Splintered Coral – Part Nine

Important: Two excuses: Boys (2 weeks) and procrastination (1 week). That equals three weeks of no updates... XD Please don't kill me?

Disclaimer: Neh... *glares at her checklist* The fact that one of these has been checked off helps me not... Still don’t own Inu...

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The sun filtered through the gap left by the open shoji in bright bands, illuminating the entire room. However, Sango wasn’t so sure that it was a good thing, as the beams were hitting her directly in her sleep-blurred eyes. It was actually quite a nuisance. With an irritated sigh, Sango moved her hand to shield the upper half of her face as she sat up, blinking as she cast a glance around the room, realizing she was alone. She took the opportunity to clamber from beneath her blankets and close the screen, hurrying to change.

There was a tap on the wood of the shoji as she tied her apron.

"Come in." The young woman glanced towards the door as Ansho entered, her hair as wet as Sango’s had been the night before.

"You’re up," the taijiya commented, receiving a shrug in response.

"How late is it?" Sango asked as she began to straighten out her futon, getting it ready to be put away. Another question was nagging at her mind, but she chose to leave it unspoken for the moment. It was, after all, too early to get into another argument.

Especially an argument concerning Houshi-sama, of all possible topics.

"It’s fairly early, I suppose. The sun just rose an hour or so ago."

Really. They needed to stop hanging around Kagome so much. Her futuristic lingo was starting to rub off on them, in a major way.

No wonder passerby tended to look at them strangely.

Sango didn’t reply immediately to Ansho’s response, instead dragging her futon to the ornately decorated closet stationed against the nearby wall. Folding it as neatly as possible, she lifted the bundles, pushing them until they were wedged against the back of the cabinet. Satisfied, she turned to look at her companion, who was kneeling, securing the salmon colored shoulder-guards on her taijiya uniform. Doing her best to remain casually curious, she decided to voice her question.

"I wonder where Houshi-sama is," she said, glancing discreetly at Ansho. Sango's companion immediately stiffened, her lips drawing into a thin line as she struggled to rein in her temper. At long last, she succeeded, answering in a similarly disinterested voice.

"There was a bit of an uproar in the village, a little before sunrise. I'm not sure what it was all about, but Houshi-sama was invited to attend the meeting their having. The man who came to get him said something about 'requiring his great spiritual intellect and guidance'," Ansho said, raising her eyebrows ever so slightly as she repeated the villager's words. Sango could help but let out a soft laugh.

"My dear companions! Could it be that you mock me?" came Miroku's comment as he seemed to materialize in the doorway, seeing as how Ansho had neglected to close the shoji. The exterminator rolled her eyes.

"Did anything worth knowing about happen at the meeting?" Ansho asked, giving a tie on her armor a final, securing tug before rising to her feet. The grin on the monk's face quickly sobered.

"Actually... Yes."

Sango took an involuntary step forward, curious.

"Houshi-sama?"

"From what I was told, a man from a nearby village rode in this morning, yelling for help. His town had been decimated by a youkai, and he was sent to gather assistance by the remaining survivors," he explained, leaning against his shakujou thoughtfully. "Apparently, this demon appeared, demanding some bauble or another. When they refused, she took out her weapon of choice and began to destroy the village until she found what she was looking for. Apparently, a child had found something of interest while playing," Miroku said grimly.

"Weapon of choice?" Ansho repeated after a moment, eyes trained intently upon the houshi. He nodded.

"A fan."

"Kagura, then?" she concluded.

"Most likely."

"So then..." Sango surmised, her forehead furrowing, "You think Naraku has the orb that we're looking for?" Miroku's brief nod was answer enough.

"Then what do you suggest we do now?" Ansho asked, doubt crossing her features as she spoke. Miroku blinked, seemingly surprised by the question.

"Well, we should investigate what happened, of course. We need to somehow get the sphere back."

"Should we really?" she suddenly pressed, her eyes breaking away from his face to instead gaze at the floor. "I mean, wouldn't it just be easier to go and find Kagome-chan and Inuyasha? Would it really matter if we just stayed the way we are now? Besides, I could probably fight better like this anyway..." She may have been about to say more, but Miroku abruptly cut her off.

"Don't be ridiculous," he snapped, his eyes smoldering as her own jumped back to meet them. "We can't just let him have the thing. If you haven't figured it out, that orb is tied directly with your shared soul, or at least a part of it. If Naraku does have it, what's to stop him from figuring out how to control one, or even both of you through it? To be honest, I won't stand to see either of you as a puppet for that manipulative bastard. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be waiting outside while you two get ready."

With that, he turned on his heel and exited the room, leaving Ansho trembling with withheld rage. Sango stood where she was, feeling more than a little out of place in the aftereffects of the obvious disagreement.

What's more, she was confused. From Miroku's reaction to Ansho's... 'Suggestion', she suspected that there was more than just concern involved. The fact that he had used profanity so blatantly just enhanced that feeling.

Were Kagome there at that next moment, she would have said that a light bulb went on in Sango's head. But, since she wasn't, we'll just say something dawned on her instead.

'Could it be that he...?' she wondered, eyes going wide as she stared outside and her cheeks coloring. 'No. Of course not!' Trying to think of something else, she knelt to gather her belongings, hefting the blue bag to her shoulders. As she made to follow Miroku's path, Ansho collected her weapons. Silently, they both left the room.

"Sango?"

"Yes?" Ansho glanced at her companion, who continued to look straight on ahead.

She had a good reason too. Last time she hadn't been looking where she was going, she had ended up landing on her face...

"Well... I'd appreciate it if you were to walk with me today, rather than beside Houshi-sama," she said. Annoyance flittered across Sango's face, but faded into resignation.

"All right. I will," she agreed while they rounded the corner to see Miroku waiting at the main door of the inn whist Kirara lounged in a beam of sunlight nearby. The houshi glanced at them as they approached, before looking away again, obviously still not in the best of moods. Ansho scowled momentarily, before sending another glance Sango's way.

"...Thank you..."

*

Miroku eyed the backs of the two women ahead of him, unsure of what to think. Sango had remained distant from him today, which was a sudden change when compared to yesterday. But then again, maybe she was just embarrassed about letting him so close last night. That would explain it.

However, that wasn't his primary concern.

The monk was more preoccupied with Sango's other half. What Ansho had said troubled him greatly. He had never considered the idea that they might not want to go back to being the Sango he was really beginning to miss. Sure, her two halves were interesting people in themselves, but it wasn't the same...

It was only when Miroku almost tripped on a rock that he realized that he really needed to distract himself. The question was... How?

The answer was right in front of him. Literally.

Honestly, did these two lovely young women before him know just how temptingly they were swinging their hips as they walked? Seeing as he was their companion, they should know better. But, too late now! Smiling ruefully as a plan formulated within his mind, Miroku picked up his pace, the rings on his staff jangling cheerfully. Sango and Ansho noticeably slowed down as they heard him approach- though neither would admit to it if asked.

At long last, he finally caught up, lessening his strides as he strolled between them. Sango raised an eyebrow at him, but Ansho completely disregarded his presence.

Possibly he wasn't the only one in need of a distraction...?

"Can we help you, Houshi-sama?" Sango inquired. He gave a shrug, carefully shifting his grasp on his deceptively peaceful weapon. This could be tricky...

"No... I just wanted to check up on you two. It's been rather quiet today, hasn't it?"

"Why? Did you expect there to be a crowd on this lovely dirt pa-a-th?!" she stuttered to a stop, both in speech and in movement, her eyes the size of saucers. Ansho looked much the same. "Houshi-sama! Get off!" Sango cried, jumping away. Miroku laughed nervously, raising both hands in submission, sure he was in for a beating.

However, it didn't come.

Ansho just stood there, where she was for a long, stretched-out minute, her head bowed. Finally, she shifted slightly, letting Hiraikotsu fall to the ground with a clatter as she turned a bit to look at him.

"Why do you always have to be such a jerk?" she whispered, her voice cracking and her features torn with a mixture of emotions.

Then, she ran.

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Aamalie: Neh. This story is evil. It really is... v.v I'm having trouble writing it, which is mostly why I took so long... I'm sorry! But... Well... ^.^ Another cliffie! Don't you all love me, my faults aside? Eh... Enough of my babbles and excuses. Review responses!

But one thing first... Before anyone asks... The reason that Sango and Ansho seemed to be suddenly getting along so well is because they're doing that thing where they just pretend their little argument never happened, for the sake of the group... That, and it'd just be too difficult for me to write otherwise... ^_^;

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Lily Thorne- Well, I wouldn't be so sure about Ansho hiding the rest of her life... Just wait 'til next chapter. She's gotta have her time to shine before anything else can happen!

Raven Demon- Yep! That he should. And you know what his subduing word should be? "Hentai!" ... Miroku: *BAM!* ... ^.^

Wakadori Ramen- Indeed! Inu should go to Kikyou, and Kagome should go back to her own time, dammit! Messing with the past... Sheesh! And yeah... I know that Naraku may have gone a bit overboard with the whole heart-thing... But oh well. ^.^; *doesn't care*

Mystical-Grace- *gloats* Ah, yes... It is all up to me, isn't it? And the rest of you get to wait in suspense. *laughs evilly*

Kassatsu- Ah... Do I sense indecision? ^.^; Don't worry... All will work out... In the end...

Kaylana- ...I love you! Ansho's kewlies... Everyone seems not to like her though... But since you do, you rawk!!! *showers you with huggles and pocky and various candies*

Ghoul King- ...Monkey my ass... v.v; Hypnotism doesn't work on me buster. o^-^o *points and laughs*

Zero27- Well... I don't necessarily LIKE football... I'll just stand watching it... So long as its not on TV. ^.^ But yeah... Ansho's kewlies, ain't she?

Corisu Li- Alright! Finally updated... Your turn! But really... Why do so few peeps like Ansho? *sighs* -_-

Queen of all Chipmunks- Well... Your chipmunks haven't met my plushies yet, now have them? Hmmm? 'Cause my perty plushies are undefeatable! ^.^

Sweet Chaos- Yes... Their rivalry, followed by the, "Let's pretend this didn't happen"-phase makes it a bit amusing, doesn't it?

SaRaToNi- Eh? Snapple? Wha? *blinks innocently* Lotion-boi...

LadyDi- O.O;;; Outta my head. Now. *points wildly toward the exit sign* And btw... I never mean those threats... Gomen if it bugged you... ^^; The only way I'd take two months is if I was having horrible writer's block... Which seems to abound in me for this fic... Neh...

S@n-Ch@n- Well, I don't blame you for forgetting me! ^^; I'm just glad you're alive and kickin'! And sorry I didn't update ST for so long... *laughs* I've been bad lately.

Chiisai-tori- Inuyasha and Kagome? Eh? OH! Yeah... Them... Heh. Well, I dunno if I'm gonna follow them at all for this story... I mean, they'll pop up soon enough, but they're not really important. We'll see though.

IronRaven- ...*points to her head's exit sign*

Seproth- Well... They could... If they become the normal Sango again... But- *shrugs*- I'm rather partial to character torture sometimes!

unlike any other- Yes, Shippou went with Inu and Kag. And you're not an idiot! *huggles* You rawk!

Shohoku no Miko- No worries! I like character torture myself sometimes... *victory sign*

Lady Neteri- Heh... Well, I didn't want that kick in the bum... So here's the new chapter! Oh... *pokes your bio* And I see you have AIM... ^^ I might IM you sometime, okies? I'm vilyasbearer... =P Just a forewarning. XD

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So many reviews... I love you all!!! *glomps* If it weren't for all the wonderful feedback I got for last chapter, it may have taken me AGES to get this chapter out... This story is hard, seeing how I can't write the Sango I'm used to. Ah, oh well!

I look forward to reading your reviews!