Warnings for this chapter: discussions of death, discussions and depictions of serious injuries, and more negative self-perception from Inuyasha
"Why should I trust you?"
"Well," Miroku said slowly, thinking. "We have a common enemy. It would make no sense for us to harm a potential ally. Furthermore, we're not going to let you needlessly die, no matter what. We're somewhat against that."
Sango's eyes narrowed but she finally nodded her consent. They had returned to the slayers' village, Sango making the journey draped over Kirara's back. Both Inuyasha and Miroku had offered to carry her, but she adamantly refused. Even after they brought her to her house, she was reluctant to let Miroku tend to her wound. He could understand why she might be wary after everything, but she was covered in a truly frightening amount of blood.
She sat with her back to him as he helped her peel the leather tunic from her back. It was not a pretty sight. Blood-soaked bandages were around her torso, and once he cut them away, the remnants of broken stitches. He didn't ask her who had attended to her before, though it was obvious from the position of the wounds that she wouldn't have been able to stitch herself. Inuyasha, Myoga, and Kirara were all outside, under the watch of the twin-tail as per Sango's instructions. However, Miroku convinced her to let Shippo help as well. The fox was as non-threatening as they came, and he could sniff out the supplies they needed from around the village.
The injuries on her back were both worse than and not as bad as he'd feared. There were four puncture wounds, three smaller ones that appeared to be from arrows, and one much larger gouge right between her shoulder blades. The injuries were deep and had bled profusely, but showed no signs of infection and were already partially healed.
"When were these made?" Miroku asked as he cleaned out dirt and grit from the wounds as gently as he could.
"Two days ago," she replied, her voice tight with pain.
He bit his lip in surprise but didn't stop his ministrations. The Jewel shard in her back must have sped along the healing. It had also performed some measure of purification, judging by the lack of infection. He had no doubts that the wounds would have been fatal if not for the shard's power. Even now, the pallor of her skin worried him. Shippo's face drained of colour when he burst into the room with the bottle of sake he found and his eyes landed on the wound. Miroku thanked him and sent him off, noticing the tight smile that Sango sent after the fox.
After cleaning and bandaging the wound, Miroku was loathed to have her put on her filthy tunic again. "Do you have any other clothes?" he asked. "Or are there some in the village you would feel comfortable wearing?"
"I brought my travel clothes with me," she said hesitantly. "But I cast them aside before fighting with you. They're a fair journey from here."
"I'll get 'em," Inuyasha said, appearing at the outside hallway and sticking his head through the door. "Miroku will wash your current clothes, though honestly, I'd suggest just burning them."
Sango frowned slightly. "You don't have to go all the way out there just to find me some clothes. It's not worth the effort."
Inuyasha shrugged and looked away, shuffling uncomfortably from side to side. "S'not any real trouble. I can run fast. I'll be back before dark."
He left before either of them could say anything more. Sango looked after him, a troubled expression on her face, while Miroku hid his smile. He'd suspected that Inuyasha had been listening in to their conversation. He had also anticipated the hanyou's desire to help, if not his eagerness. There was a growing sense of kinship between anyone whose life had been corrupted or destroyed by Naraku.
Miroku rose to his feet and made for the door. "I'm going to prepare some food, if that's alright. You should rest."
By the time Inuyasha returned, Miroku was stirring stew over a fire he had built outside Sango's house. It was mostly rice, beans, and dried fish from the storehouse they'd found, with some mushrooms Shippo had scavenged from outside the village. Inuyasha walked over to them, sniffing the air as he did so.
"She alright?" he asked, sitting down beside Miroku and placing a blue and white carrying cloth full of clothes on the ground.
"The wound is healing well and I believe she's resting," Miroku replied. "I see you were successful."
"Mm. Easy to sniff out."
"Is your arm alright?" Miroku asked, eyeing the red stain on Inuyasha's white hadagi.
"Yeah. She stabbed me, but it's fine. Already stopped bleeding." He smirked as Miroku's mouth opened and closed as he thought better of it. "How about you? You were injured."
The monk's hand brushed across his abdomen where Naraku had struck him. "Mostly just bruises. Nothing more."
"Naraku needs to learn to send better opponents after us," Inuyasha grumbled. "First Royakan and now a dying slayer. I'm starting to feel insulted."
"If you're saying you want our enemy to send stronger, more threatening adversaries to murder us, I might have to kill you."
Shippo began eating the moment the stew was done, none of them having eaten that day. Miroku brought a bowl in for Sango and a dried fish for Kirara. They slayer lay wrapped in her bedding on the floor, Kirara curled up in the hollow of her stomach, but neither were asleep. She took the food from him with a nod of thanks and he left to rejoin the others. Myoga began recounting his travels, which mostly consisted of no-doubt exaggerated adventures and little information gathered. As Shippo countered with his own highly-embellished version of their travels, Miroku looked at Inuyasha.
"What next?"
The hanyou shrugged. "That's up to her. She'd be useful to have around, so long as she'll collect the Jewel shards with us instead of trying to run after Naraku all the time."
"She may not even want to travel with us," Miroku pointed out.
"Why the hell not? We're offering to help her get revenge! She should consider herself lucky!" He stopped and thought about what he said for a moment. "Okay, yeah, so maybe not lucky, but you know what I mean."
"We'll just have to wait and see what comes to pass."
It was well past dark and the others were settling down for the night, but something urged Miroku to check on the slayer one more time. She had finished her meal and was still in bed, but she had yet to fall asleep. That confused him at first, as she looked absolutely exhausted and was likely still in a great deal of pain. But when she looked up at him, he recognized the fear lingering behind her eyes. He knew the feeling well – the dread of sleep for what may come in one's dreams, the fear of letting your guard down enough to sleep at all…
"Inuyasha and I were discussing whether or not the demons may attack again," he said, kneeling down by her bedside. "It's unlikely, but we should still be on our guard. Would you mind terribly if I slept in the same room as you, so we may have a more defensible position?"
She nodded hesitantly and he settled himself against a wall. There was a light shuffling outside as Inuyasha, no doubt having heard their conversation, organized the others. This was followed by a soft thumb on the roof of the house. A few moments later, Shippo hesitantly poked his head inside, Myoga on his bow. Miroku waved him over quietly, as Sango seemed to be finally drifting off. Miroku slept fitfully, waking up often to check on the others and their surroundings. Though he knew that Inuyasha was keeping watch on the roof, it still felt odd not having the hanyou within eyesight. At least Sango was sleeping. She needed it.
Things were quiet the next day. Inuyasha cleaned up the remaining debris around the village with Shippo's help while Miroku washed and mended their various clothes. The monk said that Sango needed rest and wouldn't be moving around much, but Inuyasha couldn't help but feel like they were sitting targets. Naraku knew about the slayers' village. He may have guessed they were there. It was a mistake to come here, they needed to- No. They needed to find out about the Jewel. The slayer needed to sort herself out and tell them what they needed to know. They could hang on until then.
When Miroku brought food to Sango that afternoon, he was surprised to find her sitting up and oiling her weapon. Her movements were slow, stiff, and cautious as she navigated the limited mobility of her back. Kirara was curled beside her, purring contentedly. "Keeping busy?" he asked, sitting on Sango's other side and placing the bowl down next to her.
"It's important to maintain one's weapons," she replied a little stiffly.
"Indeed," he nodded sagely. "So… what is that thing?"
"Hiraikotsu. I've wielded it since I was a little girl."
"That's very impressive!" he grinned. "I tried to carry it when we came here yesterday. I can't imagine fighting with anything that heavy, especially as a child."
She shrugged. "You get used to it." She slowly lowered her hands, glancing over at him. "Miroku… You're human, right?"
He blinked. "Of course." He saw her eyes flicker to his right hand and smiled softly. "It's a curse placed on my family by Naraku. I promise, I'm just a regular, dashing and charming monk."
Sango's lips quirked before she could stop herself. He certainly seemed like a nice enough man, but that's what confused her. She couldn't make heads or tails of him. He wore the clothing of a Buddhist monk, yet had the tekkou and skills of a warrior. And he had strange small golden hoops hanging from his ears, one on the right and two on the left. And his hair wasn't shaven off. But all of that paled in comparison to the company he kept. "Then, if you don't mind me asking, how did you end up travelling with demons, hoshi-sama?"
"That's a bit of a long story," he mused, leaning back and propping himself up by his hands. "It was only Inuyasha, initially. I helped him out of a bad situation, and after the Jewel….broke, we decided to travel together to try and repair it. The others simply happened to come along. Myoga is Inuyasha's servant and Shippo was orphaned and needed someone to look after him."
"Myoga is known to my village, and I can see that Shippo's no threat," she said slowly. "But Inuyasha doesn't seem too fond of humans in general."
"He's leaning," the monk shrugged. "The world isn't too kind to hanyou. He had to learn to be defensive." He paused, looked at her with piercing violet eyes. "He's no threat to you or any other human. He's a good person. I hope that you won't treat him improperly because of his heritage."
She was surprised by the intensity in his gaze. "I've never met a hanyou before," she said truthfully. "My world mostly consists of humans to protect and demons to kill."
"Yet not all demons are your enemy," he pointed out. "There are many benevolent youkai, such as Shippo and Kirara and Myoga."
Sango hummed and ran her fingers over Kirara's ears, earning her a trill and a sleepy blink. "I suppose so."
"I know it may be difficult to trust us," he continued quietly. "But Inuyasha is a friend to humans and a worthy ally. I hope you will be able to put your faith in him."
After they ate, he quickly changed the bandages on her wound and left her with instructions to get more rest. He found Shippo outside, chasing a butterfly. Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen. Tampering down the immediate unease that rose within him, Miroku searched around the village. He found his friend sitting in front of the limestone cave they tried to access before.
"Find anything interesting?" he asked, noticing how both ears flicked at his approach.
"There has to be some way to get inside," Inuyasha growled, staring hard at the invisible barrier.
"We can ask Sango if she knows how to get inside once she's healed," Miroku said. "There's nothing to be done until then."
"So what, we wait around forever?" he snapped, turning a surprisingly angry gaze on the monk. "Just sit around for Naraku to send someone else to attack?"
Miroku instantly frowned. "What's wrong? Just yesterday you were practically daring Naraku to come after us. Why the sudden urgency?"
Inuyasha looked away as the anger was replaced by shame and what almost looked like a flash of fear. Miroku's frown deepened. Inuyasha huffed, glanced at him, and huffed again. He then turned his eyes to the darkening sky. Miroku followed his gaze.
"Oh."
Though the faintest hint of stars were appearing in the dusk, there was no sign of a moon.
"I don't like being tied down, especially when my enemies know I'm here," Inuyasha muttered, staring hard at the ground and kicking at a rock with his foot.
"What can we do?" Miroku asked, coming to stand closer to the hanyou. "You don't need to tell the others if you don't feel comfortable. Shippo and Myoga can stay with Sango and we can find a different house to sleep in."
"No, you should stay with Sango. Keep her safe," Inuyasha shook his head. "And I'm going to tell Shippo before nightfall. He's going to find out sooner or later. But…"
He trailed off, looking apprehensive. Miroku nodded. "I won't say anything to Sango."
Inuyasha clapped Miroku over the shoulder, appreciatively if a little awkwardly. They walked back to Sango's house together, and Inuyasha could already feel his senses fading. He hated this. So much. Though not the worst situation he'd been in during the new moon, being trapped in a desecrated human village with a demon slayer who mutually distrusted him was not his idea of safety. Not to mention that this place had already proven vulnerable to demon attacks. Though, he supposed, he'd never had people he could count on, either. Miroku nodded to him before slipping into Sango's house, and warmth spread across Inuyasha's chest.
He could trust people.
What a strange concept.
He beckoned Shippo over from where he was playing with Kirara. The kit followed eagerly, eyes bright and alert. Inuyasha smiled to himself. Yeah, things could be a whole lot worse. They walked along the inside of the fortress wall, Shippo watching him questioningly the entire time. Eventually, Inuyasha sighed and sat down cross-legged on the ground.
"Shippo, what do you know about hanyou?"
The kit blinked and wrinkled his nose. "Not a lot. My father didn't like the idea of youkai and humans breeding – he always said they weren't right. I never met one before you."
Inuyasha nodded to himself and ruffled Shippo's hair, seeing the slight apology in the kit's eyes. "Yeah, a lot of people think like that. Can't say I blame 'em. Anyway, there's this thing that happens to hanyou, this time where they change. They can't control it, and it's kinda scary because they lose their powers and basically become mortal. For me, it's the night of the new moon…"
As much as he tried not to, Miroku found himself staring wordlessly out the door of Sango's house. She was asleep, as was Myoga. Kirara was watching him with narrowed eyes, one tail flicking every so often. He smiled reassuringly at her and she blinked in return. Eventually, Shippo slipped through the door and slid it closed behind him. He walked over, an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. His eyes met Miroku's and he nodded solemnly, standing a little taller with the weight of his newfound responsibility. Miroku smiled and patted his lap. The little fox instantly scampered over and settled down, curling up with his tail over his nose. Miroku knew from experience that he'd be sprawled out on his back the instant he fell asleep. As for himself, he doubted much sleep would come to him that night. He needed to keep watch, to make sure his friends were safe.
Inuyasha sat on the roof, staring up at the stars. It had been harder to clamber up there as a mortal, but there was no way he was gonna be trapped on the ground all night. As he settled in for a night of keeping guard, he focused his human hearing on the faint bustle coming from inside the slayer's house. With the door open to let in the summer air, he could just make out Shippo's quiet snores and the occasional trill from Kirara. Alone with his thoughts, he looked over the blunt nails of his human hands. He was so weak. Defenseless. Powerless. With more and more members in his pack to protect, how the hell was he supposed to be a good leader if he was so utterly useless? He knew that Miroku only wanted the best for him, but that was precisely why he had to get better. He couldn't let his new family down.
"How long have you been after Naraku?" Sango asked as Miroku tied off the last of her bandages.
"We saw him for the first time only a few days ago," a bleary-eyed Inuyasha shrugged. "But both of us have been after him longer than that, knowingly or not."
"What about yourself? Did you know him long before coming here with him?" Miroku asked, walking around her to sit in front of her with Inuyasha.
Sango shook her head. "I only met him the day before. He was the advisor at a castle where my team had been summoned. The people there had a long-standing relationship with him. He was the one who told me that Inuyasha had attacked my village, and offered to travel with me and aid me."
"I was aware that a group of slayers had been called to a castle," Myoga said from his perch on Miroku's shoulder. "Though it is surprising that Naraku would allow a survivor to know about his hiding place."
That piqued the interest of the others. "You believe the real Naraku may be staying there?" Miroku asked.
"It's possible," Myoga said slowly.
Inuyasha stood abruptly. "Who cares? Even if he's never actually been there, he has to have chosen that castle for a reason. We need to go down there and see what those people know!"
"Sango's not recovered enough to travel long distances," Miroku protested.
"I'm perfectly able," Sango snapped before huffing and looking away. "But I can't remember where the castle is."
"What?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "You travelled there and back – how the hell do you not remember?"
"My memory of everything that happened there is fuzzy," Sango said, her eyes hard. "Almost as though someone doesn't want me to remember."
"That would make sense," Myoga mused. "If Naraku truly valued that castle as a place to stay, he wouldn't want his enemies knowing about it. He probably cast a spell over the entire area to prevent exactly that."
"Great, just great!" Inuyasha growled, storming out of the room. Miroku shot Sango an apologetic look and followed after him.
Sango sighed and watched them go. She hated that she couldn't remember. Every time she tried, it was like she was grasping at something just out of reach. She knew it was there, but she just couldn't get it. And as much as she protested, she knew Miroku was right – she could barely move around the house, and the pain in her back had yet to fade. She wouldn't be able to ride Kirara to the castle, let alone fight anyone.
And she hated it.
She needed to focus on recovering and finding Naraku. Because if she didn't focus on that, then there would be nothing to distract her from the grief that crashed into her without warning. And she couldn't face that. Not yet. The cold numbness into which she had drawn herself was all that was keeping her going. And if she lost that, she was sure that she would drown.
Shippo ran around, chasing Kirara and being chased by her and laughing the whole time. Miroku smiled as he and Sango watched them, sitting on the en hallway outside her house. She had been particularly quiet for the past two days, and he figured that after six days of rest, it would be good to get some fresh air. She still had trouble moving around and was worryingly pale, but the little fox's antics made her smile for the first time since they'd met.
"He lost his family?" Sango asked after a while, her eyes following Shippo.
"Mm. His father was killed just before we found him. I don't know about his mother." He didn't miss the grimace that passed over Sango's face. "We weren't originally going to have him travel with us. There's a village that we're familiar with who have become quite taken to him. Can't see why."
They both smiled at that as Shippo and Kirara wrestled in the dust.
"I haven't come across many fox demons before," Sango said. "Or hanyou, for that matter."
"And how many unbelievably handsome monks?" he asked casually, and she huffed out a small laugh. "I imagine you've come across many fearsome demons in your line of work."
"Yes, though there are many others I've only ever read about, like the Saimyosho. I was surprised to see them in person."
He blinked at her. "The what now?"
"Saimyosho. The poison insects of hell that accompanied Naraku."
"Ah." He nodded. "I don't like those. I was unfortunate enough to make their acquaintance before, and safe to say it did not end in my favour."
Inuyasha dropped down from the roof and walked towards them. "What about Naraku? Had you heard of him before you met him?"
Sango's eyes narrowed. "I already told you I didn't."
"What about at the castle? What happened there?"
"Inuyasha," Miroku said firmly, staring down his friend. Beside him, Sango had gone rigid. As Inuyasha's eyes darted from Miroku's to hers, she stood and walked away, back into the house. Miroku sighed.
"I don't get it," Inuyasha grumbled. "Doesn't she get that any information will help us track down Naraku?"
"Don't push her," Miroku warned. "She needs time to heal. And we're still strangers to her, after all."
But he couldn't stop thinking about Inuyasha said. That evening, as he was re-wrapping Sango's wounds, he had to ask. "Was this from demons?"
"No," Sango said, scooting away from him slightly. "I got this…from my younger brother. He died."
"I'm so sorry."
"If only I had realized some things earlier, I could have prevented his death. Kohaku was always such a gentle, tender-hearted boy. Perhaps he wasn't suited for the life of a slayer."
They were silent for a moment, but Miroku felt that there was something else going on. "I know it's not my place, and I don't mean to pry, but how did your brother inflict such damage?"
"It wasn't his fault. He was being manipulated by a spider demon. He had no control over his actions." A small, fragile smile formed on her lips. "Before he died, Kohaku reverted back to his old self. I still mourn for him, but that thought helps ease the pain of his loss. We were both strong slayers – I'm proud of that."
He sat against the wall near her bedside as she fell asleep, as he had every night before. Her back was to him, and in the quiet of the night, he thought he could hear her crying. He knew better than to try and comfort her – she needed to feel her grief, and they did not yet know each other well enough for him to intrude. So far as he could tell, she had yet to truly cry – a few tears here and there, but not the deep, gut-wrenching crying he would have expected from someone who lost everything all in one day. It worried him. Inuyasha's obsession with finding Naraku was already challenging to navigate; he didn't know how Sango would act if they ended up travelling together. Though, there was nothing he could do about it at present. Only time would tell, so he firmly told himself not to worry. After all, they had many other things to worry about instead.
Miroku was meditating in the afternoon sun when he heard Inuyasha come up behind him. The hanyou had been pacing for the better part of the day, stopping occasionally to pick up debris or sniff the air. Miroku had been keeping his senses turned outward, as he had every day, in case of another attack. Therefore he was keenly aware of every glare, huff, and sigh Inuyasha had produced since morning. Suffice to say it was starting to infect his calm.
"Damnit, what's going on?" Inuyasha asked, looming over him. "Is she still in bed?"
"Yes, she is," Miroku replied levelly. "I suggest being patient."
"She can't sleep all day! Get her out of bed. We've been here for way too long. Even if she can't remember where the castle, we can at least tour around the area and see if something jogs her memory. We've been waiting for ten days, for fuck's sake! I would've been up in three!"
"Not me. I would be bedridden for at least a month." Miroku reluctantly rose to his feet, abandoning all attempts at meditation. "You need to adjust your expectations when travelling with us mere humans. Besides, Sango's not just suffering physically. She's lost her entire family and village. Her heart's been deeply wounded."
"Which is why she needs vengeance! Which is why we need her to help us find Naraku! Miroku, it's like you're not even listening!"
"Leave her alone and let her rest for as long as she needs," Miroku advised. "I know you mean well, but not everyone deals with their heartbreak the way you do. I guarantee that time will be the best medicine."
Inuyasha growled and stormed off, and Miroku left him to it. Instead, he went over to Sango's house to check in on her. He found it empty. The spike in his heartrate must have alerted Inuyasha to danger, as the hanyou dropped to his side the instant Miroku ran from the house. He looked around frantically for a moment before his eyes landed on Sango, sitting in front of the row of graves at the edge of the village. Inuyasha started forward angrily but Miroku stopped him with a hand on his chest. After sending him a calming look, Miroku cautiously approached the slayer.
"Are you alright? You shouldn't be moving too much."
"The graves…" Sango murmured, looking down the long row of burial mounds. "You buried everyone and you marked their graves."
Miroku sat down beside her. "It was the only thing we could do."
They sat quietly for a while. Miroku's heart went out to Sango. She was all alone in the world. She had no one. He couldn't imagine what that was like. Even after his father had died, he'd at least had Mushin – as imperfect as he was. There had to be something he could…
"When your wounds heal, won't you consider joining our group?" he asked gently. "Inuyasha's a lot less grumpy than he looks, and Shippo would love to have someone else to pamper him. We help a lot of people, sometimes against those with Jewel shards, or simply those with demon trouble. It will also give you a better chance to stand against Naraku. What do you think?"
"That Jewel shard around your neck," she murmured. "It's bigger than any I've ever seen. Naraku will come after it. So yes, I will go with you." She sighed, looking over at him with sad eyes. "Besides, I can't let the Jewel shards fall into the wrong hands. The Shikon Jewel was born here, and I have a responsibility to fix it."
"We initially came to your village hoping to learn more about the Jewel's origins," Miroku admitted, reaching out to tickle Kirara under the chin.
"Then call your friends," Sango said decisively, painfully climbing to her feet. "I will tell you about the limestone cave, and how the Jewel came to be."
Miroku helped Sango over to her house to sit down and rest for a moment. When he came back out to find Shippo, he saw Inuyasha hovering nearby and knew the hanyou heard everything. "Don't get overexcited," he warned as he passed.
"I got this," Inuyasha growled in response.
"Good. Then you're carrying her."
His ears flicked back in distaste. "Huh? What- Why?"
"It's hard to do anything reckless when you have an irritated slayer on your back."
Sango, as it turned out, was even less thrilled at the idea than Inuyasha. She even tried to insist that she was more than capable of walking over on her own, but even the short trip to and from the graves had left her pale and shaking. She didn't look Inuyasha in the eye the entire time. They made their way to the far end of the village, where the cave stood in sharp contrast to the cliff face where it resided.
"So tell us Sango," Inuyasha grumbled to the slayer clinging to him. "How do we get rid of this stupid barrier?"
"Precisely," Myoga nodded from her shoulder. "We need to know the age-old incantation to pass through safely."
"There isn't any incantation," Sango said, puzzled. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and blew Myoga off her arm before gesturing for her to continue. "This place is a graveyard. At first, my people thought that demons had paced a curse to keep anyone from entering, but eventually realize that she was keeping intruders out."
"She?" Inuyasha asked, intrigued.
"A priestess named Midoriko, from whom the Shikon Jewel was born. Her spirit is full of sadness and regret, and it prevents others from entering. That's what I sense, at least. It will be easier to understand once we go in. Go ahead, step through the barrier."
"You sure about this?" Inuyasha asked, shuffling toward the mouth of the cave. "If I go flying again, I'm pretty sure I'll crush you."
Sango smirked slightly before sobering. "Countless people have been killed because of the Jewel's power, and it is the sympathy that you show for the victims that leads me to believe that she will allow you to enter."
Inuyasha closed his eyes and pushed through the barrier, surprised when he passed through unimpeded. Miroku and Shippo quickly followed suit. They walked down the long tunnel with the slight downward slope, passing countless decomposing and decayed bodies of demons amongst even more bones. The numbers only increased the deeper they went. Eventually they passed into a large cavern, full of twisting youkai figures made of stone. They formed a mountain, merging and twisting into one another, with the largest in the centre holding the stiff form of a woman.
"The hell is this?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing the scene as unease rose in his gut.
"There was a time where ogres, dragons, and other youkai merged their bodies together to battle against a powerful human." He followed her pointing finger to the woman clamped in the jaws of the largest demon. "Midoriko, a priestess who lived many centuries ago."
"Look at the number of demons surrounding her!" Inuyasha breathed, letting Sango climb down from his back. He never broke his gaze from the awe-inspiring statue. "She must have had immense spiritual power."
"The court nobles controlled the country at that time," Sango continued. "Wars and famines dragged on for decades, and countless people perished. Demons devoured the dead and dying, and grew in great numbers. Many priests and warriors set out to slay them, but only Midoriko was able to purify their souls and render them harmless. She was considered the most powerful human of her time."
Inuyasha's eyes darted to the slayer. "She could purify youkai souls?" he asked, unable to hide the tremor of fear in his voice. It had already frightened him, fifty years ago, to consider giving up his powers to join Kikyo and become human. He couldn't imagine facing down a demon-fighting human with the power to do just that.
"Mmhmm." Sango looked up at the woman reverently. "In this world, humans, animals, trees, and even stones are all created through the four souls."
"I've come across that philosophy before," Miroku murmured. "The four souls are called Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama. When they're combined, they become the soul of one person, housed inside the heart. Aramitama is courage, Nigimitama is friendship, Kushimitama is wisdom, and Sakimitama is love. When the four souls, or spirits, work together in harmony, it is called Naobi, and the human heart is filled with goodness." He smiled gently at Inuyasha's lost expression. "It's easier to grasp on paper."
"When a person does wrong, the four spirits energize evil," Sango explained. "And they lose their way. If they do good, then good is created."
Miroku nodded. "A soul can turn good or bad, depending on the choices made during their life. This transformation can happen within a human soul or a youkai soul."
He exchanged a glance with Inuyasha. His reverent tone combined with the surreal stillness of the cave and the majesty of the statue caused a shiver to run up Inuyasha's spine.
"Midoriko was such a formidable foe for the demons because she was able to purify their souls and make them powerless," Sango concluded."
Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. "So she fought off some demons by turning them into a bunch of weaklings. So what? They got her in the end. She's pretty useless now."
"She hasn't lost the battle yet." Sango's soft voice reverberated through the cavern, and Inuyasha followed her gaze to the gaping hole in the middle of Midoriko's chest. "After battling for seven days and nights, a demon got its fangs into her. With the last of her energy, she reached within her own body for strength, and seized the demon's soul, taking it into her own. In the process, both souls were forced from her body."
Miroku gazed at Midoriko with new eyes. Not a stone carving then, but the petrified remains of a gruesome final battle. With him and Kikyo, there had been no visible marks left on their bodies from the souls stolen from each other. He couldn't imagine such a violent act as to leave so prominent a wound. He shuddered at the thought, and Inuyasha took a step closer to him.
"The hole in her chest was from forcing out her soul?" he asked, just to be sure.
"What flew out of her was the Shikon Jewel," Sango said mildly. "She wasn't able to purify the demon's soul. All she could do was seize and imprison it along with her own. Although the flesh is gone, inside the Jewel, a battle still wages between Midoriko and the demons. That's why the fight isn't over yet."
Miroku's hand clutched at the Jewel hidden safely inside his robes. It made sense, in a way. The turmoil in the Jewel was reflected in the destruction it wrought.
"Heh! It's not like this complicates things," Inuyasha drawled. "We just have to worry about hunting down the shards and getting them before Naraku does. Once we complete the Jewel, I'm gonna use it to become a full-fledged demon, and then Midoriko can rest in peace!"
Miroku caught the frown flashing across Sango's face. He couldn't say he blamed her. Inuyasha turned with a huff and stalked out of the cave, and the others had no choice but to follow him. At the mouth of the cave, they found Myoga angrily hopping up and down and shouting at them. It seemed that Midoriko had prevented those she deemed unworthy from entering. Myoga was not pleased at that assessment.
That evening, Miroku took up his customary position beside Sango's bed while Inuyasha resumed his post on the roof. Though Sango was exhausted from the exertions of the day, she didn't sleep.
"My people have worked as slayers for generation upon generation," she mused, playing with Kirara's ears. "And it likely has something to do with Midoriko's influence. Over the centuries, the Jewel passed through the hands of several humans and demons, and returned here in my grandfather's time. He and many others were slain fighting a demon that possessed it. The Jewel was recovered but it had been defiled, and the slayers did not possess the means to handle it safely."
"So they entrusted it to a priestess, Kikyo," Miroku added thoughtfully.
"Kikyo?" Sango asked. "Was she the one with the ability to purify the Jewel?"
Miroku nodded slowly, knowing that Inuyasha was listening in from above. "Yes, but Naraku found her and killed her."
"In the presence of evil, the Jewel becomes defiled. When a pure-hearted soul possesses it, the Jewel transforms and becomes pure." Sango glanced at him, sorrow in her eyes. "Yet from the little I've seen, the former is far more common."
"It's all very complicated," Miroku sighed. "Despite having the capacity for good or evil, I've never heard of an instance where the Jewel has been used for good. And as long as Naraku is after it, there will only be more bloodshed. We must put an end to the Jewel's bad karma." He looked up at the ceiling. "Nothing good can come of those who seek to use the Jewel for selfish gain."
Inuyasha glared into the sky. Miroku was wrong. Kikyo had said that turning him into a human would use up the Jewel's power, so turning him into a demon would do the same. That would stop the karma or whatever it was Miroku was going on about. First, though, he needed to kill Naraku. That was his main goal.
Miroku didn't sleep well that night. He felt uneasy, as though something ominous lurked in the air. He couldn't relax, so he started to meditate. Slowly, his muscles unwound enough for sleep, though some part of him remained alert. With his mind so open, he felt the energy of the world prickle along his skin and curl around his mind. That was why he didn't notice the gentle tug, the almost imperceptible shift in weight, and the patter of tiny paws. When a tremor shook the earth, he jumped to his feet in an instant. His first instinct was to check on the others. His second was to feel for the Jewel shards around his neck.
Inuyasha jumped down from the roof, claws at the ready. He heard Miroku's steps fast approaching. "What was that tremor?"
Miroku shot straight past him. "Shards are gone! Something in the cave!"
Inuyasha swore and took off after him. They both passed through the barrier unimpeded and the sounds of a fight rose from deep within the cave. Inuyasha sprang forward, Miroku following close behind. Inuyasha could feel the youki emanating from the cave, and he heard Kirara roaring. He leapt, slicing through the ethereal form of the youki that emerged from the stone figures and had wrapped around Kirara. He heard Miroku approaching from his right and sensed the other spirits in the cave starting to stir. The presence of the Jewel must have reawakened them.
"Hurry, Miroku!"
The monk scrabbled through the rocks, eyes darting around for the telling pink glow. "Found it!" He glanced over the shifting spirits of the demons. "I cannot linger here with the shards. I have to leave the cave."
He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as the others. Inuyasha wasn't having it. "Go!" If another of those monstrous demons was going to wake up, then Miroku would be far out of reach. He held Tessaiga at the ready, waiting to see what else would stir. Nothing did. The light from the Jewel began to fade, and the glow of the stone disappeared. Once Miroku's footsteps faded from the cave, he breathed a sigh of relief and sheathed his sword. He narrowed his eyes as his gaze landed on Kirara, stalking over to the twin-tail's flank. She may have been the one fighting, but there was only one creature stupid enough to pull a move like that. Sure enough, his fingers combed through the fur at her side and revealed a quivering flea demon.
"Oh, it's you!" Myoga exclaimed, trying and failing to sound pleased to see him. "Thank goodness you came, Master! And thank goodness nothing too serious happened, eh?"
"Aw, cut the shit, will ya?" he growled, fishing the flea from her fur. "Why'd you drag the shards out to a place like this in the middle of the night?"
"I was asleep on Kirara's back and before I knew it, she had taken me here!"
Kirara let out the most offended-sounding growl Inuyasha had ever heard. "You liar!"
"It's true!" Myoga insisted. "And when we got here, all the youkai that still lived reacted and revived with the light from the Jewel!"
"I coulda told you that would happen, idiot!" Inuyasha huffed. "Tryin' to smooth over the fact that you were nearly killed. Heh! I should never've bothered saving you."
He marched out of the cave to where Miroku stood waiting. He sniffed over the monk instinctively, catching the scent of the others as he did so. Thankfully they were safe. As stupid as Myoga was, he was pack, and pack needed to be protected. They'd be having words later. For now, he wanted to check on the others. "Everything alright?"
Miroku nodded. "Jewel's fine and no one died, so no harm done. I take it Myoga was behind this?"
"Lying little parasite. I don't know why I bother keeping him around."
"Come on," the monk prodded, throwing an arm over his shoulders. "Let's go back to bed."
As Miroku sat down next to Sango and filled her in on what had occurred, he noticed that Kirara hadn't come back with them. He reached out with his mind and felt her presence in the cave, seemingly peaceful. He wondered if fighting demons was the only thing that the slayer village had inherited from Midoriko. He knew that demons could live for hundreds of years, maybe more. Perhaps there had been a guardian here, after all.