Chapter 84: Only You, Sango
It's a rainy night here in Sengoku Edo, the specific location being a large castle, with several foot soldiers posted around the grounds, awaiting an attack of unknown origins...
It was then the earth began to shake:
(Rumble...)
"A demon is coming!"
(CRASH)
"(Roar)"
Suddenly, a giant bear demon with black fur, an armoured underbelly, and glowing red eyes came smashing in through the castle wall!
"Attaaack!"
The soldiers begin charging at the beast, but the demon swipes them away with its paw...Another part of the army readies their bows and arrows:
"Fire!"
(Twok)
A flurry of arrows fly and hit the bear demon, but no damage is made, other than making the beast even angrier than before...
Come the morning, rain falls over strewn bodies and weapons, with only a small portion of the army escaping to an encampment to recover. Among them, is a young man sitting with six generals, who decides that this was the last straw:
"(Stands up) It's the only choice we have."
"My lord, there must be other options..."
"Stop wasting my valuable time! Find her, and leave no stone unturned!"
The generals bow in accordance to the order, and the young lord smiles...
Coraline's POV
Yet another rainy day...
My friends and I are now traveling along a path to parts unknown, myself wearing my red/black/white flannel shirt buttoned up over my blue t-shirt to keep the chill out, green jeans, and my black combat boots.
I'm also wearing my thin, red hooded rain slicker (poncho style) overtop to stave off the rain...and I wasn't the only one: My brothers and I decided a while back to buy a rain slicker each for our friends here in Edo from this little thrift shop, they each buying matching green ones for themselves.
We bought a small light blue one for Shippo, a deep purple one for Miroku, pink for Sango, and red for Inuyasha. We even found a small pet rain slicker for Kilala in yellow!
Needless to say, they were all pleased by the little gifts come the first sign of rain the other day, and though Inuyasha was a bit reluctant to wear his at first, his quickly soaking red robes persuaded him otherwise...
Speaking of:
"Ah-Achoo! Lousy weather..." I glance sideways at him with a knowing smile and say,
"I keep telling you to put your hood up..."
He just scoffs and replies,
"Isn't it enough that I'm wearing this weird thing?"
"(Rolls eyes) Whatever...Just don't come cryin' to me if you catch a cold."
"I'm not a weakling, unlike some people..."
"Never said you were."
Besa calls from under the black umbrella he was using,
"Maybe you and Inuyasha should share an umbrella."
I start blushing a bit from the image of he and I that close to one another:
"Ah-heh, yeah, I don't think so."
"Why not?"
"You know damn well why, you little sneak."
He just laughs, and Inuyasha asks me with a grumble due to the inclement weather,
"You wanna explain?"
"Nope."
...A few steps later, I notice no one following me:
"(Stop, turn) What's up?" Miroku and Sango reply,
"Something's coming...I can feel it."
"Me too...Humans." Inuyasha adds,
"Yep, and lots of 'em."
I hm and wonder,
A company of soldiers maybe?
Upon turning back to the front, I use my Aura Sight to do a follow-up check:
Yep. About a dozen or more humans...
They soon come into view out of the misty fog, and my guess was right: It was a small company of soldiers. We step to the side to allow them to pass, but they stop and kneel in front of where Miroku and Sango stood:
"Would you be Sango, the Demon Slayer and her travel party?"
Inuyasha makes a sound of confusion, and I hear my bros whisper to eachother,
"What do think they want?"
"Dunno...Maybe a job call?" Miroku replies,
"Yes, this is Sango here."
"I am Takedake Kashi of Asahi Court. We have come to speak with Sango."
We move into a nearby wilderness hut, and while the rest of the soldiers waited outside, we heard Kashi out:
"I have been asked to request that you destroy a demon that plagues our castle nightly. We will not question your methods, and if necessary, we will evacuate the castle."
The vassal pulls out a sack of money:
"Consider this an advance payment. If the demon is destroyed, you will receive the other half of the sum. I believe that this offer is fair. What do you say?"
Sango replies,
"But, that's far too much money." Miroku agrees:
"Yes, it's twenty times, much more than she normally gets paid."
"Then will you accept?" Sango waves a hand in some protest:
"The offer is too generous. Sorry, I must decline."
"You cannot refuse!"
"Huh?"
We all turn to the entrance where the voice called from, and see a young man with short black hair tied back in a tiny ponytail wearing finer samurai armour drop down from a white-haired steed. His eyes and smile were directed at Sango:
"It's been far too long, Sango."
"Uh...do I know you?"
I turn to her and ask in a low voice,
"Are you sure there isn't anything familiar about him?" Shippo chimes,
"He sure seems to know you..."
The young man speaks up again:
"Well, I can't blame her for not remembering. It was an awfully long time ago."
He then enters the hut, removes his hat, and kneels down in front of Sango while taking her hands!
"Come. Let us retire to the castle where we can talk in leisure and become reacquainted with one another."
...I then feel a nudge, and turn to Freeman with a raised brow:
"What?"
He points at Miroku, and I turn to see him, glaring, at the joined hands...My eyes light up, and I turn to grin at my brother:
"(Whisper) No way...!"
"(Whisper) If that don't confirm it, I dunno what does."
Small Time Skip, No POV
With the young lord and his soldiers leading, the Inuyasha group arrives at the Asahi Castle, which left Coraline and Shippo in awe:
"Holy Hera, this place is huge!"
"What a fine castle!"
They then enter a large room to have an audience with the young lord and his six generals, with Sango, Miroku and Coraline sitting up front Freeman, Besa and Inuyasha, and Shippo and Kilala sitting off to the side behind Coraline...
"Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Takeda Kudanoske, Lord of this castle."
Coraline was a bit impressed:
"(Whisper) Goodness, he's the lord of this castle?" Shippo whispers back,
"No wonder he's so formal..."
Sango then finally recalls who he was:
"Wait a minute, now I remember: That snotty-nosed, little-I-I mean, young lord."
Takeda didn't appear offended by the description:
"I'm glad you finally remembered me. Yes, it's been six long years since already..."
Flashback
"My castle had been plagued by a demon, and we had hired you and the other slayers..."
We see the demon slayers (including Sango's Father) charge to attack the giant bear demon, with a younger preteen Sango making the finishing blow:
"Haaaah!"
(Toss, spin...TOK)
The demon is cut in half through its torso...Watching from afar, was the younger lord, his father, and Kashi, the former using a telescope to get a better look, sniffling a bit from his runny nose, his cheeks donning a light blush.
"You fought a magnificent battle. You shone like a single white lily in the battlefield. You were absolutely, awe inspiring."
"I was?"
We cut to the aftermath of the battle, with the young Takeda holding a young Sango's hands in congratulations...
End of Flashback
Takeda then stand up and announces,
"But enough of the past, I will get to the point!"
He moves to kneel in front of Sango, and takes her hands again before asking,
"Sango, slay the demon for us at once, then become my wife!"
That threw everyone sideways:
"Wha-?!" "Marriage?!"
"Whoa man, isn't it a bit early to think of getting hitched?!"
Sango could only gape, while Miroku remained silent...Takeda adds,
"I decided from the very moment I saw you...you're the woman who would be my wife! Sango, it's only you!"
The slayer's cheeks colour, finding it hard to respond:
"Uh...o-only me?"
"I hope you'll accept my proposal. (Stands and directs) Servants: Prepare rooms for our honoured guests!"
"(Collective) Yes, sir!"
Miroku shuts his eyes, not saying a word, and Sango side-glances him...
Small Time Skip
"How come she gets the royal treatment?"
And by she, Inuyasha was grumbling about Sango, whom had a more lavish meal compared to everyone else, who got rice, soup and a third dish...Coraline smiles and shakes her head while picking up her chopsticks and rice:
"So Sango's portion's a bit larger than the rest of us. That's what happens when someone is trying to win another's affection: They use gifts like food."
Though judging from the conflicted frown on Sango's face, it didn't seem to be working:
What'll I do? How will I turn him down?
It was then Miroku suddenly stands up and starts walking off...
"W-Wait, where are you going, Miroku?"
But any worry would be shot down when everyone sees him taking the hand of a maid:
"Would you consider bearing my children?"
The maid gasps, and Sango falls over from her seat, while Coraline and Besa facepalm and the other three gape...The maid smiles with a blush and replies with a giggle,
"Surely you jest with me, you itinerant monk."
"Not at all. I assure you, I'm entirely serious."
But as soon as the maid closed the door...
(SLAP)
"Yow!"
(Slide)
Sango slams the door back open, and walks out with a huff...Inside, Miroku was sprawled on the ground, with Shippo muttering,
"What an idiot," and Freeman adds,
"And idiotic timing, too."
Sango stomps down the corridor, grumbling with a frustrated glare,
"The nerve of him! Flirting like that!"
Just as she turns the corner, she bumps into Takeda! He steadies her out of reflex, and they find eachother staring into one another's eyes in a daze, with matching shades of pink dusting their cheeks...
Coraline's POV
As soon as Besa helped Miroku off the ground, the monk went to sit down and continue eating his meal, a red hand mark plastered on the side of his face...
"Good grief. Now that hardly called for such brutality, (sip)."
I reply in kind with a serious frown,
"I say it was called for: You couldn't have picked a worse possible time to flirt with another woman in front of Sango when she's already in enough of a crisis regarding matters of the heart."
Shippo agrees:
"No wonder Sango was so angry..."
Inuyasha, who was lazing on his side, holds a hand up and asks,
"What's the big deal? It's not like she hasn't seem him at it before. He flirts with practically anything that moves!"
I sigh and reply,
"That's only the surface context, Inuyasha. You need to look more deeply."
"Like what, for instance?"
"I can tell from the look on her face that Sango likely doesn't know what she wants, other than Miroku to speak up and say his peace."
"His peace? What're you gettin' at?"
I just blow out another breath and reply dryly,
"You'll just have to figure it out on your own. I'm not giving the answer away..."
Geez, some days he's on, other's he's off...
I look to Miroku with a smile and muse,
This might be the perfect opportunity for him to tell Sango how he really feels. He's obviously worried that she'll say yes, but I don't think Sango will...
Hm...I wonder...When they do become a couple...what could their wedding be like?
I try to picture the future...and came up with the following:
A scenic shrine near the Goshinboku village, and in front, stood Miroku, dressed in a black haori and a white hakama, while Sango wore a pretty white kimono with a cherry blossom patterned robe on top, and her hair tied up with white lilies.
There's a priest who announces their matrimony, and the happy couple takes three sips from three cups of sake, before turning to all of us with blissful smiles.
I stand with everyone, dressed in a red and blue kimono, and my bros are dressed in matching black and green haoris and hakamas, and I hear a happy laugh come from beside me. I turn to see Kohaku, wearing a light purple haori and a gray hakama, waving at his sister...
I snap back to reality with a soft gasp, and smile brightly:
"I really do hope that can happen..."
"Hope what can happen?"
"Huh?"
I turn to see Besa looking at me with interest. I wave a hand for him to come closer, and I whisper the fantasy that came to me...
"Oh wow. That's quite vivid."
"Yeah. (Looks at Miroku with a sad frown) Only factor is if he and Sango can meet the first step."
"Hmm...Let me talk to him."
"Huh? Besa?"
He doesn't answer me, instead moving to a stand and grabbing Miroku:
"Come on, Miroku."
"Besa?"
"I wanna have a chat with you, man-to-man."
"Man-to-man?"
Besa just shakes his head with a small smile and pulls Miroku to the door:
"Don't ask questions, just follow me."
With that, they left the room, leaving the rest of us confused:
"Uh..." "Huh..."
I turn to everyone else with an unsure smile and say,
"I guess it'll be just us until they get back, eh?"
Besa's POV
After slipping my sneakers on, Miroku his sandals, I lead him into the courtyard, thankful that it stopped raining...
"Now what is it you wanted to talk to me about, Besa?"
"Come now, surely you know? Miroku, you need to own up to how you feel about Sango, preferably before she decides to accept Lord Takeda's proposal of marriage."
"And that would be a problem, I take it?"
"Well duh, it's a problem: You don't seriously expect me to believe that you're gonna just stand on the sidelines like a fool, are you?"
"(Looks away) It's a decision that Sango has to make herself. And as far as I can tell, it's none of our business."
I fold my arms with a skeptical frown:
"Is it? I'm not so sure...But still...between you and Lord Takeda, I suppose you would dull in comparison. (Unfolds arms) But it's your own fault by wearing your heart on your sleeve so freely: With your past actions, it'd be a miracle if any woman took you seriously."
He forms a serious frown, which prompts me to nod:
"You see what I'm getting at, then? You can't fool me, Miroku: You are nervous about this because Sango's the first girl you've actually given more than a second thought to."
"Is that about all that you wanted to say to me?"
I was a bit taken aback by a hidden coldness his tone was laced with:
"Hm?"
"If so, then I'll be on my way, for there is something I'd like to go and check on."
With that, he turns and walks off, leaving me a bit confused:
"Uh...Miroku..."
What was that look? His eyes...it was like he was glaring at me...
And come to think of it, he's done that a few times in the past whenever I was the only one within Sango's proximity.
...Could, he be...
I widen my eyes, before moving to follow him.
Freeman's POV
I watch as Inuyasha, Shippo and Kilala wolf down their food like nobody's business, and laugh a bit before calling,
"Guys, slow down a bit: No one's gonna burst in and take your food."
They just hm in reply, prompting Coraline to laugh too:
"What a bunch of gluttons."
"Yeah..."
I wonder how Besa's doing talkin' to Miroku?
Miroku's POV
Brushing off Besa's words, I begin touring the grounds of the castle, examining a few scrolls in the storehouse, before moving to look at some claw marks made by the bear demon in another part of the courtyard:
Goodness, they must be rather large to leave this much damage to the castle...
"...Hm?"
I sense two bodies in the distance, and look up to see Lord Takeda and Sango walking somewhere...
Sango.
I rise to my feet, my eyes not leaving the area where the two vanished to...until I hear someone walk up to me:
"Uh-huh, looks like I was right: You're jealous of Lord Takeda's charm and worried about Sango's feelings."
"Besa..."
He shakes his head and puts a hand on my shoulder with an intent look:
"Just admit it to yourself, Miroku: You're in love with her."
"Hm..."
...Why must it be him that suddenly becomes the voice of reason?
No POV
Sango continues her walk with Lord Takeda, and they approach the garden, she wonders to herself with worry,
What should I do? I don't wanna hurt him...
Meanwhile, the lord thinks to himself,
How can I prove my feelings to her?
They stop on the bridge over the pond, both lost in thought...Nearby, Besa and Miroku crouch behind a flower bush, the first watching the scene intensely, while the second looked down with a thoughtful expression...
Back in the dining room Inuyasha, Shippo and Kilala had gotten started on devouring a plate of buns, and Freeman zips over to grab one each for himself and his sister:
"Thanks."
"No prob. Better have 'em now before the vacuum cleaners do."
Sango's POV
As we stood on the bridge, Lord Takeda spoke up above the silence:
"Sango."
"Yes? What is it, my lord?"
"Don't call me lord. Please, (Smile) call me Kuranosuke. You can even call me 'runny nose' if you'd like. (Laugh) I'm just kidding!"
I almost crack an amused smile, but chose to stay on topic:
"Listen, we need to talk..."
"Sango...With the state of the world, there are few people I can trust. Evil demons about in the mountains and rivers, and mortals resort to trickery and betrayal. Some call this a Hell on earth, but I'm not satisfied to accept things the way they are."
He turns to me and adds,
"I swore that the woman I chose to spend my life with would be the woman I loved with all my heart and soul."
"...But, why did you choose me?"
"I may be the lord of a clan, but I am an excellent judge of character, (Chuckle)."
Lord Takeda then took my hands into his:
"Sango...I love you. I truly love you."
Oh, Kuranosuke...If only this were the man I fell for saying these words.
"...I'm flattered. I'm happy to hear how you feel."
No POV
Besa listened to the whole confession with wide eyes:
Oh wow...How on earth she's gonna turn him down is anyone's guess.
"...Hm?"
He then hears footsteps retreating, and turns to see Miroku walking away without a word.
"(Whisper) Miroku...Gh, Miroku, hold on!"
As he goes after the monk, Takeda asks Sango,
"Would you please be my wife, Sango?"
Her answer?
"...No, sorry, I can't accept."
"But whyever not?"
"There is something I must do before I can possibly consider marriage...I'm certain it will be very difficult to accomplish, perhaps, even impossible...But I must try. I must carry out this deed, or else I won't be able to go forward in life. And that's why I must move on and continue this journey. (Looks up) Please, you must find someone more suitable as your wife!"
"...No one is more suitable than you."
Sango was taken aback, and Takeda continues:
"I waited six years. It matters not how many more I wait until you return."
She could only stare at the young lord in amazement...
"Sango, I understand perfectly how you feel, and so I will wait forever."
"No, I didn't mean-"
"Please come to me anytime you require my assistance. I promise I do everything in my power as a lord to help you!"
And with another laugh, he walks away, much to Sango's protest:
"Uh...no, wait!"
Small Time Skip
And she wasn't the only one having trouble getting someone to listen: As the evening started coming, Besa had chased Miroku to another part of the castle.
"Miroku, stop!"
He finally manages to rush in front of the monk and halt him, before trying to talk some sense into the other:
"You can't just walk away like this. For all we know, she didn't accept and neither of us got to hear. But whatever the case...to remain silent and not breathing word about how you feel...(Glare) That's incredibly cowardly and you know it."
"If Sango's happiness is our primary concern, then shouldn't we allow her to make her own decisions?"
"I never said she has no right to her own decisions."
"Her destiny was shattered by Naraku and now she must fight to survive. Now she has the chance to marry and settle down. Which lifestyle do you think will bring her more happiness?"
"...Neither."
Miroku was taken aback by Besa's blunt answer, and the latter continues:
"What you seem to forget is how much happier she has become in spending time with all of us. I mean okay, so Naraku shot down her old life, but who said that was her destiny to begin with anyway? And marriage? Psh, please, like she's going to throw away her goals to settle with a man she barely knows...There's only one man that stands a chance in terms of starting a future together once Naraku is vanquished...and that's you."
...The monk does not respond for a minute, before he asks with a frown,
"And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"What is your take on Sango?"
Besa furrows his eyebrows in confusion:
"What in the world are you talking abou-Wait...Oh my god...You think that I-"
He then bursts into laughter, prompting Miroku to ask,
"What? What's so funny?"
Once he gets his breath back, Besa grins at the monk and replies,
"Oh geez, Miroku, you didn't honestly think I harboured feelings for her, did you? Don't get me wrong, Sango's a great girl, but, I only see her as a friend, or a sister."
Miroku felt an embarrassed blush dust his cheeks:
"W-Well, it's just, you seem to always find a way to stand with her without provoking her temper..."
"That's because I have good ears and listen, which you seem to be lacking as of late."
"Huh?"
Besa shakes his head, and claps Miroku's shoulder with a wise smile:
"It's one thing to listen to a woman vent, but you also have to put yourself in their shoes. Listen to them as if you're listening to your own reflection. My brother may argue it's a one way ticket to the friend-zone, but...isn't it good enough to be a long-term friend than be a passing flame?"
"Uh...Is that what you think?"
"That's what your history is reflecting, my friend."
With a pat on his back, Besa chides to the monk,
"I'll leave you to your thoughts, but don't forget this chat, okay?"
Miroku nods, and the dark-skinned boy walks away, leaving the other behind to watch him go in astonishment:
...Well this was more enlightening than I perceived it to be.
Small Time Skip
Night comes to blanket the castle, and we zoom into the dining room briefly, with Inuyasha, Shippo and Kilala asleep and piled on one another, much to the amusement of Coraline and Freeman:
"Good grief."
"Hey, at least they're not causing trouble."
(Slide)
"Oh, Besa." "Hey bro."
Besa waves a hand in greeting:
"Hey."
"So, how'd your chat with Miroku go?"
He sits down with his brother and sister and replies simply,
"I think I may have given him more advice than he expected..."
Jumping back outside, we watch as Sango comes walking down the corridor by herself, deep in her own thoughts...
"Hm?"
She then spots Miroku sitting by himself on the porch, looking up at the twinkling sky. He senses her, and turns to meet Sango eye-to-eye, before sending a smile. Sango was a bit taken aback, and looks down, her nerves getting the best of her...Miroku gets up, and both start walking towards one another, avoiding eachother's eyes, but as they pass, Miroku whispers,
"...I wish you happiness."
Sango freezes, and turns to face the retreating form of the monk...But before she could make any sort of reply:
"The demon has come!"
Everyone hears the foot soldier's shout, and move to gather themselves up before meeting the soldiers in the courtyard, where the giant demon bear was...The only ones who weren't present yet were Miroku and Sango, but Inuyasha's focus was on the demon:
"What took ya so long?!"
He pulls out Tessaiga, just as Miroku comes to his side:
"Inuyasha!"
"It's about time."
Sango came next, dressed in her slayer gear and with Hiraikotsu over her shoulder. Inuyasha then says,
"Don't matter: I'll take care of that demon with one strike of my sword."
But then Sango rushes up front and says,
"Stay out of this, Inuyasha, and let me handle it!"
"What's the problem? I can handle that little demon on my own."
"No. Slaying that thing is my job! Besides, I wouldn't mind blowing off a little steam right now..."
Noting a fiery aura that was appearing around her, Inuyasha lowers his blade and replies,
"Uuh, okay."
Coraline side-glances Miroku with a wary expression:
"I'm hoping this has nothing to do with anything you might have said to her, Miroku..."
"N-No, I mean, I don't think so..."
Sango lets out a war-cry and sprints forward, prompting the demon bear to try and swipe her with its paw:
(Swing, tok)
But she uses Hiraikotsu to block, before she jumps up, twists her body, then kicks the demon right in its jaw! She lands on the ground, sweat building but grinning, before rush forward to slug the bear with her boomerang, then somersaulting to kick it in its head again!
Shippo, who was clutching onto Inuyasha with Kilala, comments a bit nervously,
"Boy, I've never seen Sango look so fierce in battle!" Inuyasha replies,
"I don't think there's a person in the world who could defeat Sango right now..."
Coraline pinches the bridge of her nose and states,
"Take note, gentlemen: This is why you should never get on a girl's bad side. We will always find a way to kick ass."
Miroku grimaces while breaking into a nervous sweat, and Besa comes comes over to whisper,
"Don't get too worried: I think this is more frustrations about her own life than man problems..."
Freeman adds,
"Still, better the bear than you."
Takeda arrives on scene and is taken aback by the level of skill Sango was displaying...She kicks the bear's face once more:
"This'll finish you off! Hiraikotsu!"
(Toss, spin...SLICE)
Her weapon cuts the demon bear in two, and as it falls, Sango calmly catches her boomerang without so much as an eyelash bat...!
The twins and Coraline then broke into cheers:
"Yes!" "Alright!"
"Way to go, Sango!"
She smiles and starts jogging to the group...but then:
(...Twitch)
The demon bear's paw jerks, and everyone gasps, as the beast suddenly rises, paw in the air, ready to retaliate against Sango!
She shuts her eyes with a wince...
(SLASH)
Blood drips on the ground...but it did not belong to the demon slayer, as she was safe within Miroku's arms! Takeda sighs in relief, and zooming in, we see that the monk's arm was injured:
"M-Miroku!"
Sango pulls back her hand, and sees it coated with Miroku's blood...He smiles with a slight grimace and says to her,
"You miscalculated, Sango. (Looks up at the demon) While I was watching you fight, I realized that this demon is actually a ghostly spirit seeking vengeance. It cannot be destroyed in the usual way."
As the bear demon spirit prepares to attack again, Sango unsheathes her katana, while Miroku pulls out a sutra:
"I'll exorcise, this demon!"
He tosses the paper charm forward, and it lands on the spirit's forehead, before it lets out a howl, dissipating into nothing...!
Coraline rushes to check up on the slayer and monk, while Takeda observes from afar...a smile of understanding appearing on his lips.
Time Skip
Come the next morning, our eyes turn to a storehouse being opened by two servants, and tons of wooden bear figurines spilling out...
"Bear ornaments?"
As the gang looks at some of the items, Shippo wonders,
"Is that why the bear spirit was so vengeful?" Miroku answers,
"No, it's not that simple. (Points with his staff) Take a look over there, if you will."
And inside, we see a large bear skin hanging on the wall of the storehouse...
"Wow...A giant bear pelt."
Coraline looks at it with her Aura Sight and adds,
"I can sense fragments of a Demon Aura in the fur, but I think most of it left with the spirit last night...I suppose this would explain its rage."
Freeman shrugs and comments,
"Well wouldn't you get pissed from being made into a wall decoration?"
Besa nudges his ribs lightly with a smirk, Inuyasha bites back a laugh, and Sango groans,
"That's the same demon bear we slayed six years ago! (Glares at Kashi) We told you way back when to offer your prayers and bury the thing!"
Kashi slaps his forehead and replies a bit nervously,
"Please allow me to explain...We were following your instructions, and were about to bury the demon. Suddenly, our late master stopped us and gave us new orders: We were instructed to make wooden carvings of the bear demon and market these tokens as regional keepsakes in order to restore the clan's finances. The wooden carvings were soon followed by the 'Big Bear Bean Jam Cakes', the 'Big Bear Towels' and the 'Big Bear Wooden Coins'."
Coraline raises a brow and asks,
"I'm gonna take a wild guess that none of these sold?"
Kashi and the other servants bow in embarrassment:
"Not a one."
So with that, the group decides to help correct the late lord's mistake and burn the pelt of the demon bear so its spirit wouldn't make any returns...
Later on, everyone prepares to leave, each wearing their rain slicker ponchos again, with Miroku holding his hat, the twins each holding up an open umbrella, and Hiraikotsu standing beside them under a tree...
The weapon's owner (also wearing her rain slicker and hat) was over by the castle gate speaking with Takeda once more:
"Kuranosuke..."
"Nevermind. Don't say another word...I think by now, I have an excellent understanding of how you feel."
Sango gazes at the smiling lord with admiration at his patience...
"Go on now. Your friends are waiting."
"Yes."
She bows in goodbye, before turning to rush to the others, and Takeda watches her go while vowing,
Sango...Do not think I have given up on you.
He throws his head up to the rain with a smile, his heart not wavering...
Soon, the group was on their way again in the wet weather, with Sango and Coraline walking alongside one another. The latter notices that the former was deep in thought:
Hm...Wonder what's on her mind now?
She snaps out her own thoughts when she hears Freeman call out,
"Hey, Miroku: Somethin' wrong with your hat?" He holds it up and replies,
"I got it, but the strap is broken, I'm afraid."
Besa hms, and then moves up to Sango's right side, before holding his umbrella to her:
"Here."
"Huh?"
He pulls on his hood, and just smiles, nudging his head towards the monk...Sango takes it, and then walks over to Miroku, holding the black umbrella over his head. He notices the lack of raindrops falling on his head and turns around, meeting eye-to-eye with a shyly-blushing Sango:
"(Smile) Thank you."
"Mhm."
They are soon walking alongside one another, sharing the umbrella, and Sango asks,
"How is your wound?"
"Fine."
"Good...Um, Miroku..."
"I'm glad."
Sango looks at Miroku confusingly, until he adds,
"It turns out we'll be able to continue our journey together."
She was touched by the sentiment, and smiles while her cheeks light up...The others don't miss a beat, and Inuyasha (he carrying Hiraikotsu) asks a smiling Coraline,
"So what are they so chummy about?"
"They're finally making process with eachother's feelings. (Glances sideways) Good move with the umbrella, bro."
"Thanks...I thought they deserved a little moment like that."
Freeman then grimaces and points up front:
"Uh, I think little may be the appropriate time-frame..."
They all look at him confusingly, before watching as Miroku...reaches a hand out and gropes Sango's behind!
"Uh!"
(SLAP)
"Gah!"
The umbrella goes flying, and Sango would catch it, before moving to walk alone, while Miroku nursed his slap mark with a nervous smile...
While the others sigh at the mood kill, Sango walks on with an exasperated blush, but looks back, before giggling to herself. The sun streams its rays through the clouds, putting an end to the rain, as the slayer lets out a laugh, while Miroku glances at her with a smile...