Chapter Seventeen: Rest and A Frightful Visit
Mid afternoon was when the raven-haired boy woke. The sun shone warmly against his pale face causing his eyes to narrow in a tiny slit. Though the radiant blue could still easily be seen from behind. He let them shut again hoping for more rest, but did not succeed as shouting could be heard coming his way.
"Yeah I'll be right back Kagome!"
He cringed and carefully turned over trying to block out the noise.
"Miroku? Miroku you awake yet?" The demon slayer gently placed her hand on his bare shoulder. He turned and smiled.
"Yes I am." Sleep crowded his eyes causing him to rub them thoroughly.
"How'd you sleep?" She questioned.
"Just perfect…" He sat up and gave her a warm hug. She froze for a moment before hugging him back.
"Good." They separated, "Lets go get some lunch, everybody's outside."
With that the two stood up and traveled out into the sun that woke him in the first place. Everyone greeted him with a warm smile and motioned for him to sit and enjoy the company. He could only sit for a moment, entranced with his thoughts and his feelings of last night.
"What is it Miroku?"
"Last night. Before we went to bed, I thought I felt her you know? Samara. Like she was right outside, but I just couldn't get up and do anything." His head hung for a moment before he stood up carefully and went inside.
Everyone was dumbfounded. They could only exchange glances as none of them expected such an answer.
"Should we take this seriously?' Kagome questioned everyone else.
"Well of course we should!" Inuyasha declared back. Inside Miroku cringed at their shouting.
"Well someone should go talk to him."
"I'll do it. I think it's my turn to talk to the bouzu." Inuyasha stood and headed inside the gigantic mansion, only to find Miroku sitting just inside, in front of a Buddhist statue. His face was beaded heavily with sweat and his hands shook slightly as he sat in an attempt to meditate. Inuyasha could only go over, placing his hands gently around Miroku's and knelt down to his level.
"Not so easy anymore is it?" His hands were removed as Miroku's sapphire eyes opened glancing at his friend. A smirk escaped his lips as he leaned back slightly against the wall.
"I'm so ashamed of myself Inuyasha. It frightens me that I'm not even able to meditate properly."
"Don't be so hard on yourself monk. You're body has been through so much these past few days and you just need to rest. Just heal physically then we'll focus on mentally alright?" He held his hand out as a polite offering.
"When did you become so insightful Inuyasha?"
"When you started taking charge. Let me handle some of the workload sometimes. Unlike you my body is built for it."
Miroku smiled and took his hand, making it just barely to his knees before he sat for a moment to catch his breath.
"I hate being weak Inuyasha, I really do."
"I know what you mean." Thoughts of the new moon came to mind as he recalled the time when his powers would completely leave him as a mere human. "But I do envy you Miroku. You're one of the strongest human beings I know
Inuyasha placed his hand gently on the monk's chest and assisted him up the rest of the way. He stumbled a bit, but eventually made it and Inuyasha just patted his back.
"Come on Miroku, let's go grace the girls with our presence hmm?"
"Sounds good Inuyasha, but I want to talk to you later about a plan I have. To get rid of Samara…or Hatsumaru more or less."
"Sounds good Miroku, but for now, relax." He nodded and continued outside with his hand gently grasping his stomach. Sango smiled and signaled him to sit.
"Thanks Sango, but I think I'm just going to wash up. Join me?"
"No in the way you intend monk." She smiled, "But I'd be glad to help you."
As the two continued to the Hot Springs, Sango became very curious about what Inuyasha had to say. It wasn't a short discussion after all.
"So umm Miroku." She walked closer grasping his hand that was placed on his abdomen. "What did Inuyasha have to say to you?"
"Mostly how I need to lay back, rest, and give him the work."
"But I've been telling you the same thing Miroku." They stopped walking.
"Sango I know but,"
"No but Miroku. It's what I've been telling you from the beginning. How did Inuyasha change your mind?"
"He was…strangely serious. Like really kind and not very much…like himself."
"So next time I'm serious I'll be really mean okay?" She smiled in a teasing sort of manner, patted him on the back and continued walking to the nearby spring. He could only stand dumbfounded.
"Come on Miroku don't fall behind!" She shouted from ahead. A smile could be seen spreading across the man's face and he continued towards the woman that he promised to marry.
As they got there Miroku had found that Sango bought along with her bandages and such. He didn't realize this was going to be a healing session.
"Let me help you take off your robes and then get into these okay?" She handed him a pair of thin white shorts. "Now come here."
She seemed to take charge and began to untie the knot that held the violet portion of his robe. Spreading his arms out, she carefully pulled the part off.
Like a child she helped him slip on the shorts and proceeded to take off his darker black robe.
"I feel stupid Sango." He said as she helped him into the soothing warm water. His muscles seemed to relax on contact as he closed his eyes in final pleasure. It had been a while.
"Bet that feels good." She smiled stroking his hair. "Just relax while I get a few things."
He very willingly did just as he was directed and slipped down slightly so his mouth was submerged underneath the water. Though he didn't want to fall asleep in the water, his eyes became heavy as sleep swept over him. Sango brought him back to reality as she poured water over his head, soaking his hair completely.
"That feels great Sango."
The steam radiating from the water seemed to bathe his pale skin finally bringing slight color to the surface. The sun had begun to set letting the contrast of coolness and heat overpower him as he relaxed beneath the calming water. Sango smiled, as she knew he was finally able to relax after all that has happened. His left arm lounged outside of the water as Sango worked carefully to un-bandage it. She smiled, as it seemed the swelling finally started to decrease since the last time she checked.
He reached his other hand up and felt her grasp his back. She pulled slightly motioning him to get out of the water though she regretted ending his comfort.
"Come on. Let's finish so that we can head back." He nodded and got himself carefully out of the water and let the cool air dry his skin. Sango carefully removed his soaking bandages and gazed upon his chest. A bruise could be seen above his wound signaling that his broken rib had not yet healed. But that was the least of her concern as she also saw the large red gash across his abdomen. She traced her hand slightly over the wound and looked at Miroku's face.
"How does it feel Miroku?"
"Better than before. I think it's actually starting to heal." He patted his stomach, wincing slightly.
"Don't be so sure Miroku. You just need to take it easy for now." He looked into her chestnut eyes and smiled, grasping her hand and gently placing a kiss upon it. She blushed and retreated to pick up the ointment that Sakura had placed in her care.
Finishing quickly with the treatment, Sango began to wrap his wound when she heard a woman scream.
"What was that?" She asked no one in particular.
"Sango…that was Sakura." Her eyes widened and she tossed the rest of the bandages in his lap. She began to run back to the house before she heard Miroku's voice.
"Sango what do you want me to do?" He stood holding the bandages.
"Finish up, I'll go back. Come when your done we'll be waiting." She shouted as she was almost out of sight. He sighed and finished quickly. He began to get dressed as in his mind he formulated his plan. No sooner had he finished did he break out in a run, stopping as he realized he shouldn't overexert himself.
"This isn't going to be as easy as I thought."
Sango rushed to the scene where she heard the girl scream. She half expected to see a demon taking charge, but instead stopped in her tracks as Samara stood holding Sakura by the neck. Oh how she had wished she'd never told Miroku to follow behind her. He was going to come and get himself in trouble once again.
"Sango! Stay back!" She heard the half demon shout.
"Where…is Miroku…" Samara hissed. Her voiced seemed very different before. Darker, almost like it was entwined with Hatsumaru.
"He's not here…" She said back knowing she could hear her.
"You lie slayer…Where is he!" She screamed jerking the helpless girl.
"What do you want with him Samara?"
"He is one of them…the monks that destroyed my entire race!"
"What are you…" She stopped mid sentence, recalling the story that Miroku had brought up earlier.
'…all of these humans were possessed with legendary demon spirits…'
Her mouth hung open in disbelief.
"Ah you see…the fool must have told you the story…How my people almost destroyed his village."
"But, why choose Miroku? Why not that other monk that assisted him?"
"Oh, but my dear…he is already dead…""Enough talk! I am tired of this!" Inuyasha charged at the demon possessed girl, easily slicing off its hand seeing that it was paralyzed with anger.
"Pay…more…attention!" The dog demon shouted as he watched the energy from his sword rip apart the demons flesh.
Kagome ran to the young girl's side as Inuyasha distracted the demon in battle.
"My dear Inuyasha. It seems you have underestimated me once again." The demon cackled as the arm grew back, emerging from the stub that was left behind. Inuyasha stood in shock.
"Maybe it is you who needs to pay more attention." She sickly smiled and launched her arm in his direction, emitting a large surge of energy launching him back into the forest. He landed with a great thud, as he was now out of sight…but not for everyone. As he stood up he heard his name being shouted as Miroku promptly appeared from the trees behind him. Inuyasha dashed at the monk, clasping his hand over his mouth.
"Miroku I want you to listen to me. After I take my hand off I want you to be very silent got it?" He shook his head in agreement and Inuyasha removed his hand.
"Miroku Samara is out there and she's attacking…"
"What about San—" He said panicked, but Inuyasha placed his hand roughly over his mouth once again.
"I said shut up! Samara is after you Miroku, not Sango. She wants to kill you because of whatever happened in that story you told us about, remember?" He took his hand away once more. Miroku only stood with his mouth wide open.
"Now listen. I want you to hide here while Sango and I take care of her…him… whatever it is alright?"
"But Inuyasha…" He brought his hand up, but Miroku stopped him now whispering. "But Inuyasha that's what I was trying to tell you before. Hatsu cannot be stopped unless his soul is extracted from Samara's body." This time it was Inuyasha's turn to stare. "I'm telling you I have to help."
"Fine, this is what we'll do…"