Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, the show or any of the characters.
Note: Sadness, heartbreak, and unpleasant doings in this chapter. Dare to read?
Chapter 35: Dark
They dragged into a village greatly disheartened. Sango was miserable and everyone knew it. Even if someone tried to cheer her up, she only turned away with a face full of tears.
Miroku had not helped the problem. At the fire last night, he had foolishly told Inuyasha that, "It seems hopeless to ever truly get Kohaku back."
Inuyasha had replied, "I know what you mean," and Sango had raged at them both.
Inuyasha's group examined the village they had come to and Kagome's heart sunk. This would not help Sango at all. At the very edge of the road stood a small manor with its roof redone in thatch. It was unmistakably Sakura's dwelling.
Still, Miroku was not in much of a condition to cause trouble. The poison still hadn't fully left his system so he was still weak. He resorted to riding Kilala or leaning on his staff for support. In addition to his injuries from their recent battle with Naraku, he had been injured even more when a vengeful demon lurking by the side of the road had proved too fast for his slowed reflexes. Sango had beat it down for him but not until after it had got a swipe in.
So as Miroku stumbled along leant heavily on his staff he looked up and saw Sakura coming out of her cottage. She watched them for a minute and then threw down her water bucket at the sight of Miroku's bandages. She hastened up the path and quickly reached his side.
"Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Inuyasha," said Sakura. "What happened?" She looked at the strips of cloth sodden with blood and put a hand to her heart. Then she looked up at his goofy smile.
"Careless," said Miroku in a measured way conserving his strength. "Demon... got me."
Sakura blanched white. "You come in this minute," she said. Miroku shrugged. He had merely been stretching his legs after riding Kilala for hours but he didn't mind. He could use the rest and the company since Sango was mad at him.
They all sat around quietly dipping their chopsticks into their bowls of rice. They all chewed solemnly, paying attention to the little sounds around them such as the twitter of birds and the children shouting outside. Sakura sent them all away to a shrine park to play so Miroku could sleep. They all seemed caught up in their individual thoughts.
Time slipped by and they spent the night there. In the morning, all the women helped with the laundry as they watched a dog yelping in the street and some chickens passing as they dug for grain. Sakura sent the children away again in the afternoon to fly their kites as she mended clothes.
It was quiet and Sango almost forgave Sakura for looking so beautiful and for attracting Miroku's attention. Still, she bridled with rage when she saw Sakura's obvious infatuation. The woman seemed smitten. She was bending over backwards to do anything for Miroku. Maybe she was just fooling herself Sango thought. Maybe Sakura was just acting as a devote caretaker, smothering him like that. Sakura obviously put plenty of time and energy into her little ones so it was clear she was used to the role. All in all, she seemed the perfect mother. That's what got Sango worried.
Sango had been avoiding Miroku for the last two days for obvious reasons. First, it was his stupid words about Kohaku and their fight over the campfire. Second, it was Sakura. Third, it was every woman Miroku had ever hit on. Sango wasn't quite ready to marry Miroku if all he did was sneak off to flirt with other women. Still, Sakura had Sango particularly concerned. She didn't seem to mind Miroku's attentions. Other women slapped him, whispered behind their hand, giggled as if it were jest, or got their husbands. Sakura simply smiled and said how Miroku reminded her of her old husband.
In the late afternoon, Sakura removed Miroku's old bandages and began wrapping new ones around his arm. Sango looked over angrily from the corner but didn't say anything. She would have to speak to Miroku later. Setting aside her burning jealousy, Sango longed to be able to do that. It was her place taking care of Miroku, not Sakura's!
She was staring over at Miroku from her corner unnerving him when Kagome ran back into the hut. "It's Kohaku," she said. "Definitely a jewel shard." Sango stood up quickly. She would have to take care of this later. Right now, Kohaku was the most important thing.
"Kohaku. My brother," she mumbled with mixed worry and relief. She shouldered her Hirakatose and left the building. Inuyasha stood up from his post and joined Kagome at the door. "Coming Miroku?" he said calling back.
"I'll catch up. Go ahead," said Miroku seriously. Sakura was still putting a few finishing touches on his bandages.
Everyone but Miroku raced out. Within a minute of their departure, Miroku stood up to leave. He moved towards the door.
"Wait," said a voice. Sakura had grabbed onto his robes and was kneeling beside him. "Don't go," she said tears trembling down her face.
"What is the meaning of this?" said Miroku sternly.
"Don't go," said Sakura with renewed earnest. "I don't want you to get killed."
Miroku softened. "I'll be okay Sakura," he said simply.
"No," Sakura pleaded with desperation. "Don't leave me. I don't have a man for whom to bear a child." Seductively, she got to her feet never loosening her hold. She stood there looking face to face. Miroku could see the tears in her eyes give way to red flushed cheeks of desire. She leaned ever closer to him.
Gods! He could smell her scent, her perfume, and feel her hot breath as she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Get undressed," she whispered, the wind tickling Miroku's ear.
Miroku didn't say anything but stood stock-still. She smiled hungrily at him and crept a hand up against his robes clutching his manly parts. Miroku gasped and stiffened. He hardly noticed when his hand snaked round the small of her back. She moved closer.
"This can't be happening, I'm supposed to catch up with the others," thought Miroku in a desperate, slurried way. But then all thought disappeared as they continued to kiss. Miroku's staff hit the ground as his other hand darted up to cup Sakura's breasts. She kissed wildly back almost knocking him over and he let her guide him to the floor straddling him. Like a flower shedding its petals, Sakura slid her outer robe from her shoulders and leaned towards him again stroking him. Miroku shuttered in her grasp.
Outside the hut and several miles away. Sango rode Kilala full tilt across the sky. The firecat growled out fiercely as if to say, "Today is the day we get Kohaku back." Everyone had a very determined look on their face.
They arrived in a small rocky valley. At its very edge stood the boy they had long chased after, dreaming to free him for Sango's sake. For a short amount of time they thought they had but he was snatched away again. The tears streamed down Sango's face as she regarded his stony face deprived of recognition. To his side was Kanna and Mouryoumaru.
"So, you have been foolish enough to come," said Mouryoumaru. Sango shouldered her Hirakatose. She gave the enemy a fierce glare.
"Release my brother Kohaku," she demanded.
"Of course," the evil one mocked as the original Naraku might have. "After you give me the sacred jewel."
"Not this again," said Inuyasha. "Sango, Kagome, you deal with the kid."
"Right," said Kagome with both Aijo and Shippo hanging off her. She readied and arrow and covered for Sango while they flew in to take back Kohaku, zombie boy or not. Kagome put up a shield to stave off Kanna who had a habit of popping up when you least expected it. Meanwhile, Inuyasha went head to head with Mouryoumaru. The girls thought they were safe but then Kanna surprised them all by using her mirror to walk straight through the shield. Sango paused, knowing that any attack would be deflected. Kohaku raised his head, drawn on to act according to Kanna's command. Sango and the others had to flee to the corner of the barrier. Against their backs debris rained down form the battle raging outside. Kagome could not break the barrier or Mouryoumaru would be able to get through. Kohaku rushed at Sango and she blocked his strikes. Kanna watched as expressionless as always. Kagome tried a shot at her but before she could fire Kohaku moved in the way.
"If only I could crack that mirror," thought Kagome not able to thing of much. "A mirror, a mirror that sucks life," though Kagome, "not, it sucks spirit. That's it! Spirit! I have to do something with spirit!"
She looked around her and saw nothing inspirational. Maybe she could just find a decent-sized rock. She looked around her and to her left she sensed a pool of natural energy. She directed her own spiritual energy towards it and ran over there drawing her bow and pointing the arrow towards Kohaku.
"Kagome, no!" shouted Sango.
But Kagome had no intention of shooting Kohaku. As soon as Kanna slid round her back like a ghost the ground split open with a current of energy. A tree grew up in less than a second and vines wrapped themselves firmly around Kanna. She looked at her bindings expressionlessly the mirror still held out in front of her. Kagome thought surely the vines weren't enough to hold her down for long so she used the time gained to grab hold of the mirror. Absolutely crazy but it was their only shot.
"Let go," said Kanna with only the barest hint of emotion. Kagome began to feel an emptiness inside herself, a vast examination of her soul. In return, she poured back her rage and her passions as if this were a struggle of wills.
"I am Kagome Higurashi," she said trying to move. "I am and I will be." All the time she spent growing up and the time spent with Inuyasha passed before her eyes. So did several other lifetimes. The memories rose unbidden, flashing before her only to be forgotten anew, even Kikyo's.
"Kagome!" shouted Shippo once again saving the day. He awakened Kagome with his words and she glared down at the little phantom girl, spiritual energy crackling across her hands. Spiritual light wove itself around the mirror and fractures spread across its face and along the frame.
Kohaku shuttered and passed out as his spirit returned to him. Sango knelt by his side. The little white girl looked up, a flower drooping from her hair.
"I am afraid," said the ghostly girl. Kagome stopped her assault.
"Of death?" she asked gently.
"Of life and death. I am the void." So saying, the mirror frame and glass broke into a thousand tiny pieces and Kanna simply faded away.
"She was like an object," said Kagome sifting through the metal sadly. "Like Yura or like Kagura. I didn't know." She stood up and looked back over towards Sango.
Outside her barrier, Mouryoumaru was mocking Inuyasha by letting him clang against his invincible armor. Inuyasha swore and glanced into the pink globe. He saw Kagome kneeling and then the protective barrier shuttered and dissipated. "Kagome!" he yelled.
Back in the barrier, Sango had a hand on Kagome's arm. "Are you all right?" she asked her.
"Yeah Sango," said Kagome. "I'm just tired that's all. I used up too much spiritual energy."
"Let's get you out of here," said Sango. She helped Kagome up on Kilala. Before she could sling her brother onto thetwo-tail, Mouryoumaru came to crash their party. He upheaved a good part of the ground, chasing round Kagome and Kilala. Sango hugged onto her brother and protected his fallen body with her own as debris covered them.
"Sango," yelled Inuyasha anxiously trying to drive the monster back. "Get out of here all of you! Go find Miroku!"
But it was too late. Mouryoumaru took advantage of their weakness and plucked up the brother and sister with a tendril. He tossed Sango aside and tore the jewel shard from his back. Then he threw the boy away. Everyone was horrified.
Then, as if in still motion, everyone watched Mouryoumaru pull out the last remaining jewel shard from his armor and piece it together with the sacred jewel. In horror, Kagome reached up to her neck and realized she must have lost it in battle.
"Kanna did have one last use," Mouryoumaru smirked. He held out the whole, unfragmented jewel in his hand. Chuckling cruelly, he spread forth his leathery wings and took to the sky.
"Bastard," said Inuyasha trying to knock him out of the air with and enormous diamond blast but to no avail. Their enemy disappeared. Inuyasha stood looking up at the clouds for a few moments musing things. Then he turned around to take notice of Sango's grievings.
Tears washed over Sango's face like a sheet. "No. Kohaku," she uttered in absolute desolation holding the body of her slain brother. Inuyasha moved to stand behind her.
"Sango," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."
Sango broke into fresh sobs as she wailed. "But I didn't even get to say goodbye! I wasn't a good sister. I let him, I let him die Inuyasha. He's gone. He's gone for good. It's all my fault."
Inuyasha looked at her sternly and spoke. "Now listen here missy. You did everything you could. Everything. And now he is at peace. Let him be," he put in softly. "Let him rest at last. I had to do the same for Kikyo."
Sango cried all the more. "I know Inuyasha. It's probably better this way. It's just that... He was.. All I had left. Now I have nothing... and I...don't know why... I should... continue living." Her anguish was very real.
"Shut up," said Inuyasha tersely. "You have Miroku. You have us. We're your friends Sango," he said.
"That's right," said Kagome.
Sango laid her brother down gently. She rose up and grabbed hold of Inuyasha's haori with her fists. She held herself up on his shirt, rolling with sobs. Inuyasha looked shocked as she flooded his shirt with tears. She got blood from Kohaku all over him but he didn't say anything. Instead he let Sango roll onwards until she began to cry herself out. Awkwardly, he raised a hand up and patted her on the head like a small child. "There there Sango," he said before stepping back. At last Sango let go of her deathgrip on his haori.
Sango was still trembling with sobs so Kagome put a reassuring arm around her shoulder. Sango looked around hiccupping.
"I don't get it," she said trying to speak normally. "Why isn't Miroku here? Maybe..." She shook herself out of Kagome's grasp. "Kilala," she called commandingly. The firecat flew up and she leapt onto its back. Kilala ran out into the sky.
"Should we go after her?" said Kagome.
"And leave Kohaku's body?' said Inuyasha wisely. "No. We had better bring him with us." Kagome nodded.
In the sky, Kirara ran swiftly. She darted down and landed beside the hut. She shrank down with a small pop and growled at what she smelled.
"What is it Kilala?" said Sango terrified. She ran forward and tore back the screen to the hut. She screamed out loud at the sight she found.
"Miroku, how could you," she wailed. She raised an arm in front of her face and ran out. Miroku tried to disentangle himself from Sakura. This was it. It was over. And he knew it.