inuyasha! I can’t believe you two!” The miko radiated fury in a blazing aura full of the white fire of righteous wrath. She glared at the two youkai, who were still bristling at each other like junkyard dogs. They both froze, their eyes rounding on the startling brilliance of the girl’s spiritual energy.

Shizuru smirked. Served the idiots right. Kagome’s potential, already incredible, had grown enormously under Genkai’s tutelage. The young miko would make a good replacement for Yusuke, now that he was trapped in Demon World.

That certainly gave some relief to Shizuru, who had worried that her buffoon of a brother would be caught helpless against something stronger he couldn’t resist taking on. The new team proposed by Koenma---once he’d returned to his daddy’s good graces---wasn’t a bad one, and eased the worry she’d had for Kuwabara’s welfare. Kagome had the sense both headstrong boys didn’t.

So did Botan, who knew exactly how to handle testosterone-filled meatheads, having dealt with Urameshi’s team for so long. Putting on her best teacher’s voice, the ferry girl propped her hands on her hips and fixed them both with a gimlet eye. “Will you two leave off? Seriously! Are you grown men or little boys?”

The two males looked chagrinned, especially the older one. His red bandana had slipped down around his throat, revealing the distinctive pointy ears of a youkai, and he looked sour as he crossed his arms. “I didn’t come here to fight you, puppy---”

“Puppy!” Inuyasha howled, his hands tightening around his giant sword. Kagome put a placating hand on his shoulder, and he scowled.

“----but to tell you something. Something important.”

“Important?” Kagome turned worried eyes on the wolf as Inuyasha finally calmed down enough that his raised Tetsusaiga dipped slightly.

“About Sango.”

“Sango?” Something in the miko’s voice caused the dog demon to throw an arm around her narrow shoulders and haul her up against him.

“She’s alive.”

“Alive?” Kagome looked slapped, and clutched at her mate as Inuyasha’s brilliant eyes narrowed.

“Start talking, wolf.”


It was late in the afternoon before they finally managed to untangle themselves long enough to dress. Conscious of her breasts swinging freely beneath her white tank top---her bra having mysteriously disappeared after their laundry was returned---Sango gratefully took Hiei’s heavy coat when he brusquely dropped it across her shoulders. She wasn’t as grateful when both demons insisted they accompany her back to her hotel room so she could pick up the rest of her things and make sure Skunk was okay.

Their first real fight almost broke out as Sango took their insistence as a slight to her own competence, and they took her stubborn independence as a thwart to their own pride. Especially Hiei, who had assumed a touching jealousy that was going to drive Sango nuts if he kept insisting she not stray from his sight. Chagrinned, Sango realized that while the three of them might occasionally share that startling unity of feeling, that oneness of spirit, they were each still rather stubbornly set in their ways. There were things that they would have to learn to compromise on. Settling those differences, and the inevitably hurt feelings that would arise from them, might prove…challenging.

The insight was profoundly humbling, as was the sour pill she had to swallow upon realizing she would have to be the first to concede. The argument was minor, when all was said and done. She should give Hiei and Kurama more credit. They knew full well that she could take care of herself, but this…situation…was as new to them as it was to her, and they were all trying to deal with the startling new emotions that came along with it.

She had more than herself to think of now. Swallowing her pride, Sango finally gave in. The tacit relief on Kurama’s face made her feel stupid for having insisted she go alone, and she realized there was more to it than she knew. The fox had understood her dilemma, but still his youkai instincts of protecting his new mate had warred with his need to let her keep her independence. Expression softening, Sango raised a palm to his cheek and kissed him lightly for it.

The fox gave her a startled look, and she only smiled. Turning to Hiei, her smile turned wry as she watched the way he stood, back stiff and ego stung. As prickly as the fire demon’s pride was, Sango had the feeling she was going to be doing a lot of compromising in the near future.

Well, maybe on the small stuff. Some things she couldn’t, wouldn’t, be able to, and they would just have to get used to that. But for now, she was willing to offer an olive branch by going and touching Hiei’s shoulder. The muscles tensed, but he still wouldn’t look at her. She hadn’t realized how deeply she’d hurt him by her stubborn insistence, and felt sorry for it.

But she had always been bad with words, so simply offered her apology by slipping her hand inside of his. Hiei stiffened, but then the studied tension across his bare shoulders dropped minutely, and he finally gave in by lightly squeezing her fingers.

His hold abruptly tightened, and he yanked her off-balance, so that she fell against his bare chest. His mouth claimed hers, savage and demanding, before he finally broke apart to stare hard into her eyes. Sango’s breath caught at the intensity of emotion within the blazing depths.

“You’re mine, hanyou,” he growled, low and hard.

Sango blinked up at him in confusion. “Of course,” she said, bewildered by the fire apparition’s sudden need for affirmation.

It was Hiei’s turn for bewilderment, and Sango, suddenly understanding what drove the natural jealousy of a man who had always been defined by the absence of any kind of love, softened. She reached up to trace the contours of his face, running her calloused fingertips across the hard definition of his stubborn jaw.

“I love you, Hiei,” she said softly, letting the feeling show through in her eyes, and he crushed her to him in a fierce hug. She squirmed against the rib-crushing press of it, and Hiei loosened his grip so that she could look over at Kurama, who stood silently to one side. She wiggled free a hand, and held it out to him. Hiei looked over at the kitsune, eyes inscrutable.

“Well, fox? What are you waiting for?”

“Heh.” Kurama shook his head at his own reticence, and let them draw him inside their temporary forgiveness.

Yeah, Sango wryly thought, they might love one another, but factoring in three such strong personalities as theirs might just lead to tripling the inevitable problems. They all had lots to learn about each other, but that same love would help them with it.

And damn, but it felt good to be thinking of more than just herself, her own needs and desires. She smiled against Kurama’s chest, her eyes catching Hiei’s, and they turned as one for the door.


Shizuru knew when it was time to go, and that was when the talk turned to how Botan could transport Kagome and the Mutt back to Demon World. While she felt sorry for that Sango-chick, and agreed they needed to go, she just knew her idiot brother would want in on that action. She wasn’t about to let him go back to Makai. She’d already put up with that once, thank you. Not again.

Hearing the kind-hearted Mrs. Higurashi worrying how she was going to feed everyone just cinched it.

Walking over to where Kuwabara stood beside Jin, she said, “Come on, baby bro, it’s time to go.”

“Huh?”

Shizuru sighed. He was sweet, but boy, was he dense.

“You have homework and I got work early in the morning.”

Kuwabara frowned. “But---”

Shizuru’s brown eyes narrowed. “Come along before I kick your ass, Kazuma.”

“Aw, sis!”

“Now, lass, that’s not yet nice.”

Incredibly, the idiot youkai put a gentle hand on her shoulder, as if trying to stop her. Shizuru slowly raised her eyes to his. He towered a good head above her, and she was no slouch, standing five-eleven in her socks. Handsome enough, if you liked the rugged, boyish type, with bright red hair and brighter blue eyes. His expression spoiled it, though, with a certain patronizing humor, as if he were good-naturedly indulging her.

Shizuru raised a mild brow, and Kuwabara, knowing full well what that look meant, cowered back. “Uh, oh…”

Jin raised a quizzical brow. “What’s wrong, lad?”

“What’s wrong, demon, is that you’re a little too grabby.” Used to numbskulls, Shizuru gave him a good minute to discern her warning, but Jin was quicker than she gave him credit for.

“Oh, well, lass, you know it can’t be helped when a pretty wee colleen such as yer’self has---” The blue-eyed twinkle that went along with his leer gave Shizuru all the permission she needed.

Curling her left hand over his wrist in a coy manner, Shizuru used it to jerk the youkai off-balance as she applied a good, solid punch with her right. That was satisfying, as was his startled yelp as she neatly let go of his hand and belted him one in the stomach. He doubled over with a wheeze, and she managed a good knee to the nose. That crunch was definitely sweet, as was the follow-up punch to his left eye that finally laid his ass out.

“Oh, my.” Botan was suitably impressed, and she’d witnessed Shizuru in action before.

“That doesn’t describe it,” Kagome said, her eyes dancing at the thorough ass-kicking the tall girl had just dished out.

“Damn,” Inuyasha and Kouga voiced together, turning new respect on Kuwabara’s older sister.

Kagome’s little brother Shouta said fervently, “That was cool.”

“Aw, sis, did you have to be so rough on the guy?” Kuwabara complained, bending over to see if Jin was all right.

The youkai stared up at the sky, the wind thoroughly knocked out of him. Two black eyes were already flowering around his wide eyes and a trickle of blood was snaking down from his broken nose.

“You okay, Jin?” Kuwabara asked in complete sympathy.

“I think I’m in love,” the demon said wonderingly.

“You and everyone else, buddy.” Shizuru absently flipped her hair over her shoulder as she idly lit a cigarette. “Come on, Kazuma, before I have to kick your ass, too.”

She gave an airy half-wave to the others, Kuwabara dutifully following.

Behind her, Jin’s eyes were shining.




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