Chapter 4: Hey where did everybody go??

"Quit moving damn you," hissed Kagura for the tenth time. She could not believe she was trapped beneath this man, and at his mercy. "Sorry Kagura," said the smiling pervert as he moved again slightly. "I will kill you!" snapped Kagura in response to Miroku's movements. "I'm just trying to get comfortable Kagura," said the worldly monk, his eyes twinkling with contained merriment. "You know now I can see how your kin got cursed in the first place, you have no sense, it's dangerous to bait demons, and yet you persist," Kagura ground out huffily. "I wonder how long it will be until we are found?" questioned he monk suddenly turning very serious. Kagura looked away she was afraid, she knew what her fate would be if she were found, she would be reabsorbed into Naraku, Kagura couldn't conceal the shudders that consumed her at the thought of being absorbed by that bastard. "Kagura?" questioned the monk softly with his ever calm, soothing voice. "It doesn't matter," she said firmly, trying to convince her own self more than him. As long as Miroku could remember he had always had a soft spot for troubled girls, especially beautiful troubled girls, and make no mistake Kagura was very much a beautiful girl, and she was also very troubled. "Tell me Kagura," demanded the monk firmly as he looked down at her. Kagura turned her face away from him defiantly. "Fine! I'll tell you, if Naraku is still alive.he will destroy me, he will reabsorb me," said Kagura as a fresh wave of shutters overtook her.

Miroku paled visibly, and asked, "Why did you do it Kagura, why did you help us?" the pretty youkai looked up at the young Hoshi and said, "I figured that it was a gamble, you know a fifty-fifty chance that either I'd die in the fight against you guys or that I'd die betraying Naraku, and at this point after all the shit I just wanted it to end. If I can't live free then I can't live. You cannot cage the wind after all," she answered with a slight blush. "Anyway it doesn't matter, if Naraku lives then I die, end of story," she said with a harsh finality. Miroku stared thoughtfully at the demoness pinned beneath him seeing her in a new light, not as an enemy but instead just as another being trying to find a little peace for herself. "What?" snapped Kagura nervously, the way he looked at her made her feel extremely vulnerable and she did not like it one bit, it looked as if the monk was pitying her. "Have you given any thought as to what you will do if he's dead and you are free at last?" asked Miroku softly. "No," she answered quickly, and turned her eyes away in the manner of someone who was being dishonest. "Kagura?" he prodded her gently. "You're nosy monk," snapped Kagura as she once more struggled desperately to free herself from the beguiling warmth, and kind eyes of the man above her.

Kagome turned to face Inu Yasha holding the now purified shikon no tama in her hand carefully. Inu yasha blinked with confusion as Kagome made her way back towards him clutching the jewel to her chest. "Inu Yasha does this mean.could it be?" asked Kagome with confusion. Before the young hanyou could answer a figure loomed out of the smoke. Inu Yasha firmly shoved Kagome behind him and reached for his sword Tetseiga, only to find it missing. "Damn it," growled Inu Yasha with frustration, and worry he knew he was in no condition to fight. Just then out of the smoke came the fire cat youkai Kirara, looking healthy save for a few minor nicks and scratches. "Kirara!" squeaked Kagome with joyous relief as she stepped around the stunned hanyou and embraced the demon cat. "Kirara? Do you know where Sango Chan and Miroku Sama are?" Kirara growled worriedly in answer.

Sesshomaru made his way toward the spot where he had last seen Naraku, heedless of the smoke and gore surrounding him several times he grew light headed from the overpowering smoke but still he walked on to seek out his prey, to end Naraku for all time, but Naraku was not who he found, "He is dead," said the little girl clutching a broken mirror in her strange whispery, hollow sounding voice. "How do you know this?" growled Sesshomaru with frustration. "I have seen it," answered the girl tonelessly. "With that toy?" asked Sesshomaru as he indicated the mirror. "No, the mirror was broken," said the little youkai hollowly. "How did Naraku die?" asked Sesshomaru flatly. The little girl looked up at the Lord of the western lands with wide horror filled eyes, "He was ripped to shreds before my own eyes, the light was so bright it hurt and then it washed over Naraku like an army of flesh eating insects, he began to disintegrate." Kanna shuttered in remembrance of Naraku's death, she could still hear his animalistic screams of fear and agony. Kanna doubted she would ever forget it as long as she lived.

Sango snatched her little brother up in a fierce hug, she felt the young boy stiffen in her arms at first then he slowly relaxed and began to sob bitterly. "Kohaku, I want you to listen to me alright?" asked Sango firmly. The boy somberly shook his head yes and gazed up at his elder sister with tortured eyes. "You are not to blame in any way for those deaths, do you hear me Kohaku?" "All those deaths were Naraku's doing." Said Sango gravely. Kouga stood suddenly on shaky legs and began to slowly walk away. "Where do you think you're going?" snapped Sango with mild irritation. "To search for Dog face and Kagome," said Kouga stubbornly. Sango smiled slightly at the wolf prince's petulant tone before adding, "Not alone you're not," she said equally as stubborn as she made her way to where he stood on trembling legs. Kohaku watched with puzzlement as his elder sister, one of the finest demon exterminators he had ever seen proceeded to hook her arm around the wolf youkai's waist to help support him, without thought or hesitation. Sango looked back at her dawdling brother and said in a lightly teasing tone "are you coming? Or are you waiting to grow roots?" The young boy shook his head to clear it of its cobwebs and joined his sister while looking a bit apprehensively at the youkai she supported.