Disclaimer: At the present time, all I own is my computer. Not Inuyasha, nor anything else.
One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a girl
The air was quiet. Not quiet with the heat of a summer's morning, though it was hot. Not quiet because the sun had only just risen, though it was early. Not that. It was quiet because of her. The sun was up and the sky was blue, but she moved through the shadows of the trees, leaving no traces of her passage behind her. Soon, she heard noises…
"Sango!" The small kitsune launched himself at the youkai exterminator as she headed to the stream to wash.
It had been two weeks since Sango's friends had died, and anyone looking at her now would not know she had lost someone.
Her brown hair was glossy and black once more, restored to its original glory. She wore her green and pink kimono, and carried Hiraikotsu, her large yellow weapon on her back.
However, there was no Kiara curling around her ankles this morning. The loss was in her eyes, not her body.
"Sango," the fox child persisted. "Inuyasha's being mean to me."
Sango looked steadily at him. He turned enormous green eyes on her in an unmistakeable attempt at looking pitiful.
"What did you do this morning?" If there was one thing that Sango had learnt in the last two weeks, it was that Shippou tried something on the hanyou virtually every day. I suppose he's only acting his age, Sango thought, regarding his innocent pose, but it's just not a good idea to tease Inuyasha at the best of times, let alone in the morning.
"Nothing much!" Shippou hesitated under the teen's steady gaze. "Well… he was sleeping on the edge of his tree…" he trailed off.
"And?" prompted Sango.
"I… gave him a nudge."
"Was that all?" Had Kagome gone through this every day? Sango knew that the kitsune was mischievous, but had always wisely kept her mouth shut during the conversations that Kagome and he had.
"Maybe a little more than a nudge, a push, say."
"…?"
"It wasn't my fault he jumped and fell off the tree! Sango!" Sango tried to contain her laughter, but that was no good. Just picturing the hanyou's face was enough.
"Shippou!" She gasped out. "You're… not … meant… to…"
"But Kaede said to wake him up!"
Sango gave up and collapsed into helpless laughter. It probably isn't that funny, she thought as she sat down. I guess I needed something to lighten the mood.
"What the hell are you laughing at?" Inuyasha appeared from the forest edge, wearing his red fire-rat haori and a cross expression.
"Sh…ippou… said….!" Sango gasped.
Inuyasha frowned at the little redhead. "Runt… I'm going to KILL you!" Shippou dashed in the other direction followed by a very angry hanyou.
Kaede watched the two whiz past. Where do they get all their energy? The old miko sighed as she watched the antics of the pair.
"Gotcha!"
"Inuyasha! Behave!"
"Com'ere!"
"Whaaaa!"
"Inuyasha, I'm warning you…"
Thwack!
"Thanks Sango!"
"Damn it…"
>
She moved softly and slowly through the trees and forest, drifting almost like a cloud.
It's been so long since… I came here last.
Her red and white attire flowing behind her, the miko stood near a tree trunk and looked out at the village she used to call her own.
I'm free to love… free to feel… yet I can't. I can't feel the memories that I had of here. I can't remember love… only hate. It's time I left this world once more.
Kikyo stared out at the grass, and the old woman sitting on it.
My sister… I remember the sound of her voice, her face… but I can't… feel her presence in my heart. Is that because mine is gone from hers? Has she forgotten me?
Inuyasha sped past, chasing the child called Shippou. They were followed by the youkai exterminator that Kagome, Kikyo's reincarnation, had called Sango.
Something has happened here. They do not seem… right.
Unnoticed by even the hanyou, Kikyo slipped away into the shadows, a whisper from the breeze.
Behind her, a third magpie joined the other two in the God tree.
>
"Inuyasha." Kaede sat opposite the silver-haired teen, holding a bowl and chopsticks in her wrinkled hands. "I am sorry to bring this up, but someone needs to tell Kagome's mother that she is not coming back."
The hanyou blinked at her. "What?"
"Someone needs to tell…"
"I heard ya, idiot." Surprisingly, this did not affront Kaede.
"Then you understand…"
Inuyasha looked up to the sky. Sure I understand, he thought. But how do I do that? The uncaring sky and clouds gave no reply. I just go into the well: "Hey, Mrs Higurashi! How are you! Oh, and by the way, Kagome's..." He couldn't even think it. And Mrs Higurashi would be so upset...
It sounded stupid even to him.
He fingered the jewel shards that had been taken from Naraku by Kaede. They were the final pieces to the puzzle, but he couldn't fit them. Only Kagome could do that. Not even Kaede was strong enough.
I guess the Shikon no Tama will remain shattered.
Like his heart, though he didn't say that. No Kikyo, and no Kagome.
"If I go…" He jerked himself away from his thoughts. "If, mind, then what will I tell Mrs Higurashi? Even I can't say… even I'm not that…"
And admitting that Kagome is dead is admitting that I couldn't protect her. Like I couldn't protect Kikyo.
"I know," Kaede sighed. "But… you are the only one who can go through the well, and Mrs Higurashi has the right to know. Don't you think?"
"Yes." Inuyasha said in a low voice, unusually quiet. "Yes she does."
>
"Sango…"
The girl looked up from her book to see Shippou holding some paper.
"Yes?"
"Can I read that book with you?"
Sango shrugged. "I don't see why not."
"Oh, thank you."
There was a pause, as Sango waited for Shippou to come over, and Shippou waited for Sango to say something. Then:
"Sango, will you teach me to read first?"
"…?"
"Excuse me."
Sango looked up startled. Standing over by the God tree was none other that Kikyo, the un-dead miko. A soft smile played on her pale face, and her dark eyes seemed warm somehow.
Realising that she was staring, Sango leapt to her feet. "Yes, Kikyo?"
The girl who had been dead for over fifty years stepped forwards. "I am sorry of your loss," she said, softly. "Miroku was truly a great man. And Kagome was, perhaps, my better half."
Sango gaped at her. Kikyo actually said something nice about Kagome! There're surprises everywhere today!
"I have come for Inuyasha." Kikyo looked Sango directly in the eye, and the youkai exterminator felt a chill run down her spine as living warmth met with cold death.
"I don't have long left in this world. I would talk to him."
That was what the miko was so happy about. Naraku was gone. So she was free. That was why her eyes were warm and friendly, like twin candles burning in the night. That was why she walked with more of a spring, if a drifting cloud could spring. And freedom meant that she could have what she had sought all these years. Love.
A shame really. We have searched for years for the Shikon no Tama. Yet that will never be whole. Maybe she should have her chance at being whole, though.
Sango stared at Kikyo as an idea came to her head. "Kikyo, could you restore the Shikon jewel?"
The miko's smile twisted. "Death corrupts us all. I cannot."
Sango sighed. I tried.
"Inuyasha will be here very shortly. As soon as he smells you, I should imagine." Sango told the girl.
Shippou, who had remained quiet, clutching his paper, suddenly piped up. "You're going to take him with you, aren't you."
Kikyo looked away. "I…"
"Kikyo."
The miko with the long black hair turned her gaze to the hanyou who looked at her with longing.
As the two moved closer, Shippou jumped onto Sango's shoulder, and the youkai exterminator started walking away.
"Sango…" The hanyou turned towards her with a strange look of sadness in his golden orbs. Sango had always been fascinated with them since she had first met the little group of travellers.
"Inuyasha, you can go." Kikyo looked at the teen with an unreadable expression. Sango suppressed a shudder. The dead should stay dead. Or come alive. Not half way. Aloud, she added "No one will blame you for holding to your oath."
Kikyo tugged at the boy's red sleeve. "Come. We must talk."
Inuyasha nodded slightly, then turned, and started walking with Kikyo. Away from Sango.
I guess it's just Shippou and me from now on. Inuyasha'll go with his girl, and I hope he'll be happy.
"Inuyasha," Sango said softly to his retreating form. He made no move. "Goodbye." One of his ears twitched. But he didn't look back.
Good. He has no regrets about leaving.
Sango set off, back to the village, Shippou on her shoulder.
Its strange, the fox child mused. I always used to thing that Sango and the others would feel bad about him leaving. I thought that they'd want him to stay. But Sango just let him go like… like…well, not like she didn't care, but like she didn't mind. That it was his choice. I hope I can grow up to be as selfless as that. Mamma always was.
>
"So, Inuyasha has gone?"
"Yes. He left with Kikyo this morning."
The three of them, two humans and a youkai, sat around the fire, eating the last of the ramen Kagome had given Inuyasha. The stars shone brightly, and the moon was waning. Beyond the firelight, the long grass swished restlessly with the breezes, and further still the God tree stood like a sentinel, tall and silent in the night air. The fire crackled warmly, and Sango leant closer to it, shivering despite the heat.
It is strange how death touches you. But it was Inuyasha's choice, to go with Kikyo. Not mine.
"Are you sad?" Kaede leant closer too.
"No." Sango looked up at the old miko, smiling. "Inuyasha will be much happier with Kikyo, even if that is in death."
"And he'll get to see mamma and Miroku and Kiara," pointed out Shippou.
The old miko smiled. "Very well. Now, Shippou, I think that it is probably time that you went to sleep."
"Awwww…. Kaede!" Shippou moaned loudly, causing the three magpies that had been roosting in the God tree to take wing, each one cawing loudly.
"No buts, Shippou," said Sango firmly. "Bed!"
Motherhood is much harder than I thought!
>
Third chapter done. Please r 'n' r. I'm kinda feeling unloved at the moment - and I'd really like to get better... so if you don't like it, tell me what's wrong with it!