Lost But Not Forgotten
Chapter 6: Meeting Him Again...for the First Time.
Sango-sama
Disclaimer: I dun own nothing.
Author's Notes: This fic...ahh the ideas I have for it now... though I have been getting a bit stuck with the exact wording, which has slowed down the chapter speed. (That and homework....) More specifically, I've always been fairly picky about wording; hence why the chapters are usually short. I usually write in one setting...and have brainstormed a fair amount before beginning. As a few members of the Sango/Miroku ML have asked, I'm taking steps to lengthen my writing style...so you should expect some subtle differences. Hopefully, they'll be for the better. I do have a number of friends here at college who are wonderful beta-readers...but as far as content and continuity...I humbly request a bit of assistance. ^_^;
I'd also really appreciate feedback...as I'm hoping to continue writing in longer chapters than I usually do, but I don't want to lose the momentum I try and put with the shorter chapters.
Ohh...and before I forget, chapter 5 has been revised...so please be sure to check it out!
*********************************************************************
"She's awake!"
The Houshi's eyes widened briefly, his emotions fluttering like the wind upon the errant ebony strands. He certainly wouldn't expect any human, not even Sango, to have healed so quickly...not after what she had endured...
Those polite words that usually flowed from his lips in mellow baritone effortlessly had become clumsy by this sudden wave of anxiety. His fingers tightened their grip on the wooden staff, taking comfort in the familiar texture of the ridges that lay beneath his fingertips.
"I'm...I'm sor-"
"Go ahead, then, Houshi-sama." Akagane smiled softly, slowing her pace to stand with the two messengers. "My feet are a bit sore from all of that walking. I'll catch you up shortly."
He nodded, running towards the village as fast as his feet could take him.
***********************************************************
"You say that tea will help her remember?"
Atsue nodded.
The frown remained plastered on Inuyasha's face, as he stared at the cup pensively. "Does it work fast?"
"You can't expect to her to heal as fast as you do, boy." She sighed, bring her fingers up to massage her now throbbing temples. Children these days were so impatient. "It will make her better; isn't that all that matters?"
"Feh." He snarled, his lips curling upwards just enough to reveal the tips of his fangs. "Every second we're stuck here that bastard will use to increase his power. We can't afford to stay here much longer. We need to defeat Naraku soo--"
In a moment, he was absolutely silent. His ears had turned backwards to listen to the area by the door.
Atsue looked up, confusion in her eyes for only a second, until her muted human senses could hear the far off clink of metal rings colliding. '
"We will defeat him soon." Inuyasha stood, loosing his gruff undertone as he walked towards the doorway. The angry amber bleeding away, his eyes softened as they scanned the horizon. "Lives depend on it."
****
Sango cringed as she lifted her arm, her eyes shut tight. Even biting at her lower lip couldn't quite stifle the groan.
"Ah...I'm sorry, Sango-chan." Kagome pressed her lips together, trying not to grimace at the sight of the deep purple bruise at her friend's shoulder. "I'm not pulling this too tight, am I?" She loosened her hold on the bindings experimentally.
"No. It's fine." The taiji-ya's bangs swung low before her eyes, the beginnings of a smile turning the corners of her lips. "Any looser and I may as well not wear them at all."
Kagome sighed, and continued to wrap the heavy cloth over Sango's chest. Even if she had lost a major chunk of her memory, it seemed that her friend's stubborn streak would remain with her always. "There," she murmured, tucking the end of the cloth into the wound fabric, "all finished..."
Sango picked up the pink and white yukata from her lap and began to slide her arms through the sleeves. "Thank you, Kagome-s...chan," she smiled lightly, the pain still evident in her eyes.
Kagome returned her smile, but it wasn't as bright as her smiles usually were. Not that Sango would be able to tell right now....
She couldn't even imagine how she would feel in Sango's place. Not able to remember anyone...her family, her friends, her past; it certainly didn't help that almost everyone she had know was dead. But that was another thing; she didn't remember her family...so there was no way that she could remember the revenge she had claimed on their behalf. Sango had had such a hard life, at least in the short time before they had become friends. Perhaps it was for the best that she had forgotten so much...
At least for now.
****
"Wh-where..." Miroku wheezed, half slumped over against his shajaku, his knees still trembling from the energy-draining effort. He could hardly lift his eyes enough to finish his question. "Sango?"
Inuyasha raised his eyebrows in surprise. 'Did the bouzu run all the way from the other village?' He only allowed the shock to linger a moment longer, before falling back into his comfortably indifferent routine. "Feh," he snorted, not fully aware that his eyes had unconsciously drifted towards the spring. "She'll be back soon enough..."
'So,' Miroku's mind whispered, his eyes smiling as he continued to laboriously pant for breath, 'she's down that way, is she? You are far too easy to read, Inuyasha...' He retrained his grip on the staff and began to stagger toward the spring.
Inuyasha frowned, putting a clawed hand on Miroku's shoulder and spinning him back around. "Where the Hell do you think you're going, Bouzu!"
Miroku brushed the hand from his shoulder, annoyance tinged with the slightest bit of anger was clearly present in his still breathy voice. "I want to see her, Inuyasha. I need to know that's she's alright."
"She's fine!" He shouted, and then hesitating, he continued, quieting his voice. "Physically, she's fine. A few scrapes and bruises...but nothing is broken."
The hesitation did not go unnoticed. Miroku narrowed his eyes. "But...?"
Inuyasha eyed the path to the spring nervously. Words weren't something that came to him easily, and there was no easy way to explain this...not considering the way things had become.
"But what? What the Hell aren't you telling me?" His eyes were distressed, sheer anxiety prying the carefully constructed mask away from the Houshi's face.
"Sango..." Inuyasha trained his eyes on the bare ground. Eloquence be damned; it would be for the best that Miroku find out before he saw her. "She's lost her-"
"What about her?"
They both turned around to see the source of the familiar voice. Kagome and Sango stood in the middle of the path. Sango seemed to be favoring one foot, but appeared otherwise in perfect health.
Kagome smiled, chiding playfully, "you boys really are much too loud. We could hear you all the way at the spring."
Sango leaned her head to Kagome, whispering softly. "Kagome-chan...is that..." When she nodded, Sango felt a light heat rise to her cheeks.
Perhaps it was only her imagination, but the voice in her head shouted it's extreme displeasure about blushing...and somewhere else in the back of her mind stirred the soft tingling of a vague familiarity.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, she wasn't able to give it much more thought as strong finger gently brushed the side of her cheek.
"Sango...How are you feeling?"
"I...I'm...fine." Looking up, she blushed deeply under the weight of his gaze. The deep shade of lavender forever etched into her retinas, steeled with protectiveness and an intense relief...but tempered with something much softer. Kindness and caring, certainly...but love...even the notion of seeing love in this man's eyes, this man she was engaged to, that it was directed at her and only at her. It was utterly mind-numbing.
The only voice in her mind that she could discern was the one cursing her memory. She could barely register the light pressure of his hand at her cheek, with his thumb making soft circles at her jaw line. She leaned into his touch without even realizing it.
"That's good to hear..."
"Miroku-sama...there is something you should know."
His eyes widened as he turned to Kagome, his hand pulling away from Sango; she felt the cold wash over her as his hand dropped.
"My memory..." she muttered, just loud enough for Miroku to hear. "I try...but I can't seem to remember you...any of you." She frowned, furrowing her eyebrows in frustration and casting her eyes upon the ground. "I'm sorry."
The silence was deafening. Sango couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, afraid of what disappointment she might see in their depths. She suddnly felt the irrepressible urge to cry...this all was completely unfair.
She was startled to feel lips tenderly pressed to her forehead, followed by the warmth of his hands upon her shoulders. His lips still barely brushed against her skin as he spoke. "It will return to you, Sango."
Miroku cast a serious glance at Kagome and then at Inuyasha, who nodded once sharply.
"We'll make sure of it."
**********
Hmmmm...have you figured out my evil plan yet? No?
Muhahahahahaha! ^_^ I apologize for some of the vagueness. As before, this is a draft...and I am requesting some beta-ing assistance.
Disclaimer: I dun own nothing.
Author's Notes: This fic...ahh the ideas I have for it now... though I have been getting a bit stuck with the exact wording, which has slowed down the chapter speed. (That and homework....) More specifically, I've always been fairly picky about wording; hence why the chapters are usually short. I usually write in one setting...and have brainstormed a fair amount before beginning. As a few members of the Sango/Miroku ML have asked, I'm taking steps to lengthen my writing style...so you should expect some subtle differences. Hopefully, they'll be for the better. I do have a number of friends here at college who are wonderful beta-readers...but as far as content and continuity...I humbly request a bit of assistance. ^_^;
I'd also really appreciate feedback...as I'm hoping to continue writing in longer chapters than I usually do, but I don't want to lose the momentum I try and put with the shorter chapters.
Ohh...and before I forget, chapter 5 has been revised...so please be sure to check it out!
*********************************************************************
"She's awake!"
The Houshi's eyes widened briefly, his emotions fluttering like the wind upon the errant ebony strands. He certainly wouldn't expect any human, not even Sango, to have healed so quickly...not after what she had endured...
Those polite words that usually flowed from his lips in mellow baritone effortlessly had become clumsy by this sudden wave of anxiety. His fingers tightened their grip on the wooden staff, taking comfort in the familiar texture of the ridges that lay beneath his fingertips.
"I'm...I'm sor-"
"Go ahead, then, Houshi-sama." Akagane smiled softly, slowing her pace to stand with the two messengers. "My feet are a bit sore from all of that walking. I'll catch you up shortly."
He nodded, running towards the village as fast as his feet could take him.
***********************************************************
"You say that tea will help her remember?"
Atsue nodded.
The frown remained plastered on Inuyasha's face, as he stared at the cup pensively. "Does it work fast?"
"You can't expect to her to heal as fast as you do, boy." She sighed, bring her fingers up to massage her now throbbing temples. Children these days were so impatient. "It will make her better; isn't that all that matters?"
"Feh." He snarled, his lips curling upwards just enough to reveal the tips of his fangs. "Every second we're stuck here that bastard will use to increase his power. We can't afford to stay here much longer. We need to defeat Naraku soo--"
In a moment, he was absolutely silent. His ears had turned backwards to listen to the area by the door.
Atsue looked up, confusion in her eyes for only a second, until her muted human senses could hear the far off clink of metal rings colliding. '
"We will defeat him soon." Inuyasha stood, loosing his gruff undertone as he walked towards the doorway. The angry amber bleeding away, his eyes softened as they scanned the horizon. "Lives depend on it."
****
Sango cringed as she lifted her arm, her eyes shut tight. Even biting at her lower lip couldn't quite stifle the groan.
"Ah...I'm sorry, Sango-chan." Kagome pressed her lips together, trying not to grimace at the sight of the deep purple bruise at her friend's shoulder. "I'm not pulling this too tight, am I?" She loosened her hold on the bindings experimentally.
"No. It's fine." The taiji-ya's bangs swung low before her eyes, the beginnings of a smile turning the corners of her lips. "Any looser and I may as well not wear them at all."
Kagome sighed, and continued to wrap the heavy cloth over Sango's chest. Even if she had lost a major chunk of her memory, it seemed that her friend's stubborn streak would remain with her always. "There," she murmured, tucking the end of the cloth into the wound fabric, "all finished..."
Sango picked up the pink and white yukata from her lap and began to slide her arms through the sleeves. "Thank you, Kagome-s...chan," she smiled lightly, the pain still evident in her eyes.
Kagome returned her smile, but it wasn't as bright as her smiles usually were. Not that Sango would be able to tell right now....
She couldn't even imagine how she would feel in Sango's place. Not able to remember anyone...her family, her friends, her past; it certainly didn't help that almost everyone she had know was dead. But that was another thing; she didn't remember her family...so there was no way that she could remember the revenge she had claimed on their behalf. Sango had had such a hard life, at least in the short time before they had become friends. Perhaps it was for the best that she had forgotten so much...
At least for now.
****
"Wh-where..." Miroku wheezed, half slumped over against his shajaku, his knees still trembling from the energy-draining effort. He could hardly lift his eyes enough to finish his question. "Sango?"
Inuyasha raised his eyebrows in surprise. 'Did the bouzu run all the way from the other village?' He only allowed the shock to linger a moment longer, before falling back into his comfortably indifferent routine. "Feh," he snorted, not fully aware that his eyes had unconsciously drifted towards the spring. "She'll be back soon enough..."
'So,' Miroku's mind whispered, his eyes smiling as he continued to laboriously pant for breath, 'she's down that way, is she? You are far too easy to read, Inuyasha...' He retrained his grip on the staff and began to stagger toward the spring.
Inuyasha frowned, putting a clawed hand on Miroku's shoulder and spinning him back around. "Where the Hell do you think you're going, Bouzu!"
Miroku brushed the hand from his shoulder, annoyance tinged with the slightest bit of anger was clearly present in his still breathy voice. "I want to see her, Inuyasha. I need to know that's she's alright."
"She's fine!" He shouted, and then hesitating, he continued, quieting his voice. "Physically, she's fine. A few scrapes and bruises...but nothing is broken."
The hesitation did not go unnoticed. Miroku narrowed his eyes. "But...?"
Inuyasha eyed the path to the spring nervously. Words weren't something that came to him easily, and there was no easy way to explain this...not considering the way things had become.
"But what? What the Hell aren't you telling me?" His eyes were distressed, sheer anxiety prying the carefully constructed mask away from the Houshi's face.
"Sango..." Inuyasha trained his eyes on the bare ground. Eloquence be damned; it would be for the best that Miroku find out before he saw her. "She's lost her-"
"What about her?"
They both turned around to see the source of the familiar voice. Kagome and Sango stood in the middle of the path. Sango seemed to be favoring one foot, but appeared otherwise in perfect health.
Kagome smiled, chiding playfully, "you boys really are much too loud. We could hear you all the way at the spring."
Sango leaned her head to Kagome, whispering softly. "Kagome-chan...is that..." When she nodded, Sango felt a light heat rise to her cheeks.
Perhaps it was only her imagination, but the voice in her head shouted it's extreme displeasure about blushing...and somewhere else in the back of her mind stirred the soft tingling of a vague familiarity.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, she wasn't able to give it much more thought as strong finger gently brushed the side of her cheek.
"Sango...How are you feeling?"
"I...I'm...fine." Looking up, she blushed deeply under the weight of his gaze. The deep shade of lavender forever etched into her retinas, steeled with protectiveness and an intense relief...but tempered with something much softer. Kindness and caring, certainly...but love...even the notion of seeing love in this man's eyes, this man she was engaged to, that it was directed at her and only at her. It was utterly mind-numbing.
The only voice in her mind that she could discern was the one cursing her memory. She could barely register the light pressure of his hand at her cheek, with his thumb making soft circles at her jaw line. She leaned into his touch without even realizing it.
"That's good to hear..."
"Miroku-sama...there is something you should know."
His eyes widened as he turned to Kagome, his hand pulling away from Sango; she felt the cold wash over her as his hand dropped.
"My memory..." she muttered, just loud enough for Miroku to hear. "I try...but I can't seem to remember you...any of you." She frowned, furrowing her eyebrows in frustration and casting her eyes upon the ground. "I'm sorry."
The silence was deafening. Sango couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, afraid of what disappointment she might see in their depths. She suddnly felt the irrepressible urge to cry...this all was completely unfair.
She was startled to feel lips tenderly pressed to her forehead, followed by the warmth of his hands upon her shoulders. His lips still barely brushed against her skin as he spoke. "It will return to you, Sango."
Miroku cast a serious glance at Kagome and then at Inuyasha, who nodded once sharply.
"We'll make sure of it."
**********
Hmmmm...have you figured out my evil plan yet? No?
Muhahahahahaha! ^_^ I apologize for some of the vagueness. As before, this is a draft...and I am requesting some beta-ing assistance.