Hello there! I'm glad to see that you're interested in my story! First of all, I would like to introduce myself : I am The Wishful Thinker, or Arisusa. Most of my stories in the future (if I write any more stories) will be similar to this one; each chapter will be based on song lyrics. Also, the main theme will be romance because I love romance. Okay? Okay! Now, about this story! Sango-chan and Houshi-sama are the main, and possibly only, pairing. I'm not sure if I'll add Inuyasha-sama and Kagome-chan ... I might if people ask for it. But this story is simply the struggles Houshi-sama and Sango-chan go through before actually becoming a couple. I know it's been done before but I wanted to add my own flavorings to it. And I actually thought this chapter would be much shorter than it is ... Oh well! The longer the better, right? Okay, I'm sorry about my rambling! May the story begin!
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So Close, Yet So Far Away by The Wishful Thinker
Chapter One – For You
I waited for you
I died inside my own head
And I'd die again, for you
I'm faded and tired
Completely uninspired
And I'd die again, for you
So kill me with the love that you won't give to me, give to me
And pack the wound with salt, I want to feel it bleed, feel it bleed
I'm searching for reasons
To keep away the demons
And I'd die again, for you
I wish you were near me
Could feel it when you hear me say
I'd die again for you
So kill me with the love that you won't give to me, give to me
And pack the wound with salt, I want to feel it bleed, feel it bleed
You wanted me to crawl so now i'm on my knees, on my knees
Why's it always have to be me?
That's always left out to burn and
I'll never learn
Why's it always have to be me?
That's always left out to burn and
I'll never learn
So kill me with the love that you won't give to me, give to me
And pack the wound with salt,I want to feel it bleed, feel it bleed
You wanted me to crawl so now I'm on my knees, on my knees
Smile Empty Soul – For You
Their clothes were ripped, their hands bled. Salty raindrops ran down their bruised, dirty faces.
Four comrades stood side by side, facing their opponent with vicious glares. Gripping their weapons each of them got into fighting stances. The Hanyou, the miko, the houshi nor the taijiya were aware of the rain that was pounding heavily on their backs. Each one of the fighters had their minds set on exterminating this youkai quickly before it brought more burden to the village it had been terrorizing.
The youkai was quite large with bulky legs and arms. He clawed at the air and roared like thunder, his thick scaly tail swooshing behind him. His eyes were deep amber with flakes of gold color.
The youkai, which appeared to be an oversized lizard-youkai, stomped toward the group. The ground slightly shook with each step that he took.
It had started with a simple stop by a village during the group's journey to collect all the jewel shards of the Shikon no Tama and to find the Hanyou Naraku.
Shippo, the kitsune of the clan, had complained about the group's lack of rest and food. He suggested to Kagome, the miko amongst them, that they should spend the night in the next village they encountered. Kagome agreed as did Miroku, the houshi, and Sango, the taijiya, for they each felt they needed a break on their voyage.
Inuyasha, the Hanyou, spat at the idea.
Kagome began to lecture Inuyasha about him being stronger than the others so he didn't need the same amount of rest as them, but that he should respect the fact that they were regular human beings and needed at least five hours of sleep per night to properly function everyday. Miroku and Sango were left on the side to watch the brawling duo, along with Shippo.
On and on Inuyasha and Kagome fought, almost nose to nose with each other while they both shouted. From what Miroku, Sango and Shippo could hear, the fight had gone off-topic and into personal matters. Sango sighed while her demon cat, Kirara, sat between her and Miroku. Shippo sat with Kirara and stroked her creamy silky fur.
Miroku didn't pay that much attention to Kagome and Inuyasha for he was watching Sango from the corner of his eye. He watched how beads of sweat slowly trickled down her face from the scorching hot sun, watched how her chest slowly rose as she breathed and watched how she fiddled with hems on the sleeves of her kosode.
Kirara purred as Shippo scratched gently behind her ears causing Sango to turn her head toward the cat demon with a smile on her face. She quickly caught a glance of Miroku and he quickly fixed his eyes on Inuyasha and Kagome, his cheeks a light shade of pink.
"Sango-chan," Miroku said as he leaned over toward the girl. "Let's continue walking and stop by the nearest village. I think Inuyasha and Kagome-sama will get the hint and come to find us once they realize we're not here anymore."
Sango looked over to Inuyasha and Kagome, then to Miroku.
"What if they don't think of stopping at the nearest village?" she questioned. "The closest village could even be miles from here!" She paused and looked over at the two once more; their fight seemed to be calming down now. "I think we should wait for them. It looks like they're just talking things over now."
"I agree with Sango," Shippo stated with a nod.
"Alright, we'll wait then," Miroku said. "They do look like they're not fighting anymore."
They waited for Inuyasha and Kagome to finally come up with a solution, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and even Kirara all hoping it would be to stop at a village for the night. But before they heard what was decided Kagome shouted Inuyasha's most resented phrase :
"Osuwari!" she commanded. And with that Inuyasha plummeted onto the hard ground.
"Dammit Kagome!" he wailed with anger. "What the hell was that for!"
Kagome walked pass Inuyasha with her head held up high in the air.
"It was for being selfish and not having any consideration for us!" she shouted in response. She started down the path, pumping her fists as if she was power walking. "Come on Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, Shippo, Kirara ... Inuyasha agreed to stay at the next village that comes up, but he was so stubborn that I had to shout at him repeatedly so he would give in! What an idiot!"
Miroku sighed and began walking, motioning for Sango, Shippo and Kirara to follow.
Inuyasha slowly got up and brushed off the dusty dirt that covered the front of his red kimono. He cracked his neck, stretched out his back and went to catch up with the others.
It was about an hour after the six of them had resumed walking to find a village. There was a light drizzle and the sky had darkened a bit.
"I hope a village turns up soon," Shippo said as he yawned. "'Cause I'm getting really tired!"
"Don't worry Shippo," Kagome reassured him. "We'll pass a village soon. Villages are usually spread out over the area for privacy and everything ... The last village we passed was probably a few miles back so we'll get to the next one shortly."
Miroku squinted his eyes and looked over the trees ahead of them. He saw puffs of smoke that barely blended in with the grey sky.
"There's smoke that way," he said to the group. They all followed Miroku's gaze and saw the smoke, indicating that there was indeed a village close by.
"Great!" Kagome exclaimed. "If we hurry we'll be there pretty soon!"
"How are you so sure they'd actually let us into their village?" Inuyasha protested. "Some villages can be really creepy and won't let outsiders enter their village."
"It's always worth a try, Inuyasha," Miroku answered.
Miroku looked to his left, toward Sango, and saw that she had her head lowered. Miroku had also noticed that Sango had not spoken since he suggested walking ahead while Inuyasha and Kagome were fighting.
Beyond the trees the group finally saw more traces of the upcoming village. Small huts were just visible behind the branches, leaves and shrubbery.
Shippo instantly grew excited and began to run toward the village with Kirara chasing after him.
Inuyasha and the others were welcomed by the villagers with open arms. Girls swooned over the houshi, who was clearly enjoying it, and Inuyasha was drowned in questions about him being a youkai, but that was before he stated that he was a Hanyou. To his surprise, the women weren't even frightened of his appearance one bit.
Shippo received compliments on his looks by the smaller girls of the group.
Kagome and Sango, however, were left to stand on the sidelines and watch.
"Ugh, he's probably in heaven right now!" Sango said through gritted teeth about Miroku's state of being surrounded by woman of the village. She balled her fists and watched Miroku with a deadly look in her eye.
"Houshi-sama!" exclaimed one of the young women. "Please, come with me! I will show you to a nice room that you can sleep in for the night and I can prepare you something to eat!"
"No, I will supply you with a much finer place to rest and I'll cook you a meal fit for a Lord! Come with me!" cried another happily.
More offers were shouted and pretty soon the whole group of women, including those who were more interested in Inuyasha rather than Miroku, began pulling the two men into the village. Some of the women ordered Miroku to follow them to one side of the village when the others ordered him to follow them on the opposite side. Inuyasha found himself in the same situation.
"Now ladies," Miroku said smoothly. The women immediately ended their fits and paid full attention to what Miroku was going to say.
"I am deeply obliged for your wonderful generosity of offering me a place to rest for the night," he continued. "I would love to stay will all of you beautiful women, but I must stay somewhere with my companions."
The women were now quiet and had saddened looks on their faces. One of them stepped forward with her head hung slightly, twiddling her fingers. Her voice was low yet tender.
"Excuse me Houshi-sama, but I have a somewhat large place where you and your friends can stay for the night," she said.
Miroku smiled softly at the shy girl. He turned around to Kagome and Sango and motioned for them to come over to join him and Inuyasha.
Shippo was still left at the entrance to the village and was surrounded by young girls who were playing with his tail.
Sango stared at the women who stood before her and the others. Her eye twitching, she eyed each one of them and saw them to be nothing but tramps. With half of their chests exposed from the low-cut state of their kimonos, it looked as if these women did nothing but try to find a man to share a bed with every night.
No wonder there was such a large amount of children running about.
But the girl who had just shared her offer with Miroku appeared to be decent looking. She wore a simple rose colored kimono and her hair was pulled back into a tight bun.
She bowed to the group and all but Inuyasha did the same in return.
"My name is Tokiwa," the girl continued. "My father, Karasuma Masuyuki, is the head of this village."
The other women rolled their eyes.
Miroku took a step toward Tokiwa, his eyes twinkling.
"It is a great honor to meet the daughter of this village's leader," he said as he gently took one of Tokiwa's hands in his own and lightly kissed the back. A dark shade of red covered Tokiwa's face.
Sango crossed her arms over her chest, unknowingly clenching her fists in anger. She turned away from the sight. She thought it was disgusting and rude on Miroku's part.
Kagome looked over to the village women. They all menacingly stared at Tokiwa, mumbling insults under their breaths.
Then Kagome looked to her side and saw Sango with her arms folded snugly across her breasts, her expression mixed with jealousy, rage and gloom.
"Does Miroku purposely do this to make Sango jealous?" Inuyasha whispered, turning to Kagome as he linked his hands together under his kimono sleeves.
"I don't think he does," she answered. "It's just part of his nature ... But it's pretty darn mean if you ask me! Miroku-sama obviously thinks of Sango-chan in more than a friendly way, but he goes around and hits on other women! What does he want her to think? Does he actually want to make her jealous of him?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "Beats me. You know I'm not good at this sort of thing."
"Well, what would you do if you wanted me to be jealous of you?"
Scrunching up his nose as if he was trying to think, Inuyasha shook his head.
"I wouldn't do that in the first place. It's pretty pointless. But if you really want to know, I wouldn't even waste my time trying to make you jealous of me."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome asked.
Without answering, Inuyasha turned back to Miroku and Tokiwa.
The other women slowly began to resume their chores throughout of managing the vegetation, taking care of children and cleaning their homes. The young girls even resumed to their own activities and Shippo was able to join the others in the village.
"Could you please show my companions and me to this fine place where we can sleep tonight?" Miroku asked Tokiwa charmingly.
Nodding and smiling Tokiwa led Miroku and the others through the village.
"Isn't this a nice little village?" Kagome questioned Sango gaily. She wanted to help Sango forget about Miroku and enjoy the night.
Sango shrugged in response. She managed to grin and add, "I suppose so."
Soon they all stood before a hut that was about triple the size of the other huts in the village.
The hut was surrounded by a wooden porch. The porch was decorated with various types of flowers, adding touches of different colors to the shelter.
Tokiwa walked up the steps of the porch that led to the door of the hut. Miroku began to follow her up the steps, but was asked to stay outside because Tokiwa had said she needed approval from her father before she let strange villagers into their home.
"Who's she calling strange?" Inuyasha said aloud.
"Well Inuyasha," Miroku started. "You are a Hanyou and Shippo is a youkai. And as far as Tokiwa-sama knows, we could be thieves. I think it is very considerate of her to think of her father's opinion before bringing us inside."
"He's right," Sango agreed after the group was silent. "It wouldn't be right if she brought us into her and her father's home without consulting her father about it. After all, he is the leader of this village."
Miroku smiled, happy to see Sango actually talking. After his performance earlier he wouldn't have been surprised if Sango didn't speak with him for the rest of the evening.
After a few minutes and moments of silence the door slid opened and Tokiwa reappeared with approval from her father.
"He would like to welcome you all to our village," she said as Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo all stepped into Tokiwa's home. Kirara stretched herself out on the porch.
After Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Tokiwa removed their shoes at the door the group was led into a dimly lit room. Plants were scattered along the walls. There was a wide screen in the room and on the other side of the divider one was able to see a figure lying on the floor.
The group all looked at each other while raising eyebrows in curiosity.
"You can go in there," Tokiwa told them. She pointed to an opening in between the end of the screen and the wall. "If you go around that way, Otou-san is in the next room."
Miroku started down the room, followed by the rest.
In the room was a middle-aged laying on a futon. His eyes were closed and a white blanket was draped over his body, stopping justat the middle of his neck.
The group cautiously stood in the doorway of the room, watching the man as he stirred on the futon. He cleared his throat with a gagging cough before he slightly sat up.
"Come, sit down," he offered to them. Miroku led the group to the center of the room where they all knelt on the floor before the man. Inuyasha sat cross-legged and linked his hands together under his kimono sleeves as he did earlier before.
Tokiwa now entered the room with a small cup of water. She presented it to her father and he took it gratefully. He brought the cup to his mouth and took one long, thirsty sip. Tokiwa then bowed and left the room.
The whole room was quiet with the exception of Miroku clearing his throat.
"As you may know already,I am Karasuma Masuyuki, the leader of this village," Masuyuki said, introducing himself."My daughter has told me that you all are travelers, is she right?"
Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo nodded in response.
"I see ... Do you stop at villages like this often?"
"If it were up to me," Inuyasha said before anyone else could speak. "We'd never stop at villages."
"Oh really? Why is that?" Masuyuki asked.
Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Kagome.
"Eh, he's very shy around people he doesn't know very well," she said.
Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippo all sweat dropped.
"Inuyasha's anything but shy," Shippo murmured.
Masuyuki nodded. "Very well. Please, tell me, what is that you are all traveling for?"
"We're seeking revenge on a demon named Naraku," Sango replied.
"And we're collecting the shards of the shattered Shikon no Tama," Miroku added.
Nodding as if he understood, Masuyuki covered his mouth and coughed loudly. Kagome winced, for the coughing sounded painful. Tokiwa now ran into the room.
"Otou-san, are you alright?" Tokiwa asked with great concern as she knelt down beside her father, resting a hand on his back so he could sit upright while coughing. Tokiwa put her other hand on his left shoulder.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little cough."
"Would you like me to get you another cup of water?"
"That would be nice, thank you."
Tokiwa got up and hurried out of the room to retrieve another cup of water for Masuyuki.
"Such a wonderful young girl," he complemented. "She's just like her mother."
At mentioning his wife, Masuyuki's face dropped.
The room was now quiet.
The village leader continued, "My wife passed on when Tokiwa was fourteen years old. Even though that was only three years ago, my daughter and I can still feel her presence with us."
"Oh, things must have been very hard for you and her," Kagome grieved. "W-We're very sorry."
The others nodded in agreement.
"There is no need to be sorry," Masuyuki stated. "It's all in the past. Tokiwa doesn't like to talk about it though. She was very close to my wife.
"My wife, Nanami, began to resent me after we were married. She claimed she didn't feel the magic that she felt before we vowed to spend the rest of our lives together. Once we had Tokiwa, Nanami raised her to also dislike me. I wasn't allowed to take my own daughter places without my wife there to watch. I guess she was afraid that I would try to feel Tokiwa.
"I never heard the words 'I love you' from Tokiwa, or even Nanami. Those two always seemed to exclude me from everything that went on between them. I wasn't aware of anything that went on in my daughter's life anymore. When Tokiwa was about five years old I began to suspect that Nanami was in love with another man. I had learned from Nanami's friends that she was indeed in love with someone else before we both met. Fumitoki, his name was. I was afraid that those two were having an affair together behind my back, so I questioned Nanami about it, reasonably of course, and I received nothing but a slap on the face ... In front of my own daughter too. I then felt very shameful that I even thought of asking such a thing.
"There were some times when we would be together as a family, but they were very rare moments. I enjoyed them very much though. Even if they were small, like walks around the village, gathering ingredients for Nanami to make dinner or just sitting here and talking, I treasured them with all my heart.
"I could see that Tokiwa wanted a father daughter relationship with me. Her friends all did, so I suppose she wanted to be like her friends. She would try bringing me outside to play games with her but Nanami would drive her away and give her something else to do. But when my wife wasn't home or when she was busy with something, Tokiwa would sit and talk with me. She had such a wonderful laugh. It was so full of life, but she hasn't laughed since Nanami was alive.
"When Tokiwa was thirteen Nanami came down with a very bad disease. She suddenly was pale and could not talk. Tokiwa sat by her side and took care of her until the moment she passed away, which was a year after she took on the unknown sickness.
"Now I'm afraid that I am in the same condition my wife was in three years ago. I cannot walk, I'm very weak and I have this rabid cough. I don't want my daughter to be alone once I pass on, so I'm trying my hardest to stay alive until she is married."
"Have you made those arrangements for her yet?" Miroku inquired with a serious tone.
"She is to be married next year to one of our warriors," Masuyuki responded. "Until then, I am trying my very best not to leave her."
"I see," Miroku said as he nodded. "It seems that you have gone through a rough time involving your marriage."
"If you knew that your wife didn't love you, then why didn't you decide to separate?" Inuyasha questioned.
"Inuyasha, those sorts of things aren't that easy," Kagome told the half demon.
"Not only that," added Masuyuki. "Nanami never spoke about it. I think she was afraid of being alone. She never did appreciate solitude.
"Now, did you say you were searching for a demon by the name of Naraku?"
"Yes, we've been looking for him for a while," Sango said.
"I have heard things about him, but nothing about his whereabouts," said Masuyuki apologetically. "I –"
Masuyuki was cut off by several loud screams coming from outside of the hut. Inuyasha and Miroku immediately got up and quickly exited the room to go outside. Kagome, Sango and Shippo reassured Masuyuki that his village was not in danger. But if it was, they told him that they would rid the village of what ever was frightening its citizens.
Kagome, Sango and Shippo exited the room to go outside as well.
Instead of following Kagome and Shippo outside, Sango quickly ran to another room to change into her taijiya uniform. She had a feeling that a youkai was probably the cause for the screaming villagers.
Outside, Inuyasha and Miroku were greeted with a horrifying site. Skeletons were scattered about the village grounds and villagers were scurrying out of their huts and running out of the village. The two men looked around for signs of why the villagers were running like they were, and why there were bones on the ground.
They found their answer when they saw a medium sized creature gnawing on the flesh from a corpse.
"It appears that these villagers are fleeing from this little guy," Miroku said to Inuyasha with a chuckle.
"Pft, I can kill that thing with my eyes closed," Inuyasha declared gruffly. "I don't even need the Tessaiga! It's puny enough for me to kill with my own hands."
Charging at the creature while shouting, "Sankon Tessou!" Inuyasha attempted to tear at the monster's own flesh apart. With its quick reflexes the creature jumped back and dashed into the nearest hut.
There was a loud piercing scream and then the sound of tearing skin. Then, there was dead silence.
Kagome and Shippo now came outside and Kirara jumped off of the porch and joined them. Kagome had a bow and arrow ready to aim and shoot when needed.
The three looked around at the chaotic situation with shocked expressions.
"What's going on?" Kagome insisted.
"W-Why are there bones and blood on the ground?" Shippo cried.
"Calm down," Miroku said soothingly. "Inuyasha and I just got out here so we're not quite sure. It seems that there is a youkai that's killing the villagers and eating them. It's not very big so it shouldn't be hard to destroy."
"Where is it?" demanded Kagome while raising up her bow and arrow.
"The bastard went inside that hut," Inuyasha said as he pointed a finger in the direction of the said hut.
Miroku looked around in curiosity.
"Where's Sango?" he asked quickly.
"I'm here," came Sango's voice.
Miroku turned around and found himself face-to-face with the girl. She was fully dressed in her taijiya uniform and was holding Hiraikotsu by its handle. Her hair was tied back in a tight ponytail like it always is for combats.
"It's a youkai, isn't it?" she questioned.
"Yes," replied Miroku. "Right now it's in that hut. We need to lure it out so we can keep it from hurting anymore people."
As if it was summoned, the youkai scampered out of the hut and went behind a patch of bushes. But the youkai didn't look the way it did before it had gone into the hut. This fact was unrecognized by the group.
"We need to get rid of this thing," Inuyasha said as he cracked his knuckles. "Kagome, Shippo ... You two go in the hut and see what the damned thing did. Miroku and Sango, you two come with me. We can kill this guy off in a second."
Kagome and Shippo ran to the hut while Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango ran to the bushes that were by the hut. Inuyasha unsheathed the Tessaiga.
Kagome and Shippo cautiously entered the hut, not knowing what to expect.
They both almost vomited at the sight that sat before them.
It appeared to be a body that was torn from limb to limb. Rotten flesh covered the bloodstained bones that were spread about the small hut. A heavy stench filled the room, making the miko and kitsune pinch their noses and hold their stomachs.
"Did that youkai do this?" Shippo asked Kagome while gagging.
"I think so," Kagome replied. Her voice was muffled due to putting her hand over her nose and mouth.
"We should go tell Inuyasha and the others about this," Shippo said as she started out of the hut. "And we better warn them too! Even though that youkai isn't really big, he seems pretty dangerous!"
Kagome agreed and the two hurried out of the hut, the gruesome image still embedded in their minds.
Over by the bushes Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango vigilantly neared the youkai. Sango shielded herself with Hiraikotsu for any needed protection while Miroku took out an ofuda. Kirara joined them and was now in her larger form but stood behind the three comrades.
The youkai stirred behind the shrubbery, flailing its tail in every direction possible. Inuyasha told Miroku and Sango to stand back while he would make an attempt to slash the creature with the Tessaiga.
Inuyasha jumped up and brought the Tessaiga above his shoulders. Once he was above the youkai he thrust his sword into the youkai's body, slicing the creature in half. One portion of the body ran off into the village, its quick speed seeming no match for Sango, Miroku and Kirara while the other portion was motionless.
"Shit!" Inuyasha shouted, gripping Tessaiga's hilt with frustration. "How the hell did he run off like that?"
"It seems he can survive with just half of his body," Miroku said while taking out another ofuda.
"Thanks Mr. Obvious, I think I already know that," Inuyasha spat in response. He began searching around for a particular black-haired girl. "Where's Kagome? Is she still in that hut with Shippo?"
"She's over there," Sango told the Hanyou as she pointed in Kagome's and Shippo's direction. Kagome and Shippo were jogging over to the rest of the group.
Inuyasha sheathed the Tessaiga and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, what'd you two find in the hut?"
"Ugh, it was disgusting!" Shippo shrieked as he stuck out his tongue in disgust. "There were bones and blood and rotten skin! I think the youkai ate whoever was in there!"
"It looks as if this youkai feeds off humans for some strange reason," Miroku said with thought. "Now we just have to find out why."
More screams and hollers were heard at the front of the village. The group instantaneously began running in the direction of the screams.
"Oh my gosh!" Kagome yelled in shock. "H-How ... W-What happened?"
The group stood before a myriad of dead tattered bodies. Clothes were torn to shreds, bones were piled everywhere and there was once again the rotting flesh.
"It was the youkai!" one of the witnessing villagers shouted. "He destroyed these innocent people!"
"Destroyed is an understatement!" another shouted. "The monster slaughtered them!"
"And so quickly?" Sango asked calmly. "Where did he go now?"
"He went that way!" a villager stated while pointing out of the village. "And Karasuma-san's daughter went that way to get water! Please, hurry before she gets hurt!"
And with that, a face a pure determination showed up on Miroku's face. He quickly hurried out of the chaotic village with his friends right by his side.
It wasn't too hard to know that the youkai was nearby; Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara were all able to hear it roaring in the distance.
The youkai was even visible above the tree heads.
"What the?" Inuyasha said with annoyance. "That thing's ten times larger than the size it was back at the village!"
Miroku began to mentally study the events that had taken place regarding this youkai and how it could have possibly increased his size.
"He's feeding on human flesh to grow bigger," Sango clarified, breaking Miroku away from his thoughts. "It just came to me; I've fought youkai like this before with my father and brother."
"Hm, that does make sense," Inuyasha said approvingly. "Well, whatever it's doing has to stop right now! Let's go!"
Inuyasha leaned forward and began to run, followed by Kagome, Sango and Shippo. Shippo was sitting on Kirara's back. But when Sango noticed that Miroku hadn't begun running she stopped and turned around.
"Houshi-sama? Are you coming?"
Miroku smirked and took a few steps toward Sango. Once he reached her he placed a hand on her shoulder. Even under her armor and taijiya uniform, Sango grew hot from the houshi's touch.
"Well said Sango," Miroku complemented. "I was thinking of ways this youkai could have grown bigger, but you beat me to it. Now, let's go and catch up with the others."
With her face a light shade of pink Sango slowly nodded as she and Miroku began to run. As they ran, raindrops rapidly fell from the sky.
Running in the rain alongside Miroku ... Nothing in the whole world could have ruined this moment for Sango.
Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo and Kirara were now just a few yards away from the youkai. But just a few feet away from them they saw a young woman lying on the ground, one who seemed very recognizable.
"That looks like Tokiwa-san!" Kagome called out to her companions. "She looks like she's injured! We need to get her back to the village! Inuyasha, pick her up and lay her down on Kirara. She can bring Tokiwa-san back to the village."
Obeying Kagome, Inuyasha ran to Tokiwa and scooped her up into his arms. Kirara then flew over, Shippo still on her back, and landed beside the Hanyou and unconscious girl. Inuyasha gently laid Tokiwa on Kirara's back. Shippo looked at her with a heartbroken expression.
"Okay Kirara, you and Shippo can go back to the village with her," Kagome said. "Shippo, tell the villagers that we found her like this on the ground and that we're pretty sure the youkai knocked her unconscious."
"O-Okay Kagome!" Shippo replied nervously yet with determination.
Kirara jumped up into the air and flew over the treetops in direction of the village.
In a few moments Miroku and Sango had caught up with Inuyasha and Kagome.
"I saw Kirara flying back towards the village!" Sango said while breathing heavily and wiping her wet brow.
"Tokiwa-san was knocked out unconscious," Kagome explained. "We sent her back to the village with Kirara and Shippo."
The rain grew heavier.
"Come on, let's not waste any more time!" Inuyasha shouted.
The ground shook and then there was a loud roar. The group watched as the youkai started for them, clawing at the air.
Inuyasha unsheathed the Tessaiga. Kagome prepared a bow and arrow, Miroku took out more ofudas and Sango positioned her arms as if she was about to throw Hiraikotsu.
The youkai picked up his leg and then slammed it on the ground setting Miroku, Sango and Kagome off balance. They each fell into the mud.
Inuyasha held back the Tessaiga and charged at the youkai. He was aiming for one of its legs.
"Kagome-sama," Miroku said. "Can you see if the youkai has a jewel shard? That can be why it's so strong."
Nodding and wiping her face free of mud, Kagome turned to the youkai. She squinted her eyes for better vision and saw that the youkai did indeed have a jewel shard. But there was more than one.
"There's two of them in the left side of its chest!" she shouted over the pounding rain.
"Then we have to get them out," Sango suggested. "That's probably how one side of him ran off after Inuyasha split him in half; that half must have had the jewel shards."
"You're right again Sango," Miroku said. "Quick, let's go help Inuyasha. We're not doing any good lying in the mud like this."
The three stood up and gripped their weapons tightly. They ran to join Inuyasha who seemed to have achieved his goal of doing something to harm the youkai's leg.
"Inuyasha, we need to aim for the left side of his chest!" Kagome told him. "He has two jewel shards!"
"Two of them, huh?" Inuyasha repeated. "Well, they won't be his any longer!"
Inuyasha charged at the youkai again, jumping off of his feet and aiming the Tessaiga at the left side of its chest.
The youkai struck the Hanyou, knocking him onto the ground. Inuyasha landed on his feet and skidded in the mud.
Sango took a step forward and held Hiraikotsu over her shoulders. She brought it back and then thrust her arm forward, shouting the weapon's name and sending it flying into the youkai's chest.
Hiraikotsu cut through Sango's target, but no jewel shards flew out. The youkai screamed and swatted at the boomerang bone, sending it flying back to Sango with extreme force. Sango caught it, but the blow made her fall to the ground.
"Sango, are you alright?" Miroku asked as he ran to Sango and helped her onto her feet. Sango nodded, using Hiraikotsu and Miroku for support while she stood up shakily.
Kagome had a bow and arrow ready to shoot at the youkai. She closed one eye and aimed at the area of the youkai's chest where she saw the two glowing shards.
Being occupied with Inuyasha, who was running about the creature's feet and slashing at its legs with the Tessaiga, the youkai was unaware of the arrow that was headed its way.
With its great speed, the arrow quickly cut through the youkai's chest. The two jewel shards slid out and began to fall to the ground.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called. "The jewel shards! Catch them!"
With a bewildered expression, Inuyasha quickly looked up and saw the two fragments just above his head. He reached up his hand and the shards fell onto his palm. Inuyasha wrapped his fingers around the fragments. He turned to Kagome with a look of triumph on his face. Kagome ran over to Inuyasha, took the shards from him and ran back to her spot by Miroku and Sango where she took off the bottle of shards that hung around her neck, opened it and dropped the to jewel fragments inside.
Inuyasha resumed back to attacking the youkai's massive legs.
Kagome began to shoot more arrows at the chest.
"Houshi-sama," Sango said. "We need to help them."
"Are you able to stand up okay?" Miroku asked with concern. "Hiraikotsu hit you rather hard."
"Don't worry about me!" Sango demanded in response. "I'm fine! I can take it! We need to help Kagome-chan and Inuyasha now!"
And with that, Sango threw Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and charged at the youkai with it.
Miroku had no choice but to accept defeat from Sango. He sighed, closed his eyes and quietly chanted to himself before throwing an ofuda at the youkai's head. The ofuda was not seen by the youkai, therefore Miroku achieve his task of burning a hole through its head, located in between the youkai's eyes.
Without the two jewel shards in its chest, the youkai seemed weaker. Its speed had also decreased, making its movement slow, sluggish and easier for the comrades.
Inuyasha seemed bored with himself, for the youkai's legs were completely tattered. Blood rushed down the creatures legs and into a pool of the black liquid. Inuyasha's hands bled from gripping Tessaiga's hilt too tightly and his face was slightly bruised from the light strikes in the face he received from the youkai.
Kagome was barely bruised but her clothes were ripped and her face was covered in dirt.
Sango was still battling affects of the blow she had gotten from her own weapon but was still on her feet and throwing Hiraikotsu at that youkai.
Miroku was untouched but was dirty from falling in the mud earlier before.
The youkai began to lose patience and grew antsier. It stomped its feet, clawed at the air and began to run in Sango's direction. At the way it stumbled when it ran, one would think the youkai was drunk.
Inuyasha took this as the perfect opportunity to exterminate this guy once and for all.
"Sango, keep running!" Inuyasha ordered as he followed the youkai. "I'll get this guy in the back ... Kagome, go for its head! Miroku, do anything you want, but just don't stand there!"
Kagome took out another arrow and set it up on her bow. She closed one eye and fixed the arrow right in the dead center of the youkai's head. Sango continued running.
Inuyasha began to run as well and was literally right on the youkai's tail.
Kagome led go of the arrow and it took up tremendous speed. The arrow hit Kagome's target and the demon stopped running and yelped with pain. Inuyasha took his chance and jumped up. He swung the Tessaiga and drove it in the youkai's back.
The youkai suddenly stopped and was still for a slight moment. Then he slowly began to fall, somewhat resembling a falling tree.
"Sango, get out of the way!" Miroku ordered, screaming at the top of his lungs.
The rain had grown exceedingly loud.
Turning around while still running, Sango saw the collapsing youkai. She turned around and fastened her pace but didn't see the large indentation in the ground that was right by her feet, for it was covered by mud.
Sango stepped in the pothole, unbeknownst to her, and lost her balance. She dropped to the ground, the brown muck splashing about.
She tried to get up but her ankle throbbed with pain.
"Dammit!" Sango cursed under her breath.
Suddenly, Sango felt her body being thrown to the side. A piercing ache shot through her ankle as she heard the youkai crash to the ground.
But she also heard a load moan, a moan mixed with agony and pain.
"Miroku-sama!" Kagome screamed.
Sango felt her heart stop.
Forgetting the pain in her ankle, Sango stood up and ran to Miroku. She may have looked funny, limping and running, but she didn't care. She needed to see if Miroku was alright.
Sango fell next to Miroku's still body which was sprawled underneath the youkai's claw. The claws were embedded in Miroku's back.
Sango tried to push the youkai's claws off of the houshi, but was too weak to do it by herself.
"Inuyasha!" Sango shouted hoarsely. "Help me!"
Inuyasha hurried over. Although he was battered and bruised also, he managed to help Sango.
Blood stained Miroku's osode and kesa. He lay on his stomach, his face digging into the ground. Sango tried to hold back tears as she and Inuyasha slowly turned him over on his back.
Miroku's face was scrunched up, indicating that he was in great pain. Sango placed a hand gently on his chest to check his breathing.
"We need to get him back to the village!" Sango cried as she choked back loud sobs. She hated to see Miroku in this state.
And what was worse was that it was because of her.
He did push her out of the way, didn't he?
Inuyasha lifted Miroku up off the ground, throwing the houshi's right arm over his shoulder.
"Sango, lift up his other arm," Inuyasha told her.
Nodding, Sango gingerly lifted up Miroku's left arm and draped it over her shoulder. She grew faintly warm when her body pressed up against his.
The two began to walk, Sango limping each time her injured foot hit the ground. Kagome followed them, her eyes watering.
As they walked, Sango laid her head gently on Miroku's shoulder. "Oh, Houshi-sama," she whispered. "Why did you have to do that?"
"Sango ... You know I would die for you," came the faint reply.
Sango felt her heart explode.
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I apologize if the pacing is too slow. I tend to drone on about things sometimes! If you hadn't noticed, most of the italicized words are Japanese. And no, I don't use Japanese words to 'show off' my knowledge of the language, I only use it when I feel the word should stay the way it is. But right now I'm going to give you all a quick Japanese lesson!
The Wishful Thinker's Japanese Dictionary (the words are in the order in which they appear in the story)
Hanyou – half demon. Most of you know that though because it's pretty well-known amongst Inuyasha-sama fans
Miko – it sometimes is translated as 'priestess' (like in this story) but it actually means a virgin girl associated with a Shinto shrine
Houshi – a Buddhist monk
Taijiya – a demon exterminator
Youkai – often translated as 'demon' but youkai are actually magical creatures
Shikon no Tama – the Jewel of Four Souls ; the Shikon Jewel ; the Four-Soul Jewel
Kitsune – a fox – spirit
Kosode – a type of kimono
Kimono – a robe-like dress that is worn mostly by women, but is also worn by men
Osuwari – "sit". This is known as the command Kagome-chan uses that makes Inuyasha-sama crash into the ground
Otou-san – a respectable term one would use when addressing their father
Tessaiga – Inuyasha-sama's sword. In the English-language anime it's spelt 'Tetsusaiga' and pronounced as 'Tetsaiga'. It's translated as 'The Fang' but can also be known as 'The Iron Cleaving Fang'
Sankon Tessou – 'Soul Scattering Iron Claw' or 'Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer'. Inuyasha-sama's attack with his claws. In the English manga it was translated as 'Demon Begone' and 'Claws of Exorcism'
Hiraikotsu – Sango's weapon, a giant boomerang made from the bone of a youkai
Ofuda – a paper Houshi-sama uses when in combat. He really doesn't use them, but I believe that when he used it once it burned a hole in the head of his opponent. Whether he chants things before he uses them is unknown to me, but I just added that in because I think it could happen
Osode – the long sleeved black robe Houshi-sama wears
Kesa – the purple cloth Houshi-sama has tied over his left shoulder
My Japanese lessons usually won't be as long as this one was. In some chapter I probably won't even have one. But right now I would like to thank you for taking your time to read this first chapter and I will really appreciate your review (if you submit one ... If you don't, I still greatly appreciate you taking the time to read this)!
Until next time!
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Next chapter : Trouble Sleeping – The Perishers
Sango is having trouble falling asleep, for she can't stop thinking about what Miroku said to her. Also, more on Tokiwa and Masuyuki.