Ah La Disclaimer:
~Memory~
'Will you bear my child, FluffyLemonn?'
'I will!' *SHWACK!*
'The hell you will not!'
'Sorry Sango...'
'And you will NOT OWN my Miroku!'
'Yes Sango...'
HEY!!!! OMG I GOT 8 REVIEWS FOR 1 CHAPPIE!!!! *does happy little traditional Japanese dance about room* JOY AND RAPTURE! *kisses Miroku on cheek* *is promptly smacked by Sango* my bad Sango!
*OK LISTEN Y'ALL! SCHIZOPHRENIC PYROMANIAC IS F*CKING BRILLIANT! THEY NOTCIED SOMMAT!!! NARAKU SAYS SANGO'S NAME! THAT IS HUGE!!!!! A HUGE SLIP ON NARAKU'S PART! VERY IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MIROKU AND SANGO!!!!!!!!!!*
On to the answers!
Zephor: Why, thank you!! u made my day!! i rarely ever get an 'amazing and very well written'!!! thank you thank you thank you! i can update only once a week at most, im so sorry! if i could, i would update much much faster! my bad! *tear* i will try hard!!!
Schizophrenic Pyromaniac: THANK U FOR BRINGING UP THE FACT THAT NARAKU SAYS SANGO NOT 'THAT SLAVE'! i was hoping to KAMI somebody would! thank god u r not dense! joy! *gives u an ecstatic huggle!* cookie?! As to why Miroku still calls Sango Chani, well, i guess he just doesnt pick it up or something. that, and its kinda his pet name 4 her... kawaii!
Sara1664: i HAD to add that Kagome slaps up Miroku! just had to! ^_^ i luv it when ppl abuse Miroku! so funni! i have a BRILLIANT (if i do say so myself) idea for Kag/Inu!!! now, if u will kindly keep sending the reviews (-_- kami im such a sap) i will instigate it into my fic!!! how could i keep our fav hanyou out of the story?!?!
Tsuna: thanks so much for the complement!!! i will try so very hard to update!!! keep reading!!!!!
Rowen Hashiba: no!! pleading eyes!! i cant resist those!!! ok ok ok! i will continue! just no more puppy eyes! *Sesshy flashes rare puppy eyes across room* Sesshy! Stop! Now!!! lol see what u have started!? i am glad u luv my story! so do i!
Sophie-chan: hey i have a cuz named sophie!! random fact! cliffhangers keep readers interested and wanting more!! a cherry? a CHERRY for my services? ok! deal! i got an e-cherry i got an e-cherry! *hands u a cookie* now i gave U a munchie! joy! thankies for the complements- simple is great!!! i dont mind! my mind is simple!
Inu-Anime: OKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOK! I will update! *toasts glass filled w/ sake to u* this chapter is dedicated to Inu-Anime!! hear hear!
Catz2: K i read the camping trip- whoa! intense lemon! sheesh! sorry, i dont do THAT graphic of stuffies- but hey... theres always room for improvement... *snickers evilly at a scared-looking Sango and a turned-on Miroku* MIROKU KICKS BUTT! CHA THE HECK YA! i shalt continue 4 ur sake! onward!
On the story!
I have 3 other stories:
Melting Away
Young & Hopeless
Renegade (PLZ READ THIS ONE!!!! I NEED REVIEWS! I REALLY THINK ITS A GOOD ONE!!!!)
READ THEM PLZ!!!!
~FL
*A Slave to One's Fears*
*Chapter 3*
Coming from me, you'd have never thought
That I could rebel...
Well I have.
And I do.
And I will.
And I'm not giving up until you're dead on the ground.
Miroku stood, frozen, on the ladder. He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Before him lay the perfectly still figure of the girl Chani. She had a blanket placed over her form. Her face was bruised: something large had hit her hard on the forehead. Her breaths were shuddering, taken painfully in then harshly expelled. Her body was trembling lightly from exhaustion, pain, fear, or all three. Miroku moved, climbing the rest of the way up the ladder and kneeling beside the tormented girl. Chani's eyes closed. She didn't want to see who it was.
"Chani?" At the word, her eyes flew open. The man who had spoken it was not Naraku. It was the monk, his eyes clouded by inner sadness. The soft, dark indigo orbs traveled over her form, making her wish she wasn't there. The way he spoke her name vibrated in her mind however: it was soft, loving, gentle. The compassion in his very fiber was astounding. No one had ever talked to her like that. Miroku was having trouble breathing. How could Naraku have done this? How could he live with himself? How could he hurt her like this and then leave her there to bleed? Miroku extended a trembling hand, smoothing Chani's hair out of her face. She needed medical attention, but Miroku couldn't administer it without Naraku's permission. Miroku had known Naraku for years. He wouldn't let the monk care for his slave, no way in the seven hells. He would want her to suffer it out. Gritting his teeth, the purple clad monk rose.
"Chani, I will be back. Stay here, and don't let anyone take you away. Do you hear me? I... will... be... back... for... you!" Rushing down the ladder, the monk took a last glance at the dried blood. Silently, he took a knife out of his belt. Pricking his finger, he let a drop of his own blood fall onto Chani's.
"I will get you out of here, Chani. I make a blood oath- so help me Kami I will get you out. I will save your soul if it kills my own." With that, he stormed to Naraku's main castle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Naraku's Den~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Naraku was sitting in a chair by a fire, thinking. He had satisfied himself last night, then left the girl. He trusted the other servants had gotten her out to another building. She had been very... troubled. Not that he gave a damn. As soon as she healed enough to be of use, she would go back to her duties. It was that simple. The girl's family owed him a life, and they had paid their debt with her.
The door burst open, thoroughly startling Naraku. He growled. Turning to slice down the interrupter, he saw it was Miroku. He froze and smiled at his friend, who looked oddly breathless and angry.
"Ah, Miroku! You have come so early for your horse that I-" Miroku cut him off.
"Shut it, Naraku! No more of your pleasant talk. I don't want you damn horse. I want your slave." Naraku was puzzled. Slave? What slave of his could Miroku possibly want to possess?
"I'm sorry, Miroku. I don't understand. My slave? Which one?" Miroku snarled. Naraku jerked back at his feral behavior.
"The one that led me to this place! The one that lay bleeding all night! Her! I want to take her away from here, from her life, from you!" Naraku was shocked. That slave? What in the seven hells was Miroku trying to do here?
"My wench? I'm so sorry, friend monk, but she is not for sale." Miroku spat at Naraku's feet. Naraku looked down, absolutely astonished.
"She is not your wench! She does not want to have anything to do with you or your sick ecstaticies! I am not your friend as long as this monstrosity is permitted in your house!" Naraku stopped his friendly matter. This was going too far.
"Now, Miroku, please! You have lost all sense! Stop! The girl is MY slave, I may do what I wish with her! Tell me, Miroku, have you never taken a slave yourself? Answer me, and look me in the eye! Surely, you have fancied a pretty indentured female and taken her against her own personal wishes! Come now! We all have!" Miroku wrinkled his nose in utter disgust at his common terms and air.
"I have never dishonored a maid of any rank in such a way, nor will I ever! To spread filth about my name with such actions... unforgivable!" Naraku was seeing red.
"Well, in any case, no! You may not buy nor take her! As for your insulting words, I should sever our relationship right here. To bring low a friend of you and yours... and you speak of unforgivable actions!" Miroku exploded.
"You need not worry about how to deal with our friendship: the moment I saw Chani, bruised in body and spirit, it was broken! I do not bring you low, you have done that well enough by yourself! Now, give me the girl: what further use do you have with her? Surely, by destroying her soul, you have done quite enough! You owe me 150,000 yen: a misused forced prostitute is worth many thousands less then that. I insist she is my reward!" Naraku spit at the red monk's feet.
"She is mine! I will not give her up- she is worth much to me. Leave now with your horse and be glad!" Miroku snarled. In a flash, he had Naraku against the wall, his knife at Naraku's throat, lightly scraping the topmost layer.
"Give her up- and I will spare your life. Continue your insanity and I will slit your throat! You know I will! You have seen me do it before!" Naraku wavered. Miroku would do anything, however drastic, to protect his personal values. Nodding, Naraku spat out words like poison venom.
"I will give you the girl. Go! Fetch her! She will not live long- I damaged her body far to much for her to survive. As for you, you will not live to see her body buried for more then a year!" With that, Naraku disappeared. Miroku gasped as a flooding pain filled his hand. Looking down, he saw what could only be the stuff of legends in his right hand: a hellhole. Cursing, he clasped a rosary about it. Digging in his robes, he pulled out his hand sheath. Slipping the cursed hand into it, he pulled it tight and wrapped the prayer necklace firmly about it. Flexing his hand, he was filled with dread. He would kill Naraku the next time they met- and rid himself of this curse. But first- to Chani. He dashed outside, yelling for a slave to fetch his horse in the woods nearby. Upon reaching the barn, he threw open the door and skidded inside.
"Chani? Chani! Are you still there?" For a moment, Miroku was frozen. What if she was gone? His forehead became covered with a sheet of sweat.
"Yes, lord monk. Chani is still here." A weak voice called down. Breathing a sigh of relief, Miroku sped up the ladder.
"Chani, we're leaving. Now. You are mine, Naraku will never harm you again. I promise, Chani!" It took a moment for the unbelievable news to sink in. Slowly, it did. Chani looked at him with large, wondering eyes.
"I am... yours?" Miroku nodded, smiling. He had noticed how she had said 'I' instead of 'Chani'. A small, wavering grin spread Chani's features. Miroku returned it, then thought of something. He frowned.
"Chani? Please tell me you have clothes underneath that..." Chani's eyes widened. She shook her head.
"DAMN!" Miroku hit himself over the head mentally. Carefully, he wrapped the blanket around Chani's frail body. She shuddered with pain as he gently lifted her up.
"Chani... my home is an hour's ride away from here. I'm sorry if this hurts, but we must leave. I don't think either of us are safe here." Chani gave a small nod against his shoulder. Slowly, he walked down the ladder and to the courtyard where a slave had brought his horse. Asking the slave to please hold Chani, Miroku swiftly mounted his horse. Carefully, he took Chani back. Cueing the horse on with his legs, he pushed it into a smooth canter, holding Chani so that he would not harm her. As they rocked along, he could have sworn he heard Chani speak ever so softly as she was rocked to sleep by the horse's stride and his own warm body.
"Thank you, Lord Miroku-sama..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Hour Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"KAGOME!" A slave stumbled out of a steaming kitchen at her master's call. She gasped as she saw a blanket-donning child in his arms. She grabbed the horse's reins and realized with a jolt that it was no child- the girl was actually more like fifteen. Calling to her fellow slaves, she readied herself for whatever was coming next.
"Inuyasha! Get out here now! Sesshomaru! Rin! Out! Now! C'mon, Shippou, you come too! Kouga, where the hell are you?" A pack of five people came dashing out of various places. One, a large inu youkai, took Chani from Miroku. Inuyasha and Shippou took the horse to the stables for a cool-off. A wolf demon went dashing off on an unknown direction. Kagome and Rin followed quickly behind their master and fellow slave. Once inside, Sesshomaru gently set down the girl. Shooing the boys out, Rin and Kagome began to tend to her wounds.
"Oh, my god..." Rin gasped, taking the blanket off as softly as she could. "There's blood everywhere..." Kagome winced. She had been prepared for a beaten body, but... She had not been expecting this much damage...
"Rin... Stay here! I am going to go get Kaede!" Kagome dashed out and ran head-first into the male that was courting her, Inuyasha. "Inuyasha! Quick, how fast can you get me to Kaede?" Inuyasha didn't answer- he just picked her up, slung her over onto his back, and took off. In a minute or two, they skidded into the healer's yard.
"Kaede! Come quick!" A whirlwind flew into the yard. It was Kouga, carrying a sack of herbs on his back.
"C'mon Kaede! I got everything you need!" The wolf demon swept the old woman onto his back, and after exchanging a growl at Inuyasha, the pack of four was off. They arrived back at Miroku's territory, where Kaede, Kagome, and the bag of herbs went in to assist Rin. Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Shippou, Miroku, and Kouga met in the yard.
"Miroku, why did you bring in a bleeding human?" Shippou asked. Miroku shrugged.
"She belonged to Naraku but he... um... beat her, Shippou." The older men looked at each other in realization of what 'beat' meant. They nodded to Miroku to show they understood his 'playing-it-safe-with-the-kid' language. "You know what I do, Shippou? I take in slaves that need it, and I sell them to somebody who will love them forever instead of beat them." Shippou smiled.
"Will you sell me to Kagome? She loves me!" Miroku smiled.
"Kagome is a slave, Shippou. She has a life debt- I can never make her free, nor can anybody else. But somebody could buy her and treat her like she is free. I just need to find that someone." Shippou looked at Inuyasha.
"But Inuyasha is COURTING her! Isn't he who you're looking for?" Miroku shrugged.
"Inuyasha needs to prove to me and Kagome he will take care of her. That, and I want to see if they can get along for more then an hour. You know that Inuyasha is just a friend helping me. I'm a little short-staffed. He's not officially courting her." Shippou rolled his eyes.
"Close enough." WHUMPF. Inuyasha had popped him over the head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2 Weeks Later, Treatment and All~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miroku held his breath. For a whole 2 weeks, nobody had been allowed to see Chani except the women. Stupid girls insisted the last thing she wanted was a man peering over her. Today was different. They had proclaimed her well enough to come outside and sit in the courtyard. They said she could watch the activities so she would know what goes on. After all, it would be her life. She couldn't be freed, thanks to her life debt.
The reed door wavered, then was pushed aside. Kagome and Rin stepped out, smiling broadly. A beautiful girl dressed in a simple shortened pink, white, and black kimono walked shyly out. Her hair was long and was colored a stunningly shiny brown, held back by a simple white hair tie. All the men stopped their work. Kouga whistled, then was pummeled over the head by Sesshomaru, who shook his head ruefully. Her eyes darted nervously about. Miroku could see that she had no idea what to do next. He walked nonchalantly up to her, then held out his arm. Chani slowly put her arm in his and allowed him to walk her down the wooden steps. Waving his arm in mock grand proclamation, he announced Chani to the world.
"Welcome, dear Chani, to Sora Douchi... my home." Chani smiled.
"Sora Douchi... it means 'Sky Place', right?" Miroku nodded.
"It does indeed. I see you have studied your language well." Chani shrugged.
"Chani just picked up what she could from travelers..." Miroku cut her off with a hard stare. Chani shrank away. Kagome and Rin frowned and took a step towards the pair.
"Chani, I have a rule here. A very serious rule. I don't want you to speak like that. Address yourself as 'I' and your experiences or personal belongings as 'my'. Now then, Chani is a great name, but please- your real birth name." Chani frowned. Her name... what was it? She had not used it for so long... and she could not remember ever telling anyone what it was.
"Ch... I... cannot remember, Lord Miroku-sama." Miroku rolled his eyes. Oh boy. Back to Square One in the having-a-life manual.
"And another thing. My name is Miroku. Not lord, not sama, not chan, not san, not anything but Miroku. Please." Miroku racked his brain. He KNEW he had heard Chani's name... but where?
"Is your name... Sa... Sango?" (A/N: THANK YOU SCHIZOPHRENIC PYROMANIAC!!!) Chani's eyes widened.
"Yes! Sango! That is Ch... my name!" Smiling broadly, she looked Miroku straight in the eye. Miroku grinned.
"Well then. Let me rephrase my sentence. Welcome, dear Sango, to Sora Douchi... my home. Excuse me. Your home."
^Ahhh.... Such a beautiful moment. Life is getting better- no? Miroku, I luv you! Rock on my boi!
Let me explain Miroku's life here a bit:
Miroku lives at a Japanese-style farm, much like Kagome's 21st century home is fashioned, complete with the shrine, the courtyard, the whole kaboodle. It is called "Sora Douchi", which is Japanese. When translated, it mean literally "Sky Place". As in heaven. Yeah.
Miroku's home produces food, like crops, as well as raises cattle and sheep. Its main focus is actually horses, revolving around the small races held between the rich that were popular amongst the Japanese lords of the time. Miroku is a trainer for the young horses of various lords and ladies. He has a large barn and a dirt track behind his main barn and house. Thus Miroku's love of a good horse.
Miroku's personal mission is to buy mistreated slaves- such as Sango/Chani- and recuperate them. He then will sell/give them to a free person who will love them and take care of them. Kind of like the Humane Society- well, exactly like the Humane Society. For humans. Nice of him, is it not? Oh, and he makes SURE that the people will take care of his slaves. He also allows free people (as well as slaves) to court his slaves, that is, I guess you could call it hitting on or dating!!! lol guess what Inuyasha's doing???
Here are the free people in the story:
Kaede~ Miroku~ Rin~ Inuyasha~ Naraku *author spits on ground @ his name*
Here are the slaves of the story:
Sango~ Kagome~ Shippou~ Sesshomaru~ Kouga
All slaves are currently owned by Miroku.