Akida-Thanks for the suggestions I appreciate it! I also noticed I kinda
screwed up the 2nd chapter, so sorry about that. Not sure why it got all
crunched up like that, but it looked fine while I was typing it
out...hm...ah well on with it!
-:-Disclaimer-:- Same standards still apply, we don't own Inuyasha. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My Dearest Miroku
By:Akida
A Matter of Arms
The group followed the old woman inside and towards the rear of the residence, the uneasy silence broken by the creaking of the wooden floor. The back room was quiet and calming, thus used for critically ill patients and such. This worried Sango.
A rush mat was laid near the center a little towards the far wall, and a form had already occupied it. It was Miroku. He seemed to have fallen asleep as he didn't acknowledge their entrance. His face was faintly pale and a fresh bandage was wrapped around his left forearm.
"Please be seated," Kaede said when all had clustered inside the small homey space. When they were settled Kaede glanced to the latent monk, and turned towards them picking her words carefully. She wanted to them to understand exactly what the dilemma was.
"This may take some time to explain properly, so I request to leave all questions until I have finished."
'Oh wonderful,' Inuyasha reflected adjusting himself to a better position.
"Now, it may not come as a surprise to ye but I believe that Miroku may have been poisoned." Sango's shoulders slumped weakly, Kagome and Shippo doing likewise. "Although, this seems to be a toxin that has not been witnessed in some time, and did not bear any recorded label." At this point she retrieved a worn scroll from her sleeve, and opened the aged article with care.
"The only known information of it is in this scroll, and I have not come across anymore concerning it so far. By the looks of it, it seems as if demons are more susceptible to it than humans, yet I would have thought it the other way around for various reasons concerning strength, endurance and such. It is easily recognized when one has been infected, for an odd darkly tinged blemish is left upon the skin where this toxin has been transferred. Unlike most toxins, fortunately, this particular one takes a considerable amount of time for any damaging effect to occur, but it still cannot be left as is or it will be fatal. If it is not treated then it will cause the victim a great deal of pain once it becomes worse, so we must avoid that at all costs if it is possible."
"But Kaede," Kagome spoke up, "how are we going to help him is there some kind of cure?"
The old woman turned to her with a grim and sorrowed expression upon her features, and Kagome could guess by that what her answer would be.
"Sadly there is no existing cure that I am aware of," she said this slowly as if each word pained her as she spoke.
Kagome looked to the floor dejectedly and stared hard at folded hands, trying to convince herself that there were many other places that may know something more about this toxin than Kaede. Shippo whimpered faintly and donned a childishly worried expression, taking a glance towards Inuyasha who was starring off in space, his eyes misted in thought.
Sango toke this moment to speak up. She knew somehow what the verdict was concerning a cure, and although she was prepared to hear her out she still refused to accept it.
"Lady Kaede," she began wincing as her voice sounded raspy from lack of speech. "What can we do for him at present?"
"All that we can do for him now is to let him rest, I'm afraid that neither thee nor I can do anything at the moment. I may know of one well learned Healer who can give us aid, but let us wait until Miroku has regained a bit more strength, remember there is still time to save him." She said with a comforting smile trying to lift the troubled girl's spirits.
"Well I'm guessing someone's got to stay here and watch him," Shippo declared taking up a serious look and crossing his small arms across his chest importantly. Kagome stifled a giggle as she observed his cute impression.
"And I suppose you're going to volunteer yourself Shippo-chan?" Kagome said nudging him gently, but caused him to roll off balance and end up on his side.
"..*mph*.Who me? Nah I was thinking maybe a certain dog-demon could lend a hand in this one," he said tilting his head to glance at the discussed individual. Inuyasha twitched an ear in annoyance.
"Why do I have to?" He started turning to the two, "what's wrong with *you* taking care of him eh?"
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Seriously Inuyasha, he may be sleeping peacefully now but what about when he wakes up huh? You really think he'll be too weak to test out how far he can get this time?"
She allowed Inuyasha's sluggish mind to translate what she'd been implying, and he grimaced when it had finally sunk in and huffily stood to his feet.
"Feh," was all the answer she got from him and shrugged as Shippo latched onto her arm.
"I'll watch him Lady Kagome," Sango said decisively.
"Are you sure about that Sango?"
"Don't worry I doubt he'll try anything with me for a while," she said with a wink, and patted her trusty weapon.
"Oh I see," Kagome replied with a chuckle.
"Seems that's settled," Kaede interrupted shaking her head. "Now before I retire I will leave some things with you Sango."
The exterminator sat up straighter indicating that she would give her undivided attention.
"I have heated a jar of salve that should be used when you do redress his wound, the added warmth will help, and it should stay warm through the night so there is no need for ye to reheat it. Seems that it has a positive effect on the injury so I will have to compose a larger amount for future use, other than that there is nothing more I can tell ye besides keep a vigil upon him."
"Right," she said soaking up Kaede's instructions like a sponge. The old woman observed her for a moment then chuckled quietly with a thin smile.
"What?" Sango asked baffled at her reaction. Kaede continued down the hall waving a hand dismissing her question.
"Never ye mind child, never ye mind."
"Lady Kaede--?" 'What was that about?'
She shrugged it off turning towards the prone form of the monk. She watched him dazedly studying his sleep induced tranquility, admiring the way the firelight contoured his pale face. She settled herself in a spot near him and breathed tiredly, feeling the rush of the day's events catch up with her as she yawned contentedly. Slipping into a dozing state she straightened up when a groan issued from Miroku, and he shifted positions uncomfortably mumbling something inaudible. Watching him, she waited until she was confident that he had relaxed once more, and resumed her attempt at rest and wasn't bothered as a well deserved slumber overcame her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sometime in the later hours of the night when the ground was just being carpeted in a thin film of mist, Miroku stirred restlessly as his "dead-to- the-world" status receded at a leisurely pace. He felt a throbbing sensation assailing his head forcing him into unwelcome wakefulness, and moaned in protest as he attempted to raise a hand to comfort the distress.
'What? .I can't move my arm.'
He turned his head to his left and observed his bandaged forearm, the proceedings of the day prior to this flooding back to his mind; although he wished it not due to the ache it bore.
'Now I remember, that demon latched onto my arm. That burning feeling must have been from something it inflicted upon me.'
He had just made up his mind to retreat to the depths of restless sleep when he noticed another occupying the space next to him, and gradually altered his weak body to face it. He was bemused at who it was.
'Sango?!'
Sango had slid further and further towards the floor as the night progressed, and was now lying on her side enclosed in the warmth of a worn coverlet. He watched her for a long time and his drowsy wit confirmed that she was still asleep, wincing as he lay on his injured arm letting a diminutive cry of discomfort leave unchecked. Being a light sleeper Sango was roused almost instantly, and gazed over to the form that emitted the noise.
"Hm? Miroku," she said softly rubbing at her eye.
"Gomen Sango, did I wake you?" he replied apologetically.
She glanced to him replying, "No. don't worry about it. You're the one who should be resting more, not I."
He was about to protest when a wave of nausea overcame him, and groaned in annoyance. 'I feel like something chewed on me, and left me for dead.' Sango shook her head, and asked him softly.
"Oi, do you..do you want to know what's wrong with-"
"I know," he interrupted closing his eyes. "Kaede had already informed me of my fate before the rest of you entered."
"Oh, I see." She added slowly fidgeting with a loosed thread, and averted her gaze to the floor.
'So I guess he already knows that there may be no cure.'
She looked up in time to catch him from rising from the mat, and made to push him back down but gravity, and his injury, had already done that for her. He winced slightly as his sore body connected with the floor, and Sango placed a hand over her face and shook her head.
"What did I say eh? You *need* to rest Miroku. Kaede instructed that we aren't to budge you, until you're well enough to walk without falling over every two seconds."
Miroku turned to her and nodded wordlessly closing his eyes, taking a weak breath letting his body become limp. Sango stared at him perplexed. 'Eh? What's wrong with him?'
"Miroku?"
No answer.
"Miroku!?"
No answer.
'Oh dear god! Don't tell me there's something else wrong with him?!'
"Miroku! Say something!" Sango cried frantically leaning over him shaking his shoulders gently, staring into his face regretting anything terrible she'd done to him. She was about to crumple into hurried confessions of how she wished him not to leave, when a proverbial weight placed itself on her lower back, and Sango found herself pressed against the "supposedly" latent monk. She first turned a deep shade of crimson as she looked into Miroku's pleased face, and then donned an expression that could curdle milk. Her Boomerang Bone was too far to reach, and she didn't want to cause him any superfluous pain, and dealt him a mild blow with the back of her hand.
"You filthy little."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Akida- Phew, this seemed like a long chapter for me, then again Microsoft Word seems to make ALL my chapters look long o.0; . Now, see that button in the bottom left-hand corner that says 'Go'.yeah that one. You know what to do!
-:-Disclaimer-:- Same standards still apply, we don't own Inuyasha. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My Dearest Miroku
By:Akida
A Matter of Arms
The group followed the old woman inside and towards the rear of the residence, the uneasy silence broken by the creaking of the wooden floor. The back room was quiet and calming, thus used for critically ill patients and such. This worried Sango.
A rush mat was laid near the center a little towards the far wall, and a form had already occupied it. It was Miroku. He seemed to have fallen asleep as he didn't acknowledge their entrance. His face was faintly pale and a fresh bandage was wrapped around his left forearm.
"Please be seated," Kaede said when all had clustered inside the small homey space. When they were settled Kaede glanced to the latent monk, and turned towards them picking her words carefully. She wanted to them to understand exactly what the dilemma was.
"This may take some time to explain properly, so I request to leave all questions until I have finished."
'Oh wonderful,' Inuyasha reflected adjusting himself to a better position.
"Now, it may not come as a surprise to ye but I believe that Miroku may have been poisoned." Sango's shoulders slumped weakly, Kagome and Shippo doing likewise. "Although, this seems to be a toxin that has not been witnessed in some time, and did not bear any recorded label." At this point she retrieved a worn scroll from her sleeve, and opened the aged article with care.
"The only known information of it is in this scroll, and I have not come across anymore concerning it so far. By the looks of it, it seems as if demons are more susceptible to it than humans, yet I would have thought it the other way around for various reasons concerning strength, endurance and such. It is easily recognized when one has been infected, for an odd darkly tinged blemish is left upon the skin where this toxin has been transferred. Unlike most toxins, fortunately, this particular one takes a considerable amount of time for any damaging effect to occur, but it still cannot be left as is or it will be fatal. If it is not treated then it will cause the victim a great deal of pain once it becomes worse, so we must avoid that at all costs if it is possible."
"But Kaede," Kagome spoke up, "how are we going to help him is there some kind of cure?"
The old woman turned to her with a grim and sorrowed expression upon her features, and Kagome could guess by that what her answer would be.
"Sadly there is no existing cure that I am aware of," she said this slowly as if each word pained her as she spoke.
Kagome looked to the floor dejectedly and stared hard at folded hands, trying to convince herself that there were many other places that may know something more about this toxin than Kaede. Shippo whimpered faintly and donned a childishly worried expression, taking a glance towards Inuyasha who was starring off in space, his eyes misted in thought.
Sango toke this moment to speak up. She knew somehow what the verdict was concerning a cure, and although she was prepared to hear her out she still refused to accept it.
"Lady Kaede," she began wincing as her voice sounded raspy from lack of speech. "What can we do for him at present?"
"All that we can do for him now is to let him rest, I'm afraid that neither thee nor I can do anything at the moment. I may know of one well learned Healer who can give us aid, but let us wait until Miroku has regained a bit more strength, remember there is still time to save him." She said with a comforting smile trying to lift the troubled girl's spirits.
"Well I'm guessing someone's got to stay here and watch him," Shippo declared taking up a serious look and crossing his small arms across his chest importantly. Kagome stifled a giggle as she observed his cute impression.
"And I suppose you're going to volunteer yourself Shippo-chan?" Kagome said nudging him gently, but caused him to roll off balance and end up on his side.
"..*mph*.Who me? Nah I was thinking maybe a certain dog-demon could lend a hand in this one," he said tilting his head to glance at the discussed individual. Inuyasha twitched an ear in annoyance.
"Why do I have to?" He started turning to the two, "what's wrong with *you* taking care of him eh?"
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Seriously Inuyasha, he may be sleeping peacefully now but what about when he wakes up huh? You really think he'll be too weak to test out how far he can get this time?"
She allowed Inuyasha's sluggish mind to translate what she'd been implying, and he grimaced when it had finally sunk in and huffily stood to his feet.
"Feh," was all the answer she got from him and shrugged as Shippo latched onto her arm.
"I'll watch him Lady Kagome," Sango said decisively.
"Are you sure about that Sango?"
"Don't worry I doubt he'll try anything with me for a while," she said with a wink, and patted her trusty weapon.
"Oh I see," Kagome replied with a chuckle.
"Seems that's settled," Kaede interrupted shaking her head. "Now before I retire I will leave some things with you Sango."
The exterminator sat up straighter indicating that she would give her undivided attention.
"I have heated a jar of salve that should be used when you do redress his wound, the added warmth will help, and it should stay warm through the night so there is no need for ye to reheat it. Seems that it has a positive effect on the injury so I will have to compose a larger amount for future use, other than that there is nothing more I can tell ye besides keep a vigil upon him."
"Right," she said soaking up Kaede's instructions like a sponge. The old woman observed her for a moment then chuckled quietly with a thin smile.
"What?" Sango asked baffled at her reaction. Kaede continued down the hall waving a hand dismissing her question.
"Never ye mind child, never ye mind."
"Lady Kaede--?" 'What was that about?'
She shrugged it off turning towards the prone form of the monk. She watched him dazedly studying his sleep induced tranquility, admiring the way the firelight contoured his pale face. She settled herself in a spot near him and breathed tiredly, feeling the rush of the day's events catch up with her as she yawned contentedly. Slipping into a dozing state she straightened up when a groan issued from Miroku, and he shifted positions uncomfortably mumbling something inaudible. Watching him, she waited until she was confident that he had relaxed once more, and resumed her attempt at rest and wasn't bothered as a well deserved slumber overcame her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sometime in the later hours of the night when the ground was just being carpeted in a thin film of mist, Miroku stirred restlessly as his "dead-to- the-world" status receded at a leisurely pace. He felt a throbbing sensation assailing his head forcing him into unwelcome wakefulness, and moaned in protest as he attempted to raise a hand to comfort the distress.
'What? .I can't move my arm.'
He turned his head to his left and observed his bandaged forearm, the proceedings of the day prior to this flooding back to his mind; although he wished it not due to the ache it bore.
'Now I remember, that demon latched onto my arm. That burning feeling must have been from something it inflicted upon me.'
He had just made up his mind to retreat to the depths of restless sleep when he noticed another occupying the space next to him, and gradually altered his weak body to face it. He was bemused at who it was.
'Sango?!'
Sango had slid further and further towards the floor as the night progressed, and was now lying on her side enclosed in the warmth of a worn coverlet. He watched her for a long time and his drowsy wit confirmed that she was still asleep, wincing as he lay on his injured arm letting a diminutive cry of discomfort leave unchecked. Being a light sleeper Sango was roused almost instantly, and gazed over to the form that emitted the noise.
"Hm? Miroku," she said softly rubbing at her eye.
"Gomen Sango, did I wake you?" he replied apologetically.
She glanced to him replying, "No. don't worry about it. You're the one who should be resting more, not I."
He was about to protest when a wave of nausea overcame him, and groaned in annoyance. 'I feel like something chewed on me, and left me for dead.' Sango shook her head, and asked him softly.
"Oi, do you..do you want to know what's wrong with-"
"I know," he interrupted closing his eyes. "Kaede had already informed me of my fate before the rest of you entered."
"Oh, I see." She added slowly fidgeting with a loosed thread, and averted her gaze to the floor.
'So I guess he already knows that there may be no cure.'
She looked up in time to catch him from rising from the mat, and made to push him back down but gravity, and his injury, had already done that for her. He winced slightly as his sore body connected with the floor, and Sango placed a hand over her face and shook her head.
"What did I say eh? You *need* to rest Miroku. Kaede instructed that we aren't to budge you, until you're well enough to walk without falling over every two seconds."
Miroku turned to her and nodded wordlessly closing his eyes, taking a weak breath letting his body become limp. Sango stared at him perplexed. 'Eh? What's wrong with him?'
"Miroku?"
No answer.
"Miroku!?"
No answer.
'Oh dear god! Don't tell me there's something else wrong with him?!'
"Miroku! Say something!" Sango cried frantically leaning over him shaking his shoulders gently, staring into his face regretting anything terrible she'd done to him. She was about to crumple into hurried confessions of how she wished him not to leave, when a proverbial weight placed itself on her lower back, and Sango found herself pressed against the "supposedly" latent monk. She first turned a deep shade of crimson as she looked into Miroku's pleased face, and then donned an expression that could curdle milk. Her Boomerang Bone was too far to reach, and she didn't want to cause him any superfluous pain, and dealt him a mild blow with the back of her hand.
"You filthy little."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Akida- Phew, this seemed like a long chapter for me, then again Microsoft Word seems to make ALL my chapters look long o.0; . Now, see that button in the bottom left-hand corner that says 'Go'.yeah that one. You know what to do!