Author's Notes: Well, Here I am with the final chapter of 'Why'. Hope you've been enjoying this fic so far(I know that there are several people out there who dislike Sango/Kagome, though I can't understand why). Anyway, Here it is...
-----Chapter 5: Victory-----
-Random Village Area-
Sango, Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippou are taking time to rest before continuing their search for shikon shards.
"The time has come." Debirusuke's voice says, though he remains unseen. This gains the group's attention.
"Debirusuke!" Inuyasha says, almost growling, "Where are you!"
"Calm yourself, Inuyasha." Debirusuke's voice responds, calmly as ever, "I am not here to fight you again. I have other business here."
Suddenly, A small orb hits the ground in the center of the area where Sango and the others are, breaking and releasing strange silvery powder.
"Sleep Dust!" Sango states, covering her mouth and nose with her hand. However, Like all of the others, she falls unconscious.
Slowly, Sango's eyes open and she sits up, "... where am I?" she questions.
"A volcano." Debirusuke's voice says, causing Sango to turn toward him.
Debirusuke, of course, is wearing his trademark black cloak.
Sango stands up and discovers her weapons are missing, "!?" then, she asks, "Why have you brought me to this place?"
Debirusuke turns his head toward his right side and nods it in that direction, "Look there." he says.
Sango looks to see Kagome and the others still unconscious and hanging, via two ropes, from a stone overhang above the lava-pit below... Kagome's tied to one and the others to the opposite one.
"Kagome!!" Sango shouts, as she starts to run over to help them.
However, Debirusuke appears between her and them, cutting her off from reaching them, "Do you wish to save them?" he questions her, calmly.
"Yes!" responds Sango.
"I see..." Debirusuke says, "However, You shall only be able to save her, or the others." he raises his right arm, holding two shuriken, "You are who you choose to be. Now." he adds, then throws the two shuriken, one cutting each of the ropes, "Choose!"
After a few seconds, the rope holding Kagome breaks and Sango runs to the edge, then jumps and catches the girl. She barely reaches the other side and grips the ledge with her right hand, while holding Kagome with her left arm.
Kagome wakes up, slowly opening her eyes, "Sango?" she says, blinking her eyes twice. She then looks down and wraps her arms tightly around the other girl, "H-how did we end up here?"
"Nevermind that." Sango replies, looking down at the miko from the future, "Just hold on tightly."
Kagome nods and Sango lets go of her, just as the other rope breaks. Sango catches the end of the rope with her free left hand, grunting as full weight of the others jerk against both of her arms. Inuyasha and the others wake up to find out their situation. (Normally, Inuyasha could easily break free of the rope. However, Debirusuke placed him between the others and thus, he would have to go through them to break free). The muscles and tendons in both of Sango's arms strain as she tries to prevent everyone from falling into the lava. Sango closes her eyes tightly and grits her teeth together, the strain growing.
"Sango-chan?" Kagome says, worried about the other girl.
"It is alright, Kagome-chan." the taiji-ya responds, after opening her eyes and looking at the young miko from the future, "I... I won't allow anything to happen to you, I promise." she grunts due to the strain on her.
"How long do you believe you can hold on?" questions Debirusuke, as he appears floating in the air, "You know you cannot save them all. You must make a choice."
"Sango!" Inuyasha shouts, "Don't be an idiot! Forget us, and save Kagome!"
"But--" Sango responds. Then, The rope slips through her left hand a little, as well as her right hand slides a bit closer to the edge(as she's got nothing to grip to).
"Inuyasha's right, Sango!" Shippou calls, "You hafta save Kagome!"
"If Sango does indeed release the rope, then what happens to us?" questions Miroku.
"Will you stop only thinking about yourself, Miroku!" Inuyasha states.
Sango slips a little more and strains to maintain her grip on both the ledge and the rope.
"I say again, You cannot save the girl and your allies." Debirusuke says, "For, You cannot hold on forever, and you have not the strength to pull all of them and yourself to safety."
"He... He's right." Sango says, concerned that she can't save them all.
"Sango?" Kagome asks, blinking her eyes once, "What d'you mean?"
"I-I can't hold my grip much longer." replies the taiji-ya. She closes her eyes and adds, "... forgive me." she tries unsuccessfully to hold onto the rope, however, it slips through her hand.
Suddenly, however, the Hiraikotsu smashes through a wall of the volcano and cuts the rope binding Inuyasha, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippou. This allows Kirara to transform and catch Miroku and Shippou on her back. Inuyasha manages to land his feet on a wall of the volcano and spring off, thus using the walls to make his way back toward the top. Kirara flies Miroku and Shippou to safety. Sango, meanwhile, pulls herself and Kagome up onto the ledge.
"Are you alright, Kagome-chan?" Sango asks, as she stands up rubbing her right wrist.
Kagome nods and stands up as well, "I'm okay." she responds, "How're your arms?"
"Excellent, Sango." Debirusuke says, landing on the ledge as well, "You have proven yourself. Thus, I can now face you in battle." he removes his black cloak to reveal his own taiji-ya uniform, "Here." he says and pitches her katana, still in its scabbard, to her with his left hand.
Sango catches the handle of the katana in a reverse-grip with her right hand and spins the sword around, gripping the scabbard in her left hand and releasing it with her right. She lowers the katana to her side and re-grips the handle with her right hand. "It's about time." she says, "I can put an end to you."
"Sango-chan?" Kagome says, "A-are you sure?"
Sango nods, "Trust me, Kagome-chan." she says, "I have to fight him." 'Forgive me.' she adds in her mind '... this is something I 'must' do.'
"Are you ready, Sango?" questions Debirusuke, "Do you truly believe you can defeat me?"
"..." Sango doesn't reply, as she draws her katana from its scabbard and discards the scabbard to one side.
"Very well..." Debirusuke says, drawing his own katana, "Then, Let us begin."
Sango dashes at the taiyou and swings a horizontal slash at him. Debirusuke avoids the blade and leaps into the air. The taiji-ya follows and swings at him again. Debirusuke parries the attack and attempts an attack of his own, which Sango parries. Sango drops back toward the ground(she's not a youkai afterall). Debirusuke begins descending slowly at the same time, however, as soon as Sango lands, she springs off the ground and makes yet another swipe at the taiyou. Debirusuke flies back and lands on the ground, Sango lands as well.
"Too slow." Debirusuke says, '!?' he notices a small cut in his uniform, near the center of his chest, 'She is much better than I would have believed, yet she is merely a human girl.'
"Now!" Debirusuke says, "It is time for you to die!!" he runs at her.
"I hafta stop this!" Inuyasha states, he starts to interfere.
However, Inuyasha is stopped by Sango's poisonpowder, which she pulled from her sash and threw with her left hand to the right side of her waist. Sango dashes to meet Debirusuke and, the two begin exchanging sword swings.
"What's the deal!?" Inuyasha growls, covering most of his face with the left sleeve of his fire-rat robe.
"It would appear, Sango doesn't desire our assistance." inserts Miroku.
"Sango..." Kagome says, worriedly.
Meanwhile... "What is wrong, Sango?" Debirusuke says, locking swords with the taiji-ya, "Did you not say you would protect Kagome from anything?"
"Yes."
"Well, If you can not defeat me, then you will not be able to keep that promise." Debirusuke says, forcing Sango back several steps, "What are you willing to sacrifice to protect her?"
Debirusuke leaps into the air and draws back his left arm,"Desutsume!" he swings his arm in a left-to-right sweeping motion and releases his attack toward the taiji-ya.
Sango turns her head down and to the right, and holds her left arm up infront of her, to shield herself from the attack... obviously, a desperate attempt at a block. She tenses herself in expectance of it to hit her.
However, The impact fails to occur and she looks up to see, "H-Hiraikotsu?" she says, questioningly upon seeing her large boomerang floating infront of her, glowing again.
Debirusuke lands, "It appears the spirit which resides within Hiraikotsu wishes to protect you, Sango." he says, calmly, "However, It is not enough."
Sango switches hands with her katana and reaches her right hand out toward the Hiraikotsu. However, She returns her sword to her right hand and walks around the the large boomerang, "I won't use the Hiraikotsu to defeat you, Debirusuke." she says, drawing her katana up, "If I defeat you, It will be by my own abilities... and, not by those of a slain youkai!"
"Spoken like a true warrior." Debirusuke says, smiling slightly. The slight smile quickly vanishes, "Thus... I, too, shall not use youkai powers." he dashes toward Sango.
Sango dashes to meet him and Debirusuke attempts an overhead swing of his katana. Sango deflects the attack with a left-to-right swing and continues around in a complete 360-degree circle, bringing her katana across Debirusuke's torso horizontally.
Debirusuke grunts slightly and holds his left hand over the wound, then takes three steps back, "Heh..." Debirusuke says, "I... was correct. You are, truly, the greatest of the taiji-ya. Never before have I tasted defeat... heh heh..."
"Now's my chance to finish him off!" Inuyasha states, starting to run toward the defeated taiyou. However...
"Osuwari!" shouts Kagome, causing the hanyou to plummet face-first into the ground. 'I'm glad Sango-chan won.' Kagome thinks to herself.
"Who are you, truly, Debirusuke?" asks Sango.
Debirusuke raises his gaze to her, "You... have her eyes..." he says, "Hmph. Farewell." he vanishes.
"Wait!!" Sango says, 'What did he mean?' she wonders.
"Sango-chan!" she hears Kagome's sweet voice call and turns to see the girl running toward her and smiling.
!'What are you willing to sacrifice to protect her?'! Debirusuke's words replay in her mind.
Sango drops her katana and catches Kagome in her arms, hugging her. "... everything." she says, smiling.
"Huh?" Kagome asks, pulling back and looking at the taiji-ya.
"Nevermind, Kagome-chan." Sango says, still smiling gently, "It's nothing."
Kagome looks confused for a moment, then nods and retightens her hug.
-----!!The End!!-----
Ramblings: Okay, okay. Don't flame, I know I sorta left it hangin'. But, There is gonna be a third story(cause this is a trilogy) and I'm unsure how long the third story will be. By the way, I included that one scene with Sango fighting(basically, I copied the episode when Sango fought Naraku)... because, well, that scene was just so damned COOL!! Anyway, I will tell you... expect to see the end of Naraku in the third story. And, You won't believe the way I've got it planned to end, heh heh heh. Well, Ja for now.
-----Chapter 5: Victory-----
-Random Village Area-
Sango, Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippou are taking time to rest before continuing their search for shikon shards.
"The time has come." Debirusuke's voice says, though he remains unseen. This gains the group's attention.
"Debirusuke!" Inuyasha says, almost growling, "Where are you!"
"Calm yourself, Inuyasha." Debirusuke's voice responds, calmly as ever, "I am not here to fight you again. I have other business here."
Suddenly, A small orb hits the ground in the center of the area where Sango and the others are, breaking and releasing strange silvery powder.
"Sleep Dust!" Sango states, covering her mouth and nose with her hand. However, Like all of the others, she falls unconscious.
Slowly, Sango's eyes open and she sits up, "... where am I?" she questions.
"A volcano." Debirusuke's voice says, causing Sango to turn toward him.
Debirusuke, of course, is wearing his trademark black cloak.
Sango stands up and discovers her weapons are missing, "!?" then, she asks, "Why have you brought me to this place?"
Debirusuke turns his head toward his right side and nods it in that direction, "Look there." he says.
Sango looks to see Kagome and the others still unconscious and hanging, via two ropes, from a stone overhang above the lava-pit below... Kagome's tied to one and the others to the opposite one.
"Kagome!!" Sango shouts, as she starts to run over to help them.
However, Debirusuke appears between her and them, cutting her off from reaching them, "Do you wish to save them?" he questions her, calmly.
"Yes!" responds Sango.
"I see..." Debirusuke says, "However, You shall only be able to save her, or the others." he raises his right arm, holding two shuriken, "You are who you choose to be. Now." he adds, then throws the two shuriken, one cutting each of the ropes, "Choose!"
After a few seconds, the rope holding Kagome breaks and Sango runs to the edge, then jumps and catches the girl. She barely reaches the other side and grips the ledge with her right hand, while holding Kagome with her left arm.
Kagome wakes up, slowly opening her eyes, "Sango?" she says, blinking her eyes twice. She then looks down and wraps her arms tightly around the other girl, "H-how did we end up here?"
"Nevermind that." Sango replies, looking down at the miko from the future, "Just hold on tightly."
Kagome nods and Sango lets go of her, just as the other rope breaks. Sango catches the end of the rope with her free left hand, grunting as full weight of the others jerk against both of her arms. Inuyasha and the others wake up to find out their situation. (Normally, Inuyasha could easily break free of the rope. However, Debirusuke placed him between the others and thus, he would have to go through them to break free). The muscles and tendons in both of Sango's arms strain as she tries to prevent everyone from falling into the lava. Sango closes her eyes tightly and grits her teeth together, the strain growing.
"Sango-chan?" Kagome says, worried about the other girl.
"It is alright, Kagome-chan." the taiji-ya responds, after opening her eyes and looking at the young miko from the future, "I... I won't allow anything to happen to you, I promise." she grunts due to the strain on her.
"How long do you believe you can hold on?" questions Debirusuke, as he appears floating in the air, "You know you cannot save them all. You must make a choice."
"Sango!" Inuyasha shouts, "Don't be an idiot! Forget us, and save Kagome!"
"But--" Sango responds. Then, The rope slips through her left hand a little, as well as her right hand slides a bit closer to the edge(as she's got nothing to grip to).
"Inuyasha's right, Sango!" Shippou calls, "You hafta save Kagome!"
"If Sango does indeed release the rope, then what happens to us?" questions Miroku.
"Will you stop only thinking about yourself, Miroku!" Inuyasha states.
Sango slips a little more and strains to maintain her grip on both the ledge and the rope.
"I say again, You cannot save the girl and your allies." Debirusuke says, "For, You cannot hold on forever, and you have not the strength to pull all of them and yourself to safety."
"He... He's right." Sango says, concerned that she can't save them all.
"Sango?" Kagome asks, blinking her eyes once, "What d'you mean?"
"I-I can't hold my grip much longer." replies the taiji-ya. She closes her eyes and adds, "... forgive me." she tries unsuccessfully to hold onto the rope, however, it slips through her hand.
Suddenly, however, the Hiraikotsu smashes through a wall of the volcano and cuts the rope binding Inuyasha, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippou. This allows Kirara to transform and catch Miroku and Shippou on her back. Inuyasha manages to land his feet on a wall of the volcano and spring off, thus using the walls to make his way back toward the top. Kirara flies Miroku and Shippou to safety. Sango, meanwhile, pulls herself and Kagome up onto the ledge.
"Are you alright, Kagome-chan?" Sango asks, as she stands up rubbing her right wrist.
Kagome nods and stands up as well, "I'm okay." she responds, "How're your arms?"
"Excellent, Sango." Debirusuke says, landing on the ledge as well, "You have proven yourself. Thus, I can now face you in battle." he removes his black cloak to reveal his own taiji-ya uniform, "Here." he says and pitches her katana, still in its scabbard, to her with his left hand.
Sango catches the handle of the katana in a reverse-grip with her right hand and spins the sword around, gripping the scabbard in her left hand and releasing it with her right. She lowers the katana to her side and re-grips the handle with her right hand. "It's about time." she says, "I can put an end to you."
"Sango-chan?" Kagome says, "A-are you sure?"
Sango nods, "Trust me, Kagome-chan." she says, "I have to fight him." 'Forgive me.' she adds in her mind '... this is something I 'must' do.'
"Are you ready, Sango?" questions Debirusuke, "Do you truly believe you can defeat me?"
"..." Sango doesn't reply, as she draws her katana from its scabbard and discards the scabbard to one side.
"Very well..." Debirusuke says, drawing his own katana, "Then, Let us begin."
Sango dashes at the taiyou and swings a horizontal slash at him. Debirusuke avoids the blade and leaps into the air. The taiji-ya follows and swings at him again. Debirusuke parries the attack and attempts an attack of his own, which Sango parries. Sango drops back toward the ground(she's not a youkai afterall). Debirusuke begins descending slowly at the same time, however, as soon as Sango lands, she springs off the ground and makes yet another swipe at the taiyou. Debirusuke flies back and lands on the ground, Sango lands as well.
"Too slow." Debirusuke says, '!?' he notices a small cut in his uniform, near the center of his chest, 'She is much better than I would have believed, yet she is merely a human girl.'
"Now!" Debirusuke says, "It is time for you to die!!" he runs at her.
"I hafta stop this!" Inuyasha states, he starts to interfere.
However, Inuyasha is stopped by Sango's poisonpowder, which she pulled from her sash and threw with her left hand to the right side of her waist. Sango dashes to meet Debirusuke and, the two begin exchanging sword swings.
"What's the deal!?" Inuyasha growls, covering most of his face with the left sleeve of his fire-rat robe.
"It would appear, Sango doesn't desire our assistance." inserts Miroku.
"Sango..." Kagome says, worriedly.
Meanwhile... "What is wrong, Sango?" Debirusuke says, locking swords with the taiji-ya, "Did you not say you would protect Kagome from anything?"
"Yes."
"Well, If you can not defeat me, then you will not be able to keep that promise." Debirusuke says, forcing Sango back several steps, "What are you willing to sacrifice to protect her?"
Debirusuke leaps into the air and draws back his left arm,"Desutsume!" he swings his arm in a left-to-right sweeping motion and releases his attack toward the taiji-ya.
Sango turns her head down and to the right, and holds her left arm up infront of her, to shield herself from the attack... obviously, a desperate attempt at a block. She tenses herself in expectance of it to hit her.
However, The impact fails to occur and she looks up to see, "H-Hiraikotsu?" she says, questioningly upon seeing her large boomerang floating infront of her, glowing again.
Debirusuke lands, "It appears the spirit which resides within Hiraikotsu wishes to protect you, Sango." he says, calmly, "However, It is not enough."
Sango switches hands with her katana and reaches her right hand out toward the Hiraikotsu. However, She returns her sword to her right hand and walks around the the large boomerang, "I won't use the Hiraikotsu to defeat you, Debirusuke." she says, drawing her katana up, "If I defeat you, It will be by my own abilities... and, not by those of a slain youkai!"
"Spoken like a true warrior." Debirusuke says, smiling slightly. The slight smile quickly vanishes, "Thus... I, too, shall not use youkai powers." he dashes toward Sango.
Sango dashes to meet him and Debirusuke attempts an overhead swing of his katana. Sango deflects the attack with a left-to-right swing and continues around in a complete 360-degree circle, bringing her katana across Debirusuke's torso horizontally.
Debirusuke grunts slightly and holds his left hand over the wound, then takes three steps back, "Heh..." Debirusuke says, "I... was correct. You are, truly, the greatest of the taiji-ya. Never before have I tasted defeat... heh heh..."
"Now's my chance to finish him off!" Inuyasha states, starting to run toward the defeated taiyou. However...
"Osuwari!" shouts Kagome, causing the hanyou to plummet face-first into the ground. 'I'm glad Sango-chan won.' Kagome thinks to herself.
"Who are you, truly, Debirusuke?" asks Sango.
Debirusuke raises his gaze to her, "You... have her eyes..." he says, "Hmph. Farewell." he vanishes.
"Wait!!" Sango says, 'What did he mean?' she wonders.
"Sango-chan!" she hears Kagome's sweet voice call and turns to see the girl running toward her and smiling.
!'What are you willing to sacrifice to protect her?'! Debirusuke's words replay in her mind.
Sango drops her katana and catches Kagome in her arms, hugging her. "... everything." she says, smiling.
"Huh?" Kagome asks, pulling back and looking at the taiji-ya.
"Nevermind, Kagome-chan." Sango says, still smiling gently, "It's nothing."
Kagome looks confused for a moment, then nods and retightens her hug.
-----!!The End!!-----
Ramblings: Okay, okay. Don't flame, I know I sorta left it hangin'. But, There is gonna be a third story(cause this is a trilogy) and I'm unsure how long the third story will be. By the way, I included that one scene with Sango fighting(basically, I copied the episode when Sango fought Naraku)... because, well, that scene was just so damned COOL!! Anyway, I will tell you... expect to see the end of Naraku in the third story. And, You won't believe the way I've got it planned to end, heh heh heh. Well, Ja for now.