Chapter Twenty-Two: Discovering the Enemy

Disclaimer: ::sigh:: Won't you just look at all the previous chapters, okay? Oh, well. On with story. Enjoy.

A/N: Sorry if Kagura is OOC. I don't see her a lot in the shows.

In the doorway, I could see Kagome standing there with InuYasha. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Have a nice time together, you two?" She grinned more.

I gasped as pink tinged my cheeks. I felt so hot as my anger over- swept me.

"Kagome! I—you—how. . .you set it up!" I cried, walking into the corner where Miroku sat, listening to the conversation coolly. As soon as he saw me walk over to him, he gathered me in his lap. I rested my head against him. How I adored that earthy smell that hung on him. It really goes with him. But that earthy tone, I guess, just turns me on! I would never tell anyone that, though. Kagome glanced at us, and smiled as InuYasha slung his arm over her shoulder.

"Told you my plan would work. . ." she whispered in his ear.

I heard Kagome whispering, but ignored her. I was too busy occupying Miroku's lap to even notice. He loves me. And I love him. What more could I want? Everything is just so perfect. Nothing in the world could be better than this. I want this moment to last forever. . .for an eternity. . .I feel as if a whole eternity is just going by us, as I snuggle deeper into my itoshii's lap.

'Someday,' I began to think, 'we'll be able to beat Naraku, side-by-side, we'll defeat him. That day will come very soon. I know it will. Then Miroku's curse will be gone, and I'll be free to live with him, happy to be with him, and happy to know I had avenged my father and ototo. How I can't wait for that day to come. Only can I train myself harder, so I can be more than a match to fight him. Once and for all. I will prove to myself to Naraku and to everyone else, that I am strong enough to beat him. I hope that day comes soon. And I'll be ready. Ready to make that baka go to where he belongs, once and for all—Hell. And I'll be ready. . .I'm ready for you, Naraku.' [Baka-Idiot]

"Ugh! C'mon, everyone! I've been standing around, waiting for you slowpokes all morning!" complained a very irritated hanyou.

"Then just wait one more minute, InuYasha!!" Kagome complained back.

"Feh."

I rolled my eyes as I packed up and gathered my things. Which is not a lot to begin with, for your information. I hummed a song to myself as I situated the strap on Hiraikotsu over my shoulder. I noticed Miroku glancing at me from the corner of my eye. I smiled to myself. I would never forget that day. Miroku had been so nice to me! He is so sweet. And that's why I love him. He's my lecherous baka. No one else's. He belongs to me. So back off, you seducing-stealing-Houshi-sama that belongs to me-girls! No one is getting him! NO ONE!

We left our lodging place and traveled for a good amount of time. It was well-past sun-up when we came to the village of Nezumi and Haru. . .

"Well, this is your village," Kagome mumbled sadly. She kicked a rock, looking down at the ground the whole time. Everyone was lost of words. Finally, I spoke up.

"No! You. . .you can't go and just leave us! We need you two! You guys. . .you're our friends! We can't just abandon you like that! If you guys are leaving, I will have to stop you. I can't just let you go. So if you want to go, go. But there's no stopping me of stopping you."

Nezumi looked up at Haru who glanced down at her, before returning his gaze to my serious face. I tightened my lips as I walked over to the entrance of the village, and stood there, expecting them to enter. But no one moved. A smile slowly crept across my face.

"You. . .you're staying?"

"Hai, Nezumi and I don't really want to go back. We can't bear it. So, we have decided. . .that we're staying with you, staying until the end comes." Haru declared.

I smiled as Miroku took his hand in mine, and lifted me to his back. Unfortunately, he fell to the ground, with the weight of Hiraikotsu and me on top of him. Not that I'm heavy. . .It's just the boomerang. I swiftly jumped up off his back, and helped him up.

We trudged along the path, until Kagome finally announced that it was time to eat. Translation for that: she's really tired. So all of us agreed, with no exception, except for InuYasha, who wanted to continue on to look for more Shikon shards, which we haven't done for quite a while, really. I assume that Naraku has most of them, and therefore, is hiding from us.

As I nibbled into one of the riceballs Kagome baked for us, I looked around curiously, and saw a familiar white pelt. . .

'Naraku!' I thought anxiously. My heart sunk as I realized it was just something else.

'Wait a minute. . .' I left the group quietly, and walked over to the oak tree that I saw the white fur in. Peering up into the thick branches and leaves, I saw a face looking back down at me. That same baboon mask that yaro, Naraku, wears!

"Naraku!" I growled, my fists curling into balls as my teeth clenched together. "You yaro! Come down here and fight!"

"Heh, heh, heh. . .Are you sure you'd want that, Sango? After all, you are alone. . .without a weapon. . .All alone by your little lonesome. . .How delightful."

"Rrrr, damn you! InuYasha, Kagome, Miroku!"

Naraku was startled in his tree, as I shouted for the others. They came dashing to me instantly, a weapon in each of his or her hands. Miroku stood beside me, keeping his ground; Kagome stood back-to-back with InuYasha, bow in hand, arrows at the ready, and InuYasha with Tetsusaiga tightly gripped.

"You're gonna die, yaro. And I promise that," InuYasha growled, tightening his grip even more, if that were even possible. Kagome put the arrow alongside the string of the bow, and pulled it back precautiously, ready for any sudden movements. Kirara came beside me, in her battle form, and carried Hiraikotsu on her back. I took it in my grasp, and mocked the baboon man in his perch.

"No weapon, huh? Oh, well, you see, I think we've got plenty of weapons, here. . . That, I promise. . ."

Naraku still sat there, unmoving. Only when he did, it was a quick flash of white. Another flash of red and white pursued it, and clashing sounds of a sword could be heard.

"Go, InuYasha!" Kagome cheered. "You can do it! I know you can!" She kept on yelling things of praise. "Way ta go! Almost got him. . .That's okay, you'll get him next time!"

"There is no next time." Naraku murmured, InuYasha screamed.

Kagome cringed.

"Oh, this is useless. We need to help him! C'mon, Miroku and Kirara! He needs us." I exclaimed, hopping on Kirara's back and Miroku stepped on behind me. I swatted away a wandering hand.

"In a time like this?!" I screeched as I slapped his face.

". . .It comforts me. . ." A certain houshi rubbed his cheek.

Kirara took flight into the air, and soon enough, we were overtop Naraku and InuYasha. I stood up slowly and raised Hiraikotsu above my head.

"Hirai--Whoa!"

I lost my balance with the heavy boomerang, and plunged head-first to the ground.

"Damn it! . . . Miroku!"

Miroku shot out an extended hand, but was too late. I was already a yard away from the ground. Kirara stopped mid-way in her trek through the air, and growled ferociously as she made for me. I fell and fell. . .Until. . .

CRASH!

I stood up, rubbing my head, and wondered why my crashing stop on the earth was cushioned.

"Oh."

Below me lay Naraku. Hiraikotsu was stuck in his thigh, and blood oozed out. I pulled out the boomerang, and jabbed again. But I was stopped. A white blade of wind abrupted me. Kagura.

"K-Kagura?!"

"Who else did you think I was, child? Ryuuja no Mai!" [Ryuuja no Mai-Dance of the Dragon Snakes]

Tornadoes flew all around and Kagome shrieked as she jumped out of the way from one. I held Hiraikotsu above my head to shield myself. I could feel the ground moving underneath my feet. I was then lifted up into the air, and placed on a hard, furry body. I looked up into the smiling face of Miroku. His hand was clutched on the collar of my demon exterminator suit.

"A-arigatou, Miroku. . ."

He smiled.

"Am I gonna do all the work or what?!" InuYasha yelled as he swung at Naraku, who dodged the blade InuYasha bore easily.

"Is this the InuYasha who said he could easily beat me?" Naraku said, mockingly. InuYasha growled, and swung again, only to miss.

"InuYasha!" Miroku yelled. InuYasha looked up as Miroku threw him some of his ofudas and sutras. "Put them on your sword!"

InuYasha did so, and swung. Direct hit!

"Yeah! Go, InuYasha, go!"

Naraku gasped, and clutched his wound. As InuYasha came closer, Naraku looked up, and flung poison at him. InuYasha cried out, and tried to rub off the burning acids.

"InuYasha! That's it. . .I'm not going to stand around and watch!" Kagome huffed. She pulled back the arrow that was there earlier, and aimed at Naraku who was laughing at the sight of InuYasha jumping around, in pain, from the poison all over his arms and body.

The arrow soared through the air, coming upon Naraku closer, and closer, and closer. It hit the surprised demon straight in the chest, and Naraku screamed out in pain. He collapsed to the ground as Miroku and I stepped forward.

"Stand behind me, Sango." Miroku mumbled.

"Miroku. . ." I whispered.

"Stand behind me, Sango." repeated the serious monk.

"Yosh. . ."

"KAZAANA!" The winds of the Kazaana flew all around, and tore at his robes, and my black cat suit. Suddenly, Kagura stepped out, and flicked her fan. Hundreds of venom wasps appeared behind the wind mistress, and all flew toward Miroku's outstretched palm.

"No!" he cried out to himself, wrapping his hand once more.

". . .Miroku. . ." I whispered again, clutching at the back of his robes. He pulled me behind him more, and hit several wasps with his shakoujo.

"Aah!" I groaned. A stinger from the wasp was in my ankle. I pulled it out, and stomped on the bug.

"Sango! You okay?" asked a worried Miroku.

"Hai, I'm fine. Just a sting."

". . .Nn. . ."

I turned away as Miroku looked at me. I was just stung by a venom wasp. . .I can't die. I'm not going to die. I'm gonna make myself live. I yelled "Hiraikotsu!" as I sprinted toward Naraku. Leaping into the air, I threw down my weapon upon his masked head.

He caught my wrist, and squeezed hard. I yelled out in pain, and collapsed to the ground, Naraku still having hold on my wrist. Miroku made to move toward me, but Naraku glared, and stated,

"Don't move, monk. Unless you want your female demon slayer dead. Now, we don't want that, now do we? I thought so."

Miroku stopped in his tracks, looked down sadly, and shook his head. He mouthed my name out, and painfully gazed at me. My expression grimaced. Then it struck me. I flicked my wrist, and out popped the hidden blade from the collar of the sleeve of my suit. It sliced through Naraku's wrist, and he pulled away. The blade on my wrist was now covered in his blood.

"Serves you right, yaro." I pulled out my katana, and held it at his throat. I was about to cut him, when he spoke.

"You don't have the nerve to do it, Sango? Pity."

I growled and shoved his face into the loamy soil, and stepped on his upper back so hard, he coughed up blood.

"Sango," he started, as he stood up. "You do know that I have your brother waiting for me, not far off?"

"You yaro. . ."

"I figured you'd say that," he mused.

I heard Miroku's approaching footsteps, but pretended to not notice, seeing he was sneaking on Naraku. Miroku came closer, and he was about to strike the demon with his shakoujo, but the demon intercepted it.

"Kuso. . ." the monk cursed to himself.

"RAAA! COME HERE, NARAKU!" InuYasha yelled off in the distance. Naraku only turned his head slightly, and saw the quickly approaching hanyou, weapon at waist's length. As the hanyou came closer, he pulled Tetsusaiga out again, and it enlargened. He threshed it out and came so close to striking Naraku. And though he missed, he cut off Naraku's baboon pelt. Now here stood Naraku. We had a good amount of time to get a good look of him, before he would die.

"Stare all you want," Naraku said, "For the last thing before you all die, is me! Kagura!"

(A/N: I don't feel like putting Kanna in here...)

"Naraku! We are not going to die today! The one that will perish. . .is you!" I proclaimed. I paused for a moment, to catch my breath. "And by the way, Kagura. . .is not on your side anymore!"

"Kukuku. . .of course she is! What makes you say that? Who said that she isn't on my side? She was borne from me! ME!"

"Says me!" came a voice from afar. Kagura stepped out from behind Kagome, holding her fan in front of her face, eyes peering over the top. "I'm sick and tired, Naraku, of your silly little games! I'm tired. . .of having to fulfill your every whim! I'm not going to be your little servant, anymore! You will die today, Naraku! Mark my words!"

Kagura pulled out her fan, and sliced it through the air in front of Naraku, shouting "Fuujin no Mai!", before plucking out a feather from her bun, transforming into a bigger feather, and leapt atop it. [Fuujin no Mai-Dance of the Wind Blades]

Naraku crouched to the ground as the wind blades sliced through his robes. He was bleeding in many places, cuts everywhere. When he stood up, he glared menacingly at Kagura, and wiped away the trickling blood on his cut lip.

"I took care of you. . ."

"LIAR! All you did to me was bitch at me, and ordered me around! Is that what you call 'taking care of'? Well, you're so damn stupid if you think that!"

"I wasn't finished. . .I took care of you, and this. . .this is the thanks I get for taking care of you,"

"That's what I was saying! You don't take care of me! Filthy yaro. Ugh, I'm sick of this nonsense arguing! I'm just gonna kill you now!"

And with that, Kagura leaned forward on her enlargened feather, sliced the fan again, and humongous gusts of winds and tornadoes appeared from her fan out of no where, and Naraku was surrounded.

"If you're waiting for the opportune moment, InuYasha, you'd better do it now. . ." Kagura hinted.

'I wonder if I should try the 'Wind Scar' or not. . .I see it! The winds colliding against each other!'

"Wind Scar!"

"Go, Hiraikotsu!" I joined in. Kagome pulled back an arrow, and let it loose. All together, our weapons collided in our one target: Naraku. I couldn't help but feel bad for Miroku. His best weapon, or yet his worse weapon, the Kazaana, would be bad to use now, and he wouldn't walk straight in the middle of the area, expecting to hit Naraku across the head with his shakoujo! So Miroku just hung back, feeling quite helpless, but his hand slipped into his robes, and he pulled it out again. He had remembered: his sutras and ofudas!

(A/N: Does he have both sutras and ofudas? I dunno. Well, he does now. Hehe...)

Miroku threw out his sutras/ofudas at the last minute, and several of them stuck to Hiraikotsu, the rest onto Naraku. Naraku screamed out in pain as he was simultaneously hit by all of our weapons. He collapsed to the ground, silently, and we all stood, wondering if we had really done it.

"Is he. . .dead?" Kagome asked hoarsely.

"Just to make sure. . ." two voices said from behind us. I whirled my head around and saw Nezumi and Haru.

"Wha--what're you two doing here?"

"Never mind that. Nezumi? The spell book."

"Right, Haru. Here ya go."

". . .Ah, here's a spell. Perishing spell."

Haru and Nezumi both pulled out their wands together, and raised it above Naraku's, perhaps, unconscious body. They mumbled words I couldn't understand, and a red phlorescent light appeared around his body. They raised it into the air, and something white and wispy appeared from Naraku's chest. His. . .soul. . . ? With that, Naraku's body crashed to the ground once more, and no one moved or made a sound.

"He's dead. That spell is the strongest that we know of. Besides, we have his soul right here." Haru pointed to Nezumi, who was holding a jar with the wispy white object in it. The soul sat at the bottom of the jar, dead, maybe.

"Well, what're we gonna do with his soul?"

"Wait, hold on. He must have the rest of the Shikon no Tama shards in his robes!" Kagome exclaimed. "Wow! I see so many of them in his body! Quick, InuYasha! Help me get them out!"

"All right! Now this is what I'm talkin' about!" InuYasha excitedly said.

Kagome dropped to her knees, as well as InuYasha, and the two begin rummaging through Naraku's robes. Kagome found most of them hidden in his baboon pelt, and the rest, Naraku kept in his kesa, in pockets all over.

"Well, now we have all the Jewel pieces. So, do we bring them all to the village of Kaede and. . .Kikyou. . . ?" Kagome murmured. She had a hating thing against Kikyou, whom she was reincarnated from.

"Hai." Miroku said. "We must bring it back, so Kaede can put the Jewel back together, and it will be purified, and in safe hands."

"Are you still going to become full demon, InuYasha? InuYasha?"

But InuYasha wasn't listening. He kept staring down at the ground, and two images appeared in his head. Kagome. . .and Kikyou. . .

"Iie." he finally muttered.

Kagome's eyes brightened.

"Well, we must get going. I'm going to find Kohaku. . ." I interrupted, walking away by myself.

". . .Sango. . ." Miroku suddenly said.

"Hai, Miroku?" I didn't dare look up.

"May I. . .accompany you?"

"Hai. You may." My eyes softened as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "He's dead. Finally. Nothing more to worry about."

"I must check if my Kazaana is gone," Miroku unwrapped the glove on his hand. I held my breath, and so did he. Nothing. Nothing happened! "I-it's. . .it's gone. Finally, after all this time. . .it's gone for good."

"And that means. . ." I stroked the front of his robes. He smiled at me.

"You'll bear my children?"

"Hai. As many as you'd like. . ."

"My itoshii. . ." he whispered.

We journeyed up the mountain, and found something amber in the bushes.

"Kohaku. . . ?" I whimpered. Miroku stepped forward, and pulled back the bushes. There laying in the dirt. . .

"Kohaku. . . !" I cried, tears spilling from my eyes. Imbedded in his back was his weapon. On the ground, the shard from his back, now lay there. I picked it up. "Oh, Kohaku. . .Aishiteru. . .Why? Why are you dead??" I sniffled.

"He needs a proper burial," Miroku said.

". . .Arigatou, Miroku. . ."

"There. That should do it," Miroku evened the dirt on Kohaku's burial area, and I pulled my face deeper into Kagome's uniform. I was sobbing silently, and Kagome kept stroking my head. InuYasha looked away so we couldn't see he was starting to cry. Miroku stepped away from Kohaku's grave and pulled me from Kagome, and into his arms. He hugged me tighter, and I clutched his robes. When he let go, I kneeled down, put his weapon and armor on top of the grave, along with a white rose.

"Someday, Kohaku, you, me, okaa-san, otou-san(mother?), and all of my friends, and our family, will be together. . ."

"Kaede! We've got the Jewel shards!" InuYasha exclaimed as soon as we stepped foot in her village.

"Wonderful, everyone of you. I must put the pieces back together, and will keep it purified. Unless you want something with it, InuYasha. . . ?"

"Iie. Keep it."

"Fine, fine. Good for you, hanyou. Take care of him, Kagome?"

"Ano. . .yosh. . ." Kagome squeaked.

A few days later, the Shikon no Tama was "recreated" and in the good hands of Kaede. And, knowing how Miroku proposed to me, our "wedding date", as Kagome had called it, was arriving quickly. Kagome said she would take care of it. I reluctantly let her. I wasn't exactly sure of how it went. I mean, this is the very first time, and I don't even know how it goes! We don't do it how Kagome does in her time, like we do in Sengoku Jidai.

"Oh, Sango! Where's that new kimono you bought a long time ago? I think you put it in my bag. . ." Kagome started rummaging through her black-hole bag, and tossed out things, like blankets, and a picnic basket, and shoes, clothes, books, and finally. . .

"Ah-ha! Found it! Oh, you're gonna look so pretty, Sango!"

Later that night, I tried on my new blue kimono with the pink roses on it. Kagome said I "looked adorable!", so I went along with it. I found Miroku sitting atop a hill, long after the sun set.

"Miroku? May I sit here with you?"

"Hai. No one's stopping you," he grinned.

I sat myself down, and brushed off the blades of grass that already caught themselves on the hem of my robes.

"You look. . .beautiful. . ." Miroku blushed. Pink tinged my cheeks.

"A. . .arigatou. . .Kagome's, err, taking care of our. . .wedding thing,"

"Hai, she is?"

"Mm-hmm."

"SANGO! MIROKU! CAN YOU TWO COME IN HERE?" Kagome shouted from the vacant lodge we were staying in. Miroku helped me up, and I brushed myself off. I stepped inside, followed by Miroku.

"What is it, Kagome?"

"Oh!" Miroku exclaimed as Kagome pushed him to some type of platform.

"Here. Put this on." Kagome ordered, and handed a haori for Miroku to change into. [Haori-Formal coat]

Miroku came out a little bit later, now dressed in his haori. He looked. . .something words can't describe! I fell in love with him even more at that moment. Kagome came out wearing something different. She was wearing a pink kimono with little red dragons on the sleeves. She forced InuYasha to change from his red rat coat and pants, but he refused. He stood at the front with Miroku, pouting with his arms crossed, and I stood in the back, dumbfounded.

"Now, remember everything I taught you in the wedding rehearsal!" Kagome whispered in my ear.

"But we didn't have a rehearsal!" I whispered back.

"J-just take these roses, hold them, and walk up to the front where InuYasha and Miroku are standing!"

"Y-yosh. . ."

Kagome walked to the front, and motioned for me to come forward.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Miroku lifted back the veil Kagome had given me, and it draped over the back of my head. Miroku took my hands in his, and moved closer to my lips. I closed my eyes, and moved closer too. Our lips met. It was. . .a. . . wonderful feeling! My body melted at that moment, and the only thing I was aware of, was Miroku, and me in his arms.

Kagome stood behind us, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Oh, InuYasha!" she whispered, "Isn't it so special?" She took his arms and wrapped her hands around them.

"Feh." But he knew that his eyes were starting to sting and water.

Nezumi stood on one side of the platform, and Haru on the other side. She was clutching at her new sea-green kimono, and was smiling. So was Haru, smiling more than I've ever seen him.

'Maybe it was a good thing to let Kagome take care of everything. . .' I thought to myself. 'Arigatou, Kagome.'

"Aishiteru, Miroku." I whispered.

"Aishiteru, Sango." And with that, Miroku scooped me up in his arms bridal-style, and he walked down the aisle, outside the lodge, and underneath a thick willow tree on the top of the hill. He placed me down on the cushiony grass, and sat himself down.

"So. . ." I whispered in his ear, stroking his neck. "Shall we start bearing your children. . . ?"

". . .Let's. . ."

::The Next Morning::

"Kagome!" I shrieked as I ran into her bedroom.

"Nani??" she queried.

"Miroku and I are going to have a baby!"

"Oh, my. . ." Kagome mumbled, and fainted into InuYasha's arms.

"Guess the shock overtook her," I giggled at Miroku, who nodded, smiling.

"InuYasha, you're going to be the uncle of our son," I announced.

"Or our daughter," Miroku mentioned as he saw InuYasha collapse to the floor, Kagome collected in his arms.

"True. Aishiteru, Miroku."

"Aishiteru, Sango. So much."

"Always. . ."

"Always. . ."

Owari.

::sob:: It's over! ::sniffle:: WAAA! Oh, WAAFY ending! But just the way I like it. ::sniffs again:: Oh, well...Pretty-please review my story. I love all you people that reviewed this! You helped me continue it all the way! So let me know if you liked this final chapter by reviewing. Thank you all so much again!

Love,

InuYashaBishi334