Stinger had felt quite a sting for a while from that huge open wound he received from InuYasha. It didn't hurt much anymore to him; he was a demon after all. It would heal easily in a few days time. He was more worried about the punishment he might be getting from his master for his failure. He slowly walked back to the temple ruins where his master had taken residence. It looked like a monks' temple, with only half a roof, half of the side walls, and a full back wall. The whole floor area was still there, but it was almost completely shadowed by what was left of the roof. It was nightfall by the time Stinger had made it to this place.
He walked into the temple, onto the main floor. He looked to his right to see a woman in tight black clothes leaning against a pillar.
"Looks like the Stinger got quite a sting himself," she said, giving off a laugh of mockery.
"Shut up. I'm really not in the mood for this." He turned and faced her, giving a threatening look.
"Well, maybe if you had won, you would be in the mood."
Stinger was getting irritated already. "And that about you? I don't see you holding a fang either."
"That's enough, both of you. Kyotai, you failed just as much as Ryetsu did." The voice belonged to a shadow somewhere above them, near the back of the temple. "I shouldn't even let you live after that."
"Please, my lord. I will get it next time, I guarantee you." Kyotai stopped leaning against the pillar, and bowed as she begged.
"Yes…I won't fail again. I promise you my lord." Stinger also bowed.
"Stop your groveling. I have already decided to let you live. You will both get second chances. But if you fail me again, the consequences will make you wish they had killed you."
"Yes, my lord. Thank you." Stinger was the first to answer, following it with a bow.
"Yes, I am very grateful." Kyotai also bowed, her voice sounding calmer than Stingers'.
The voice spoke again. "Here. They're pieces of the Shikon Jewel. You can each have one. There's no reason for failure now." A pair of tiny jewel fragments came flying out of the darkness, and the two warriors each caught one.
"Thank you, my lord," the two of them said simultaneously, bowing.
The voice spoke yet again, but to neither of them. "Rannoc, would you like to try first?"
The attention of both warriors was drawn to a pillar closer to the back of the temple, where a figure was leaning against it, half in shadow. They could see that he had a brown hat, long black hair, a long gray coat, and black pants of some kind, although the material was hard to define from their distance. "Sure, might be fun."
"I do not have any more fragments of the jewel, so you're on your own."
"It doesn't matter. I don't need some jewel to help me anyway." This being didn't talk with the same amount of respect that the others did. Whether or not it offended the being behind the voice was difficult to tell.
"Well, I'm off then." Rannoc got off the pillar, and started walking toward where the entrance to the temple should have been. As he walked out of the temple, flocks of ravens fluttered all over the place, and seemed to follow him out. It slightly bothered Kyotai, but not Stinger as much.
When all was said and done, the remaining two walked out of the temple.
"Do not fail me again," the voice repeated as they left.
When they got just outside the temple, Kyotai stopped and addressed Stinger with a "Hey."
"What do you want now?" Stinger wasn't feeling very friendly at the moment.
"Here. Take mine. I'm not going to have a need for it." She tossed him the jewel fragment she had received.
"Uh…thanks." Stinger sounded like he was having trouble saying it.
"Yeah, whatever. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to." With that, she walked off at a quick pace.
Sesshomaru is almost too much of an important matter for you, he thought. This is only going to end in disaster.
Nightfall was approaching quickly, and InuYasha and the gang approached a town for a place to rest. There were small houses all over the place, and there was a small moat around the perimeter. It was a decently populated town. People were still scurrying about, and torches were just starting to go up. A sliver of the sun could barely be seen on the horizon.
The group reached the bridge that was the entrance to the town, and asked the nearest villager where they were able to stay for the night. He pointed at the biggest building at the center of the town. The group thanked him, and headed toward that building. They walked up to the main door, knocked, and waited for an answer. The door slid open, and a man with long black hair in a blue kimono was revealed.
Sango was the one to ask. "Excuse me sir, but one of the villagers informed me that this place had extra rooms for us to stay in for tonight."
"We certainly do, young lady. Enough for you and all of your friends." The man's voice was calm and sincere.
"Thank you sir. Who is the owner of this place, if I may ask?"
"That would be me, fair lady. You and your friends may call me Derin. Your rooms are this way." He led them down a hallway, and gave one room to the guys, and one to Kagome. Derin put his arm around Sango's shoulder, and led her toward the doorway. "You are a beautiful woman indeed," he said, making Sango giggle slightly, and making Miroku jealous, although he wouldn't show it. "You can sleep with me tonight, fait lady."
"What?" Sango exclaimed, and looked up ad the man.
"Can I ask you a question?" Derin said, taking his arm away from her and facing her.
"Uh…sure," Sango answered, confused slightly.
Derin took one of her hands with both of his. "Would you do the honor of bearing my children?"
Sango took a moment to register what she had just heard, and without thinking, gave him a hard slap across the face. After she realized what she had just done, she tried her hardest to apologize.
"I'm so sorry…it's a force of habit," she tried to explain, as Miroku was almost rolling around on the floor laughing at what just happened. "Are you alright?" she asked Devin.
He moved his hands from his face back to Sango's hands. "Yes, I'm always fine as long as you are here with me, earthly angel."
Sango slapped him again, and stomped out of the room, shouting: "Just what I need, another Miroku on my hands! Are there any decent guys left on Earth?"
Devin chased after her, and Miroku was able to stop himself from laughing just long enough to chase after them both and try to stop him. Shippou and Kilala headed off to their rooms, leaving InuYasha and Kagome alone in the women's room.
"I'm not getting involved. I'll never get to sleep if I do. Good night." With that, he walked off to his room to get some sleep. Kagome did the same.
Later into the evening, when everyone else had just gotten to sleep, Miroku got up from where he was supposed to be sleeping, and crept out of his room. InuYasha woke up for a split second to catch him leave, but didn't care enough to take any action, so he went back to sleep.
Miroku went out for a little walk through the hallways of the building, making sure to stay quiet as to not wake up any of the people who were able to get to sleep. He walked out to the main hall for the first time to see Devin sitting on the floor against a pillar looking at him.
"I think we should have a little talk," Miroku negotiated.
"I agree," Devin replied.
Miroku took a seat against the pillar next to the one Devin was against, facing him.
"Are you in a relationship with that woman?" Devin asked.
"Which one? You mean Sango?"
"Sango…what a beautiful name…" Devin stared off into nothing for a second.
"I take it you like her then," the monk said.
"Is it really that obvious?" Devin said curiously.
"You act the exact same way I do towards her."
"Then you like her too…"
"Now you're getting it."
"I apologize. She's all yours." Devin had a look of shame on his face.
"Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go get some sleep." With that, Miroku got up, and went back to his room. Devin sat there alone for a moment, then got up and went to sleep also.
After both men were back to their rooms, Sango came out from behind the pillar where she was hiding, and thought for a moment.
"Miroku…"
She stood and thought for a moment, looking at the spot where Miroku was sitting when talking to Devin. When she was done, she stealthily made it back to her room, and had the best sleep she had had in a long time.
