Warnings for this chapter: mild swearing, discussions of revenge and mourning, references to and attempted child sacrifice
They gathered around the fire Miroku had built, waiting for Inuyasha and Kirara to come back with fish from the nearby river. Sango ran her fingers through Shippo's hair, untangling the knots that had formed there since who-knows-how-long ago. Miroku sat across from her, appearing to meditate. Myoga had disappeared two days earlier to find what information he could about Naraku. Sango regretted letting him go.
It wasn't that she didn't want to journey with Miroku and Inuyasha, or that she thought their mission was unimportant. There was simply less…direction than she'd anticipated. It was their first day of travel, and they had set out bright and early to the direction Shippo had chosen because he was chasing a butterfly. Throughout the day they had followed the path of the river, and made camp when they were tired. It wasn't as though their methods were unsuccessful – the large chunk of Jewel which hung from Miroku's neck attested to their achievements – but Sango was used to hunting down the issue and solving it within three days, tops. The prospect of facing down months or even years for revenge honestly frightened her. She didn't know if she could last that long.
She looked up to see violet eyes surveying her through the fire. She held his gaze evenly. "Is this what it's usually like on your travels?"
His face broke into one of those dazzling smiles that she couldn't tell how real they were. "Much of this, unfortunately. It was significantly busier shortly after the Jewel broke, when the shards were being newly discovered and problems were popping up across the countryside. Now, most of the shards are in the possession of those who know how to be discreet." He must have seen her face fall, because he shrugged. "Supposedly, others are collecting the shards just as we are. That means fewer opponents to track down."
"And Naraku," she prompted. "He's seeking the Jewel as well?"
"Mm. He wants it to be tainted by malice first, but yes."
"And what about you?" Sango asked cautiously, adjusting the bow in Shippo's hair. "Why do you want to collect it? You seem to be against using it, though I'm not sure about Inuyasha."
Miroku nodded, a flash of apprehension crossing his face before a neutral mask descended. "He has wanted to use the Jewel for many years – it's somewhat complicated. As for myself, I originally sought the Jewel's power before realizing the harm it could do. I continued to pursue it after it broke because…" His eyes darted away and he grimaced. "I may have…unfortunately…beentheonewhobrokeit."
Sango blinked. "You what?"
"It was entirely accidental," he rushed. "And there were demons and children in danger and unfortunate timing involved."
He shrunk back slightly from her blank stare. Eventually she shook her head, a wry smile forming on her lips. "Everyone in my village thought some powerful demon must have done it, especially since it had disappeared so long ago. No one knew what caused it to resurface."
He grinned sheepishly. "Ah, yes, that was me as well." Her eyebrows shot up. "A story for another time, perhaps."
She was still staring incredulously at him when Inuyasha and Kirara returned. He eyed them both suspiciously before grabbing the sticks Shippo had gathered and skewering the several fish he carried to roast by the fire. Shippo scurried over and eagerly started helping. Kirara blinked at Sango but surprisingly stayed by Inuyasha's side, watching over Shippo and the various proceedings. Kirara's trust in the odd group was, admittedly, one of Sango's primary reasons for agreeing to go with them. Miroku seemed like a decent enough person, but she was still unsure about Inuyasha. She would just have to keep on her guard and make sure they were tracking down the Jewel for the right reasons. Besides, having a hanyou as an ally would be beneficial, especially when facing down Naraku. He wouldn't get away again.
Miroku leaned against a tree with Inuyasha by his side, looking over their strange group. For their first journey together, it hadn't gone terribly, but there had been an undeniable tension in the air all day. Neither Inuyasha nor Sango had said more than five words, none of which were to each other, and he hadn't missed how Sango had a hand on one of her weapons at all times. He glanced over at Inuyasha, who had his hands tucked in his sleeves and his eyes closed. Only his ears, which followed every sound that drifted through the forest, indicated that he was still awake.
Eventually, the hanyou opened his eyes and nodded slowly at Miroku, glancing significantly at Sango. The slayer lay with her back to them, and Miroku guessed she must finally have drifted off to sleep. She had been clearly exhausted by the day's travel with her still-healing wound, but Miroku wasn't surprised that she had been hesitant to actually fall asleep. He found himself relaxing in turn, leaning deeper against the tree.
"She's not going to last long like that," Inuyasha murmured, crossing his arms firmly.
"She's healing," Miroku countered. "Travelling is never easy while wounded."
"I'm not talking about her wounds," Inuyasha shook his head. "She was wound tight as a bow all day, and she's not relaxed even when she's asleep. She's gonna run herself ragged long before we find this castle." He glanced over at Miroku. "The woman needs to kill something."
Miroku sighed, looking up at the stars through the canopy of trees. "I suppose our pace might be a bit slow for her. Finding Naraku is going to be no easy task, though."
"We've faced him twice since we found out he was back," Inuyasha argued, a bit of heat rising in his voice. "He obviously wants us dead as well, or he wouldn't keep seeking us out. Once we find this stupid castle, we'll be able to track him down and be rid of him once and for all."
Glancing unintentionally at his covered right hand, Miroku couldn't find it in him to argue. Instead, he shot Inuyasha a smile. "It's certainly a fair difference from when we started out. We actually know what we're doing, now."
Inuyasha snorted. "Wouldn't go that far." His eyes softened as he looked over Shippo and Kirara, curled up together on top of Sango's side. "Different isn't bad, though."
The next few days brought little success, though. Despite searching practically every area within a day's ride of the slayer's village, they found nothing. On the third day, Shippo volunteered to scout the area. Miroku was hesitant to let him go, but Inuyasha urged the kit off. He was already pissed at the situation. It had been fifteen days since Sango left the castle with the Naraku puppet. Since then there had been no sign from the demon, and the likelihood of him sitting around waiting for them was slim. Every day that passed had him slipping further through their fingers, and it irked him. He wasn't the only one feeling it, either. Agitation rolled off Sango in waves, and it was putting them all on edge.
"I suppose even a large castle can be difficult to find," Miroku sighed, looking out over the surrounding landscape. "Hopefully Shippo comes back with something."
"He'd better," Inuyasha grumble before looking over at Sango. "And what about you? You sticking around?"
"My duty is to slay Naraku and repair the Shikon Jewel," Sango replied flatly, her eyes hard. "No matter how long it takes."
After sending Inuyasha a questioning look – which he staunchly ignored – Miroku knelt down in front of Sango. "It's possible that we may not find Naraku for some time. I know you're hungry for revenge, but you must pace yourself. We will come across him sooner or later if we keep collecting the Jewel shards." He shifted slightly, earnest sincerity in his eyes. "Please believe me. I understand how you feel."
Sango looked back at him, reading something in his expression. She nodded curtly and looked away. Miroku smiled tightly and retreated. Inuyasha remained skeptical. Hopefully they would be able to work together until they came across that monster. Then, they wouldn't stop until that bastard was dead. Before that, though, there was no use in running themselves ragged. There were plenty of other battles to fight in the meantime.
"Shippo!" Miroku called out in greeting as the bulbous pink globe of the fox floated toward them. "What were you able to see out there?"
The kit transformed and dropped to the ground, out of breath but waving his arm eagerly in the direction from which he'd come. "There's a large lake just over that hill to the north, and there's a huge shrine right in the middle of it!"
"A shrine?" Inuyasha asked, ears pricked. "Is it Naraku's castle?"
Sango salt bolt upright beside him and Miroku sighed inwardly. It wasn't that he wasn't pleased at the possible discovery – obviously he wanted to find Naraku as well – but they'd just relaxed on the issue. They climbed onto Kirara's back and followed Shippo's directions. When it became clear that there was a town surrounding the lake, they set down just outside its borders.
It was difficult not to stare at the devastation of the surrounding countryside. Uprooted trees littered the muddy ground amongst the remnants of broken houses and ruined crops. Farmers worked sullenly to till the ground and clear away debris, but Inuyasha could hear the disheartened mutterings and occasional swears. Apparently this wasn't the first time something like this had happened in the region. The devastation only grew the closer they got to the lake, and a prickling sensation began crawling up the back of Inuyasha's neck.
"Must've been a flood," Miroku commented, his eyes flashing over the destitute nature of many of the farmers.
The chiming of a bell sounded through the air, drawing their attention to a solemn procession across the ruined field. A collection of more than a dozen men walked in a line, sporting white banners and carrying an ornamented mikoshi between them, the portable shrine made of rich red silks. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and craned his neck to get a better view. He had a bad feeling about this.
"There it is, then," one of the nearby farmers remarked wanly.
"It was a devastating flood this year," another agreed. "I pray the sacrifice will save us."
"I wonder whose child it is?" a third whispered mournfully.
"A child sacrifice?" Inuyasha spluttered, recoiling even as his companions' heartrates spiked in unison.
"That's utterly barbaric!" Miroku gasped, glancing back at him to confirm that yes, they were going to do something about this.
Inuyasha growled. And they said that demons were bad… He left the others standing on the road and jumped across the field, coming to a rest on the back of the mikoshi as one of the men was pleading for the Headman to reconsider his decision. Probably not the child's father, based on the lack of screaming and crying, but at least someone was against killing kids.
"Why do you even ask?" the Headman said, resigned. "It is only natural we give up our firstborn to protect the town."
"What's natural about that?" Inuyasha asked casually, eyeing one of his new least favourite people. "This sacrifice is for your water god? I bet it's just some demon hyped-up through the power of a Jewel shard." He hopped down in front of the flabbergasted procession. "Don't even bother hiding it from us."
"Who are you?" the Headman asked haughtily, looking him up and down.
A series of murmurs rose from the rest of the procession, commenting on his ears and eyes and claws. Inuyasha ignored them with practiced ease and focused his attention back on the irritated Headman.
"Listen well," the main was saying. "This is a peaceful town protected by a great Water God! Demons are not welcome here!"
"You talkin' to me?" Inuyasha growled, leaning into the man's space.
"Stop it!" a commanding voice sounded from behind him, and Inuyasha sighed and allowed Miroku to step up beside him. "Our company is not hostile! Our mission is to travel around the country and assist those who are in need of help." Inuyasha barely resisted rolling his eyes at the monk's silky smooth tones. "We've heard of your misfortune. If you allow me, I will exorcise your town."
"Are you really that powerful?" one of the men asked.
"I think an exorcism is an excellent idea!" another added.
"Silence!" the Headman commanded, and Inuyasha's ears flicked back in response. "Don't be so easily deceived. They are conniving imposters!"
Miroku's lips pressed together and Inuyasha hid a snort. The humour quickly died as the first man continued. "I beg of you, Headman. At least hear what they have to say!"
"If we indulge the whims of conmen and rely on their trickery only to raise the ire of the Water God, who knows what else might befall our town," the Headman shook his head. "How can I justify angering the Water God with a false exorcism when it's my son's turn to be sacrificed?"
Miroku rocked back as though struck and Inuyasha instantly bared his teeth. What the hell?
"How can I risk undoing all the sacrifices made by all the children who went before him?" the Headman continued, looking far too calm for the situation. Inuyasha eyed him incredulously. Was the man insane?
Miroku felt someone watching him, and out of the corner of his eye, caught a small masked face peering out from the flaps of the mikoshi. Was that the child sacrifice? Though he couldn't make out any features under the clay mask, it was obvious from the boy's tiny frame that he was still very young – not that it mattered, when people were being sacrificed. It only served to fuel his ire at the Headman.
"We must deliver the sacrifice before the sun sets," the Headman ordered his followers. "Hurry up! Continue the procession!"
Inuyasha and Miroku stepped to the side of the road to where the others were waiting as the men continued past them. They watched them go with matching stony expressions. Inuyasha didn't need to see Sango's hand on her sword or Miroku's white-knuckled grip on his staff to know how they felt about the affair. Shippo, meanwhile, was not quite up to speed with the situation.
"The guy with the mustache is weird," he said decisively, looking after the procession. "I don't trust him."
"He's acting as though he wants his son to be sacrificed!" Inuyasha spat.
"He was strangely upset with our interference," Miroku mused, looking thoughtful.
"Well, I guess we move on and let 'em dunk the kid," Inuyasha grumbled, not happy about the situation.
Miroku turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. "Try again."
Inuyasha crossed his arms. "We to a job that we don't want to do for people who told us not to."
"Closer."
"Fine!" he sighed, throwing his hands and marching off after the procession. "We'll be heroes. Damn!"
"Are you serious?" a voice sounded from the flooded ditch beside them.
Inuyasha decidedly did not jump. He stared incredulously at the small boy, who wore a woven straw mino and was poking his head up to the road. The boy turned and began running down a nearby path which cut across the fields, yelling back "Follow me! Hey, you wanna be left behind?"
"Bossy kid," Inuyasha commented, taking the lead as they followed him.
He led them to a forested area at the edge of the town, not saying another word all the while. Finally, he reached a particular area behind a large tree, from behind which he pulled a bundle of items wrapped haphazardly in a blanket. The boy let everything drop to the ground, a collection of coins, rolls of silk, ceramics and other items.
"You can have 'em," the boy said as Miroku and Sango examined the goods. "Take your pick."
"What is this garbage?" Inuyasha asked, eyeing the kid rather than the junk.
"Ooh!" Miroku exclaimed delightedly, turning over a beautifully painted pot in his hands. "There are some valuable articles here."
"I've never seen such fine silk before," Sango added, running her hands over a light blue spool.
"You done choosing?" the boy asked impatiently. "Good! Then consider yourself hired!"
"Whaddya mean, hired?" Inuyasha grumbled, glancing between the boy and his wayward humans.
"I heard you bragging to the townspeople – coming to people's aid is your mission – so I want you to live up to your reputation." He glared at each of them in turn with a fierce expression. "You're working for me now to destroy the Water God. Got it?"
Miroku and Sango exchanged a glance while Inuyasha stalked up to the boy, looking him up and down. The boy held his gaze evenly, even though he could smell the fear rolling off him. Feisty little thing. He bared his teeth and the boy shrunk back a bit.
"Fine, we'll do it, but we ain't working for you. Got it? You tell us what we need to know, and then we take care of things and you stay out of the way."
"Whatever," the kid huffed, crossing his arms. "This way."
Miroku hurriedly gathered the most choice looking items and stuffed them into his robes and Sango's waiting carrying cloth. Inuyasha eyes them both with distain. "These are stolen goods. I just know it!"
"That's none of our concern," Miroku replied easily, shoving a handful of coins into his robes before following after the boy.
They followed him through a reedy marsh to the edge of the lake. "The human sacrifice is taken to the shrine on a boat. So, we'll follow the boat and attack it when the Water God surfaces to devour him."
Miroku eyed the boy skeptically. "And whose child are you? Why do you care so deeply for this sacrifice?"
"Humph!" the boy scoffed, looking away. "My family is none of your business."
"Is that because you're the son of the Headman?" Miroku asked easily, smiling knowingly when the boy balked. "You have the same eyebrows and forehead."
"And the same attitude," Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.
"So the boy in the procession was an imposter?" Sango asked, tucking the goods safely against a tree.
"Yes," the boy said. "My name is Taromaru, and I'm the Headman's firstborn."
"And you're so eager to do this because…?" Inuyasha prompted.
"The Water God started demanding human sacrifices from our town about half a year ago. We've had heavy rains and flooding. The Water God said that in order to lift the curse, a human sacrifice was necessary. A child was selected when a white arrow landed on the roof of his home. Father would always say to bear the loss for the sake of the town, but when the arrow landed on our roof, he told me to go and hide."
"So he found another child to take your place, and meanwhile you're in hiding," Inuyasha concluded, grimacing.
"What a selfish man," Miroku shook his head.
"I agree with you there."
"Though, I imagine that explains why you want to save him," Miroku added, sympathy colouring his voice.
"He's one of my best friends," Taromaru nodded. "We grew up together. There's no way I'm going to let him take my place."
"Well, I hope you have a boat," Sango said, folding her travel clothes on the roots of the tree next to the goods. She hoisted Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and smoothed out her armour. "That demon has to be exterminated. I have a reputation to uphold, after all." She glanced at Inuyasha and Miroku. "I'll take care of the Water God by myself."
"You're still recovering," Inuyasha instantly countered. "Stop trying to act so tough, you show-off! I bet you can't even lift that heavy weapon over your head yet."
"Is that a challenge?" Sango growled, her eyes narrowing.
Inuyasha smirked, rolling up his sleeves. "Bring it on, anytime!"
"We all received payment for our services," Miroku pointed out, stepping in between the two. "So, let's band together and finish the job, and you two can try to kill each other later." He paused. "Again."
Inuyasha harrumphed and turned his back on the pair, only to have Shippo tug insistently on his sleeve. "You should really stop trying to pick a fight with everybody," the kit advised solemnly.
"Tell that to her, not me!" Inuyasha snapped, shaking the kit off and making no effort to lower his voice. "She's the one trying to shirk the rest of the team."
Sango scowled and looked away. She could hear Miroku murmuring something to Inuyasha, but she ignored them. She wasn't trying to be difficult, and it wasn't that she didn't trust the others – though, she had to admit, that was part of it. Her team had been her family, and she didn't know if she was ready to let that go just yet. She would work with Inuyasha and Miroku, with Kirara faithfully by her side as ever, but it wouldn't be the same.
Taromaru did indeed have a boat for them to use. He also insisted on coming with them. At first they were adamantly against this plan, but every moment they spent arguing had the child sacrifice coming closer to death. As Inuyasha scolded the boy for being pushy and warned him to run and hide from any danger, Miroku exchanged quiet words with Sango. If the battle turned or there was simply too much risk, she and Kirara would take Shippo and Taromaru and drop them off somewhere safe.
While Sango rode on Kirara's back, the twin-tail swimming strongly through the water, the others followed on the boat. The lake was cold and covered in mist, growing ever darker as dusk fell. Taromaru explained that the Water God had demanded the sacrifice be delivered just before sunset. They pushed along, quickly but quietly, not wanting to alert whatever was inside to their presence.
"There's the Water God's shrine gate," Taromaru whispered, and Miroku adjusted their course accordingly.
"That's the shrine I saw this afternoon," Shippo breathed, glancing back at Miroku with wide eyes.
For his part, Miroku kept his gaze fixed ahead of them. The whole place had a sinister air surrounding it, and the ever-thicker fog obscuring their vision didn't help any. They passed through the wooden tori gate and slowly the shrine was revealed. It was incredibly large, as Shippo had described, with covered hallways stretching out to either side. Two lanterns cut through the mist with a warm yellow glow, guiding them in to the entrance. Sango looked over her shoulder and caught Miroku's eye, pointing to a small boat docked just outside the shrine. He nodded in agreement. The child sacrifice had already entered. They had to move fast.
Two youkai stood outside the doors to the shrine, holding trident yari spears. Taromaru ducked down in the boat, telling them to hide with a fierce whisper. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the kid and jumped from the boat. He kicked one of the guards in the face before landing, punching the other out cold. They both went down too easily to have ever seen a real challenge. Inuyasha snorted in derision and kicked them both out of the way before punching through the wooden doors.
"Is he ever strong!" Taromaru breathed, staring in awe.
Miroku winked at Sango. "And oh, so subtle."
"So very subtle," she agreed, climbing off Kirara and catching the bow of their boat to bring it in.
Inuyasha crept through the shrine, ears pricked for a young human heartbeat. The place stank of demon and fish, leaving an awful taste in his mouth. Soft voices filtered through the thin walls, followed by a frightened child's cry. Inuyasha ran, shoving aside the various guards that appeared to try and stop them. He was gratified to see Hiraikotsu and Miroku's staff flashing out of the corner of his eyes, covering his sides. They burst into the room in time to see a youkai holding up a child by his face with an incredibly long arm. A collection of fishy-looking guards stood between them, but Inuyasha wasn't interested in stopping. He battered them to the side, trusting the others to take care of them and focusing on reaching the child before it was too late.
"The guards are fish and crabs under a spell!" Miroku shouted after him, and Inuyasha spared a glance to see a fish flopping out of a guard's clothes, covered on foam.
The supposed water god's eyes narrowed as Inuyasha came to a stop in front of him, the child still suspended in the air. "Did I interrupt dinner?" he asked, reaching for Tessaiga.
"Master Taro?" the child mumbled through the youkai's hand, his arms flapping ineffectually through the air as he struggled to gain purchase.
"Suekichi!" Taromaru shouted, scrambling off Kirara's back and stumbling forward. Inuyasha caught him easily by the scruff of the neck.
"Calm down," he advised harshly, holding the struggling boy back.
"You're dressed like a dirty urchin," the youkai remarked, eyeing him. "But you are the Headman's son, aren't you?"
"That's right!" the idiot responded fiercely. "Now that you've got me, release Suekichi! I am the real human sacrifice."
Inuyasha shot Miroku an exasperated look over his shoulder. He lifted the boy up with a sneer. "Why'd you hire us if you're just gonna throw yourself at him?"
He threw the boy back for Miroku to catch and leapt forward, aiming Tessaiga for the youkai's head. Instead, he was met with the clash of metal as the water god's Trident stopped his sword midair. A powerful force rippled from the Trident, sending him flying back. He landed hard on the ground and Tessaiga pulsed once before transforming back, leaving not even the faint golden glow of its power behind.
"A petty demon sword like yours is no match for the power of the Trident of Amakoi!" the water god pronounced, holding the golden Trident aloft with a glowing blue light. "You have committed a grave crime in defacing my shrine. You will pay for this with your lives!"
Water filled the room, submerging all of them in a gigantic wave. It took a moment for Inuyasha to register the danger they were in. The currents were taking them all in different directions, dragging them away to who knows where. There was no telling which way was up, and it was hard to see what was going on through the dark churning waters. Inuyasha scrambled for purchase and his hand hit something solid – the ground! Well, at least he knew which way was up, and he clung on to the rocks with all his might. He saw Miroku with Shippo clinging to his robes use a few strong kicks to reach the Headman's son. He clutched the boy to his chest and his eyes met Inuyasha's. They were being carried quickly away from him. He had to do something! Just as he pushed off from the rocks, something slammed painfully into his back and he cried out, valuable air disappearing in bubbles floating away. He felt himself sinking, the pressure around him building ever stronger, and the edges of his vision turned black.
Miroku clung to the boy. He had no idea where they were going, but he guessed that Taromaru's chances would be better with him than floating alone in the water. He'd lost sight of Sango, Kirara, and the other boy, and silently prayed that they were safe. His lungs began to burn, crying out for air, but the powerful waters were moving too fast for him to have any say in where they were going. Inuyasha might be able to navigate the currents, but- The image of Inuyasha speeding to the lake floor with a boulder weighing him down flashed before his eyes. Even as he clutched Taromaru closer to his chest, he cast out with his mind, finding the nenju beads at the edge of his consciousness. He tugged sharply, remembering how it had pulled Inuyasha off balance before. He had no idea whether it would be enough to pull him free from the boulder's grasp, or even if Inuyasha needed help, but it was all he could do.
The current tugged them sharply in one direction, then suddenly they were crashing to the ground in the shrine again. Miroku gasped for air, the sudden rush making him lightheaded. A wild glance saw Shippo coughing and gulping down air, the Headman's son stirring, and the false water god glowing in anger. Part of Miroku was screaming for him to find a way back into the water, to find where Inuyasha had been taken, but he knew that he had to protect the children from this demon. He didn't know how well dog demons could swim, but he had to trust in Inuyasha's strength and overwhelming stubbornness.
With the water god so close to him, the overwhelming youkai washed over him, but there was no accompanying Jewel shard. Disappointing, but it meant that they could fight unrestricted. He watched the other boy – Suekichi, Taromaru had called him – grab hold of a tōrō and swing the floor lamp at the demon, only to be seized and flung to the ground. He needed help. Miroku had never slapped a demon with a wet sutra before, but there was a first time for everything. It ended up being two or three of them, stuck together in a wad, that he chucked at the demon's face. The demon blocked them, but his arm transformed, changing back into something wriggling and slimy. Miroku followed it with a whack to the head with his staff, buying him enough time to pick up Suekichi and run back to the others. Shippo was smacking the Headman's son, trying to get him to respond. Miroku didn't have a chance to see if the boy was alive or not-
"Suekichi!" Taromaru exclaimed.
Mystery solved. The boys crawled toward each other but there was no time for a touching reunion. Miroku steered both of them out the doors, needing to get them to safety if he was to face the false god alone. The demon was already clambering to his feet, his eyes glowing red. He shepherded the boys and Shippo towards the boathouse, casting a frantic gaze around the lake as he did so. There was no sign of the others. He had no idea where the waters may have brought them, or what condition they were in. Suddenly, stranded in the middle of the fog-covered lake, cold and in the dark, he felt very alone.
When Inuyasha came to, he was surrounding by fish. It wasn't his favourite way to wake up, but better than not waking up at all. His head felt too heavy for his neck and his chest burned with fire. Hands grasped him by the shoulders and began dragging him out of the water. They turned him on his side, and suddenly his instinct kicked in. He coughed and hacked, expelling a good chunk of the lake from his lungs. His vision blurred and was fading in and out, and he tried to focus on breathing. His muscles were shaking from the strain of fighting against the current and the boulder, exacerbated by his chest-rattling coughs. He could vaguely make out voices around him, and tried to focus on the words.
"The Water God is nothing but an imposter!"
"He used to be a simple water sprite like us and lived here in the lake, but he resorted to trickery to gain power."
"He sealed the real Water God in the craggy rock over there."
"Then he took the Trident of Amakoi and with a great declaration, fooled the townspeople into thinking he was the water god!"
Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. Sango was leaning over him, talking to some fish, who had been talking back. He scrambled to his feet and growled. Sango's hands were at his back, helping him upright. The two fish, or water sprites or whatever, were looking at them with their beady little eyes.
"The fuck?" he asked eloquently. The sprites kept staring at him, and he supposed he owed them thanks for saving him, but honestly he couldn't be bothered.
"Inuyasha, you're alive!" Sango smiled grimly. "Good. Come on, we need to rescue the real Water God."
"Not on your life." He tore his arm from her grasp. "Miroku's facing that demon alone!"
And with that he took off, back to the shrine where he could hear Miroku's rapid heartbeat.
Miroku crouched inside the small room of the boathouse, praying that the sutra he had slapped on the door would be enough to hide them from the water god, at least until he could figure out a more permanent solution. The boys huddled close to him, shaking and terrified. Shippo had his face pressed to the bottom of the door, listening intently.
"The footsteps have stopped," the fox whispered, not taking his eyes from the gap of the door.
Creaking wood was his only warning before the hut shattered under the force of the demon's constrictions. Miroku had a hand on the back of each boy's head, pressing their faces into the ground as he shielded their bodies with his own as best he could. Shippo had buried underneath him.
"I will destroy you first, monk," the voice of the water god sounded from behind him.
A tentacle wrapped around his leg, knocking him off balance and dragging him away from the boys. He looked up to see the Trident coming straight at his chest and he braced for impact. Instead there was a grunt and a clang, and a very pissed-off looking Inuyasha standing over him.
"Inuyasha!" he gasped out, unable to keep the relieved smile from his face despite the dire situation.
"You alright?" Inuyasha asked, dragging him to his feet and quickly glancing over him. Tessaiga had transformed back from the strike and he shoved it back in its sheath before tugging Miroku a little closer.
"The demon's trying to eat the children," Miroku admitted.
"The real Water God's sealed in a rock. Sango's heading towards it."
"Trade?"
"Trade!"
With that, Miroku took off down the walkway, yelling back "No Jewel shard!"
"Damn it!" echoed back to him and he grinned.
He ran to the end of the walkway, coming to a stop to a splashing sound. He saw Sango riding Kirara just a little ways away. "Sango!"
"Miroku, you're still alive?" she called out as Kirara angled towards him.
"Somehow! Can I get a ride?"
Kirara paddled over, coming to a stop parallel to the end of the walkway. He lowered himself into the water before clambering onto her back, his sodden robes a dead weight. Kirara sunk a little deeper into the water and huffed in indignation, and Miroku wrapped his arms automatically around Sango's waist.
"Hold on," she warned as Kirara set out again. "You're letting Inuyasha deal with the demon alone? What about the children?"
"He'll take care of them," Miroku assured. "Don't worry about Inuyasha in that respect. He can handle the demon and he won't let the boys die."
"You sure?" Sango glanced back at him, concern written over her face. "I get that he's strong, but he doesn't seem to care much for unfamiliar humans."
"He's not usually so hostile to be around, but I'm guessing that it's his way of having sympathy for you." He smirked at her incredulous glance and rushed to explain. "He thinks that fighting will ease your pain, and that's why he's acting so aggressive. He's seeking vengeance for you." Sango was staring at him, maybe reading the fond note in his voice. He shrugged, nonchalant. "Or he could just be having a bad two weeks. I don't know."
They landed at a rocky mound rising from the waters of the lake. The tallest of the rocks, which rose far above their heads, was bound with a shimenawa seal. Dozens of craggy outcrops formed dozens of possible caves.
"Which one, do you think?" Sango asked, eyeing them all. Time didn't appear to be on their side, and she'd rather not chance angering a God with their tardiness.
"It has to be around here somewhere," Miroku reasoned, moving closer to the main rock.
"Is someone there?" a young, feminine voice sounded from one of the rocks.
"A young woman?" Sango asked Miroku quietly, exchanging a confused glance.
"Who's there?" the voice demanded, haughtier this time.
"Oh, I see!" Miroku said suddenly, standing taller. "Water God, we're here to save you!"
"Just hurry up and unseal this save and set me free!"
"Right away!"
Miroku bowed before peering closer at the rocks. Sango could just make out a worn sutra covering the unnaturally flat surface of a nearby boulder. Miroku shot her a tight grin and reached for the seal, pulling it back with a wave of spiritual power. Warm light burst from the newly revealed cave, causing them both to step back. Sango covered her eyes and was mildly alarmed to find Miroku pressing against her, placing his back to the cave and shielding her with his body. She pushed him away and he went easily, turning back to the Water God's cave.
"Hello?" Miroku asked tentatively when no one appeared. "Goddess?"
"In here!" the voice directed them, and they obediently moved closer. A tiny woman the height of Sango's palm crouched inside a cave that was somehow lit from the inside. She looked human enough except for her pointed ears and striking beauty. There was also an aura of power around her that could only be ascribed to the kami, powerful in a way no other youkai were. Beside her, Miroku shifted uneasily.
"You're so beautiful but so tiny!" he breathed. "It would be a first for me, but I'm certainly willing to give it a try."
"Try what?" Sango asked in disbelief. After the stunned horror of his suggestion wore off, she was almost impressed with his gall of flirting with a God, though it didn't quite make up for how wildly inappropriate the whole thing was. Was he even serious? She honestly couldn't tell.
Inuyasha gathered up the kids and shoved them away from the demon. Shippo squirmed out from under his hand, pointing frantically down the walkway. "Hey, the water god is escaping!"
"Where are you, you bastard?" Inuyasha shouted before turning back to his charges. "Shippo, get the boys outta here! Head towards Miroku and Sango."
He ran to the edge of the walkway, peering out over the water. A dark form crashed into the walkway from below, splitting the wood and clamping down on one of his legs. He was dragged into the water, the coils of the water god sliding around him as he took his true form, that of a giant water snake. He slammed the coils away from his body and fought his way to the surface, gasping in a breath before being dragged under once more. Slashing at the snake with his claws made the demon rear back, enough for him to claw his way back to the surface. The water god surfaced in front of him, still maintaining a human-like appearance above the waist.
"You're no god," Inuyasha spat. "And without that trident, you're back to the bottom of the food chain."
He slapped the snake's coils to the side and leapt from them into the air, past the head of the water god as he struck. But the demon's tail was still wrapped around his leg and it dragged him back into the water again, this time bringing him down, down, deeper into the depths. The body of the demon wrapped tightly around him, squeezing the air and life out of him. His struggling slowed as darkness began to seep across his vision. He was going to die! Then Shippo would be in real danger, and those stupid kids would die, and- What was that? Two more heartbeats- Miroku and Sango!
"Shippo!" Miroku shouted, seeing the fox and the two boys huddled outside the remains of the boathouse. Neither Inuyasha nor the false water god were anywhere to be seen. "Are you alright? What are you doing here? Where's Inuyasha?"
"He told us to run, but the water god dragged him underwater and he hasn't come up!" Shippo's voice was shrill as he ran over to cling to Miroku's robes.
"Let me down!" the Water God demanded from her perch in Miroku's cupped hands. "I shall subdue this imposter."
"Whatever you say, Goddess," Miroku breathed, gently placing her down on the ground and ignoring the way Shippo's eyes bugged out of his head. Yes, he hadn't been expecting her size either, but it was rude to stare.
The Water God moved to the edge of the walkway and reached for a collection of tiny jewels that hung from one of her ears. She tossed it into the swirling lake, calling out "I command these waters to part!"
Inuyasha glanced up as a powerful pink glow split through the inky blackness at the bottom of the lake. The demon glanced up, fear ripping across his face. Power burst from the source of the light, pushing the waters back in all directions and exposing them to sweet, sweet air. Inuyasha coughed weakly, barely able to catch a breath with the demon's coils still constricting around him.
The waters parted reveal Inuyasha, trapped on the ground in the clutches of false water god. He was pale and his lips were tinged blue, and he weakly pushed away at the demon's body wrapped around him. Miroku immediately ran to the edge of the walkway, preparing to jump down to the rocky lake bed and help. Instead, the Water God's Trident slammed into the walkway, shattering the wood and spraying them all with foam. The false god caught the weapon as it fell and reared back, rising far above their heads.
"I don't know how you freed the Water God, but it doesn't matter," he hissed down at them. "Now I'm the real Water God!"
"She needs the Trident back," Miroku said to Sango as she herded the children away from the edge of the walkway.
"What do you suggest?" she asked, glancing at the demon.
The false god dove for them, preparing to strike with his Trident. Miroku slammed his staff against the walkway, summoning a quick barrier. The snake bounced off it and reeled backwards, almost falling back into the surrounding waters. But he hissed and raised the Trident again, and Miroku knew that even in the best of times, he couldn't hold a barrier against the weapon of a God. The demon prepared to strike again, but was stopped as Inuyasha's claws tore down his sides. He cried out in pain and veered off to the side as Inuyasha clung on tight.
"Kirara!" Sango shouted, jumping off the walkway and trusting the twin-tail to catch her.
Miroku watched as Sango threw her weapon, aiming to slice down the demon's side, only to be blocked by the demon's Trident. He ground his teeth, knowing that he couldn't use his wind tunnel with Inuyasha and Sango so close to the demon. Instead he put himself in front of the children, staff at the ready.
The demon raised the Trident and clouds began swirling into a thunderstorm. A twister formed in the clouds, pulled towards the weapon. Sango ground her teeth and nudged Kirara with her foot to bank left. She threw Hiraikotsu again, but this time it was caught up in the twister that rushed towards them. The force threw her from Kirara, sending them both flying through the air. Sango instinctively flattened her body and spread out her arms and legs, making it as easy as possible for Kirara to catch her again. If she didn't, then Sango would at least be hitting water, but belly-flopping from that distance didn't sound like something she ever wanted to do. A flash from above warned her of more imminent danger. The false god dove for her, the Trident aimed for her exposed back.
"Sango!" Inuyasha shouted, springing from the side of the demon's body to slam into him, shoving the Trident's trajectory away from her as he did so. Kirara circled around, catching Sango and angling them towards the falling Hiraikotsu.
"You okay?" Inuyasha called down, one hand closing around the demon's neck even as he peered down at them. She nodded, both in answer and in thanks, and he turned his attention back to the demon. "I'm tired of looking at your scaly hide, you big faker!"
Pushing the demon's face away from him with one hand, Inuyasha grabbed the Trident and tugged it out of his grasp. The snake demon's tail whipped against him, throwing him off the demon's body and slamming the air from his lungs. He barely caught a hold further down the demon's flank, just in time to see him cast off the last remnants of his disguise, absorbing his limbs and transforming fully into a giant water snake. The demon hissed and struck, his fangs sinking deep into Inuyasha's arm. He heard Sango and Miroku's cries for him mingle into one. Growling, he tore at the demon's eyes with his claws before kicking at the corner of his mouth, trying to pry open his jaws. They both fell back into the water, neither willing to give up the fight.
"The winds're gonna blow the town apart!" Taromaru cried, watching as several twisters travelled ominously across the lake, heading for the houses already damaged by floods.
"Calming a twister is a simple matter," the Goddess remarked coolly from Miroku's hand. "I could do it in my sleep."
Exasperation washed over Miroku, but the Headman's son beat him to a retort. "Then don't just talk about it, do it!"
"I would be happy to, young man," she shot back. "As soon as you retrieve my sacred Trident."
Inuyasha and the demon burst from the water together, the hanyou's arm still locked in the snake's jaws. He shot a feral grin at them before punching the demon's face again. "Inuyasha!" Miroku called after him.
"Don't worry! It'll take more than this pathetic reptile to get rid of me!"
"We need the Trident or the town will be destroyed!"
Well, fine then. Never a dull moment. The demon dropped them both back into the water and he kicked against his jaws several times, finally struggling free. Inuyasha broke the surface and threw the Trident over at Miroku. "Here! Take the stupid thing!"
The serpent's tail struck the Trident from its path, sending it crashing back into the waves.
"I'll get it!" Taromaru shouted, diving into the water after it. Miroku reached out to grab him, but with one hand on his staff and the other holding the Water God, he couldn't catch him in time. He shouted after the boy, but to no avail.
Inuyasha broke the surface, still struggling with the serpent, and Miroku shouted after him. "Inuyasha, child in the water!"
Inuyasha swore and immediately dove down. Miroku waited for an agonizing moment but, sure enough, the boy came flying from the water with the Trident grasped in his hand. Miroku caught Sango's gaze as she flew down on Kirara and they nodded in understanding. They moved in synchrony. The demon's tail whipped over to catch the boy but met Sango's weapon instead, slicing the appendage cleanly off. After tossing the Water Goddess at Shippo – he might be going to hell for that – Miroku leapt forward and caught Taromaru as he fell. They landed safely on the walkway, and Miroku turned just in time to see Sango and Kirara diving into the water after Inuyasha.
As Sango's hand clamped around his wrist, Inuyasha shot her a feral grin, all teeth and exhilaration. They broke the surface and Sango dragged him behind Kirara, suspended in the air. "Pretty slick maneuvering there, Sango!"
"That's nothing!" she shot back, looking like she was enjoying herself for the first time.
He smiled to himself before narrowing his eyes at the serpent demon. "Okay, I'm aiming for its head."
"Gotcha!"
She swung him forward with more power than he'd expected from the human, sending him flying towards the demon. The serpent rose from the water to meet him, mouth gaping open. He sliced Tessaiga down its side, splitting the demon open.
Miroku paused on his way back to the others, shoving Taromaru behind him and opening the wind tunnel. He sucked in the falling body of the demon before it could crash into where Shippo and Suekichi stood. Inuyasha burst from the water and landed beside Miroku. He grabbed Taromaru and Miroku followed him as he ran towards the Water Goddess. Shippo placed her gently on the ground as Inuyasha dropped Taromaru in front of her, Trident and all. Miroku held the Trident steady in front of her as she walked toward it. She placed her hands against it and a warm glow enveloped her. They watched as she grew, standing tall and proud before them. She held the Trident up in the air with the command "Clouds disperse!"
And that was it. The storm broke and starlight poured down on the sodden group. They exchanged relieved glances, checking for injuries. Kirara landed next to them and Sango slid from her back, bowing respectfully at the Water Goddess before sending a dazzling smile at the others. Inuyasha returned the gesture with a satisfied smirk, bumping his shoulder against Miroku's and slapping him companionably across the back.
They escorted the Water Goddess back to her shrine and apologized for trashing the place. She was gracious enough to say it didn't matter, especially when her sprite servants began cautiously emerging from their hiding places around the lake, summoned by the false god's death. She thanked them for their assistance and assured them that the town would be well taken care of, no child sacrifices necessary.
They piled back into Taromaru's boat and steered it safely to shore. After taking a moment to rest, exhausted by the long battle, they gathered the goods they'd stored away earlier and wrung some of the water from their dripping clothes. They picked their way through the forest and fields towards the Headman's house as the sky lightened with dawn. Miroku suspected that there would be an interesting scene waiting for them upon their return.
Sure enough, the Headman burst from his house as soon as they approached, shouting and waving angrily at them before embracing his son. The commotion drew quite the crowd, none of whom seemed to know exactly what to make of the situation. Some were even muttering about killing the demons before Taromaru began loudly proclaiming how Inuyasha and the others had saved them. He told the story in broad strokes, embellishing several aspects and drawing gasps and cheers from the gathered crowd. Soon enough, a man and a woman pushed through the gathered bodies and flung their arms around Suekichi. From their frantic conversation, it became clear that they had no idea where their son had been for the past day. Miroku's face darkened in response. His eyes met those of the Headman's, and he saw fear there.
"The town is saved!" the Headman proclaimed grandly to his people, earning a series of cheers. He turned to Miroku and squared his shoulders. "As I said, demons are not welcome here. We thank you, monk, and you, slayer, for ridding our home of such vermin."
Sango balked at the man's rudeness. She saw a stony mask slide over Miroku's usually serene expression, and Shippo shrunk back against his leg. Behind them, Inuyasha growled low in his throat, his ears flattening against his head. He huffed and turned, marching away from the crowd. Sango rounded on the Headman.
"How dare you show such disrespect!" she scolded, barely keeping her voice below a shout. "We risked our lives to save your town and these children – all of us! Including two demons and a hanyou! You should be thanking him on your knees."
With that, she huffed and followed after Inuyasha, Shippo and Kirara trailing after her. Miroku lingered behind, levelling a cold gaze at the flustered Headman. When the man met his eyes he smiled sweetly. "It's true, my companions and I fought hard for your town, but we're not the only ones who should be celebrated. Why, your son displayed great bravery and cunning! You should be very proud!"
The man's face drained of colour and he harrumphed. He pushed Miroku towards his house with a hand on his back. "How right you are, hoshi-sama. And I would feel remiss about letting you leave without some recognition of your efforts here!"
Inuyasha was fuming as he walked along the crumbling path from the town. After all that, all that, it still boiled down to his parentage. His arm stung from the snake's teeth, though the bleeding was slowing to a stop. No doubt Miroku would fuss over it. At least the others weren't hurt. And, to be fair, they did save two children, a Goddess, and a town. What was that karma garbage that Miroku was always going on about? He felt like they'd earned some of that today. It still didn't remove the sting of the Headman's words, his scornful tone. Inuyasha was so deep in his thoughts that he barely registered Miroku catching up with them amidst his grumblings.
"Man, we spent all our time fighting and overgrown snake and we didn't even get a Jewel shard to show for it!"
"It wasn't all a waste," Miroku said sagely. "We helped out the needy."
As Inuyasha turned to glare at him, Miroku saw the precise moment that he registered the cart he was sitting on and the horse that drew it. His ears flicked and his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped open.
"The hell is this?" Inuyasha asked, sniffing suspiciously over the supplies piled high in the cart.
"Well, I mentioned to the Headman that I wouldn't be opposed to telling the villagers of his son's tremendous bravery," he glanced over the goods, maintaining the innocence in his voice. "And for some reason he gave me these gifts."
"You blackmailed him into it, didn't you?" Inuyasha spat.
Miroku blinked at him with wide eyes and he growled, stalking away grumbling to himself. As he threw a few light insults over his shoulder, Miroku caught Sango glaring at him. She wore an expression of skepticism and disgust, but something must have shown in Miroku's attempted smile, because her face softened in understanding. She gave an exaggerated sigh and nodded her head. Miroku returned the gesture with a genuine smile and turned to face the road ahead.
"I think we should sell these off in the next village and have a big party to celebrate!"
Inuyasha stopped in his tracks, turning to sneer at him over his shoulder. "Aw, this is the last time I do any acts of human kindness with you!"
He immediately betrayed this sentiment by hopping onto the cart next to him and looking over the goods. He soundly ignored the monk, but Miroku could see his lips tugging into the barest hint of a smile when Shippo and Kirara joined him in sniffing through the "gifts." Sango threw Hiraikotsu and her bundled carrying cloth onto the cart as well, and that was that.
"Why'd you have to get all this, Miroku?" Inuyasha finally asked, sounding sincere and a little defensive.
"I had no qualms in showing the Headman the error of his ways," Miroku shrugged. "Besides, these goods will come in handy. We could use the extra money."
"Why are you always so worried about money?" Inuyasha grumbled. "It's not as though we need it."
"Our group is growing bigger, and we need to address the practicalities of that. We need more medical supplies and food to travel with if there's not a river available for fish. If we need to pay for lodgings then it's far more expensive than if it was just the two of us." He looked seriously over the produce, and Inuyasha could see the calculation in his eyes. "Things are a little more complicated now, and I want to make sure we're prepared."
Inuyasha had to grudgingly admit that he was right. The combination of fighting, endless travel, murderous enemies, and a small child had already been tough to navigate without two new bodies. But Sango had proved that she was willing to be a team player, and Inuyasha would be loathed to let her and Kirara leave before their journey was over. With a group of five, they were a force to be reckoned with, but they also had greater needs. And, to his own surprise, Inuyasha was fine with that. He found that he cared about this oddball collection of his, and he wanted to keep them all safe and healthy.
And what a weird feeling that was.
And so ends season 1! Don't worry, season 2 will start next week with no delays. Thank you all for sticking with me through this journey so far! It's been fun!
(Out shopping at the teammate store)
Miroku: *pointing at Kirara* What about that one?
Inuyasha: Fine, it's cute and useful
Miroku: *pointing at Sango* What about that one?
Inuyasha: Fine, whatever
Miroku: *pointing at Sesshomaru* What about-
Inuyasha: No. No. We're done here. No