Chapter Six
The harshness of day melted into the calm and serenity of evening vespers as night began to fall upon feudal Japan. The huge crowd that had swarmed in the village square that day had dwindled and all but the few stragglers who had yet to finish chores that had been forgotten in the haste of the day. Now, the few things that any of those people had left to do was done quickly and systematically for when night fell in feudal Japan superstition said that men ruled no more for demons, upon the setting of sun held dominion. The smell of meals being cooked with cares and love permeated the village air and invaded the hut where Miroku and Sango permanently lay in eternal bliss. They gazed adoringly into each other's eyes, as Sango lay wrapped and protected in Miroku's strong embrace. The smell of food did not interrupt the couple as they rest contented in the own aura of warmth they had created.
"Miroku?" Sango said quietly as she snuggled further into Miroku's bare muscular chest and brushed a feather light kiss on his neck. Miroku gazed down at Sango with his kind, lavender eyes and lazily replied,
"Hmm?" Sango looked up at Miroku and lifted her hand towards his face and gently, no longer shyly, caressed his face that was down turned toward her.
" Do you think," She began as she felt her bare stomach, that was soft except for the light feel of sculpted muscles underneath her womanly feel, "that this womb of mine will one day bear your child?" She asked as a subtle pink blush was painted across her pale cheek. Miroku smiled warmly at Sango's very appropriate question, and drew her closer to him, encircling her entirely, till she could hear the beating of his heart with her ears.
" Do you hear how my heart beats, Sango? Full and strong, I know you will bear me a child. And no matter what it is, it will be strong and brave." He said with a grin as he accentuated his declaration with a firm, and loving kiss on Sango's lips. She yet again melted into his warm touch, and no further questions arose from the silence.
As the sun set, Inuyasha sat on his usual perch in the tree, both of his brilliant golden eyes had been hidden by his eyelids that rested in the contentment of sleep. His eyes and ears twitched ever slightly and a small tear dripped out of his eyes and onto his cheek as he said in his sleep,
"Kagome, please don't leave me! I'm so sorry, I just never realized." Then silence befell him as his head twitched uneasily.
"No! Don't say the word! Not that word!" he then yelped as if he had really been sat. His hands pulled into the familiar surprise pose as his head rose and he whined angrily,
"Wench."
Shippo watched this display of Inuyasha's with interest under the protection of the tree and defiantly said,
" Even in his dreams he thinks of Kagome. This has turned out all wrong! Kagome should be here with us. Not in her own era. But Inuyasha's not going to ask Kagome back! I have to go find her!" and after he stated this he began to run towards the village, until his keen senses detected the familiar scent of a demon, but being a little Kitusne, he didn't quite remember whom he smelled.
"I'm sure Inuyasha can fend for himself. I'll just head back to the village and go into Miroku and Sango's hut!" Shippo said as he rushed back to the village.
"Hmm.Inuyasha seems different now. I detect no scent of human blood in him, but it is not the same scent I smelled when he first partially transformed. This is a more gentle and pure transformation. I shall have to discover what exactly has occurred with my little whelp of a brother." Sesshoumaru stated as his golden eyes looked toward Inuyasha's resting figure. Suddenly a small and curious Rin emerged noisily from the bush that had previously concealed her and asked,
"Sesshoumaru-sama, who are you talking to?" Sesshoumaru gently turned towards the young Rin and stated reassuringly,
" I am merely talking to myself Rin, you should go back into the bush and hide. I don't want anything to happen to you." He said almost father like as he lightly patted Rin on the head. Normally this simple technique would have sent Rin back into the bushes, but Rin had grown precocious in the last few days and with a goofy tone asked,
"Why Sesshoumaru-sama? I want to come with you. You're going to see that white haired man in the tree aren't you? Is he related to you? You guys look kind of alike, did you know that, he must be your brother?" Sesshoumaru grimaced slightly and wondered if this is what the matronly nurse who bathed and fed Rin back at the castle had tried to explain to him when he spoke of his situation with the young girl, Rin.
"Rin," he began sternly as he grasped gently onto Rin's small
shoulders, "As your father," but he suddenly paused as he felt the words 'father' escape his lips.
'Why did I just say I was this young girls father?' he asked himself as Rin looked quizzically toward him and giggled at Sesshoumaru's perplexed state. This giggling brought Sesshoumaru from his thoughts, and he continued is lecture,
"As your guardian," he corrected, "I insist you go and hide back in the bushes with Jaken." Rin pouted cutely and Sesshoumaru felt the urge to cave and let her come along, but caught himself and stated,
"How about I go see if anyone could possibly hurt you, and if I don't see any one who can you can come out and see my brother?" Rin nodded and sauntered back into the bush. Sesshoumaru sighed in relief,
' I won that battle.' He thought as he zoomed towards Inuyasha's sleeping figure.
"Heh. Inuyasha is asleep and while I thank him from freeing me and my heart from scum like Naraku, he needs to die!" Kagura said as a familiar defiant smirk etched across her face. She stared at her fan, which had helped her win many battles and as she stretched the material out to it's fullest, she retracted it again quickly as she felt the presence of another demon. With sharp turn of her head she saw Sesshoumaru approach and angered by his possible interference she sent two blades of wind toward him. Naturally, with ease Sesshoumaru dodged this attack, and looked closely at Kagura. He scowled.
'This arrogant wench is not worth my time.' He growled in his thoughts as he fast approached the defiant demon.
"Sesshoumaru, stand back! I do not desire to harm you, but if you stand in my way I will have no choice." Sesshoumaru was taken aback by Kagura's haughty tone and scowled,
'This wench desires to take my brothers life. That I shall not allow.' He thought while he shrugged his shoulders and fast approached Kagura. Her attention was diverted from killing Inuyasha, and was now focused on herself defense as she sent blades of wind reeling towards Sesshoumaru with a simple flick of her deadly fan. However Sesshoumaru dodged her feeble attack with great ease and with fantastic strength coming from his only arm was just inches away from Kagura. Then his hand flew to her wrist as its strong grip shattered the bone in her wrist. He did not let her wrist go till he heard the distinct crack of bones and Kagura yelp in pain. When he let her wrist go, the deadly fan was know in his hand, he smirked at Kagura and insulted,
"For being an incarnation of a demon like Naraku, you are pathetic. I would've thought better of you. It turns out you fight no better than my brother does." Kagura scowled and said in a threatening low growl,
"It is a fool who would assume so." Sesshoumaru shook his head and his hand flew toward her neck and encircled it, he contemplated squeezing and threatened,
"All I have to do is to squeeze my hand, give me one reason why I should not?" he demanded from Kagura as his fingers slowly tightened around Kagura's throat. But to Sesshoumaru's surprise a pleading tone escaped the arrogant demon's lips,
"Please don't." she simply whined, Sesshoumaru was caught by surprise and began to loosen his fingers from Kagura's neck. He gently set Kagura to the ground and let his guard down just enough so he could still strike if Kagura chose to attack.
"For as an incarnation of Naraku," she began meekly scooting closer to Sesshoumaru, as she beat down her normally arrogant instincts,
" I always have a back up plan!" She said harshly as she embraced Sesshoumaru and drew a dagger into his back and reclaimed her fan. Since Sesshoumaru was a demon of great power this wound served only to shock him as he mentally cursed himself for setting his guard down. Then he felt harsh blades of wind tear vehemently through his well-sculpted body as he staggered back.
"Now that you are somewhat incapable of defending your brother I will make sure he dies!" she exclaimed as she sent her harmful blades through the tree, which Inuyasha slept in.
"No you won't!" a proud voice declared. Sesshoumaru internally grinned as he saw his brother in a full demon transformation, but not violently so.
'Kagura, this transformed brother of mine will give me difficulty, you will surely be slaughtered,' he thought. Kagura's face was in shock, as she smelled Inuyasha's powerful demonic aura.
Rin sat in horror as she saw Kagura's dagger impale Sesshoumaru's back. She ignored both Jakens squeals and Sesshoumaru's previous ruling and recklessly ran towards her beloved 'Sessie-Sama'.
"Hmm." Kagome declared aloud as she examined herself in the mirror wearing a modest white tank top and a short Khaki mini-skirt. She ran her hands briefly up and down her sides then turned a ninety-degree angle to see if her stomach looked flat enough. After thoroughly examining if she looked pretty or not she nodded and grabbed her brush. Slowly, she struggled through her tangled hair, and finally after five minutes felt she was ready for her date with Hojo.
"Geez. I wonder if I'll actually enjoy going out with him. I mean he does adore me. More than Inuyasha does anyway." She grumbled as she tied her platform sandals in a flattering knot at the base of her ankle. Swiftly she grabbed her Khaki hand bag with her flatteringly red nails and walked out of her room taking a deep breath and muttering,
"Well here goes nothing." She bemoaned as she boldly strode out of her room and attempted to live her life anew. When she left that door she exiled all her thoughts of Inuyasha, and the feudal era in the corner of her mind, never to return to it again.
"Miroku, Sango!" Shippo whined as he ran chaotically from the scene of the battle, his tail firmly between is diminutive legs.
"Where are they? Did they leave me? I forgot where the hut is WAAAAAA!" Shippo wined as he ran noisily in the cold night air. Suddenly, he remembered his demon senses and put them to work.
"There they are." Shippo cried happily as he ran to the hut at the other end of the village.
Sango and Miroku both lay breathless and in bliss eternal on the soft futon. Their chests rose in equal rhythms. Sango turned her head towards Miroku and marveled at how the low candlelight of the room made Miroku seem simply irresistible to her.
' He is so handsome. The firelight plays perfectly on his soft skin on his pale cheeks. I shall love him forever.' Sango thought as she stared adoringly at the monk who showed her what it was like to finally be loved, in the physical sense of course. For, he long ago had loved her and nurtured her soul, and now he did the same to every part of her, he no longer brushed away her tears, he eliminated them entirely.
Miroku looked at Sango, he found himself lost in the maze of her beauty, how her eyes, brown as chocolate Kagome brought from the future, engulfed his own.
'Somehow,' Miroku began in his thoughts, 'this woman so truly completes me. When I am near her, her presence makes me forget all the tragedy and all the death that made my life a living hell. She is truly my angel from above who led my soul from the depths of the hell that I myself created and showed me a new and purer way to live. I love you Sango!' Miroku's thoughts exclaimed, as the firelight danced entrancingly in Sango's brown eyes. He felt that his body was drawn to her, and she to his as they inched closer, and closer yet, their eyes never wavering from each other.
"Miroku," Sango said above a whisper. Miroku strained to hear Sango's small cry and sped up their inching and wrapped his arms about her, drawing her close and lovingly.
"Sango, What is it?" Miroku asked as his thumb lightly caressed her blushing cheek. She looked meekly at Miroku's handsome face, and said, as she nervously fingered his bare chest.
" I've never felt so loved, so cared for until now. Please never leave my side." Miroku laughed, amused at her insecurities, and ceased caressing her cheek, and let his thumb lay still on her cheek. With his other hand he cupped her chin, and spoke seductively,
"Sango, if you are worried that what I feel is simply lust, that I denounce. I've loved you since I first saw you, and how you fought for the honor of your villagers, even when near the very brink of death. You complete me entirely, and I am truly yours." Miroku then tilted his head to the right and slowly inched toward Sango, who felt warm tears of joy slip from her eyes.
'I'm not going to rush this kiss. It's worth more than that.' He thought as he finally captured Sango's lips gently within his own. Slowly, the kiss progressed, every meeting of their lips, every caress of their tongues, and every emotion preserved in that one moment.
"Rin!" Sesshoumaru yelled as he saw her run frantically toward him. While her fearlessness caused him slight pride, he was also worried about Rin.
"Stay back! I'm alright!" He exclaimed. She still ran towards him, as if her very life depended on it.
'Kagura, is arrogant and ruthless, the death of such an innocent child like Rin will cause her little upset.' He thought in a panic.
"Kagura!" Sesshoumaru yelled, temporarily distracting her from battle. She turned angrily and faced Sesshoumaru,
"Why do you continue to interfere?" She yelled, and sent more blades of wind towards him. Sesshoumaru, though his swiftly healing wound slowed him down, managed to dodge her wind blades, but was scraped by one blade.
"Sesshoumaru-Sama!" Rin exclaimed as she saw the blade of wind rip through his body. Sesshoumaru grunted at the slight pain it brought to his already wounded body. Kagura side glanced at the child, and flicked her fan slightly, pondering whether to destroy a simple human girl was worth her time. A sly grin played crossed her features,
'Sesshoumaru seems to have some bond with that human girl. I have an idea.' Slowly, and dramatically Kagura turned to face Rin. Rin stopped as she saw the demon eye her thoughtfully.
"Rin no!" Sesshoumaru yelled as he saw Rin stop making her a simple target. Kagura raised her fan and swiftly drug it through the air. Blades of wind sung violently toward Rin. Inuyasha turned, and took this moment as his time to shine and kill Kagura once and for all. Sesshoumaru forgot his injuries and rushed to protect Rin. Sesshoumaru took every blow, and then fell into unconsciousness. Kagura grinned and was glad that she could finally turn her full attention to Inuyasha, but too late did she notice his windscar, and with that Kagura was no more. Inuyasha rushed to the side of his fallen brother, while Rin wept on Sesshoumaru's fine Kimono.
" You better not die!" Inuyasha exclaimed, as he felt a bond his brother had shared with him reappear
***Flashback***
"Daddy! Why do I gotta go with Sesshoumaru! He looks funny!" a young Inuyasha asked as he folded his arms in rebuttal. Sesshoumaru glanced at Inuyasha and sighed,
' That boy who my father insists upon calling my brother reeks of human blood! Is he really related to me?' Sesshoumaru bemoaned,
"Go on with your brother!" Their father demanded. Inuyasha grunted and Sesshoumaru grimaced.
***Flashback***
"Dad always did want us to be friends." Inuyasha said as he lifted the unconscious Sesshoumaru and began to carry him toward the village.
"Where are you going with Sesshoumaru-Sama!" Rin demanded as she ran alongside Inuyasha. Inuyasha moaned,
" You gonna come to?" he asked. Rin nodded and happily followed Inuyasha, who was more than just annoyed.
Meanwhile, Shippo opened the door to Miroku's hut and shrieked,
"There's a." but suddenly he stopped as Miroku stared cross-eyed at Shippo, and Sango, who was locked in his embrace blushed and looked horrified.
"Where are your clothes?" Shippo asked curiously. Miroku sighed and said,
"We left them outside, would you mind getting them for us?" Shippo obediently left in search of Miroku and Sango's 'clothes'.
The harshness of day melted into the calm and serenity of evening vespers as night began to fall upon feudal Japan. The huge crowd that had swarmed in the village square that day had dwindled and all but the few stragglers who had yet to finish chores that had been forgotten in the haste of the day. Now, the few things that any of those people had left to do was done quickly and systematically for when night fell in feudal Japan superstition said that men ruled no more for demons, upon the setting of sun held dominion. The smell of meals being cooked with cares and love permeated the village air and invaded the hut where Miroku and Sango permanently lay in eternal bliss. They gazed adoringly into each other's eyes, as Sango lay wrapped and protected in Miroku's strong embrace. The smell of food did not interrupt the couple as they rest contented in the own aura of warmth they had created.
"Miroku?" Sango said quietly as she snuggled further into Miroku's bare muscular chest and brushed a feather light kiss on his neck. Miroku gazed down at Sango with his kind, lavender eyes and lazily replied,
"Hmm?" Sango looked up at Miroku and lifted her hand towards his face and gently, no longer shyly, caressed his face that was down turned toward her.
" Do you think," She began as she felt her bare stomach, that was soft except for the light feel of sculpted muscles underneath her womanly feel, "that this womb of mine will one day bear your child?" She asked as a subtle pink blush was painted across her pale cheek. Miroku smiled warmly at Sango's very appropriate question, and drew her closer to him, encircling her entirely, till she could hear the beating of his heart with her ears.
" Do you hear how my heart beats, Sango? Full and strong, I know you will bear me a child. And no matter what it is, it will be strong and brave." He said with a grin as he accentuated his declaration with a firm, and loving kiss on Sango's lips. She yet again melted into his warm touch, and no further questions arose from the silence.
As the sun set, Inuyasha sat on his usual perch in the tree, both of his brilliant golden eyes had been hidden by his eyelids that rested in the contentment of sleep. His eyes and ears twitched ever slightly and a small tear dripped out of his eyes and onto his cheek as he said in his sleep,
"Kagome, please don't leave me! I'm so sorry, I just never realized." Then silence befell him as his head twitched uneasily.
"No! Don't say the word! Not that word!" he then yelped as if he had really been sat. His hands pulled into the familiar surprise pose as his head rose and he whined angrily,
"Wench."
Shippo watched this display of Inuyasha's with interest under the protection of the tree and defiantly said,
" Even in his dreams he thinks of Kagome. This has turned out all wrong! Kagome should be here with us. Not in her own era. But Inuyasha's not going to ask Kagome back! I have to go find her!" and after he stated this he began to run towards the village, until his keen senses detected the familiar scent of a demon, but being a little Kitusne, he didn't quite remember whom he smelled.
"I'm sure Inuyasha can fend for himself. I'll just head back to the village and go into Miroku and Sango's hut!" Shippo said as he rushed back to the village.
"Hmm.Inuyasha seems different now. I detect no scent of human blood in him, but it is not the same scent I smelled when he first partially transformed. This is a more gentle and pure transformation. I shall have to discover what exactly has occurred with my little whelp of a brother." Sesshoumaru stated as his golden eyes looked toward Inuyasha's resting figure. Suddenly a small and curious Rin emerged noisily from the bush that had previously concealed her and asked,
"Sesshoumaru-sama, who are you talking to?" Sesshoumaru gently turned towards the young Rin and stated reassuringly,
" I am merely talking to myself Rin, you should go back into the bush and hide. I don't want anything to happen to you." He said almost father like as he lightly patted Rin on the head. Normally this simple technique would have sent Rin back into the bushes, but Rin had grown precocious in the last few days and with a goofy tone asked,
"Why Sesshoumaru-sama? I want to come with you. You're going to see that white haired man in the tree aren't you? Is he related to you? You guys look kind of alike, did you know that, he must be your brother?" Sesshoumaru grimaced slightly and wondered if this is what the matronly nurse who bathed and fed Rin back at the castle had tried to explain to him when he spoke of his situation with the young girl, Rin.
"Rin," he began sternly as he grasped gently onto Rin's small
shoulders, "As your father," but he suddenly paused as he felt the words 'father' escape his lips.
'Why did I just say I was this young girls father?' he asked himself as Rin looked quizzically toward him and giggled at Sesshoumaru's perplexed state. This giggling brought Sesshoumaru from his thoughts, and he continued is lecture,
"As your guardian," he corrected, "I insist you go and hide back in the bushes with Jaken." Rin pouted cutely and Sesshoumaru felt the urge to cave and let her come along, but caught himself and stated,
"How about I go see if anyone could possibly hurt you, and if I don't see any one who can you can come out and see my brother?" Rin nodded and sauntered back into the bush. Sesshoumaru sighed in relief,
' I won that battle.' He thought as he zoomed towards Inuyasha's sleeping figure.
"Heh. Inuyasha is asleep and while I thank him from freeing me and my heart from scum like Naraku, he needs to die!" Kagura said as a familiar defiant smirk etched across her face. She stared at her fan, which had helped her win many battles and as she stretched the material out to it's fullest, she retracted it again quickly as she felt the presence of another demon. With sharp turn of her head she saw Sesshoumaru approach and angered by his possible interference she sent two blades of wind toward him. Naturally, with ease Sesshoumaru dodged this attack, and looked closely at Kagura. He scowled.
'This arrogant wench is not worth my time.' He growled in his thoughts as he fast approached the defiant demon.
"Sesshoumaru, stand back! I do not desire to harm you, but if you stand in my way I will have no choice." Sesshoumaru was taken aback by Kagura's haughty tone and scowled,
'This wench desires to take my brothers life. That I shall not allow.' He thought while he shrugged his shoulders and fast approached Kagura. Her attention was diverted from killing Inuyasha, and was now focused on herself defense as she sent blades of wind reeling towards Sesshoumaru with a simple flick of her deadly fan. However Sesshoumaru dodged her feeble attack with great ease and with fantastic strength coming from his only arm was just inches away from Kagura. Then his hand flew to her wrist as its strong grip shattered the bone in her wrist. He did not let her wrist go till he heard the distinct crack of bones and Kagura yelp in pain. When he let her wrist go, the deadly fan was know in his hand, he smirked at Kagura and insulted,
"For being an incarnation of a demon like Naraku, you are pathetic. I would've thought better of you. It turns out you fight no better than my brother does." Kagura scowled and said in a threatening low growl,
"It is a fool who would assume so." Sesshoumaru shook his head and his hand flew toward her neck and encircled it, he contemplated squeezing and threatened,
"All I have to do is to squeeze my hand, give me one reason why I should not?" he demanded from Kagura as his fingers slowly tightened around Kagura's throat. But to Sesshoumaru's surprise a pleading tone escaped the arrogant demon's lips,
"Please don't." she simply whined, Sesshoumaru was caught by surprise and began to loosen his fingers from Kagura's neck. He gently set Kagura to the ground and let his guard down just enough so he could still strike if Kagura chose to attack.
"For as an incarnation of Naraku," she began meekly scooting closer to Sesshoumaru, as she beat down her normally arrogant instincts,
" I always have a back up plan!" She said harshly as she embraced Sesshoumaru and drew a dagger into his back and reclaimed her fan. Since Sesshoumaru was a demon of great power this wound served only to shock him as he mentally cursed himself for setting his guard down. Then he felt harsh blades of wind tear vehemently through his well-sculpted body as he staggered back.
"Now that you are somewhat incapable of defending your brother I will make sure he dies!" she exclaimed as she sent her harmful blades through the tree, which Inuyasha slept in.
"No you won't!" a proud voice declared. Sesshoumaru internally grinned as he saw his brother in a full demon transformation, but not violently so.
'Kagura, this transformed brother of mine will give me difficulty, you will surely be slaughtered,' he thought. Kagura's face was in shock, as she smelled Inuyasha's powerful demonic aura.
Rin sat in horror as she saw Kagura's dagger impale Sesshoumaru's back. She ignored both Jakens squeals and Sesshoumaru's previous ruling and recklessly ran towards her beloved 'Sessie-Sama'.
"Hmm." Kagome declared aloud as she examined herself in the mirror wearing a modest white tank top and a short Khaki mini-skirt. She ran her hands briefly up and down her sides then turned a ninety-degree angle to see if her stomach looked flat enough. After thoroughly examining if she looked pretty or not she nodded and grabbed her brush. Slowly, she struggled through her tangled hair, and finally after five minutes felt she was ready for her date with Hojo.
"Geez. I wonder if I'll actually enjoy going out with him. I mean he does adore me. More than Inuyasha does anyway." She grumbled as she tied her platform sandals in a flattering knot at the base of her ankle. Swiftly she grabbed her Khaki hand bag with her flatteringly red nails and walked out of her room taking a deep breath and muttering,
"Well here goes nothing." She bemoaned as she boldly strode out of her room and attempted to live her life anew. When she left that door she exiled all her thoughts of Inuyasha, and the feudal era in the corner of her mind, never to return to it again.
"Miroku, Sango!" Shippo whined as he ran chaotically from the scene of the battle, his tail firmly between is diminutive legs.
"Where are they? Did they leave me? I forgot where the hut is WAAAAAA!" Shippo wined as he ran noisily in the cold night air. Suddenly, he remembered his demon senses and put them to work.
"There they are." Shippo cried happily as he ran to the hut at the other end of the village.
Sango and Miroku both lay breathless and in bliss eternal on the soft futon. Their chests rose in equal rhythms. Sango turned her head towards Miroku and marveled at how the low candlelight of the room made Miroku seem simply irresistible to her.
' He is so handsome. The firelight plays perfectly on his soft skin on his pale cheeks. I shall love him forever.' Sango thought as she stared adoringly at the monk who showed her what it was like to finally be loved, in the physical sense of course. For, he long ago had loved her and nurtured her soul, and now he did the same to every part of her, he no longer brushed away her tears, he eliminated them entirely.
Miroku looked at Sango, he found himself lost in the maze of her beauty, how her eyes, brown as chocolate Kagome brought from the future, engulfed his own.
'Somehow,' Miroku began in his thoughts, 'this woman so truly completes me. When I am near her, her presence makes me forget all the tragedy and all the death that made my life a living hell. She is truly my angel from above who led my soul from the depths of the hell that I myself created and showed me a new and purer way to live. I love you Sango!' Miroku's thoughts exclaimed, as the firelight danced entrancingly in Sango's brown eyes. He felt that his body was drawn to her, and she to his as they inched closer, and closer yet, their eyes never wavering from each other.
"Miroku," Sango said above a whisper. Miroku strained to hear Sango's small cry and sped up their inching and wrapped his arms about her, drawing her close and lovingly.
"Sango, What is it?" Miroku asked as his thumb lightly caressed her blushing cheek. She looked meekly at Miroku's handsome face, and said, as she nervously fingered his bare chest.
" I've never felt so loved, so cared for until now. Please never leave my side." Miroku laughed, amused at her insecurities, and ceased caressing her cheek, and let his thumb lay still on her cheek. With his other hand he cupped her chin, and spoke seductively,
"Sango, if you are worried that what I feel is simply lust, that I denounce. I've loved you since I first saw you, and how you fought for the honor of your villagers, even when near the very brink of death. You complete me entirely, and I am truly yours." Miroku then tilted his head to the right and slowly inched toward Sango, who felt warm tears of joy slip from her eyes.
'I'm not going to rush this kiss. It's worth more than that.' He thought as he finally captured Sango's lips gently within his own. Slowly, the kiss progressed, every meeting of their lips, every caress of their tongues, and every emotion preserved in that one moment.
"Rin!" Sesshoumaru yelled as he saw her run frantically toward him. While her fearlessness caused him slight pride, he was also worried about Rin.
"Stay back! I'm alright!" He exclaimed. She still ran towards him, as if her very life depended on it.
'Kagura, is arrogant and ruthless, the death of such an innocent child like Rin will cause her little upset.' He thought in a panic.
"Kagura!" Sesshoumaru yelled, temporarily distracting her from battle. She turned angrily and faced Sesshoumaru,
"Why do you continue to interfere?" She yelled, and sent more blades of wind towards him. Sesshoumaru, though his swiftly healing wound slowed him down, managed to dodge her wind blades, but was scraped by one blade.
"Sesshoumaru-Sama!" Rin exclaimed as she saw the blade of wind rip through his body. Sesshoumaru grunted at the slight pain it brought to his already wounded body. Kagura side glanced at the child, and flicked her fan slightly, pondering whether to destroy a simple human girl was worth her time. A sly grin played crossed her features,
'Sesshoumaru seems to have some bond with that human girl. I have an idea.' Slowly, and dramatically Kagura turned to face Rin. Rin stopped as she saw the demon eye her thoughtfully.
"Rin no!" Sesshoumaru yelled as he saw Rin stop making her a simple target. Kagura raised her fan and swiftly drug it through the air. Blades of wind sung violently toward Rin. Inuyasha turned, and took this moment as his time to shine and kill Kagura once and for all. Sesshoumaru forgot his injuries and rushed to protect Rin. Sesshoumaru took every blow, and then fell into unconsciousness. Kagura grinned and was glad that she could finally turn her full attention to Inuyasha, but too late did she notice his windscar, and with that Kagura was no more. Inuyasha rushed to the side of his fallen brother, while Rin wept on Sesshoumaru's fine Kimono.
" You better not die!" Inuyasha exclaimed, as he felt a bond his brother had shared with him reappear
***Flashback***
"Daddy! Why do I gotta go with Sesshoumaru! He looks funny!" a young Inuyasha asked as he folded his arms in rebuttal. Sesshoumaru glanced at Inuyasha and sighed,
' That boy who my father insists upon calling my brother reeks of human blood! Is he really related to me?' Sesshoumaru bemoaned,
"Go on with your brother!" Their father demanded. Inuyasha grunted and Sesshoumaru grimaced.
***Flashback***
"Dad always did want us to be friends." Inuyasha said as he lifted the unconscious Sesshoumaru and began to carry him toward the village.
"Where are you going with Sesshoumaru-Sama!" Rin demanded as she ran alongside Inuyasha. Inuyasha moaned,
" You gonna come to?" he asked. Rin nodded and happily followed Inuyasha, who was more than just annoyed.
Meanwhile, Shippo opened the door to Miroku's hut and shrieked,
"There's a." but suddenly he stopped as Miroku stared cross-eyed at Shippo, and Sango, who was locked in his embrace blushed and looked horrified.
"Where are your clothes?" Shippo asked curiously. Miroku sighed and said,
"We left them outside, would you mind getting them for us?" Shippo obediently left in search of Miroku and Sango's 'clothes'.