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Previously:
As she hugged me tighter, the bed shook rhythmically from her silent sobs. Big fat salty tears fell. I couldn't see them due to her hands holding me but I could smell them, feel them as they flowed down into my pelt.
We both laid there. She taking whatever comfort she could find and me giving whatever I could.
I rumbled in my ancient language, soothing her.
Rest well little one. Revenge will come soon enough. Tomorrow will be another day.
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26. Declaration I
The first few tendrils of morning light shone straight into my room, on my bed, and into my eyes. Urghh!
Outside my room, sounds of feet shuffles were heard and bright cheery 'Good morning's were exchanged between various parties causing my ears to twitch.
Annoyance and irritation surfaced like a raging bull within me. It's almost akin to being bitten by a million ants. First a bite then many others followed. That's how I feel about the many conspiracies preventing me from sleeping in. I can't even get a good night's rest. Can't have some peace and quiet. Someone tell me... how on earth is this morning good?! I reached around the bed with a free hand to find a pillow to cover my head when…
"GOOD MORNING Inuyasha!"
Urghhhhh!
Miroku practically shouted while he pulled the window curtains back to reveal the oh so horrible cursed sun.
Urgghhhhhhhhhh! Can this day get any worse?
"Wake up wake up! Baka sleepy head! Wake up!"
He continued his irritating shouts, made even more so by the numerous slaps he gave me on my body. The final straw came when he splashed a jug of water on my face.
Ugghhhhhhhh! That made me jump out of bed immediately.
"WHAT. THE. HELL. IS. WRONG. WITH. YOU?!"
"Nothing~ I swear" Miroku raised both his hands in a mock surrender position, "oh except these cursed hands of mine!" He placed his hands in front of himself and shook them while lamenting exaggeratedly. "Oh what am I to do? Ohh~ Blessed my poor soul I'm curs-"
-Thud-
I threw a pillow in his face to shut him up.
Without waiting for the pillow to fall from his face, I wiped my face and asked, "So? What's up?"
Miroku bent down to pick up the pillow and placed it back on the bed and said, "Inuyasha sama, Kagome sama has awaken".
"Keh! About time!"
"Sesshoumaru sama expects us in our usual meeting room in an hour."
"Yeah yeah, tell the bugger I'll be there" I said while chasing him away with my hand in a small sweeping motions. "Now you bugger off"
"Hai Inuyasha sama"
My eyes trained on Miroku as he exited and closed the door with an audible click.
I sighed in relief… Finally I can get back to sleep. I smiled as I soon as my head touched the pillow. Sweet sweet sleep.
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I remember being in the midst of clouds. The were the softest ever clouds I ever touched. I remember feeling loved, feeling comforted. Each warm special bundle of white wisp was warm to touch and infinitely smooth. They would take the shape of whatever is near it and mould itself into its outline. A soft encasement protecting me from harm. These little tendrils seemed to have a life of its own and a few of them got near my neck and tickled me. I squirmed away and opened my eyes to see: molten gold.
Eep!
Golden orbs. What's that?
Eyes… Whose?
Sesshoumaru's!
My mind doubled back before remembering that it had been my invitation for Fluffy to lie with me just for the night.
Fluffy looked at me for a brief second before jumping out of bed.
"You're awake" he noted.
I didn't reply.
He headed behind a screen to transform back into his humanoid form before continuing.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Ye- Yes" I managed to get it out without excessive stammering.
"Good. I'll call for a meeting with the others in about an hour. I'll give you some time to prepare."
"Okay"
With that, he stepped out of the road.
I immediately took fistful of the comforter and covered my face. Oh-My-God, what have I done. Mortified, I realised that he was lying beside me- him, a grown man! And that I had invited him to do so! That I literally asked him to sleep beside me! Oh My - Gahhhhhhhh! The stupid things I do when I'm overwhelmed with grief… The shock I'm experiencing is almost akin to waking up one morning finding that you're naked beside a guy. Only that I'm not the one that's naked but he is… Oh my God, I suddenly realised... he was naked.
Pulling the comforter well over my head in embarrassment and shock I wondered - what have I done? Just to be sure, I looked under the comforter to do a quick check. Okay, I'm clothed. But still…!? I turned my head into the pillow and screamed.
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It's been awhile since Kagome chan was up and I believe that she must be frightened at all these new developments.
I'm pacing… I never pace. But I can't help it! Can someone light the floor ablaze with pacing? If so, I might have razed the place to the ground. It was just half an hour ago when Sesshoumaru came in to inform us that she's awake and we are nervous. Nervous, concerned, apprehensive… Coagulated with a flurry of emotions, I felt lost. How do I handle this? I can deal with an oversized centipede, or an army of walking skeletons but this…? A girl in shock? Waking up to know that her best friends in the whole wide world were not only so different from what or who she has thought them to be, but also that they caused the death of her father… How? How can I talk to her? How can I get her to trust us? After so must distrust in her life… What can I do?
"Sango!"
I turned to face Miroku.
"Sango, she's fine, you're fine, it will be okay."
"But-"
"She'll be fine."
"No but how can-"
He walked to me and faced me off center to my right. He pulled my head down into his shoulder with hand.
"Sango, it'll be okay. You'll be okay… If anyone knows what to say, it's you. Don't worry about it."
I held onto the helm of his shirt and breathed. It smelt of forest pine fresh with morning dew. The kind you wake up to in the middle of Spring- full of life and away from the confines of Winter.
I'm never gonna tell him but it soothed me. I breathed in again and regulated my heartbeat. It calms me, draws my mind to a my own sanctuary, away from the troubles of life.
He rubbed small circles into the back of my head and it felt painfully good. Too good.
I took one more bittersweet breath and backed up from him. If there's anyone that I don't want comfort from, it's Miroku. I reminded myself yet again- anyone but him.
"Sango-"
"I'm fine" I replied without turning back.
I walked out the room and shut the door behind me with a click and never once looking back. With a renewed calmness, I blocked out all thoughts and sounds and missed the conversation that transversed after I left the room.
-Sigh-
"Miroku, why won't you just tell her?"
"What can I say? Whatever I say she won't believe me…"
"It's been so long, I believe she will listen to you now"
"It doesn't work Shippo…"
"You can try-"
"Well it's not like you are in a much better position with Shiori ok?! Just leave me be!"
"…"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that"
"No, you're right, I'm sorry"
"No no, I know I was… I'm sorry... It's just that, it's been so long… And yet she is still… I just, I just don't know what else I can.."
Shippo jumped forward and shifted into his original form. At his full height he easily placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "May our mistakes not define our ending. Press on my friend"
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We have all convened in the underground conference room in Shiori's hospital. Functional but tasteful decor covered the room. It's purpose to provide a conducive environment for discussions to take place but I believe that no amount of decorative pieces is going to change the severity and the following ensued tension.
A quick glance to my right is Kagome, frail, small and undoubtedly shakened. The walk here had been a mere few minutes but it felt like one of the longest ones in my life. It was in total silence as I led her to our meeting venue. She walked quietly behind me, trailing just a few paces behind. Her eyes downcast. It wasn't tension. Just a whole lot of awkwardness enhanced by numerous 'wrong- timed' encounters. We started of quite well… Not entirely so in the beginning I must say, but after spending days with her I believe that we have formed a bond. But the irony is that this same bond is one of the factors adding to her mental stress. The closer we were, the greater the strain on our current relationship. With her recent revelation of the true identity of her friends, everything would seem fake and planned.
Except that it's not... Not with me it's not. It was real. And her doubting its authenticity is unsettling. And it doesn't make sense that I feel this way… And...
And, he is late!
The five of us sat around the table staring at the one empty seat.
Inuyasha. Where in the world is that idiot?!
The awkward atmosphere increased and she fidgeted slightly in her seat.
That unsettled feeling intensified even more.
That tick in my jaw must have hinted that I was close to destroying the table because Miroku stood up immediately.
"I'll go get him" he said as he stood up and made his way to the door
"I don't care what you do, get him here immediately"
"Hai Sesshoumaru sama"
More time transpired and the room got harder to breathe by the second.
That idiot Inuyasha better come quick!
"Kagome!" Shippo finally said, breaking the tension.
"Yea?" She replied.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine thank you"
"Really? I see Shippo smiling at her.
"Hai, Shippo chan! Thanks for asking, I'm feeling fine!" She smiled.
Briefly I wished that I could transform into a little kit. Damn him and his deceptive looks.
"Did you managed to get a goodnight's rest?" Shippo asked.
"Ermm," the girl sneaked a quick glance at me before continuing, "Yes, Yes I did.. Thanks for asking…" she replied while looking down and fiddled with her fingers.
Great. Just brilliant. The awkward just intensified if anything.
Shippo softly clicked at me in our shared language questioning me about the girl's behaviour and my involvement in it.
I pointedly ignored him.
-Bam!-
"What In The Freaking Seven Hells Is This Shit?!"
Inuyasha barged into the room dripping wet.
"What~?" Miroku shrugged, "Nothing happened~"
"This Idiot here" Inuyasha pointed at Miroku, "splashed me with freezing water not once but TWO bloody freaking times!" He held two fingers up to illustrate his point.
"I believe what was communicated was that I was to wake Inuyasha sama and get him here no matter what I do" Miroku smiled as he shrugged his shoulders happy at his little victory.
"It's not my fault that he decided to sleep in… I merely used the fastest and most effective way~" Miroku danced around all the chairs dodging Inuyasha's attempts at walloping him.
My ire just increased. This cannot be happening. I don't need them to stir up more shit! I was just about to put Inuyasha in his place by force when we heard it.
Kagome laughed. It wasn't a soft giggle or an awkward laughter. It was a full blown hearty laugh that has her bending over her side and tears forming in her eyes.
Like a ray of sunlight after a thunderstorm or a warm breeze over the frozen field, it herald the end of the storm and ushered in a new season. A season of life.
Everyone visibly relaxed and smiled and we settled into our seats in a unspoken understanding.
"Now that everyone is here, let's begin our discussion!" Miroku started.
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Thank you guys so much for your patience. I appreciate it very much! More character development in this one, team dynamics and a little backdrop on Sango's and Miroku's relationship. Next chapter I will be explaining the war that they are in and some of their battle plans! Stay tuned! I'll try to update when I can!
Almondbiscuit