#i wanted to make this post way sooner but recently made a discovery that reminded me of this 🤭

[lunadreamscaper]

reminder that the taleblr/VenturianTale fandom is not immune to drama and shitty ass people and petty ass shit just because it's small.

because

holy

shit

anyways once again STAY SAFE OUT THERE!!/gen

[puttingfingerstokeys]

heart and fire

I had to fuck with italics on this thing ‘cause holy shit are they important. 

Thermodynamic equilibrium (subscorp), uh, post-aftermath on the fucked up timeline. I want nice things so I’m going to give Kuai Liang nice things....... sort of! Gay ninja ahead (and prolly behind, too, lbr they’re ninja)

For @sxvethelastdance, my Heart

Bonus “chapter” here.

Broken Timeline

It has been two months, my Fire, since I returned to Netherrealm to recover your body. We sought to reclaim the fallen from both our clans, with limited success. Your younger counterpart showed me the place where D’vorah stole you from me. I swear vengeance upon her, should she ever have the misfortune of crossing my path.

Frost was among those we were able to locate and she is recovering at Arctika, though she will not speak to anyone. She threatened to throw herself into the Sea of Blood upon discovery, but that fate was not worthy of a Lin Kuei—even a traitor. I should have written sooner, but my duties have taken me from the pen and solitude.

You will be pleased to know that Takeda Takahashi has resigned his post with Special Forces to assume interim leadership of the Shirai-Ryu. The boy is well-trained and wise; he does not fill your boots, but he is humble and willing to learn. No member of the Shirai-Ryu can best him. You have taught him well.

He has married Jacqueline Briggs—it was a quiet ceremony soon after we returned from the assault on Kronika’s keep—and they are now expecting a child. . Takeda came to me recently and asked if I thought it appropriate to call the boy Hanzo, assuming it is a boy. I think it is only right that someone carries your name. I will always carry it in my heart, but it will be good to hear aloud.

I miss you.

“Takeda, thank you for meeting me.” The two ninja stood outside the Fire Gardens, just beyond the gate, Kuai Liang looking in, but making no move to enter.

“It’s always a pleasure, Grandmaster Sub-Zero,” said the younger man, putting a flat, open hand over his fist and bowing. “What brings you here?” He glanced up and down at the Lin Kuei Grandmaster and, noting the envelope in one hand, he gestured toward it, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“This—you’ve seen through me—is for… if you might place it at Grandmaster Hasashi’s resting place, I would be—”

“I will not,” came the quick reply. It wasn’t sharp, but it was firm. “You will.”

“But I am—”

“Welcome in the Fire Gardens, Grandmaster, as are your students; it is a step Grandmaster Hasashi would have taken and I… I am only interim instructor, but I will honor his legacy, no matter what.” He saluted the Lin Kuei once more, this time bowing deeply and gesturing toward the entrance. “I’ll show you where he’s… where we’ve got a marker.”

There was, of course, no body to bury, but that would have been the way of the Shirai-Ryu anyway. It was to Sub-Zero’s shame that he had brought them no corpse, and his own eternal agony that he did not at least have one last chance to… I never told him, not really, not properly. Leaves fell all around them, red and gold, perpetually in motion, making the place resemble its name. It is cold without you.

“It’s in a quiet corner,” Takeda said, trying to fill the pregnant silence between them. His fellow Shirai-Ryu were all around, if unseen. None of them raised a hand or weapon to Grandmaster Kuai Liang, however. They, for the most part, were in favor of uniting once more with their ancestral brethren. Those who were not, kept it to themselves and would rather not have begun a spat with Sub-Zero. “Near a koi pond… I think you’ll like it.”

Sub-Zero made no move to answer as the path twisted once more to the left and opened to a beautiful grotto. There was, indeed, a pond, but Takeda had neglected to mention the green foliage, bright red and orange flowers, and the waterfall, babbling over several layers of stones before emptying into the pond. The fish swam this way and that, utterly unaware of the world around them. Kuai Liang envied them.

To one side was a pillar, an obelisk that looked like it was made of volcanic glass. Atop it was a small brazier and in that, a flame danced this way and that, an ethereal quality to its rhythm. There was an inscription upon the pillar itself, but Sub-Zero’s gaze was lost in the flame almost immediately, arresting every bit of his attention.

“Yeah, I get that too when I come here… Liu Kang—err… Lord Liu Kang lit that sucker and… well, it’s god fire, so it’s not goin’ out.” Takeda was receding from the grotto. “I’ll just… leave you two, yeah?” He did not wait for an answer before melting into the fire-colored foliage of the Gardens.

Kuai Liang clutched the envelope, hard, wrinkling it in his effort to bite back tears and swallow down the choking lump that was rising in his throat. His heart twisted and ached as he dropped to one knee before the pillar. The inscription was simple: Grandmaster Hanzo Hasashi, eternal flame of the Shirai-Ryu; you will never be forgotten. There was so much more about him that Kuai Liang wanted to add, but there was not enough obsidian in the world for that.

He settled himself presently, then, closing his eyes and focusing inward, clearing his mind, breathing softly, deeply. Reaching out, he laid one hand upon the small obelisk, feeling where each word was carved, imagining he could also feel heat coming from it. That was silly, of course, but it comforted him. He stayed that way for a while, before opening his eyes once more and standing, still holding the envelope.

The grandmaster’s sharp gaze fell upon that fire and slowly, reverently, he lifted the envelope and letter to it. The fire licked up and around it, consuming the paper with little effort until there was nothing but ash. It wasn’t the words themselves, but the sentiment behind them which counted for the ears of the dead.

He left silently and with dignity, letting not a single, chilly tear fall until he returned to Arctika and his private quarters.

My fire. It has been one year since my last letter. Forgive my waiting so long. It was difficult to find time and then, to begin. The snow here seems deeper than it ever has and harder to move through; it no longer feels a part of me and I am cold. But you need not suffer the chill with me.

Hanzo Briggs-Takahashi is a robust boy even at one year old. There seems to be some debate over his education, but for now, he lives happily with his mother and father among the Shirai-Ryu. They have determined this to be the best course of action until everything has settled to an acceptable level of disorder.

I neglected to mention in my last letter that Liu Kang has, with the aid of Lord Raiden, ascended to divinity. He is a worthy young man and I feel confident in his abilities to guide the shifting of the sands of time. I wish you had been there to see him lead the armies of Outworld and Earthrealm against Kronika. But maybe those memories are with you now that your past self has been sent back to his proper time.

I will never stop missing you, but writing eases the pain a little.

 The letters continued, as frequently as he could manage, for years. It felt like centuries. His favorite time to write was when despair was upon him, because writing to his lost love reminded him that he was not simply living for himself, but for Hanzo’s dream and memory. He did not remember all the words he had written, and no one else would ever read them, but they were not for anyone else, so it did not matter.

You will be pleased, my Fire, to know that the Takahashi family has expanded once more, by one. Their daughter, Sonya, was born yesterday morning, healthy and squalling like a storm. I think her name is appropriate. Johnny and Cassie Cage will be arriving at the Fire Gardens later this week, I am told, to greet the child and spend some time with Jacqueline and Takeda. I will deliver this letter then.

I cannot believe it has been four years since I last laid eyes and lips upon you. I miss your taste, your warmth. My heart aches daily for you, but the ache eases when I write and remember you as you were, vibrant and powerful, the light of my life, and the warmth. Worry not. The warmth has not utterly deserted me. I see in Takeda’s boy much of your spirit, and I visit the Fire Gardens often, with Takeda’s gracious permission.

We are moving forward, slowly, with the integration training. Twice per year, we stay at the other’s residence, with all our students, working together. Frost is still a tough case, but I think her loss to Takeda recently might have tempered her cold fire. Defeat does not settle well upon the shoulders of any Lin Kuei, but taking it with grace is a learned art. She has not learned this; I must educate her.

I love you with all my heart and soul.

 This one, he did indeed deliver when he visited the Fire Gardens to see the new baby. Sonya was even prettier than her brother had been and he was delighted to hold her in his great, chilly arms. Dark eyes stared up at him with a depth of understanding he could not have predicted from an infant. Gripping his finger with one tiny hand, she squealed with delight and flailed her limbs as he looked on with aching fondness.

“Isn’t she perfect?” Takeda asked Sub-Zero as he handed the little creature back to her mother. Jacqui was glowing and Kuai Liang was not clear if he meant the child or the mother. Instead, he nodded. He did not stay long, but it was refreshing to his soul to see the people of this ruined timeline picking themselves back up and making the best of their situation.

My Fire, you will scarcely believe the strangeness which has happened here at Arctika. Our hot springs have begun to run far too hot to bathe in, or even to touch! The minerals are beginning to build up on the walls in the grotto and I must send students out, daily, to address this. They are hard at work, “building character”, Frost included. She seems to set about the task with the most vigor, as if the buildup offends her. Perhaps it does. Arctika, this place she fought so hard to be in, has recently been invaded by your Shirai-Ryu and they too have set about the task—of cleaning the grotto, not offending Frost; she does that well enough on her own.

I would like, more than anything, to once more share tea and to bathe with you. That intimacy is long gone from my flesh and I often crave it—not as you did, of course. I find myself almost blushing at the thought. Almost. I miss your eyes, so dark and intense, it was always as if you were looking into me, boring in deep and searching… for what, I cannot guess, but I wish you would do it again.

Yours forever, Grandmaster Hasashi, forever and a day and then forever again.

Even a skilled kryomancer stood no chance against the heat of the springs, and so it, too, became a training ground for the combined forces of the Lin Kuei and Shirai-Ryu. Takeda and Grandmaster Kuai Liang often went out to the springs to breathe in the healing steam and to speak. They talked of much—of history and the future—and deepened their understanding of each other.

“He would have wanted you to take his place,” Sub-Zero said, “once you’d proven yourself, of course.”

Takeda’s eyes flew wide. “Never in a million years, Grandmaster; are you kidding me?” His cheeks were flushed with exhilaration at the weight of the compliment he’d just been paid by the Lin Kuei’s leader. “I don’t… I’m not ready for that.”

“And that is why you are. A good Grandmaster knows his limitations.” Kuai Liang did not look at Takeda, an envelope clutched in his hand.

“Will you be joining us on the journey back to the Fire Gardens tomorrow, Grandmaster?”

“I will, with your permission, Takeda,” replied Sub-Zero, contemplating the boiling water. Of course, Takeda would not refuse, so the question was more of a formality than anything else. There were certain parts of tradition to which Takeda had noticed the Lin Kuei Grandmaster held strictly, and others he had thrown utterly out the window. The first one was, of course, his adoration of Grandmaster Hasashi, which Takeda had long ago suspected was more than academic friendship or alliance. It was a suspicion he would, naturally, never pursue.

The two men stood, side by side, arms folded, considering everything they had done in the past five years, all the progress they had made. The Shirai-Ryu were really and truly restored, standing upon the shoulders of Scorpion’s hard work. The Lin Kuei were even recovering and their number had increased, though they were still a shell of what they had been. Only a few of the cyber assassins had been recoverable at the Sea of Blood and of those, even fewer had retained their sanity after they had been reset—such was their grief at the injustice they had wrought on Frost’s behalf.

Kuai Liang was not sure she would ever show appropriate remorse, but he decided she was not a lost cause. He would keep working on her, like a glacier carves a lake. The movement was slow but inexorable. Eventually, she would see and she would learn. Even one so stubborn as she could be taught, he was certain. His resolve would not be broken by one such as Frost.

“…does it seem hotter, Grandmaster?” Takeda’s voice was muffled, suddenly, by the amount of steam suddenly filling the air of the grotto. Sub-Zero’s eyes narrowed as he peered through the haze, as if doing so could discern the source of the disturbance.

“It is,” he confirmed, “but… why?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” Takeda growled, reaching out toward Sub-Zero. “Go,” he grunted, “grab some of your students—the cyber Lin Kuei should be able to see through this fog!”

Sub-Zero could not deny the logic of this, but he disliked leaving Takeda. There was an ill-omened heaviness in the air all of a sudden he was not entirely sure was the steam or the mineral smells which came with it. There was a loud, violent hiss and a jet of water, then, from the center of the springs and both men would have been pelted with stinging droplets had it not been for Kuai Liang’s hastily built ice wall and the quick thinking to tug Takeda behind it.

Neither kombatant was expecting something wickedly sharp and hot to pierce the center of the wall directly between their heads. The heat of it caused the rest of the structure to begin cracking and both men dived to either side to avoid its collapse. The familiar, discordant song of a retracting chain rang out in the steamy half-gloom, the light of torches now obscured and throwing strange shadows, diffused through the steam.

Quan-Chi.

Both minds settled upon this conclusion simultaneously, though without having spoken it. Takeda jumped to his feat and readied himself. Whatever Neatherrealm incursion this was, it would be met with extreme prejudice. Neither knew precisely where Quan-Chi might have fallen in the scheme of things. He had met his end by Scorpion’s hand, but that did not mean some shift in the mythical sands of time had not restored him—utterly by accident, of course, but it was a mistake which would require swift correction.

Of course, as far as they knew, only Hanzo Hasashi had ever mastered the chain and spear to that extent, so Quan-Chi himself could not possibly have been on the other end of it. Kuai Liang’s mind was racing. Was that why he had not found his lover’s body? Could Quan-Chi have been accidentally restored and had begun his machinations, once more, to hold the throne of Netherrealm for his infernal (decapitated) master?

The very idea of a wraith bearing his Fire’s face settled deep in the pit of Kuai Liang’s guts, twisting into a dragon of rage, ripping at his insides and gripping his heart violently. He was as close to burning with rage as a Lin Kuei could be.

“Takeda,” he snarled, “go. I will deal with this abomination.”

For once, Takeda Takahashi did not argue. He did not resolve to stay gone, however. He raced toward the grotto’s exit, intent on making his way swiftly down the side of the mountain to the Arctika complex and alerting every ninja in its walls that they were under attack. Takeda had almost reached the divide between grotto and open mountain face when the horrific echo of clear words rang out seemingly from everywhere.

“GET OVER HERE!” The chain sang through the air and Takeda whirled, moving to block or to face his demise. Only Sub-Zero’s swift motion stopped it hitting home as the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei caught the barb in an icy grip and crushed it, shaking the remains free from his hand as if it were a mere inconvenience.

“Go,” he repeated and stalked toward the springs. All around him, steam turned to ice and fell to the ground like heavy sleet. As his rage built, the temperature dropped and soon there was an aura of cold surrounding him, combatting the steam. Diamond tears fell from eyes which had hardened to flinty slits as he stepped past the edge of the springs, into—no, onto—the water, which was freezing solid under each step.

“Why don’t you get over here for a change,” snarled Sub-Zero, “and show me that face you’re wearing—the face you have not earned, Revenant!”

“Revenant?” The voice was a raspy bark. Following the word was laughter. Sub-Zero concentrated on solidifying the water particles around him to create a solid barrier that would be just a little more difficult for his assailant to pierce. He had not forgotten that, in later years, Scorpion had begun to carry—and proficiently use—two spear chains. The latter would come soon enough.

“You are a puppet of Quan-Chi, unworthy of the body you inhabit. Come, face me, and see the truth of your fallibility!” Kuai Liang drew himself up and stood tall, continuing. “Yours is the fire of hell, not of his heart, a thing so great you could not begin to comprehend it, much less mimic—but again, I invite you to come and allow me to demonstrate. It will be a pleasure.”

Sub-Zero had anticipated the spear.

He had not counted on Hellport, which Scorpion used with impunity.

Suddenly, the heat behind him was unbearable and there was a piercing agony ripping into his senses, starting at his shoulder, between the joint and the scapula. He could feel it digging deep, feel the lukewarm sensation of his own blood flowing down his back. He had to act.

Kuai Liang whirled on the revenant, ice axe at the ready. He would cleave the beast’s head from its shoulders, no matter how twisted the visage was. Red eyes would meet his a moment, before falling from broad, strong shoulders Sub-Zero knew all to well.

Except that they were not.

They eyes were white. With the turn, Scorpion’s hand and arm had been yanked—refusing to let go, oh, that old tenacity was strong—around Kuai Liang’s back and had, in that motion, drawn his body closer until they were flush, touching, pressed together. Sub-Zero’s arm was falling, axe in hand and, though he would have stopped it, Scorpion’s grip upon his wrist halted the descent entirely.

The fingers upon Sub-Zero’s wrist were burning, as with a fever, and they eyes he met were ablaze with madness and fury. The brow knitted together at the bridge of the man’s nose was familiar, however, the grimace on his blood-soaked, lacerated face not unknown to Kuai Liang, either. Inches apart, this could have been a lover’s embrace, but for the spearhead embedded in his shoulder and the fiery grip locked upon his arm.

Vaporizing with a hiss, Kuai Liang’s faithful ice axe bowed out of the fight and he was left with no weapon—no external weapon, anyway. He leveraged his height advantage against Scorpion and drove him back twisting his arm to reverse the grip and grab him instead, forcing him yet closer. The ice under their feet was slick and filling the frozen dome with steam. Sub-Zero began to feel lightheaded.

He would have to end this quickly, or Scorpion would gut him and the water of the hot springs would run red with the Grandmaster’s blood. That he was not facing a revenant was secondary in his mind to survival. He knew all of Scorpion’s movements, every trick and feint. Unfortunately, Scorpion also knew his, intimately. If they broke apart, the brawl might draw itself out and in this heat, Sub-Zero was already feeling sluggish.

Wrapping both arms tightly around Scorpion’s body, then, forcing the arm he had trapped up behind the shorter mans’ back, he began to squeeze, dropping his temperature with as much rapidity as he could muster. His mind was racing, thoughts flowing as if down the choppy, white waters of a sub-arctic stream just after thaw and just as insubstantial, uncatchable. He had to stop the man’s movement.

Scorpion fought hard against the grip, snapping at Sub-Zero with his teeth. He would have landed a successful headbutt were it not for their difference in height and Kuai Liang tucking his head into the crook of Scorpion’s neck. Scorpion tensed, ceasing his thrashing for the briefest of interludes as Sub-Zero’s chilly, gentle lips pressed downward on scorched flesh. Rather than the bite the enraged wraith had been expecting, he only felt the sensual, gentle touch of the man’s mouth.

“I know what you are,” whispered Kuai Liang against his lover’s flesh, gripping him tight and slowing the descent of the temperature. Scorpion’s thrashing had all but ceased as he was literally cooled down from his agitated state. Beneath them, the water which had been upon the ice solidified as Scorpion finally went limp, succumbing to the cold. 

“A wraith once more.” The whisper was barely audible. Only Sub-Zero could hear these words, spoken so softly. He was bent over Scorpion, who had gone nearly boneless in his embrace, barely clinging to consciousness, but doing so with such tenacity it might have, under other circumstances, been frightening. 

“No,” said Sub-Zero, standing, straightening, and lifting Scorpion bodily into his arms. The naked wraith leaned against his chest, closing those unsettling, white eyes as the temperature began to stabilize and Kuai Liang stepped gracefully off the ice and onto solid ground. Steam rose once more from the Lin Kuei hot springs, but they did not boil. “You are my Fire, and you have come back to me.”

“Amusing,” grunted Hanzo Hasashi weakly, reaching up to swat the side of Kuai Liang’s bearded face, “that you thought death would free you of me, my Heart.”

Upon the warm water, an envelope floated, forgotten, soaking, ink running.  

[sapphirestarxx]

Through the Night

Summary:

Modern AU. Miroku x Sango with a healthy dose of Inuyasha x Kagome.

Sango is a demon slayer in a world that is unaware of the existence of demons and evil spirits. When her best friend and priestess Kagome calls her and tells her she wants Sango to meet her new “boyfriend” she meets not only him but his best friend, Miroku. After a confrontation in an abandoned house, secrets are revealed and they all must work together to defeat a foe they know very little about. One that has been leaving behind strange runes and attacking those with spiritual powers, leaving them in mysterious comas. Along the way feelings start to develop between the two pairs.

Chapter 1 also posted on my AO3

Tag Wall:

@lavendertwilight89 @hnnwnchstr 

Let me know if you’d like to be added to my tag wall!!!!

Sango sighed, wondering how she had ended up here. The abandoned house loomed before them. Why did she always let Kagome talk her into things?

2 DAYS AGO    -

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Sango made sure her weapons were in their proper places before allowing the glamour to settle back around her. The demon slayer armor she wore became fitted black jeans and a green shirt, her weapons disappearing from sight all together. To the average passersby, she would now appear to be completely ordinary. The glamour was a nuisance but a necessary evil.

To the rest of the world demons "didn't exist." Of course that wasn't actually true or she would be out of a job. She also thought her latest clients would beg to differ on that sentiment.

It had been a pair of snake youkai infesting the home of an elderly couple and ended with the demons attempting to eat their visiting grandchild. Their neighbor's kid had gone "missing"...the third in a string of missing people in that community and Sango had made the gruesome discovery that all of them were long dead at the hands of the demons. They had convinced the nice older couple they were two hungry and homeless children, which wasn't surprising considering snake youkai were known for their shapeshifting abilities and gluttonous natures. What was surprising was encountering this type of demon so close to actual civilization. Wilderness was their preferred habitat, after all. There had also been a strange symbol burned onto the wall of their makeshift den, a symbol that was a match for ones she had been seeing at the site of other recent demon attacks. Many of those attacks had also claimed casualties. Mulling it over in her head, Sango wondered what it could mean. 

'Well, that's a job for another day,' she decided. Current job completed, Sango started to head home, looking forward to a nice long shower. With steam. Lots of steam. She checked her phone and paused. A missed call from Kagome. Hmm. Curious, Sango called her best friend back. The line rang twice before the other girl picked up.

"Sango!"

She smiled at the obvious warmth in the other girl's voice. "Hey, Kagome. I saw your call."

"Right. Okay, before I say anything don't freak out."

"Okay...I'm listening."

A hesitation. Then--

"I want you to meet my boyfriend."

At that, Sango stopped mid-step. Her friend was quiet on the other end of the line.

"I'm sorry, what? Your boyfriend?" She finally managed.

"Yes."

"Kagome, since when do you have a boyfriend? Since when were you even dating someone?"

"A month ago."

"A month?!" Sango echoed incredulously. "And you never told me?!"

Kagome let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm telling you now, right? Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad, just...surprised." She took a breath. "And okay, maybe a little mad. I can't believe you're only just now mentioning him to me."

Kagome. With a boyfriend. And for a whole month! That she hadn't told her stung Sango a bit. They were best friends! She was sure Kagome had good reasons for not telling her sooner and she was going to demand those reasons just as soon as she got over the shock of Kagome having a boyfriend.

"I'm sorry! Forgive me?"

"Fine, fine. But you owe me an explanation." Sango grumbled, giving in.

"So as I was saying, I want him to meet my best friend." Kagome's voice turned crafty. "By the way, he'll be bringing his best friend, too. I've seen pictures and the guy is really good looking. You should wear something cute."

Immediately suspicious, Sango narrowed her eyes.

"Kagome, if this is another one of your matchmaking schemes…"

"I'm just trying to introduce my best friend to my boyfriend and he just happens to be bringing his own best friend. Who is single, by the way."

Sango stayed silent. The last time Kagome had tried to set her up had ended terribly. The guy's name had been Kenjiro, the son of a wealthy family that made regular donations to the shrine Kagome worked at. He had liked to flaunt his status, making constant not-so-subtle allusions to his wealth. Sango hadn't been able to pronounce anything on the menu of the fancy place he had taken them to for dinner, and then made comments about how any wife of his would need to know such basic things. That obviously was the wrong thing to say to her, and long story short, she had ended up walking out and walking home.

The time before that was Kuranosuke. He had been sweet but there was no spark between them. At least not on her end. Not to mention his nose had been running their entire date, grossing her out.

"Come on, you want to meet my boyfriend, right?" Kagome reasoned, all innocence. Sango wasn't fooled. Still…

"Okay. Fine. Yes."

She did really want to meet this boyfriend. She also hadn’t seen Kagome in weeks and missed her friend terribly. If that meant going along with more of Kagome's matchmaking shenanigans then that was just the price she would have to pay. How bad could this one be?

"Yay! Okay, I'll text you the time and place. You're busy tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. I have another extermination."

Sango didn't elaborate. Kagome was the Head Priestess at the Higurashi Shrine and knew exactly what she was referring to. That was actually how they had met, when they had both been in middle school. Sango had still been in demon slayer training at the time and was assisting on a mission gone wrong. Her father had been struck in the arm by the stinger of a scorpion demon while protecting her. Feeling overconfident she had been careless and charged in headfirst leaving herself wide open to attack and her father had paid the price.

While the wound itself hadn't been too bad, the demonic poison had turned the shallow scrape into something much more deadly. Purple tendrils of miasma had been snaking through his veins, working their way from his arm to his heart and an immediate purification was needed. They had rushed him to the nearby Higurashi Shrine where Kagome was the attending priestess at the tender age of thirteen. She had also still been in training herself but her vast spiritual powers had propelled her into a more prominent position. With a little help she had saved Sango's father and they were fast friends to this day, ten years later.

"That's the fourth one this week, right?" Kagome's voice was quiet. It worried Sango, too. A typical week usually involved about two jobs, three if things were really crazy. That number had doubled and this was the third week in a row she was being kept so busy. Most demons left humans alone in this modern world, out of disinterest or self-preservation. Something was going on that was agitating them. Something to do with that strange symbol that kept turning up.

"Fifth one, actually." She responded.

"Be careful."

"Always."

Sango hung up.

~☆~

Two days later Sango stood outside the cafe, checking the time. Worried she was going to be late she had left with time to spare. It had worked in her favor as she had arrived a few minutes early.

'Wear something cute.' Kagome had said. After some internal debating, Sango had given in and decided to listen to her friend's instructions. She had dressed in her best jeans, the ones that hugged her every curve. For her top she donned a cute sleeveless blouse that allowed a hint of cleavage to peak through as a tease in a shade of pink that matched her eyeshadow. Unsure of what to do with her hair she had opted to leave it down, dark brown locks framing her face. As a final touch she had grabbed one of her daggers, strapping it to her right leg in a thigh sheath, glamour hiding it from view.

Not that she thought anything would happen. She was here to meet Kagome's boyfriend, not to slay demons. Still it never hurt to be prepared. Especially with the way the demons had been acting up lately. She hadn't become so good at her job by being careless.

After a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside. And promptly tripped on the turned up corner of the entrance rug, stumbling a little and dropping her purse. Stifling a sigh of frustration Sango bent over to pick it up. It took a few attempts and some fumbling before she finally grasped the offending object. She gave it and the rug a glare like her sudden clumsiness was somehow their fault. As she straightened she became aware she was blocking the way for the person who had just entered behind her. She turned to apologize and the words died on her lips as she took in his appearance.

'Oh God, he's hot,' She thought faintly.

Thick black hair just a little too long was pulled into a short ponytail, strands escaping to fall around his face, bangs brushing his forehead. Gold glinted at his ears, one small hoop on his right and two on his left. Roguishly handsome features dominated his face, with a sharp jawline and firm lips. Eyes the most interesting shade of cool blue verging on indigo regarded her under a strong brow, one of which was quirked up at her. Right. She was staring. And standing in his way. She swallowed.

"S-sorry." She stammered. 'Nice, Sango,' she thought. 'Way to stun him with your wit.'

"Are you all right?" He asked. His voice was low and smooth and it was doing funny things to her insides. She reminded herself to breathe. 'Get it together,' she told herself. 'Stop staring at his perfect face and answer the man.'

"Y-yes." She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take up the whole entryway." There. That wasn't so hard. He was probably enjoying watching her make a fool of herself in front of him.

"No worries. Besides I should be thanking you for treating me to such a breathtaking view." He replied, eyes bright with amusement.

The what?

"The view?" Sango repeated. He couldn't mean-- … She had been bent over with her ass up in the air for a few long moments just minutes before. Surely he wasn't referring to that, was he?? She was trying to decide what else he could have possibly meant and if she should be offended when he spoke again, answering her.

"Your lovely face, of course. When I saw you the room instantly became beautiful." He winked.

She blinked. Then laughed. It sounded like such a bad pick up line she thought he had to be joking. Yet somehow it was still making her blush. The hell??

He smiled at her reaction. "And now I've been graced with your smile. I'm truly a blessed man."

His lines were so cheesy but she couldn't help but be affected. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t thought she was a sucker for a pretty face but apparently she just hadn’t found the right pretty face to make herself act foolish for. She just looked at him looking at her, and they stayed that way for a few heartbeats, her skin flushed at his compliments while she cast about desperately for something to say in response. What did someone say to something like that?

"Uhm, er, thank you. You're really full of one liners, aren't you?" She finally said, a bit awkwardly. It had to be obvious she was flustered which was ridiculous because those were the lamest lines ever. She should have been rolling her eyes. "I-I'm actually here to meet a friend. I'm sorry, I don't want to keep them waiting." Good, now she could make her escape with some of her dignity still intact.

"What a coincidence, me too." He paused. "Wait a second, are you Kagome's friend Sango?"

So much for escape. Also…

'How does he--' And then it dawned on her before she could finish the thought. Of course this would be him. ‘He's really good looking.’ Kagome had said and, well, she definitely wasn't wrong.

"Oh, you must be-- "

" --Inuyasha's best friend." He finished for her. She assumed Inuyasha had to be the name of Kagome's boyfriend. Kagome hadn't mentioned his name to her but had clearly mentioned Sango's name to both of them. That hardly seemed fair.

"I'm sorry, you seem to know my name but she never told me yours." 

"It's Miroku." He told her with another smile that made her heart pound.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Miroku." Sango said, his smile so nice she couldn't help but return it with one of her own.

"Likewise, Sango. Let's go find our friends, shall we?" He gestured gallantly with his arm in a 'ladies first' motion. Sango did roll her eyes a bit at that but there was still a smile on her face as she turned to face the inside of the cafe for the first time since arriving. She immediately spotted Kagome sitting at a booth, the other girl watching them avidly. No doubt she had witnessed the whole exchange with Miroku, including her dumbstruck expression upon seeing him for the first time. That was definitely something she was going to be hearing about later, she knew. In the meantime Kagome was waving them over.

Sango's eyes shifted to her friend's companion, taking him in curiously. He was also pretty good looking, she had to admit. As she and Miroku approached the table she was able to get a better look at his features, which included a strong jaw and a mane of jet black hair reaching to his waist, two forelocks framing his face. His sharp blue-gray gaze was screwed up in a small frown at whatever he and Kagome were discussing. 'He seems like a happy guy.' She thought flippantly. The most interesting thing she noted about him, however, were the purple and white prayer beads around his neck. They were completely at odds with the rest of his otherwise modern appearance; red pants and a plain white t-shirt.

Kagome looked up at their approach. "Hey guys!" She greeted them.

"Hey!" Sango returned with a smile.

"Hello, looking lovely as always, Kagome." Miroku said. Sango noticed how smoothly he said that and started to wonder if he was just a flirt by nature. They slipped into the booth seat, Miroku being a gentleman and allowing Sango to go first.

"Hey yourselves. It's about time. We've been waiting for ten fucking minutes." Inuyasha complained. Kagome shot him a look.

"Hey, Miroku and I are on time." Sango said, frowning a bit at his confrontational manner. Was he always like this? She chanced a look at Kagome who was mouthing 'sorry,' and Miroku who looked like this was nothing new. 

"Sorry, Inuyasha is just moody because he's hungry," Kagome said, taking Inuyasha's hand in hers. "Isn't that right, babe?" Inuyasha reddened a bit at that, which Sango found interesting. Weren't they supposed to be dating? Maybe using endearments was something new to their relationship, she reasoned.

"Anyways," Kagome continued, turning back to them, "You two already met?" She looked delighted.

"Only just now." Sango said. "So this is your boyfriend?" She prompted, trying to change the subject. This was why they were all here, after all.

"Right. This is Inuyasha, my boyfriend. Inuyasha, meet Sango, my best friend. And you've already met Miroku." Her brown eyes sparkled a bit at that last sentence.

"If I had known how beautiful your friend was, I would have insisted on meeting her sooner." Miroku replied, causing Sango to blush but also groan inwardly. Kagome had to be eating this up. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Kagome grinned and then looked at Inuyasha expectantly.

"I didn't mean to snap at you," he said gruffly at Kagome's prodding. "I wasn't tryin' to be rude."

"We're working on his people skills." Kagome told them.

"It's fine." Sango said. Her opinion of him improved a little bit at that. Maybe he was just having an off day. "So Kagome tells me you guys have been together for a month now. How did you two meet?" 

They both froze and shared a look before speaking at the same time.

"I was taking a walk when--"

"She came to the forest and--"

"I mean--"

"That is--"

They both cut off, Kagome's expression a little panicked. Weird. What was going on? Telling the story of how they met should have been one of the most basic things to answer.

"You met when she was taking a walk in the forest…?"

Miroku covered a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Inuyasha and Kagome were saved from having to reply at the appearance of their waitress, who had arrived carrying a tray with four waters. 

"Hello, my name is Himari and I'll be taking care of you this evening! How are you all doing?" She greeted them cheerily while setting their waters on the table.

"My day just got even better at the sight of you." Miroku smiled up at her and the waitress practically swooned. Sango frowned at that.

"Oh my, you're too kind." She demurred, a blush high on her cheeks.

"It's not kindness if it's the truth." He insisted. Himari fluttered her eyes at Miroku. Inuyasha looked disgusted.

Sango felt her own expression souring. Just like that the spell was broken. So he was just a flirt, then. She didn't know why she had expected him to actually be genuinely interested in her. Maybe it was just the sincerity in his voice when he had spoken to her. Or the intensity in his eyes when he had looked at her. Kagome had also hinted that this was meant to be a double date of sorts. And here he was trying to smooth talk their waitress. She should have known better than to be swayed by a few pretty words.

"Oh my," Himari was saying. "Well I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders." She slid a coy glance Miroku's way before scurrying off.

Beside her, Miroku was lifting his glass to take a drink. Extremely annoyed now, Sango raised her arm to grab her own, "accidentally" elbowing him in the process. This made him slosh his water, causing some to spill on his shirt.

"So sorry," she said in a tone that was not remotely contrite. "I'm sure our waitress would be happy to clean it up for you, though."

Miroku paused in dabbing at his shirt with napkins to shoot her a weird look. Inuyasha choked on his own drink while Kagome was staring at her wide-eyed. Sango pretended not to notice and studied the menu instead.

"It suddenly got a whole lot colder on that side of the table." Inuyasha commented. His observation was followed by a long awkward silence.

Himari came back and took everyone's orders, all the while making flirty remarks to Miroku. Sango tuned it all out, already done with the evening. How stupid to have allowed herself to be taken in by a pretty face and prettier words. So what if he was charming and ridiculously hot, and time had seemed to move in slow motion when she first saw him. She told herself she wasn't interested in him anymore; the guy clearly wasn't picky. Any girl would do, and she wasn't about to be one of them. She had standards.

"So have you guys heard about this haunted house that's nearby? There's a local legend about it, it's very interesting." Kagome said in an obvious effort to diffuse the tension.

Sango wondered where Kagome was going with this. They were a priestess and a demon slayer respectively, so they both knew these types of stories tended to have some truth to them, not to mention they had both already heard of this particular urban legend. The guys they were with on the other hand had no knowledge of the world that was really out there. She was trying to communicate this to Kagome with her eyes but the other girl was determined to avoid her gaze. 

"I haven't actually. What's the story?" Miroku replied, sounding genuinely curious.

While Kagome explained the history of the legend their food arrived. The story went that the broken down house was haunted by the spirit of a man who had killed his family and then himself. Unable to move on or accept the horrible things he had done in life the man's spirit became affixed to the house, haunting it and bent on making those who crossed his path to suffer. It was said that anyone who went in never came out, their bodies never found. The place was located a couple miles away off the road, a relic from another time and now since surrounded by overgrown woods and shrubbery.

"I think we should go check it out! It'll be fun." Kagome finished.

"You sound like one of those people in horror movies who make terrible decisions." Sango said dryly. From beside her Miroku laughed a little at her joke. She was still annoyed at him so she refused to acknowledge it, even though it secretly pleased her a little. 

"The house is supposed to be haunted and you wanna go check it out? Are you fucking stupid?" Inuyasha burst out.

"What? Are you scared?" Kagome teased.

"Of course not! I'm saying we shouldn't go looking for trouble." He looked pointedly at her.

"Well I'm not opposed to the idea." Miroku said, eyeing Sango. She wondered if he was trying to impress her and suppressed a laugh. If only he knew what she did for a living. The idea of a murderous ghost didn't scare her in the slightest. She shrugged.

"Sure, why not?" She said. After all, the evening couldn't get much worse.

"Alright, it's decided." Kagome said happily. Inuyasha grumbled indistinctly next to her and she cheerfully ignored him.

As Himari dropped off their checks she pulled out a piece of paper, writing something down on it. When she was finished she took Miroku's hand and placed it in his palm. He looked at it then at her. "Call me." She said with a saucy wink.

Sango fumed. Unbelievable. She was supposed to have been getting set up with this guy and the waitress was giving him her number. And worse, he was taking it! He smiled as he placed it in the pocket of his black leather jacket, though there was a nervous edge to it. Maybe it was because of the gimlet eye she was giving him. She didn't care anymore. She half hoped a demon did make an appearance tonight and ate him.

~☆~

Since it wasn't too far away they had all agreed to walk there. Upon setting out Kagome found herself beside Sango, with Inuyasha and Miroku up ahead talking amongst themselves.

"So that's really your boyfriend," Sango said, and Kagome could hear the disbelief in her voice.

"I know he's a little rough around the edges but he's got a good heart. Well, mostly."

"I'll take your word for it. I know we just had dinner together but I still feel like I know nothing about him."

"Yeah...tonight didn't exactly go the way I had hoped." Kagome responded with a small sigh. "I really thought you and Miroku would hit it off, too."

"He was too busy hitting on the waitress," Sango said sourly. "You didn't tell me he was a hopeless flirt."

"I'm sorry. I think he really did like you though. You should have seen his face when he first saw you. I don't think he meant anything he said to that waitress, to be honest. It just sounded like empty flattery." Kagome insisted.

"He accepted her phone number!"

"Yeah...there is that."

Kagome didn't know what else to say. Or rather there was only so much more she could say. She had only met Miroku a handful of times before and while he was charming and a bit flirty he didn't come across as a player to her. After a few more moments she said, "I'm going to go catch up with Inuyasha now. But I think this will all work out. I just have a feeling. Trust me."

She escaped while Sango sputtered behind her and came up beside Inuyasha, grabbing his hand. "I'm going to steal him from you now, Miroku."

Miroku gave an easy smile and allowed himself to fall back into step where Sango was walking. Kagome gave Inuyasha's hand a soft squeeze.

"Do ya have to do that?" Inuyasha asked, looking at anywhere but her. Despite his words he let her keep his hand in hers. Even hand holding was difficult with him still. Kagome sighed.

"Well you are my boyfriend right now, so yes I do. This is a normal thing for couples to do. You're not convincing at all." Kagome replied. "We've known each other for a month now. You have to get used to me eventually."

"Keh, whatever. This is stupid," he said, but the words had no heat behind them.

Meanwhile Miroku had been walking beside Sango in silence. Once it had stretched a little too long he finally decided to say something.

"Have I done something to offend you?"

"Of course not."

"Really? Because you seem to be ignoring me, quite spectacularly I might add."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sango replied. "Why should I care if you decide to flirt with our waitress or accept her number. It's none of my business."

He glanced at her but stayed quiet.

"It's not like this was an actual date." She continued.

"A date?" He echoed looking at her curiously.

"I shouldn't have listened to Kagome. She always tries to set me up with the worst guys."

"Set you up?"

"Are you going to repeat everything I say?" She snapped.

"I'm just trying to understand what's going on." He explained. 

Sango frowned at that. What was there to understand? "Listen, it doesn't matter."

"Were you under the impression this was supposed to be a date?" He asked.

With a sinking feeling Sango realized Inuyasha must not have phrased this as a set up of any kind to Miroku. Here she was acting like a jealous girlfriend when the guy had just been trying to have a good time. He owed her, a girl he had just met, absolutely nothing. She was going to strangle Kagome for leading her to believe this was some kind of date. She was absolutely mortified. Her face burned and she was glad it was dark out so he couldn't see.

Miroku smiled like he had just been let in on a little secret and reached into his jacket, pulling out the piece of paper with the waitress's number.

"I think I understand now. If this is bothering you, then here. I wasn't planning to call her, anyway." He crumbled it up and tossed it away as she watched. "I'd much rather have your number instead."

She was skeptical of the feelings his words stirred in her; she knew from prior experience that pretty words were just words and meant nothing. Actions proved everything. And if she had to admit it to herself, she was also scared to let someone like him in. Better to keep her walls up than risk anything happening and getting hurt. Her first impressions were mixed but they weren't favorable enough to convince her to trust him.

"Maybe if you weren't such a flirt." She finally said. A sudden wind gusted by, raising goosebumps on her arms and causing her to shiver. Her thin sleeveless top didn't offer much protection from the elements and she was regretting not bringing a jacket of her own. Miroku noticed her shiver and frowned. "Are you cold?"

"A little." She admitted.

"Here," he said, removing his jacket and holding it out to her. "Take it." 

Sango looked at him in surprise. She was hesitant to accept something like that from him but she was cold and she supposed he was just trying to be nice. And get back on her good side. She took it from him after a slight hesitation. "Thank you."

Putting it on she gave a soft sigh of contentment. It was still warm with his body heat and she tried not to notice how that seemed to warm her more than the jacket itself.

"We're here!" Kagome called out and Sango stopped, looking up and taking in the scene.

Another cool breeze fluttered through the trees of the surrounding wood. Branches shifted at the disturbance, moonlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves to shine upon the ruin they all currently stood before. Held together by splintered planks and rotting boards it was a minor miracle the structure was still standing.

'Of course,' Sango thought, 'it probably wouldn't have gained such a reputation for being haunted if it wasn't in such disrepair.'

"Wow! It really looks haunted." Kagome said. There was actual excitement in her voice.

"Yeah, exactly. So tell me why the fuck we're here, again?" Inuyasha groused, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh come on. Don't be such a spoilsport." She nudged him playfully with her shoulder. "This is supposed to be fun, remember?"

"You have a strange definition of fun."

"Hmm. Fun, you say?" Miroku said, stealing a glance at Sango. Her skin all but glowed in the pale light as she tugged his jacket closed around her to ward off the chill in the night air. Their gazes met briefly and she quickly looked away, a light blush coloring her cheeks. So she was embarrassed to have been caught looking at him. How cute. He bit back a smile and shifted his attention back to Kagome. "So what is this fun plan of yours?"

"I'm so glad you asked, Miroku!" She practically gushed. Inuyasha had a long-suffering expression on his face next to her. "I was thinking a game of truth or dare would be exciting."

Sango had been studying Miroku out of the corner of her eye but she jerked her head up at those words and leveled a death glare Kagome's way. 'Don't do it, do NOT do it.' The other girl forged gamely onward, as if her best friend wasn't shooting daggers at her with the mere power of her gaze.

"In fact," Kagome continued, beaming, "Why don't you start it off with Sango?"

That's it. She was going to kill Kagome. Kill. Her. Obviously she was ridiculously attracted to Miroku and her best friend, well aware of this, hadn't given up on trying to match them up. And the guy had lent her his jacket and okay it smelled kind of nice which meant that he smelled kind of nice. And he was undeniably charming. But he was bad news for her heart. A total flirt. First buttering her up with pretty words then coming on to their waitress right in front of her. No matter that he had told her he hadn't actually been interested in Himari. She had no time for a guy like that.

"I'd be happy to," Miroku was saying. "Sango, my dear. I dare you to either brave the depths of this haunted house alone or spend an evening with me."

She would not be pulled in by his words again. She wouldn't. Also what the hell did he mean by 'an evening'? Why did he have to phrase things so weirdly? 

"No thanks. I'd rather take my chances with a homicidal ghost over a womanizer." She marched into the house without a backward glance. Let a ghost try to attack her. She could use the outlet.

Miroku sighed. "Well, it was worth a try."

"Did ya have to accept that girl's number?" Inuyasha asked dryly. "Probably would be having better luck if you hadn't."

"I didn't want to be rude. Besides, I threw it away." Miroku protested.

"So then give her a nice tip!" Kagome exclaimed. "You're never going to win Sango over by flirting with other girls."

Miroku thought about that for a second. Was he trying to win her over? Sango had said she thought it was supposed to be a double date and he had had no clue. Typical of Inuyasha to conveniently leave out that detail. He thought back over their brief interactions so far and found himself intrigued by the combination of her shy innocence and fiery attitude. And the way she had looked at him when she first saw him had stuck in his brain, beautiful brown eyes widening in surprise and attraction. He realized it was from that moment on that yes, yes he was.

"You're absolutely right, Kagome. And I would be remiss in letting such a beautiful woman chance danger by herself." With that flowery speech Miroku followed Sango into the building.

"Well it's a good thing he went after her in case something happens. There's a strange aura around that house." Inuyasha commented.

"Hmm. I don't know. Sango has a few tricks up her sleeve." Kagome said.

He looked at her askance. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll find out." Kagome replied with a small, knowing smile. "Anyways, I agree. It's good he went after her. Maybe this can bring them closer."

He stared at her. "They just met…"

"Exactly! They need something to act as a bonding experience to help bring them together. Relationships have to start somewhere."

Inuyasha looked at her like she had two heads. "What the fuck are you on about? Relationship? Not likely with that womanizer." He snorted.

Kagome made a face. "Yeah, he seems like kind of a flirt. But you saw the way they both looked at each other when they first saw each other. There's something there. And he's your friend, right? He has to have some redeeming qualities. Besides, I just have a feeling. I can't explain it."

"Keh. Whatever." He scoffed. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"I think you'll be surprised." Kagome responded, smiling up at him.

-----

Meanwhile Sango was carefully picking her way through the ruin. The floor had rotted through in several spots that, coupled with the darkness, made it a minefield to walk in. Decay hung heavy in the stale air along with the scent of dust and earth. There was a feeling of foreboding in the atmosphere that she hadn't noticed when standing outside. She admitted to herself it was probably because she hadn't been paying attention to such things. A hand crept to the hilt of the hidden dagger at her thigh.

Her thoughts circled back to the source of her distraction. 'My dear,' he had said. She let out a dismissive laugh. Hardly. There was a sudden noise behind her and she whirled, drawing her dagger from its sheath to hold it in front of her in a ready stance.

"Whoa! It's just me." Miroku said, holding a hand out. She relaxed, letting out a breath. He noticed the weapon in her hand. "Where did you get a dagger?"

She didn't answer him. It was like her thoughts had conjured him. She became annoyed. "Why are you here? I thought I was supposed to do this alone."

"I got worried." He shrugged. "If something were to happen…"

"Thanks, but I can take care of myself. I don't need--" she broke off noticing something on the wall behind Miroku for the first time. She stalked forward and Miroku almost took a step backwards at the intensity of her approach. Stopping beside him, she raised a hand to touch something on the wall. He turned to see what it was that had caught her attention. A complicated twisting of shapes formed a rune that was etched onto the surface. Dark splashes coated the wall and the floor beneath it...dried blood. He frowned. This was…

"I've seen this mark before." She said by way of explanation. He looked away from the symbol to look at her in interest.

"Really? Where?"

Sango opened her mouth to respond and that was when all hell broke loose. 

There was a flash of greenish light that momentarily blinded her and while she was disoriented something knocked her sideways with bruising force. She collided with Miroku and they both crashed to the floor in a heap of limbs. Shit. Looked like there was some truth to the rumors after all.

She scrambled to her feet, gripping her dagger tightly, just in time to see the thing that had struck them circle back for round two. Glad she had had the foresight to bring one of her weapons, Sango wasted no time charging forward to meet it. This was what she was made for. She wanted to check on Miroku but there was no time for that. Springing into a somersault she avoided the creature's mouthful of teeth attempting to bite her in half and brought her dagger up to slice a line down the length of its serpentine body. It screamed in pain before collapsing into itself and dissolving from sight.

Breathing from exertion Sango rushed over to Miroku who was standing now. She had just reached his side when he grabbed her roughly by the arm and swung her around, holding her close to him. Massive jaws bit the air where she had just been standing. What?

"It's an evil spirit, not a demon! Your attacks aren't going to do more than anger it!" He told her.

Sango looked at him in shock. "How the hell do you know that?!" She demanded while dodging another strike from the afore-mentioned angry spirit and pushing Miroku away in a purely instinctual move to keep him from harm. 

Her foot got caught in a hole in the floor and she stumbled, her momentum causing her to pitch forward and fall. The spirit wasted no time taking advantage of her misstep, bringing a clawed hand down to crush her head. She freed her foot and rolled to the side at the last minute, striking out with her dagger as she did so and savaging its neck. It roared in anger and pain and she used the distraction to right herself and gain some distance.

"Evil spirits give off a different aura than evil demons do." He explained.

"No, I mean how do you know any of that!"

"Because I'm an exorcist! And by the looks of things you're a demon slayer. Physical attacks won't do any good against an opponent like this. It requires something spiritual."

Her thoughts went instantly to Kagome, but her friend wasn't currently there to help them. She wanted to take the time to process this new revelation about Miroku but she had her hands full at the moment. Defeat this thing, then figure out what the hell was going on.

Miroku was chanting incantations, dodging the strikes of the ghost with practiced ease, never missing a word or a step. It grabbed a broken table and flung it his way and he ducked to avoid it, eyes narrowed in concentration. Sango could feel his spiritual powers rise up in challenge to the evil spirit. The house around them began to groan from all the abuse. Much more and they risked bringing the whole building down around them. 

He had almost finished his spell when it broke free of his hold, rushing him. In a desperate move Sango threw her dagger, hitting it squarely between the eyes and divesting herself of her only weapon. It was her turn to grab him and pull him to her to avoid the path of the rampaging spirit. The spirit crashed into the wall next to them, the force causing wood to splinter and making them fall to the ground again, with her on top of him. 

"I wish I could take the time to enjoy this." Miroku said from beneath her. Before she could respond he flipped them so that he was now on top of her and then brushed a hand along her side, stroking upwards.

"Hey!" Sango yelled. "What--"

"Calm down," he said, reaching into one of the pockets of his jacket that she was currently still wearing and retrieving a small stack of white papers. "I just needed these." He rolled to his feet, pulling her up with him as they avoided yet another charge of the enraged ghost. "You could have just asked for them!" Sango said indignantly. 

Miroku didn't reply and rushed the evil spirit, casting the papers towards it and calling out, "Evil spirit, begone! I banish you from this place forthwith!" His power surged as they stuck to the spirit and crackled with blue light and the force of his energy. Sutras, Sango realized belatedly. Of course. She was momentarily impressed that, like her with her dagger, he too had come prepared in case of any trouble. She respected that. He clearly knew what he was doing.

The evil spirit struggled for a few minutes longer, screaming in outrage before Miroku's power finally overwhelmed it. With one final screech and a burst of light it vanished, exorcised. He slowly lowered his hands, breathing hard from the effort.

Sango walked over to where her dagger lay on the ground and retrieved it, placing it back in its sheath. She turned to look at Miroku, a million questions running through her mind. He caught her look and gave a half smile. "We should probably go see Inuyasha and Kagome. They must be worried."

She followed him outside in silent agreement. When they emerged she caught sight of the concerned faces of their friends. Kagome was looking a little pale and had clearly been in the middle of arguing with Inuyasha about going in after them, judging by the firm grip he had on her arm and the way she was pulling at it.

"I fucking told you it was a bad idea to come here but you didn't want to listen!" Inuyasha was saying.

Kagome had opened her mouth to respond but broke off from whatever she was about to say at their appearance. "Sango! Miroku!" The relief in her voice was palpable. "Oh my God, are you guys okay?! What happened?! We heard such a huge commotion and Inuyasha refused to let me go in!" This last declaration was punctuated by a glare at Inuyasha. He glared back.

"An evil spirit attacked us." Miroku replied. Sango noticed this announcement was met with zero surprise from Inuyasha, who just scowled harder at the information. Kagome didn't seem shocked that Miroku was aware of ghosts either and thus had to have known he was an exorcist.

"I noticed a mark on the wall that matches other runes I've been seeing at recent demon attack sites. Along with bloodstains," she added. Obviously she had been wrong in her deductions that Inuyasha and Miroku knew nothing about the world of demons and ghosts that existed alongside humanity. 

Inuyasha's gaze landed on the now-visible dagger at her thigh and his eyes bugged. "Is that dagger made of demon bone?" He demanded.

Miroku muffled a laugh. Sango blinked. "Well, yes."

"You're a demon slayer?" He rounded on Kagome. "Did you know?!"

Kagome looked at him like he was slow. "Of course I know she's a demon slayer. She's my best friend."

"And you didn't think that was important to mention to me?!" He said, his voice rising.

"Again, she's my best friend! It's not like she's going to slay you! Would you calm down!"

Now Sango was confused, not to mention tired of not knowing what the fuck was going on. This had been a very trying evening and her patience was running thin. She was about to start demanding that someone give her answers when Kagome spoke again. 

"You said there was a strange rune on the wall?" She directed her question at Sango who nodded. 

Kagome seemed to think something over before arriving at a conclusion. She turned to Inuyasha. "Take them off."

He looked at her. "Seriously? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He removed the prayer beads from his neck, the ones that had seemed so out of place with the rest of his appearance, and the change was instantaneous. It must be a focus for a strong glamour, Sango realized as she took in his transformation. 

Black hair became bright silver, his blue-gray eyes shifting to a startling gold, and nails lengthening into claws. She was sure if she looked in his mouth she would find a set of fangs. The most interesting part of his change however was a pair of dog ears atop his head in place of the human ones he had worn moments before. A set of traditional hakama pants and a haori, both in the color red, completed the picture, with a sword tucked into the sash around his waist.

So. Miroku was an exorcist, most likely a Buddhist monk if she had to guess based on the incantations he had been reciting. Inuyasha was definitely not human. Both were things Kagome quite obviously already knew. It was time for some answers. Sango looked at her best friend.

"Kagome, what is going on?" 

[dovelikewar]

October ‘17 Playlist

Hello, friends! Happy November. October went by really fast, but that’s okay, because that just means the holiday season is starting. 🙌

Since it is the first day of November, I thought I would post about my October playlist. Since January of last year, I have been making 20 song playlists every month. They’re usually a mix of new music from artists I like, new discoveries, and songs that I have been listening to a lot in that specific month. 

This one in particular has a lot of overflow from September because I filled my September playlist pretty early. I will link each song and write a little about why I included it. I will also include a link to the full playlist on both Spotify and YouTube (where you can find all music videos if the song has them) up here so you can follow along that way:

Find the full YouTube playlist here.

1. Fantasy - Superfruit ft. Amber Liu

This song is from the full length album Future Friends by Superfruit, the duo of Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi who are also members of the A Capella group Pentatonix. I am already a big fan of PTX so naturally I was really excited when Scott and Mitch announced that they would be releasing an album. AND BOY WAS THE EXCITEMENT JUSTIFIED. The entire album is SO good. So much so that I was actually debating which song I should include on my playlist. I eventually narrowed it down to 2, and spent the remainder of the month trying to decide between them. I eventually settled on Fantasy, but love GUY.EXE and its music video so much, that I decided to include it in the blog even though it's not on the actual playlist. If you haven’t listened to Future Friends, please do. It’s a masterpiece. 

2. Ugly - Jaira Burns 

I found this song from browsing on YouTube after binging a bunch of Billie Eilish videos. Her music is a bit different as it contains a lot more mature subject matter, but her vocals are delivered similarly to Billie’s, so that drew me to this song specifically.  I also really Jaira’s voice and think it works really well with this genre. I’m not a huge fan of the other two songs she has release, so I don’t see myself following her career too closely in the future, but I feel like she has a lot of potential to grow a large audience around people that can connect with her music more.

3. Sick - Barcelona

I found this song while browsing through my discover section on Spotify. I heard it and automatically vibed with it. The instrumentals, vocals, and just everything about it is such a great mix of a bunch of different styles. Somehow though, it fits together so well and makes for such a great song.

4. Rollin’ - B1A4

This is another roll over from September. On the 25th of September, one of my favorite k-pop groups, B1A4, released their newest mini album. This is the title track from it, and I love it with my entire heart. The entire album is amazing, but I fell in love with Rollin’ the second I watched the MV for it, so I knew it had to be the one I included in my playlist. It is a quite different sound from what B1A4 usually goes for, but it is still so well done and amazing. B1A4 never cease to amaze me, but the entire Rollin’ album is such a masterpiece and was so worth the wait that it took to get released. 1000000/10. Would recommend.

5. Oogie Boogie’s Song - Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack

Of course, since it’s October, I had to include some Halloween-y songs, and what’s more Halloween-y than Nightmare Before Christmas? It is one of my favorite movies ever, and Oogie Boogie’s song is one of my favorite songs from it. It’s such a good song to listen to if I’m trying to get spooky.

6. Walls - Airspoken

This is another song I found through my Spotify discover playlist, and I liked it pretty immediately. It has a very chilling yet rhythmic vibe to it that I really like. Another thing that I found really nice is that contrast between all four vocals in the song. It goes from a smooth vocal, to a deeper vocal, to a more raspy and high vocal, to a weird mix of the three. The different vocalists make the already catchy song even more interesting to listen to, and I just really like it. The group doesn’t have a huge following by the looks of it, but I intend to look into their music more and maybe support them if I like more of their material.

7. Shatter In The Night - Vesperteen

Honestly, I am so sad that I have just recently found Vesperteen, because I listened to more of their music and it is all really good. This song specifically is just a really feel good “driving around a big city at night” type song. I like it a lot.

8. American Love - Smallpools

Yet another artist I wish I would have found sooner. This song landed on my discover playlist and just the very beginning immediately caught my attention. The song is very melodic and the type of song I wouldn’t mind hearing live. I listened to more of Smallpools music too, and all of it is so SO good. The instrumentals and vocals on this and all of their songs that I have heard are top notch and really beautiful. I can definitely see myself getting more into their music.

9. Hobgoblin - CLC

CLC is one of the only girl k-pop groups whose music that I actually genuinely like. I found them quite recently, but I’m still glad I finally found a girl group where I like every song I have heard. This is one of the first songs I heard by them, and is also one of their most popular title tracks. I really like this song and their song Pepe so far, but hope I have time to look more into their music soon.

10. Mess - Jordan Fisher

Not gonna lie, I pretty much put this song on my playlist before I even listened to it just because it’s Jordan Fisher and I love everything that he has ever put out thus far. This song is no exception. It’s very similar to his other music with heavy R&B elements and super strong vocals. Jordan very consistently slays, and his music is always on point. Mess is no different.

11. Bite My Tongue - Logan Henderson

Not gonna lie, I pretty much put this song on my playlist before I even listened to it just because it’s Jordan Fisher and I love everything that he has ever put out thus far. This song is no exception. It’s very similar to his other music with heavy R&B elements and super strong vocals. Jordan very consistently slays, and his music is always on point. Mess is no different.

12. ENVY - coldrain

Finally. I’ve been waiting to talk about this one. This is from coldrain, one of my favorite band’s, new album from this month, Fateless. The entire album is beyond amazing, as expected. This was another situation where I was heavily debating for weeks over which of two songs I would put on the playlist. Ultimately, I just chose the one that had a music video (and then the other song came out with a music video 3 days after the album came out. Go figure.). Still, I recommend the entire album to anyone that enjoys rock music at all. Yet another masterpiece, if I do say so myself. 

13. Close You Eyes - The Midnight Club

I found this song after one of my favorite music critic youtubers tweeted it out saying that it sounded a bit like another one of my favorite bands, Panic! At The Disco. When I listened to the song, I could definitely see what he was getting at. It really sounds a lot like P!ATD’s older music, and the vocalist even sort of sounds like Brendon. More than anything though, I noticed how good the song and band was in their own right. I ended up liking it enough to include it in my playlist this month.

14. J.D. Blows Up - Heathers Soundtrack

More Halloween type stuff! Heathers is another one of my favorite movies. Although it isn’t a horror movie per se, it is definitely a very dark movie. I was reminded of this specific instrumental off the soundtrack while doing homework for a film survey course I am currently taking, and got chills as I listened to it more. It only felt right to include it on this month’s playlist or make it just a bit more spooky.

15. Callin’ - A.C.E

Another favorite artist! A.C.E, another one of my top k-pop groups, had their comeback this month. I love this song, and the music video, and the choreography, and really just everything. Callin’ has the same fast paced mood as their debut song, Cactus. Overall, it is a really fun listen and is even more fun to watch them perform. I am consistently blown away by their talent, and this comeback was just a reminder of how much talent they have. I love this song and I love A.C.E. 

16. Blonde - Waterparks

Keeping with the theme, another one of my favorite bands announced that they would be releasing their new album early next year along with releasing the lead single off of it. This is that single. It does not stray too far from what Waterparks usually releases, but is still different enough to see a musical growth. I especially love the more unclean vocal in the bridge. Blonde has really made me excited to hear the rest of the album. I can’t wait for it to come out in January!

17. Not Thinking Of You - The Royal

A catchy tune I found on my discover playlist. The instrumentals are a pretty normal indie alternative mix with even more normal subject matter. The catchiness of it and the vocals are really what caught my attention and made me want to include it on the playlist.

18. Time Warp - Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack

Because is it really October if you don’t listen to the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack? This song is a classic and a staple at any Halloween party. I had no choice but to include it.

19. South Drive - WSTR

I was drawn to this song because of the raw instrumentals and vocals. It almost seems a bit messy during the verses, but comes together for the chorus. When I heard it for the first time, I questioned whether or not I liked it. As I listened to it again though, I did find myself really enjoying the more authentic garage rock band vibe that it has. It does feel a lot more cut and paste than what you would normally hear from more popular bands of the same genre, but it still works really well. I enjoy it.

20. Astoria - Marianas Trench

The last song on this month’s playlist is very close to my heart. It is the intro to the album Astoria by another one of my favorite bands, Marianas Trench. I decided to include this song last on this playlist because this month they released the music video for the song. It is a very beautiful video that very well sums up what the whole album is about. However, the release of the music video also ended the Astoria era exactly two years after the album’s release on October 23rd. It was a very emotional time for me and all other MTrench fans. The album has provided me with so many great memories, made me dance, made me cry, but most of all made me appreciate the intricacies of music so much more. Although I am sad to see the era end, I hope it means that the band can get some much deserved rest and start working on more music. Never say die.

That is it this week, friends. It’s been a rough week, but writing about music has made it a little better (even if it’s a little late). I used to write blogs like this for my playlists when I first started making them last year, but stopped when I realized no one read them. I still have absolutely zero people reading, but ya know, a girl can dream. Still, happy first week of November, and happy day to you, invisible friends.

- 🕊️ ❤️ 🏹