Note: Such positive reviews! It makes me happy… Of course I plan to go on. I need to write. Yush.
I happened to notice something. I don't believe it was ever verified that Naraku knew where Kagome came from… well, I figured he would have figured it out y now, being as clever as he is. Point being, in this story, he knows. Mmyeah.
Maliklovers: Kwaha. Nobody around me seems to think I'm nuts because I love Naraku, 'cause they do, too… thank ye for the first review of the story. And positive, no doubt! What happens to Miroku? You shall see.
Ami-Maxwell-Chan: Why, of course you can! I';m flattered that someone would want my stuff on their site. Thank you… yeah. If you need it in a certain format, email me. If not, merely copy and paste it. I'm not picky.
Jade Phoenix: Cool username. ^.^ Thank you, also. Of course I'm going to continue. I have no life, you see. So I must write. Kwaha. I knew this was a first (on FF.net at least) and that's part of the reason I decided to do it.
Thank you all!
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Chapter 2- Stillness"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke
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Miroku didn't hear the sound of grasses being crushed underfoot until it was much too late. He half-turned, only to meet with a solid chest, and a fistful of herbs was pressed to his face, the hand behind it cupping his mouth and nose.
"Sleep…" a vaguely familiar voice breathed in his ear.
Miroku jerked violently, and tried to cry out. As he opened his mouth, the herbs were thrust into it, and he choked, sputtering, breathing in the heady fumes. It could only have been a few moments before he felt his body becoming heavy, leaden. His vision blurred, and he was lost to darkness.
-.-
Inu-Yasha awoke with a twitch of his canine ears and a yawn. He shuddered all over, almost in an equine manner, shaking off the last vestiges of sleep. Opening his eyes, he peered about the hut.
Sango was peacefully asleep, and Kirara was curled at her side. Shippou was sharing her pillow. Inu-Yasha turned to look at Miroku-
-but Miroku was gone.
He blinked. Well… the monk most likely went out to meet with Kaede, or merely to… do what monks do. Inu-Yasha's sleep-fatigued brain didn't care to think this early in the morning. At any rate, he didn't suspect what had actually happened.
He stretched, yawning again and standing. Yeah. Miroku probably went to visit with Kaede. Discuss the next course of action. Inu-Yasha stepped over Sango, kicking her gently as he did so. "Wake up, Sango."
The demon exterminator jerked and shot him a groggy, annoyed glance. "Good morning to you too."
-.-
"He's not with you?"
Kaede shook her head. "No. I haven't seen Miroku since yesterday, when you came to me."
Inu-Yasha's ears fell back in confusion. Sango looked mildly worried, but Shippou did not.
"He probably went chasing after some girl…" Shippou observed, sitting beside Kirara.
Inu-Yasha twitched. That sounded like the most logical explanation. "Curse him." He snorted. "Miroku will never change his ways." He turned, heading back to the hut. "Come on, you two," he said. "We'd better wait for him to return."
-.-
Sango and Shippou were seated just outside the hut. Shippou was chatting animatedly about some inane subject or another, and Sango was absently nodding, occasionally stating "That's nice" until Shippou started firing questions about Kirara. Then a conversation began.
Inu-Yasha was sitting on the roof, scanning the forest before him. His slight agitation had grown to anger. He figured Miroku would probably return around noon, and it was still early morning. For a while he sat back, listening to Sango and Shippou talk, until his thoughts drifted.
What if Miroku didn't return? The thought was an unusual one. Miroku might not have been the trustworthiest, or the most moral of men, but he still didn't believe the monk would actually run off, for good, without a word.
Finally he stood up. "Sango," he said, looking down to the demon exterminator. "I'm going to go check out the area, all right?"
"What for?" she furrowed her brow.
"…just to check. Maybe I can track that accursed monk."
Sango grinned and shook her head. "Go on…"
Inu-Yasha hadn't recalled asking Sango for permission to go, but he decided to let it drop and hopped off the roof, inhaling deeply. The sweet scent of grass, earth… and Miroku. Fresher than the faded scents of yesterday, but not fresh enough to have been this morning. He judged Miroku must have snuck out last night.
He snorted. "Crafty monk…"
He dropped slightly, following the scent… when an unfamiliar twinge came to his nose. He coughed, looking at the ground. An odd bundle of herbs was there, a heady-scented one. He bent down and whiffed.
The scent was mixed… of Miroku, the herbs… and something else that was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place. He brought the herbs to his face and inhaled deeply-
-and then coughed, dropping the bundle as if it had burned him. He began to hack terribly, grabbing at his throat. His vision began to swim-
"Inu-Yasha!?" Sango and Shippou's voices came, as if from very far away. The hanyou's head reeled, and he fell. His limbs began to go stiff, and he couldn't escape the scent of the herbs, which were near. He tried holding his breath, but their powerful fumes burned his nose and choked his throat.
Sango yanked him away, and he heard her calling for help before his vision went black.
-.-
The first thing Miroku was aware of was the sounds of birds singing. He twitched, and opened his eyes- promptly shutting them against the soft verdant glow of the forest. His head was buzzing- not necessarily hurting, but merely seeing made him dizzy.
He groaned lowly, waiting for his equilibrium to assert itself before he attempted to sit up.
His body wouldn't obey. He blinked, startled. He could move his eyes- and he was breathing… but his limbs were heavy. He managed to jerk, to try and roll over. He couldn't get enough leverage with no power over his legs. He could barely lift his head, though.
"You look surprised."
His eyes widened. He knew that voice…
Naraku stepped into view, staring down at him with a superior smirk. He was garbed simply in his palace kimono- no baboon pelt; he had made no effort to conceal himself. Miroku definitely did not like the gleam in his adversary's ruby-red eyes.
"You didn't think I'd give you liberty to move, did you? And risk you escaping?" he circled the monk slowly, his eyes traveling Miroku's form. Miroku squirmed uncomfortably. Or rather, attempted to. He only managed to make his body twitch.
Naraku noticed this. "Trying to move? No. Those herbs I used last night- you remember them, right? Well, they have a paralyzing effect. Though I suspect that effect will soon be wearing off…" he looked about. "Do you like it?"
The question seemed simple- almost unlike the eloquent and sinister Naraku. Miroku glanced about. He was lying on his back, among soft moss and yielding plants. He was quite comfortable… and that somewhat disturbed him. He was in a glen of some sort- surrounded by trees. The sun was shining gently from one direction- it was morning.
"Quite peaceful." Naraku looked about. "Imagine your blood strewn about this clearing." Then he looked to Miroku. "But you aren't afraid to die… are you?" he began to pace.
Miroku glared at Naraku defiantly.
"I remember watching you that day. At the Temple of Innocence… it's a shame my plan fell through." The hanyou chuckled darkly. "But opportunities have a way of presenting themselves… don't you agree, Houshi-sama?"
Miroku still said nothing. He couldn't see where Naraku was driving this… and he was finding it most unsettling.
"Perhaps I should dispense with the formalities. Would you prefer I call you Miroku?"
"What is this about?" Miroku finally spat. He discovered he could talk, but his words were slightly slurred and his voice wasn't very loud. It sounded as if it were being held back in his throat by some unseen hand.
"Finally. I've gotten you to speak." Naraku narrowed his eyes, grinning evilly at the prone monk. "I was beginning to think you were still so far gone that you couldn't."
Miroku struggled valiantly, but his body refused to move only but a little. Naraku's grin faded to a smirk, and he began to step forward.
"What… do you want!?" Miroku cried out. But he was sure he knew… Naraku was going to kill him. Here and now.
He wasn't expecting his tormentor to suddenly drop down. He wasn't expecting Naraku sit on his chest, grabbing a fistful of his robe and yanking him up until their faces were merely a hairsbreadth apart.
"You," he rasped, before taking Miroku in a rough kiss.
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Note: Short… well, shorter than the first chapter. Eee… the fun stuff begins. Thanks fer your reviews , folks! Keep 'em coming.