Chapter 3

Exiting Kaede's hut, I wandered down the path to the village and tried to find someone who could help me.

"Excuse me, mister?" A little voice asked and I looked down to see a little girl tugging on my robes.

"Hello." I smiled as knelt down on one knee so I could look her in the eye. "What's your name?"

"Gin." The girl smiled back, wringing her hands behind her back.

"That's a pretty name, Gin."

"Mama says you're a houshi."

"That's right. I am." I nodded. "Say, Gin. Do you think you could help me with something? Do you know this village perfectly?"

"Of course, houshi-sama! Gin was born here."

"I see and when were you born?"

"Five summers ago!"

"Wow, you're a big girl. So, do you think you could help me with something? I'm new here, but I need to find something. Could you take me there?"

"Uh-huh, houshi-sama." Gin smiled. "Where do you want to go?"

"A couple weeks ago, a woman was buried here."

"The warrior? The one with the demon cat?"

"That's her. Can you take me to her grave? I missed the funeral."

"Sure, houshi-sama." Gin grinned before running off a few feet. "Well? Aren't you coming?"

Standing up straight, I shuffled after the girl and we traveled to the edge of town where she showed me a small patch of dirt. There was a wooden marker set at on end of the patch of dirt and, when I looked closer, I noticed that Sango's name and rank were too crude and poorly carved to have been done with a knife. I also noticed that the slices were thin and vaguely reminded me of the markings left by Inuyasha's claws.

"Thank you." I told Gin. "This is her."

"Did houshi-sama know her?"

"We were friends." I sighed. "Even if the friendship was one-sided."

"She didn't like you, houshi-sama?" Gin asked. "Gin's older sister doesn't like Gin either."

Smiling to myself, I knelt next to the grave and pulled out some incense, a holder and some matches I had 'borrowed' from Kagome. Bowing my head, I pressed my hands together and began to pray.

"What are you doing, houshi-sama?" Gin asked.

"Praying." I told her.

"Why?"

"I'm praying for Sango so that her soul may find peace in whatever other world she might find."

"Oh." Gin whispered. I continued my prayer for Sango's spirit when I heard a small shuffle of cloth and opened my left eye. Gin was kneeling next to me and mimicking my pose. "What should Gin do now?"

"Just sit there and clear your mind of thoughts. Then focus on good wishes that you hope Sango will have when she is reborn." I told the girl before closing my eyes and refocusing my thoughts and wishes for Sango.

"Okay, houshi-sama." Gin nodded. Again there was silence before I heard the voice of a woman in the distance.

"Gin? Gin, where are you?"

"That's mama." Gin whispered.

"You'd better go home." I told her, looking up from my prayer to see a woman coming towards us.

"All right, houshi-sama." Gin nodded as she stood.

"Please, call me Miroku."

"All right, Miroku-sama." Gin smiled as she ran towards her mother. "Good bye!"

"Good bye, Gin." I smiled, waving after her. Turning back to Sango's grave, I heard a snort and looked up to see Inuyasha sitting in one of the near-by trees.

"Cute." Inuyasha smirked. "Didn't know you could pray, lech."

"I am a houshi." I told Inuyasha as I returned to my prayer. Emptying my mind of thoughts, I thought I heard a chuckle from Inuyasha. I continued to pray even after I heard Inuyasha leave and the sun began to set. When I had finished my prayer, I opened my eyes and stared at Sango's grave post.

"I'm so sorry, Sango." I whispered. "I've been such an ass to you."

"Hey, Miroku." Shippo called as he bounded up and sat on my shoulder.

"Hello, Shippo."

"Finally coming to pay your respects to Sango?"

"Yes. I was just apologizing for being so late."

"I don't understand Miroku." Shippo confessed. "Why'd you leave?"

"Because I was scared and when people are scared they do stupid things."

"You were scared? But you're one of the bravest people I know!" Shippo protested.

"No, Shippo." I sighed as I stood and stretched, moving muscles that I had barely used all day. "In some respects, I'm a bigger coward than Myoga. Say, Shippo, where's Inuyasha?"

"Out sulking."

"Oh? Why?"

"Because Sesshomaru has come for some medication."

"A demon come for herbs?"

"No. Apparently Rin, the human girl he has been watching, has been suffering from a cold."

"Oh." I nodded, before stopping to think for a moment. "Wait a second. Sesshomaru is here? In this village?"

"Yes."

"The Sesshomaru who is Inuyasha's half-brother?"

"Yes, but..."

"Sesshomaru? The wielder of tensaiga? That Sesshomaru?"

"Uh, Miroku, I don't..." Shippo began.

"Dear Buddha!" I cried, running towards Kaede's hut. "I'm an idiot!"

Running towards Kaede's hut, I watched in horror as Sesshomaru stepped out of the shelter and began to leave the community.

"Wait!" I shouted, running faster. "Wait, Sesshomaru-sama! Wait!"

"What?" Sesshomaru asked, turning to face me. "Who is this human who dares to speak to this Sesshomaru?"

"My name is Miroku the houshi." I gasped, panting for breath. "I must beg a favor of you."

"Ah, yes. You are that houshi who travels with my fool brother. You may ask and live, houshi, for my brothers mate had helped me."

"Sesshomaru-sama," I began, ignoring Sesshomaru's thoughts on Kagome and Inuyasha, "I beg you to use tensaiga to revive Sango."

"Miroku, you bastard, what are you doing?" Inuyasha called from the edge of town.

"Houshi, I cannot." Sesshomaru sighed before turning to leave.

"But you must!" I cried.

"I cannot. Even if I wanted to—and I do not particularly want to—I could not."

"Why?"

"She has been dead and buried too long. Even my sword has its limits." He explained before turning back to face me. "Though if you want my advice, houshi, you might ask my brother about how his other bitch came back to life... after fifty years of death."