A/N: Hiya! I'm back! I have got to say that I am totally exhilarated today.
Why? Well, I got quite an overwhelming response from my last chapter. I was
rather surprised that you guys liked it, because I didn't think that
chapter was good enough.
Anyway, GOMEN once again for the huge delay in this chapter. I know... apologizing for late updates has kinda become a routine for me... But anyway... I'm sorry! Tha first week of school has been hectic, and I had no time to write. Damn professors.
On with the chap! Please review! Arigatou for reading! ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Ok?!
-----/---@
SEVEN WEEKS
Interlude
-----/---@
SLAP!
"Hentai!"
Miroku sat behind a fuming Sango, rubbing a stinging, throbbing red handprint on his cheek as the taijiya huffed with arms crossed beneath her breasts. He didn't deserve that one - honestly! It was all an accident! He didn't really mean to 'compliment her form' this time!
"Lady Sango, I swear, that was an accident! My shakujou had started slipping and I just grabbed it and..."
"And you grabbed my butt instead?"
"Yes... I mean NO! No! I wasn't trying to 'grab your butt'! I was only..." he was cut off as he felt the familiar slight vibration caused by the amulet calling his attention.
"Inuyasha's calling," he said, making Sango look back at him as he fumbled around his robes for the amulet.
"Well, answer him!" she replied sharply, trying to hide her curiosity as she did her best to keep from looking into the amulet.
Miroku cheerfully took the amulet out and smiled into it with his eyes slightly looking over in Sango's direction.
"Hai, Inuya- Oh, gods..."
Sango glanced over at Miroku's sharp intake of breath. She was surprised to see him looking down into the amulet with a look of pure shock written all over his features.
"Miroku-sama? What's wrong?"
Miroku was sputtering in what was absolute disbelief. She began to lean over to look at what Miroku found so surprising when he uttered two words that sent jolts of the exact same shock through her...
"Princess... Azalea?"
-----/---@
"Do you think we should tell them? I mean, I am positive that they would be surprised..."
"I know they would Kag-chan! That's why I wanted to tell them. It would probably soften the blow a bit," Inuyasha replied with a small snicker. "Besides, they'll be catching up soon."
"And they'll know then. Should we really break it to them now?"
"Hai," he replied, handing the amulet to her. "Call them. I know you can, and you know how."
Kagome smiled up at him before tightly clutching the amulet. "I DO miss Sango-chan... I think... I really do wanna talk to her."
Inuyasha smiled back. "Go ahead."
Kagome looked down, closing her eyes as she readied herself for their possible reactions.
"Miroku..." she called softly, and the amulet glowed a gentle white as she waited for Miroku's face to appear.
She held her smile as Miroku distractedly answered the amulet. "Hai, Inuya- Oh gods..."
Happy tears began to sting her eyes. She really had missed them... Miroku and Sango were two of her very best friends. She felt Inuyasha place a comforting hand over her shoulder when she started crying upon hearing Sango's voice.
"Miroku-sama? What's wrong?" Sango asked from somewhere off screen as Kagome continued to smile tearfully and Miroku gawked openly.
-----/---@
"NANI?!" Sango asked wildly, shock stiffening her.
Miroku handed the amulet to her, and Sango hesitantly took it from him. Tears promptly filled her eyes as she saw whose face was in the amulet.
"Kagome-chan?"
Kagome smiled. "Hai... I missed you, Sango-chan..."
"Oh gods... Kagome! You're... oh gods!" Sango exclaimed as sobs wracked her body. She moved slightly aside so that Miroku can also see into the amulet, and so Kagome can see him as well.
Miroku was smiling in confusion. "Azalea-sama... how? When? Gods... why didn't Inuyasha tell us?! Everything is alright now, isn't it? Did he just free you? Did he...?"
"No, Miroku-sama. He did not just free me... I am his illusive companion."
"Nani?" Sango asked as she tried to hold in her sobs. "Kag-chan, what are you talking about? How did all this happen? How could YOU have been his companion? Weren't you being held prisoner by Naraku? Oh gods... why didn't you tell me earlier?! Do you know how worried I was about you?!"
"Gomen... he didn't know as well. I just... told him. Gods, I missed you both sooo much!" Kagome cried, moving slightly aside so Inuyasha could also peer into the communicator.
"Inuyasha! What is going on here?!" Miroku asked as soon as he saw the hanyou's face.
"It's a long story. We'll tell you when you get here. How long until you guys catch up?" Inuyasha asked, squeezing Kagome's arm in a vain effort to comfort her.
Miroku blinked shortly. "I don't know. Where are you two?"
"The Second Northern quadrant," Kagome said through her tears. "We just passed the Lalim Ravine about four or five days back," she said a small blush appearing on her cheeks.
'Now what is she blushing about?' Inuyasha wondered. 'Maybe her tears are just making her puff up?'
"Second? Oh, wow! Sango suddenly shrieked through her tears. "Miroku and I are at the edge of the Third quadrant! We'll probably reach you by noon!"
"Sugoi! That's great!" Kagome exclaimed. "We'll wait for you, ne, Inu- chan?"
"Aa," Inuyasha replied. He looked around and found what he was looking for. "There's a cave here. We won't leave this area til you catch up, ok?"
Sango released one last loud sob before smiling brightly and saying, "Take care, Kagome-chan. See you soon..."
"Ee. REAL soon, Sango-chan. You too, Miroku-sama."
"Hai."
And both parties closed up their amulets.
-----/---@
Inuyasha stared in concern at Kagome as she closed the amulet, tears still flowing down her cheeks. "Kagome, stop crying, please! Shouldn't you be happy because you've finally spoken to those two?"
Kagome smiled at him. "I am... I really missed those two, Inu-chan. I grew up with them! They were the only ones that I spoke to for the whole six years that I was in the castle."
Inuyasha took a visual sweep of the barren area they were standing on, before returning his gaze to her with a sad smile. "It won't be long now, ne? Once those two get here, I'm sure that it would be much easier to defeat Naraku and get the Shikon back. Then you could get back to your duties and restore Crystallia."
Kagome didn't miss the slightly desperate note in Inuyasha's voice. "Inuyasha..."
"It's ok, really!" he replied with a fake grin. "I'll live."
But he SERIOUSLY doubted it.
Kagome gave her own fake smile. "Yeah. We'll get through this."
They both walked towards the cave that Inuyasha had spotted to await their comrades' arrival, but something was still bothering Inuyasha. "Ano... Kag- chan... Why were you blushing back there? When you were talking to Miroku and Sango?"
Kagome blushed again, much to his surprise. "Ano... I was talking about the ravine..."
"So?"
"Think about it, Inuyasha," Kagome said as she suddenly found her now unbandaged hands extremely interesting. "We passed the ravine the day Naraku abducted me."
Inuyasha thought a bit. Then, he suddenly bristled in anger. "That was the day Naraku poisoned you!" Kagome blushed again. "What was there to blush about?"
"It's not the poison I'm blushing about," she retorted, kicking a dry twig out of her way. "I'm blushing about what happened later."
Inuyasha finally caught on, and he flushed a deeper red than his kimono. "Oh."
-----/---@
Sango was drying her tears in slight irritation. 'I can't believe I just damn cried!' she thought as she wiped her face with the back of her hand. 'Now Miroku's gonna think that I'm a big darn wimp.'
Miroku smiled heartily at Sango. "Sango. What's wrong? You'll be seeing Kagome-sama real soon! Don' be upset!"
Sango pouted. "I'm not upset! I'm just really happy... that she's alright. I've been worried sick about her for the past few weeks..."
"Well, it's ok now. We're just a short distance away," Miroku said, firmly massaging her shoulders in an effort to calm her down. "No need to worry. You can laugh and joke with her again, just like old times!"
Sango grinned. "Hell, you can try groping her again."
Miroku suddenly pulled his hands back as Sango looked pointedly at their slow descent to her bottom. "Eh... he he he... I was only kidding that time, Sango, and you know it."
"Well," Sango replied. "Joke or not, she gave you the SHOCK of your life, didn't she?"
"Oh yes," Miroku said, smiling as if recalling a wonderful old memory. "My hands sustained terrible burns from her. I could not touch anything for weeks!"
"Served you right, lecher. You know that touching the princess is impossible. Her body repels contact from any male through expelling her powers directly into the offender's body."
"I forgot. All my mind could come up with then was how absolutely lovely Aza-sama's form is."
"Whatever."
"But Sango," Miroku said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Your form is still lovelier in my eyes."
Sango refused to look at him. No WAY would she let him see her blushing!
They traveled in silence for a few more minutes, but the tranquil setting was broken when Kirara suddenly began growling from beneath them.
"Kirara? Doushite?" Sango asked, leaning down to look into her pet's face. She instinctively tightened her hold on Hiraikotsu, and she could Miroku lifting his staff from behind her.
Miroku looked worried as he felt something amiss in the air. Something about the way the winds moved... just wasn't right...
"Sango... I sense something bad," he said firmly as he realized that an amount of jaki was now hovering about them.
Sango also straightened. "Youkai..." she said faintly, her brows drawing together in annoyance. "Why the hell now?"
"You know Naraku," Miroku shrugged half-heartedly, already knowing from the manner of the attack who had launched the youkai at them. "Should we land? I think they are expecting to give us a good aerial assault."
Sango considered. "It IS easier to fight on land..."
Kirara suddenly dove down right then, heading for level land. It seems she had made the decision final for the still considering pair.
As soon as Kirara touched down, a hoard of youkai rapidly began descending on them, proving Miroku right. Both humans hurriedly leaped off the nekomata and took their own stances, ready to slice some serious youkai hide.
The youkai were upon them in mere seconds, and Sango did her usual flips in an effort to get away from some of the youkai's sharp tails and claws. She released her boomerang with an angry shout, killing not less than five youkai in one swing.
Miroku used the sharp edge of his shakujou in battling, efficiently butchering the youkai and keeping up with the taijiya's exterminating skills quite well. Sango had no time to flash him an appreciative smile as she quickly brought down a pair of extremely ugly youkai, whose large jaws hung disgustingly to their heads, as if it had been incompletely severed.
Sango took a disgusted look at her now slimy Hiraikotsu as she took another mad swing, bringing down myriad small, bird-like youkai that had been about to attack Kirara.
Kirara seemed rather slow right then - she was taking the youkai down with her massive jaws almost hesitantly, with a tired look in her eyes. Sango began to run towards her as she heard Miroku begin shouting.
"Sango! I have to use the Kazaana!"
-----/---@
"Inuyasha! Watch out!"
Kagome fired an arrow at the flaming bird-like youkai headed for Inuyasha. Inuyasha flashed her a smile of thanks before returning to his enthusiastic butchering.
They had been walking towards the cave when a large amount of jaki permeated the air, nearly making Kagome swoon with the intensity, while Inuyasha gagged at the disgusting scent that the oncoming youkai brought. The overwhelming scent of decay clung to the youkai, and Inuyasha immediately drew Tetsusaiga before the creatures physically announced their presence.
Kagome knew that her arrows tended to run out at the most inconvenient times, so she did her best to conserve her weapons. Kagome fired round blast of youki from the palm of her hand, and Inuyasha personally disintegrated those that came too close to her.
Inuyasha impatiently willed his youki to come to surface, making it wrap around his weapon slightly as he continued to furiously dice his foes. The demons were REALLY getting on his nerves, and Inuyasha launched a mad roundhouse at one who came too close to get a good blast from Tetsusaiga.
He saw a large snake youkai attempting to approach Kagome from behind out of the corner of his eye. He jumped at it, yelling in fury at the creature who even DARED to plan against his girl.
"Stay away from Kagome, you fucking freak!" he shouted, making Kagome realize what had been happening. He turned his back on Kagome before she could even smile at him, preparing his final attack as he felt his youki get stronger.
"Kaze no Kizu!!!" he yelled, launching his attack on the youkai that had clustered behind him, attempting to pounce. Inuyasha grinned as he watched all the youkai slowly disintegrate.
Upon the aftermath of his forceful last blow, Kagome walked up to him with a shaky smile. "Don't you think it ironic," she began. "For us to be attacked on the same day when we are supposed to meet Sango?"
Inuyasha took a while to consider. "We get attacked often. What's the fuzz?"
"I dunno. It's just that..." Kagome trailed off. 'I have a bad feeling about this...'
"Nani?"
"Nothing, Inu-chan. Let's go into the cave, shall we?"
"Sure."
-----/---@
Naraku grinned despite the fall that the last group of youkai had just taken. Oh, how he loved bloodshed! The only thing that made him seethe was the fact the Kagome and Inuyasha were now walking back into the cave hand in hand.
Kanna showed a small amount of surprise as she looked down at her mirror. There were things that she saw even if the mirror was not set there. "Naraku-sama. You may want to watch the monk. He is using the void."
Naraku raised a brow before signaling for her to show him the monk. Miroku was desperately calling for the taijiya, his hands on his prayer beads.
Naraku's grin widened. "Now we shall see how he fares with that void..."
-----/---@
Miroku watched as Sango ran to Kirara, and he only unleashed his void once he saw her tightly hold on to the fire cat. "Kazaana!" he shouted, sucking in all the youkai that happened to be right before him. He glanced at Sango out of the corner of his eye as he sucked some of the very last youkai into his hell hole, but even from this distance, he could see that something was obviously wrong...
Sango was barely clutching onto a snarling Kirara, but for once, Miroku noticed that the snarl was directed at Sango - not at an offending youkai. Sango shouted something to Kirara, before the neko suddenly flicked her large paws at Sango, sending Sango flying off as she lost her hold on the youkai.
The Kazaana had already grown considerably, and though Sango was not directly before Miroku, he saw her flying towards him, a shout careening from her lips. Miroku immediately tried to pull his beads back before he swallowed Sango, but...
One moment, she was flying towards him... but now...
Miroku looked down, hoping Sango had fallen down before him or something, but...
'Masaka...' he thought. He had closed his air rip... shouldn't she have been there, fallen on the ground after she stopped her mid-air flight towards his hand? Shouldn't she have at least slammed into him as she caught momentum, or... Shouldn't she BE there?
But... Sango was nowhere to be seen.
"No..." he said shakily.
He...
He had just...
Pulled Sango...
His only love...
Into his air rip...
"Gods, no!" he whispered desperately, dropping to his knees. SANGO!!!"
-----/---@
A/N: Well... that's it for my chap! How was it?
Oh, you guys, I am sooo sorry if this chapter had been bad. I'm up typing til one in the morning, and I have to get up tomorrow at five to get to school for my seven o'clock class.
Anyway... RESPONSES!!!
DevilWench: Thanks!
UnholyDragoon: Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I read back on my fic a bit, and I realized that I actually DO lack descriptions. ^_^ I'm glad you like my fic, and I'm sorry for the late update!
NR: Yeah, it will be over in a bit. Three days?! Wow, I didn't realize that my fic had gotten so long! I'm glad you like it!
Justmeh: Undrama-ish... cool new word. I'm glad you liked the chap! And sorry for the new cliffy! *sweatdrops* I can't help it...
AnimeObsessionFantasy: Here's the chap!
Trina: Uy! Advanced ka naman masyado!
InuyashaGirlie: I'm glad you enjoyed my fic so much! Thanks a lot for your encouragements! Sorry for the late update. ^_^
Litwolf689: Hmm... now that I think about it... I don't think I can afford to have Inu go full demon anymore. It IS kinda late for that... but I can still try, ne? I had a great Halloween! And... *talks through a mouthful of candy* thanks for the candy!
bebe_kagz837: I'm glad you liked it. Actually, Inuyasha has exactly 6 days left with Kagome.
The Literary Dragon: She's got a new one! I'll explain that further in the next chap, though. I'm glad you liked the chap!
Sukuri: Gah! I hate rain! Rain in tropical countries leaves the ground all hot after the downpour! Anyway, I'm in college right now... I'm an 18 year old sophomore. I'm glad you liked the chap!
Senda: Thanks!
Hanamaru285: Glad you liked it! Here's the chap!
Dragonstar03: Glad you liked it!
KrysTheAngel: I'm glad you liked it! I'm sorry to know that you had the same experience as Kouga... but I'm glad you got over it easily! You get the coldest winters and the hottest summers? Ouch... that sounds really hard... Anyway, you wouldn't happen to know how the weather is in Vancouver would you? Hehe... my boyfriend is there, and he never complains, so I don't really know... does it snow in Vancouver? Oh... I've seen snow only once... and I really want to see it again! Sorry for the late update. I've read the toilet scene... I think it's cute! ^_^ And I refuse to think that rambling is a disease... I do it all the time, and I really don't like hospitals...
Guardian Angel of ALL Anime: I'm glad you like my fic! Sure! I'll check out your fics!
Yamiyumetenshi: I can't really do that to Kouga-kun... I kinda like him! But Kikyo... oooh, I would LOVE to burn her! CCS? I don't really know much about CCS, but I'll try to check your fic out! You burned Dumbledore? Aaw... I like that old man...
TheWraith1: Oh, there's a happy ending! And gomen if this chap wasn't too good. I'm kinda sleepy! I hope you still like it though!
fetchboy69: I'm glad you like my story! Anyway, will you be writing other fics? Or are you already? ^_^ I really like your fic... I'll continue all my fics, don't worry!
THERE! I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter. Again, sorry for the delay in this chap. Thanks to all those who reviewed my previous chapters!
Please read and review! Arigatou for your time! Take care!
ScarletRaven1001
-----/---@
Anyway, GOMEN once again for the huge delay in this chapter. I know... apologizing for late updates has kinda become a routine for me... But anyway... I'm sorry! Tha first week of school has been hectic, and I had no time to write. Damn professors.
On with the chap! Please review! Arigatou for reading! ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Ok?!
-----/---@
SEVEN WEEKS
Interlude
-----/---@
SLAP!
"Hentai!"
Miroku sat behind a fuming Sango, rubbing a stinging, throbbing red handprint on his cheek as the taijiya huffed with arms crossed beneath her breasts. He didn't deserve that one - honestly! It was all an accident! He didn't really mean to 'compliment her form' this time!
"Lady Sango, I swear, that was an accident! My shakujou had started slipping and I just grabbed it and..."
"And you grabbed my butt instead?"
"Yes... I mean NO! No! I wasn't trying to 'grab your butt'! I was only..." he was cut off as he felt the familiar slight vibration caused by the amulet calling his attention.
"Inuyasha's calling," he said, making Sango look back at him as he fumbled around his robes for the amulet.
"Well, answer him!" she replied sharply, trying to hide her curiosity as she did her best to keep from looking into the amulet.
Miroku cheerfully took the amulet out and smiled into it with his eyes slightly looking over in Sango's direction.
"Hai, Inuya- Oh, gods..."
Sango glanced over at Miroku's sharp intake of breath. She was surprised to see him looking down into the amulet with a look of pure shock written all over his features.
"Miroku-sama? What's wrong?"
Miroku was sputtering in what was absolute disbelief. She began to lean over to look at what Miroku found so surprising when he uttered two words that sent jolts of the exact same shock through her...
"Princess... Azalea?"
-----/---@
"Do you think we should tell them? I mean, I am positive that they would be surprised..."
"I know they would Kag-chan! That's why I wanted to tell them. It would probably soften the blow a bit," Inuyasha replied with a small snicker. "Besides, they'll be catching up soon."
"And they'll know then. Should we really break it to them now?"
"Hai," he replied, handing the amulet to her. "Call them. I know you can, and you know how."
Kagome smiled up at him before tightly clutching the amulet. "I DO miss Sango-chan... I think... I really do wanna talk to her."
Inuyasha smiled back. "Go ahead."
Kagome looked down, closing her eyes as she readied herself for their possible reactions.
"Miroku..." she called softly, and the amulet glowed a gentle white as she waited for Miroku's face to appear.
She held her smile as Miroku distractedly answered the amulet. "Hai, Inuya- Oh gods..."
Happy tears began to sting her eyes. She really had missed them... Miroku and Sango were two of her very best friends. She felt Inuyasha place a comforting hand over her shoulder when she started crying upon hearing Sango's voice.
"Miroku-sama? What's wrong?" Sango asked from somewhere off screen as Kagome continued to smile tearfully and Miroku gawked openly.
-----/---@
"NANI?!" Sango asked wildly, shock stiffening her.
Miroku handed the amulet to her, and Sango hesitantly took it from him. Tears promptly filled her eyes as she saw whose face was in the amulet.
"Kagome-chan?"
Kagome smiled. "Hai... I missed you, Sango-chan..."
"Oh gods... Kagome! You're... oh gods!" Sango exclaimed as sobs wracked her body. She moved slightly aside so that Miroku can also see into the amulet, and so Kagome can see him as well.
Miroku was smiling in confusion. "Azalea-sama... how? When? Gods... why didn't Inuyasha tell us?! Everything is alright now, isn't it? Did he just free you? Did he...?"
"No, Miroku-sama. He did not just free me... I am his illusive companion."
"Nani?" Sango asked as she tried to hold in her sobs. "Kag-chan, what are you talking about? How did all this happen? How could YOU have been his companion? Weren't you being held prisoner by Naraku? Oh gods... why didn't you tell me earlier?! Do you know how worried I was about you?!"
"Gomen... he didn't know as well. I just... told him. Gods, I missed you both sooo much!" Kagome cried, moving slightly aside so Inuyasha could also peer into the communicator.
"Inuyasha! What is going on here?!" Miroku asked as soon as he saw the hanyou's face.
"It's a long story. We'll tell you when you get here. How long until you guys catch up?" Inuyasha asked, squeezing Kagome's arm in a vain effort to comfort her.
Miroku blinked shortly. "I don't know. Where are you two?"
"The Second Northern quadrant," Kagome said through her tears. "We just passed the Lalim Ravine about four or five days back," she said a small blush appearing on her cheeks.
'Now what is she blushing about?' Inuyasha wondered. 'Maybe her tears are just making her puff up?'
"Second? Oh, wow! Sango suddenly shrieked through her tears. "Miroku and I are at the edge of the Third quadrant! We'll probably reach you by noon!"
"Sugoi! That's great!" Kagome exclaimed. "We'll wait for you, ne, Inu- chan?"
"Aa," Inuyasha replied. He looked around and found what he was looking for. "There's a cave here. We won't leave this area til you catch up, ok?"
Sango released one last loud sob before smiling brightly and saying, "Take care, Kagome-chan. See you soon..."
"Ee. REAL soon, Sango-chan. You too, Miroku-sama."
"Hai."
And both parties closed up their amulets.
-----/---@
Inuyasha stared in concern at Kagome as she closed the amulet, tears still flowing down her cheeks. "Kagome, stop crying, please! Shouldn't you be happy because you've finally spoken to those two?"
Kagome smiled at him. "I am... I really missed those two, Inu-chan. I grew up with them! They were the only ones that I spoke to for the whole six years that I was in the castle."
Inuyasha took a visual sweep of the barren area they were standing on, before returning his gaze to her with a sad smile. "It won't be long now, ne? Once those two get here, I'm sure that it would be much easier to defeat Naraku and get the Shikon back. Then you could get back to your duties and restore Crystallia."
Kagome didn't miss the slightly desperate note in Inuyasha's voice. "Inuyasha..."
"It's ok, really!" he replied with a fake grin. "I'll live."
But he SERIOUSLY doubted it.
Kagome gave her own fake smile. "Yeah. We'll get through this."
They both walked towards the cave that Inuyasha had spotted to await their comrades' arrival, but something was still bothering Inuyasha. "Ano... Kag- chan... Why were you blushing back there? When you were talking to Miroku and Sango?"
Kagome blushed again, much to his surprise. "Ano... I was talking about the ravine..."
"So?"
"Think about it, Inuyasha," Kagome said as she suddenly found her now unbandaged hands extremely interesting. "We passed the ravine the day Naraku abducted me."
Inuyasha thought a bit. Then, he suddenly bristled in anger. "That was the day Naraku poisoned you!" Kagome blushed again. "What was there to blush about?"
"It's not the poison I'm blushing about," she retorted, kicking a dry twig out of her way. "I'm blushing about what happened later."
Inuyasha finally caught on, and he flushed a deeper red than his kimono. "Oh."
-----/---@
Sango was drying her tears in slight irritation. 'I can't believe I just damn cried!' she thought as she wiped her face with the back of her hand. 'Now Miroku's gonna think that I'm a big darn wimp.'
Miroku smiled heartily at Sango. "Sango. What's wrong? You'll be seeing Kagome-sama real soon! Don' be upset!"
Sango pouted. "I'm not upset! I'm just really happy... that she's alright. I've been worried sick about her for the past few weeks..."
"Well, it's ok now. We're just a short distance away," Miroku said, firmly massaging her shoulders in an effort to calm her down. "No need to worry. You can laugh and joke with her again, just like old times!"
Sango grinned. "Hell, you can try groping her again."
Miroku suddenly pulled his hands back as Sango looked pointedly at their slow descent to her bottom. "Eh... he he he... I was only kidding that time, Sango, and you know it."
"Well," Sango replied. "Joke or not, she gave you the SHOCK of your life, didn't she?"
"Oh yes," Miroku said, smiling as if recalling a wonderful old memory. "My hands sustained terrible burns from her. I could not touch anything for weeks!"
"Served you right, lecher. You know that touching the princess is impossible. Her body repels contact from any male through expelling her powers directly into the offender's body."
"I forgot. All my mind could come up with then was how absolutely lovely Aza-sama's form is."
"Whatever."
"But Sango," Miroku said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Your form is still lovelier in my eyes."
Sango refused to look at him. No WAY would she let him see her blushing!
They traveled in silence for a few more minutes, but the tranquil setting was broken when Kirara suddenly began growling from beneath them.
"Kirara? Doushite?" Sango asked, leaning down to look into her pet's face. She instinctively tightened her hold on Hiraikotsu, and she could Miroku lifting his staff from behind her.
Miroku looked worried as he felt something amiss in the air. Something about the way the winds moved... just wasn't right...
"Sango... I sense something bad," he said firmly as he realized that an amount of jaki was now hovering about them.
Sango also straightened. "Youkai..." she said faintly, her brows drawing together in annoyance. "Why the hell now?"
"You know Naraku," Miroku shrugged half-heartedly, already knowing from the manner of the attack who had launched the youkai at them. "Should we land? I think they are expecting to give us a good aerial assault."
Sango considered. "It IS easier to fight on land..."
Kirara suddenly dove down right then, heading for level land. It seems she had made the decision final for the still considering pair.
As soon as Kirara touched down, a hoard of youkai rapidly began descending on them, proving Miroku right. Both humans hurriedly leaped off the nekomata and took their own stances, ready to slice some serious youkai hide.
The youkai were upon them in mere seconds, and Sango did her usual flips in an effort to get away from some of the youkai's sharp tails and claws. She released her boomerang with an angry shout, killing not less than five youkai in one swing.
Miroku used the sharp edge of his shakujou in battling, efficiently butchering the youkai and keeping up with the taijiya's exterminating skills quite well. Sango had no time to flash him an appreciative smile as she quickly brought down a pair of extremely ugly youkai, whose large jaws hung disgustingly to their heads, as if it had been incompletely severed.
Sango took a disgusted look at her now slimy Hiraikotsu as she took another mad swing, bringing down myriad small, bird-like youkai that had been about to attack Kirara.
Kirara seemed rather slow right then - she was taking the youkai down with her massive jaws almost hesitantly, with a tired look in her eyes. Sango began to run towards her as she heard Miroku begin shouting.
"Sango! I have to use the Kazaana!"
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"Inuyasha! Watch out!"
Kagome fired an arrow at the flaming bird-like youkai headed for Inuyasha. Inuyasha flashed her a smile of thanks before returning to his enthusiastic butchering.
They had been walking towards the cave when a large amount of jaki permeated the air, nearly making Kagome swoon with the intensity, while Inuyasha gagged at the disgusting scent that the oncoming youkai brought. The overwhelming scent of decay clung to the youkai, and Inuyasha immediately drew Tetsusaiga before the creatures physically announced their presence.
Kagome knew that her arrows tended to run out at the most inconvenient times, so she did her best to conserve her weapons. Kagome fired round blast of youki from the palm of her hand, and Inuyasha personally disintegrated those that came too close to her.
Inuyasha impatiently willed his youki to come to surface, making it wrap around his weapon slightly as he continued to furiously dice his foes. The demons were REALLY getting on his nerves, and Inuyasha launched a mad roundhouse at one who came too close to get a good blast from Tetsusaiga.
He saw a large snake youkai attempting to approach Kagome from behind out of the corner of his eye. He jumped at it, yelling in fury at the creature who even DARED to plan against his girl.
"Stay away from Kagome, you fucking freak!" he shouted, making Kagome realize what had been happening. He turned his back on Kagome before she could even smile at him, preparing his final attack as he felt his youki get stronger.
"Kaze no Kizu!!!" he yelled, launching his attack on the youkai that had clustered behind him, attempting to pounce. Inuyasha grinned as he watched all the youkai slowly disintegrate.
Upon the aftermath of his forceful last blow, Kagome walked up to him with a shaky smile. "Don't you think it ironic," she began. "For us to be attacked on the same day when we are supposed to meet Sango?"
Inuyasha took a while to consider. "We get attacked often. What's the fuzz?"
"I dunno. It's just that..." Kagome trailed off. 'I have a bad feeling about this...'
"Nani?"
"Nothing, Inu-chan. Let's go into the cave, shall we?"
"Sure."
-----/---@
Naraku grinned despite the fall that the last group of youkai had just taken. Oh, how he loved bloodshed! The only thing that made him seethe was the fact the Kagome and Inuyasha were now walking back into the cave hand in hand.
Kanna showed a small amount of surprise as she looked down at her mirror. There were things that she saw even if the mirror was not set there. "Naraku-sama. You may want to watch the monk. He is using the void."
Naraku raised a brow before signaling for her to show him the monk. Miroku was desperately calling for the taijiya, his hands on his prayer beads.
Naraku's grin widened. "Now we shall see how he fares with that void..."
-----/---@
Miroku watched as Sango ran to Kirara, and he only unleashed his void once he saw her tightly hold on to the fire cat. "Kazaana!" he shouted, sucking in all the youkai that happened to be right before him. He glanced at Sango out of the corner of his eye as he sucked some of the very last youkai into his hell hole, but even from this distance, he could see that something was obviously wrong...
Sango was barely clutching onto a snarling Kirara, but for once, Miroku noticed that the snarl was directed at Sango - not at an offending youkai. Sango shouted something to Kirara, before the neko suddenly flicked her large paws at Sango, sending Sango flying off as she lost her hold on the youkai.
The Kazaana had already grown considerably, and though Sango was not directly before Miroku, he saw her flying towards him, a shout careening from her lips. Miroku immediately tried to pull his beads back before he swallowed Sango, but...
One moment, she was flying towards him... but now...
Miroku looked down, hoping Sango had fallen down before him or something, but...
'Masaka...' he thought. He had closed his air rip... shouldn't she have been there, fallen on the ground after she stopped her mid-air flight towards his hand? Shouldn't she have at least slammed into him as she caught momentum, or... Shouldn't she BE there?
But... Sango was nowhere to be seen.
"No..." he said shakily.
He...
He had just...
Pulled Sango...
His only love...
Into his air rip...
"Gods, no!" he whispered desperately, dropping to his knees. SANGO!!!"
-----/---@
A/N: Well... that's it for my chap! How was it?
Oh, you guys, I am sooo sorry if this chapter had been bad. I'm up typing til one in the morning, and I have to get up tomorrow at five to get to school for my seven o'clock class.
Anyway... RESPONSES!!!
DevilWench: Thanks!
UnholyDragoon: Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I read back on my fic a bit, and I realized that I actually DO lack descriptions. ^_^ I'm glad you like my fic, and I'm sorry for the late update!
NR: Yeah, it will be over in a bit. Three days?! Wow, I didn't realize that my fic had gotten so long! I'm glad you like it!
Justmeh: Undrama-ish... cool new word. I'm glad you liked the chap! And sorry for the new cliffy! *sweatdrops* I can't help it...
AnimeObsessionFantasy: Here's the chap!
Trina: Uy! Advanced ka naman masyado!
InuyashaGirlie: I'm glad you enjoyed my fic so much! Thanks a lot for your encouragements! Sorry for the late update. ^_^
Litwolf689: Hmm... now that I think about it... I don't think I can afford to have Inu go full demon anymore. It IS kinda late for that... but I can still try, ne? I had a great Halloween! And... *talks through a mouthful of candy* thanks for the candy!
bebe_kagz837: I'm glad you liked it. Actually, Inuyasha has exactly 6 days left with Kagome.
The Literary Dragon: She's got a new one! I'll explain that further in the next chap, though. I'm glad you liked the chap!
Sukuri: Gah! I hate rain! Rain in tropical countries leaves the ground all hot after the downpour! Anyway, I'm in college right now... I'm an 18 year old sophomore. I'm glad you liked the chap!
Senda: Thanks!
Hanamaru285: Glad you liked it! Here's the chap!
Dragonstar03: Glad you liked it!
KrysTheAngel: I'm glad you liked it! I'm sorry to know that you had the same experience as Kouga... but I'm glad you got over it easily! You get the coldest winters and the hottest summers? Ouch... that sounds really hard... Anyway, you wouldn't happen to know how the weather is in Vancouver would you? Hehe... my boyfriend is there, and he never complains, so I don't really know... does it snow in Vancouver? Oh... I've seen snow only once... and I really want to see it again! Sorry for the late update. I've read the toilet scene... I think it's cute! ^_^ And I refuse to think that rambling is a disease... I do it all the time, and I really don't like hospitals...
Guardian Angel of ALL Anime: I'm glad you like my fic! Sure! I'll check out your fics!
Yamiyumetenshi: I can't really do that to Kouga-kun... I kinda like him! But Kikyo... oooh, I would LOVE to burn her! CCS? I don't really know much about CCS, but I'll try to check your fic out! You burned Dumbledore? Aaw... I like that old man...
TheWraith1: Oh, there's a happy ending! And gomen if this chap wasn't too good. I'm kinda sleepy! I hope you still like it though!
fetchboy69: I'm glad you like my story! Anyway, will you be writing other fics? Or are you already? ^_^ I really like your fic... I'll continue all my fics, don't worry!
THERE! I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter. Again, sorry for the delay in this chap. Thanks to all those who reviewed my previous chapters!
Please read and review! Arigatou for your time! Take care!
ScarletRaven1001
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