Chapter 46:

Miroku and Sango

"Ohayou, Kagome-chan!"

"Ohayou!"

Kagome smiled as she waited for Sango to catch up to her behind. She tried not tothink of the dream ever since she dreamt it yesterday, but somehow it always sneakedinto her mind when she's not thinking of anything.

Sango, who noticed her friend's slightly pale face, asked, " What's wrong? You seem pale."

Kagome smiled again, " Ah, it's...nothing. I just had a bad dream yesterday."

" Well, do you mind talking about it? Did you tell Inuyasha? I'm pretty sure he would be worried."

"He knows about it already, he was there. But I guess I can tell you. I'll try..."

Sango narrowed her brows, " What do you mean 'try'?"

Kagome sighed, " Well...I don't really remember the dream. It's all a white blur now...and I can hardly grasp it. Or everytime I try to think about it, something blocks it from reaching it. I don't know..."

They continued walking while Kagome briefly talked about it to Sango. While she was talking though, Kagome looked up and suddenly stopped, her eyes widen. Sango looked confused at first, but soon followed Kagome's gaze and her eyes, too, widen in shock.

It was Kagewaki standing before them as though he was waiting for them to walk by.

"Kagewaki...kun?"

Kagewaki smiled slightly and then walked towards them. Sango stepped in front of Kagome as though to protect her and cautiously stared at Kagewaki.

But he just smiled again, " There is no need to be so cautious, Taijiya-san."

" Kagewaki-san, we need to talk!" Kagome stepped up.

"Indeed..."Kagewaki nods his head. But Kagome noticed he seemed a little paler than usual. And his breathing was kind of ragged. And then suddenly, before her eyes, Kagewaki just collapsed to the floor. Kagome and Sango immediately ran to his side.

"Kagewaki-kun!"

"He's hurt!" Sango said, and Kagome examined his body. There were gunshot wounds on his right shoulder, his left arm, and on both of his thighs. She just noticed the blood flowing from the wounds and mentally cursed herself for not noticing them earlier.

"Who shot you?" She asked, trying to keep him awake.

"Ka...Kagome-san,"Kagewaki said softly. Kagome leaned in closer to his mouth so she can hear clearly. Sango was above them, holding her cellphone, probably calling for an ambulance.

"H...He is looking for you...He wants you..."

"Who is He?" She asked.

Kagewaki closed his eyes and said,before losing consciousness, " Haku...doshi..."

"Kagewaki-kun!"

"Kagome-chan, the ambulance should be arriving soon!" She kneeled down and winced her eyes at his wounds. " Would he be all right?"

"...I don't know," Kagome shook her head. " I wonder who shot him. Maybe one of the assassins?"

She looked at her friend and noticed her pale face, " What's wrong, Sango-chan?"

Sango was slightly trembling and she gasped in surprise when Kagome spoke her name. "Y...Yes, I'm fine. I just...remembered a bad memory...when Miroku was attacked by Naraku's men."

"He was?" Kagome gasped, " When?"

"...Just a few months before you transferred to our school. I found him...all bloody...at the back of the school...he was on the ground..." Sango closed her eyes, " When I ran over to him...he kept saying ' I'm sorry...'..."

" I'm sorry...for what?"

Sango stayed silent for a moment...as though to hesitate. " I...I never told you...but I was almost raped by Naraku."

Kagome's eyes widen in shock. "What? He what?"

"He...almost raped me." Sango wrapped herself with her arms. "It was a good thing Miroku saved me...or else..."

"...Sango..."

Miroku walked over to the crying Taijiya girl. She was sitting on the ground and trembling, hugging herself with her slender arms. Tears were continously flowing from her arms. She flinched when Miroku extended his arms to hug her as he knelt down next to her. Miroku's eyes narrows sadly, cursing himself for not being able to help her earlier.

Her uniform shirt was ripped open, probably from when Naraku forced it open with his hands, and he could see the ripped buttons around her on the ground.

But fortunately, he was able to rescue her. Before Naraku was able to lay his disgusting hands over her beautiful skin. Miroku sighed in relief before extending his hand over to her again. This time Sango didn't flinch or show a sign of rejection. But she was still trembling, and Miroku hugged her as though to comfort her.

"Sango..." he spoke softly, "It's okay. He's gone. Naraku is gone."

"Mi...roku..." Sango cried in his arms. "I...I couldn't do anything. The instant I saw his menacing

eyes...I...I froze. I didn't do anything to push him away. I was...weak."

Miroku smiled faintly, " My dear Sango, what would there be a point of a man if the woman is too strong to protect?"

"But! But still...!" Sango cried again, " I...I can't believe myself. For letting him get close to me! For letting him rape me!"

"He didn't rape you, Sango." He replied in a firm voice, hugging her tightly in his arms.

"I just can't...believe my weakness. I don't want to...experience something like that again." Her tears wet his chest but he didn't mind. He just calmly listens to her. Trying to share the pain she received.

" I...I thought the world went blank when he ripped open my shirt. I though it was all over."

"It's not over," Miroku placed a hand on her cheeks, making her face him. Their eyes met. Tears still flowing from Sango's eyes. " And it is not going to happen again. Sango..., I will protect you. I will hurt anyone who dares to threaten you. Sango...I vow with my life...that I will not let any man touch you the way Naraku did."

"That was when I realized my love for him..." Sango spoke, as she clutched her arm. Her eyes were narrowed in a half sorrowful half painful way. Kagome thought that it lookedlike she was about to cry. " And I was really happy when he said that to me. "

" And then what happened...?"

Sango sighed, " It was a few days later after Naraku's attack...that I saw him lying on ground...all bloody."

"Miroku!"

Sango ran over to the fallen Miroku. He was still breathing, and she sighed in relief for that, buthe was bleeding continuosly from the cuts on his body. There were also bruises and scratches.

Tears flowed from Sango's eyes.

"Who did this to you?" She said as she wiped the blood on his face with her hankerchief, " It was Naraku, wasn't it? How could he...?"

A hand wiped the tears flowing down her cheeks and she gasped in surprise. Miroku, with his eyes slightly open, was looking up at her, with a small smile on his face.

"Miroku!"

"San...go..." He whispered softly but winced from the pain.

" No more talking. Just wait here...I'm going to get someo..." She was about to stand up andcall for help, but felt a tug behind her and turned around. Miroku was holding onto her hands, as though telling her not to go anyway. " You need help, Miroku. I'm not going to let you die out here."

Sango managed to say. She wondered if her voice was trembling or not. She couldn't stop the tears flowing from her eyes.

" I'm...sorry...San...go..."

"Eh?"

"I'm...so...rry..."

"Wh...What are you talking about?" She cried, " I'm the one who should be apologizing! I made you into this mess! If you hadn't promise me to protect me...then you didn't have to go through this! It's all my fault!"

"No..." Miroku spoke, in a small voice. His eyebrow would wince in pain at times while he spoke. "

It is...not your fault. Sango...ne...ver...blame yourself...It was...never your fault. I stood up...to him...to Naraku. I told him...to never get close to...you...never...touch you...any...mor...e. He laughed...and he told...me...that if I don't want him...to touch you...anymore...then..."

"Miroku...don't say further..." Sango spoke as though to interupt him.

"That I would...have to be the replacement...of you. That I would have to be..."

"Miroku!'

"I would have...to be...his...puppet..."

Sango's tears landed on his face, and rolled down his cheeks, which made it look like he was crying. He smiled sadly, " I'm sorry...Sango...I...I...don't have the right to protect you...anymore...I'm sorry...I broke the promise."

He reached out his hand again to wipe her tears. Sango placed her hand over his and squeezed it tightly, as though to not let go.

"Miroku..."

"Sango...I..." But before he can save his sentence, Miroku closed his eyes.

"Miroku!"

"Of course, I called someone for help...and he was saved." Sango said, smiling sadly. " But ever since that, Miroku tried to stay away from me. He was afraid...that if he gets too close to me...Naraku will lay his eyes on me again. It was very lucky for him...and me...that we were able to meet Inuyasha then. He beat the crap out of Naraku's ass...and Miroku was free from Naraku's will. And he hanged around with me, Inuyasha, and the others like what he usually does...perveted...nasty-minded...always fooling around...but it still felt that he still had that invisible ' wall ' around him...and I couldn't break it until the confession of our feelings."

"Sango-chan..." Kagome placed a hand on Sango's shoulder, " I didn't know..."

"It's okay, Kagome-chan. I never told you because...it was something I never want to remember about. But now...Naraku has lay his eyes on you...and I don't want him to do anything horrible to you, Kagome-chan. "

Kagome smiled. " Thank you, Sango-chan. But, don't worry...I won't let that bastard do anything. I have you, Miroku, my family, and Inuyasha. And I won't be too easy to be laid hands on!"

Sango looked surprised for a moment, but soon smiled. " I guess..."

They looked up at the sound of ambulance coming. Kagome looked down at her lap, where Kagewaki's head was laid. His brows were furrowed as though in pain. Sango and her were able to stop the bleeding for a short time.

' I hope he will be okay...we finally made a contact to him. Maybe he knows where the medicine is...maybe he could talk to us about the 'organization'...maybe he can be a great help to us...'

What Kagome and Sango didn't know was, a figure, hiding in the corner was watching them.

Actually, the figure's eyes were directed towards Kagome. A smirk crossed on the figure's face as the gun glimmered in his hands from the light.

" I found you..."

"So, this is the tunnel you guys found, eh?"

Bankotsu said as he peered into the narrow tunnel. But clicked his tongue in annoyance from the darkness. He looked back at Suikotsu and Jakotsu behind him.

" So, you really saw Naraku going through this thing?"

"Uhh..." Jakotsu and Suikotsu looked at each other. " Um, the thing is Bankotsu, we didn't really see Naraku going through that. We were following him and came to this dead end... but we found this tunnel, and though maybe he went through it, so I went in to check."

"And..." Bankotsu said as he crossed his arms, leaning on the brick wall. " What'd ya see?"

" Well yeah, " Jakotsu shrugged his shoulder, " Somekind of lab...don't know. But I saw him, Naraku, hiding behind one of those machines there. He looked like he was spying on them or something."

"A lab, eh?" Bankotsu placed a hand under his chin, as though to think. " You saw anything else?"

" Uhhmmm..." Jakotsu placed a finger on his chin and thought for a while. " I remember seeing him going to the place where there this glass container things...but that's all I saw."

"Hmm...what the heck would Naraku be doing there? And spying...?"

"Ah, Bankotsu..."

"What is it, Suikotsu?"

Suikotsu seemed to be hesitating a little, but soon spoke up after looking at Bankotsu's eyes.

" I'm not sure...but...I don't think that was Naraku we were following after."

"Hah? What are you talking about, Suikotsu? It sure didn't look like anyone else other than that bastard." Jakotsu said.

" Why do you think that?" Bankotsu asked his friend.

" Well..." Suikotsy scratched his chin, " I don't really know how to say it but...he felt kind of different. I guess it was his aura or presence or something...but it felt...gentle. Not like the usual tensing, murderous presence Naraku always hold."

"Then who do you think it is?"

"Oh! I got it!" Jakotsu spoke up. " He must be somekind of a twin of Naraku's! That's it!"

"Naraku has a twin?" Bankotsu made a thoughtful expression, " Never heard of that."

"I think I do..." Suikotsu said, " But not much. I remember the students talking about how he has a weak-hearted older brother or something. Don't know if it's true though..."

Bankotsu went into deep thoughts. If the person Suikotsu and Jakotsu were following after really was this twin of Naraku's...that still leaves the question why he was here. It's already weird enough that there is some secret lab under an old, nothing of the unusual building in a common, regular street here.

' Well...they do say that if you wanna hide something...don't make it too obvious...'

Then what was this Naraku's twin spying on? Does Naraku even have a relation with this?

" I think we need to find out more of this Naraku's twin..."

A smirk appeared on his face.

&&&&&& &&&&&&& &&&&&&&&

Inuyasha was sitting in the classroom, which was unsual for him since he only stays in the classroom if Kagome was here.

' Where the hell is she, anyways?' He thought as he looked out the window. Yura was conducting the class, but he didn't think of listening anyways, so he just thought of killing time by going to sleep. But he couldn't sleep. He didn't know why though.

Maybe it was because he already had a good nap at the roof. Or maybe the desk wasn't comfortable, but that was impossible since he should be used to sleeping on this desk.

Maybe it was because Kagome wasn't here.

'Damnit...really, where the heck is she? Even Sango's not here. Could it be that something happened to them? Is it the organization?'

He was about to stand up and leave the class but soon widen his eyes at the familiar two figures walking into the class.

"Higurashi-san, Taijiya-san! You're late!" Yura said to them, she seemed slightly angry at the fact that she was interuppted during her lecture.

"We're sorry, Ms. Yura." Kagome bowed down, Sango following her. " We got into a little...accident..."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her words.

"Well...please call the school if something like that happens again..." Yura said, and then went back on continuing her lecture as Sango and Kagome walked towards their seats. She looked back at them worriedly though, seeing the slight blood stains on their uniform clothes.

As Kagome sat on her seat, she turned to find Inuyasha staring at her. He had a you-better-give-me-an-explanation look on his face and Kagome smiled nervously. She thought of Kagewaki, who should be treated at the hospital he was sent to. She was going to visit him after school. To see if he was okay. And to see if she can talk to him.

' I really wonder who shot Kagewaki-kun though...' She thought as she half mindedly listened to

Yura's lecture. ' Could it be that Abi or Goryoumaru person? Or could it be...'

An image of a long, wavy dark haired boy with his infamous evil smile crossed her mind.

' Could it be that Naraku, himself, attacked Kagewaki-kun...? It could be...he thinks of his brother as a bother...what if Naraku has a relation with the 'organization'? Is that why he wants me? Because he knows I'm a clone? A clone of Kikyou's...'

She moved her eyes towards Kikyou's desk, which was empty and narrowed her eyes in worry.

' What if Kikyou was in trouble? Maybe Naraku attacked her, too? What am I going to do? I don't want to fall in his hands...but I don't want anyone to be hurt either.'

She closed her eyes tightly as she gripped her hands in frustration.

' What can I do? Someone please...tell me!'

y...u...st...ve...p...s...me...ing...ant...

'Eh?'

Kagome held her head as though to catch the letters that just went through her mind.

'What was that?'

&&&&&&& &&&&& &&&&&&&&

A man, wearing a long, old worn, black coat, stood in front of the school gate. He looked up the school in front of him and smirk.

" Kuku...so this is where that petty little girl stays, eh? It was a good hide-and-seek...but the fun is over. Time for her to die..."

His evil smirk widens as he holds tightly on his favorite silver and shiny toy.

&&&&&& &&&&& &&&&&&&&&&&&

Hikaru

Well! Here is the 46th chapter! Finally, the story is moving! And don't worry people!

I don't plan to kill Kagewaki here...yet...

I just had to write up Sango and Miroku...err...past(?). I know, I know...I'm making it sound like everyone hates Naraku. But I don't! In fact...I think he is a cool villian...though sometimes he can be such a jerk, but that's oh-kay! I like his evil laugh...and I like his wavy hair...and I like his red eyes...ohh...I don't know, I just think he's really good at being a villian!

Anyways, I'm already starting on the 47th chapter...so keep on reading!

A lil' preview:

"No! You can't kill her! Take me instead! You want me,don't you?"

" Kuku...of course, I want you...that's what I came here for. But see...I also wanted to have a little chat with her so you won't mind...won't you?''

" -------!"

" Let ------ go, you bastard!"

" Kuku...if you want her to come back in safe...then you gotta kill me, -------!"

...that's it! Heh heh...wait for the next chapter!