Chapter 4: Sunny Days to Come
A hour later the tired and emotionally destroyed team arrived at Roshi's village upon the transformed Kirara and the pink bubble Shippo, with the unconscious Inuyasha.
"Roshi we need your help", shouted Shippo.
As soon as his name was called the demon rabbit rushed from out of his hut.
"By the gods, what has happened."
"Please, Roshi we need your help and then we will explain what has fallen upon us." Pleaded the monk.
"Yes, hurry we must wrap your wounds."
Once inside the hut Miroku began explaining the scene they had fallen upon and what had happened. By the time Miroku was done his tale Miroku and Sango's wounds had been wrapped.
"Please forgive me for what has occurred upon you. You are welcomed to stay in the village as long as you wish and you are allowed to stay in my hut as well. I will be moving into the healer's hut so you will have the hut to yourselves. A proper miko burial will performed for Lady Kagome by a nearby village miko so she will rest in peace."
"I just do not understand", said Sango in a low whisper, " We should have been able to tell if he was evil."
"Please Lady Sango, try not to move as much, your wounds are really deep. I am going to have a look at Master Inuyasha and if he is truly evil as you say he most be taken out of the village."
Roshi headed to Inuyasha, who was slumped on the floor against the wall. Blood stained his front forehead and his shoulder. He carefully wrapped the wound on Inuyasha's head and he moved to his shoulder where his clothes were badly torn.
"What is this?"
Roshi pushed aside the tattered bloodstained clothing on Inuyasha's shoulder to reveal a hole in the shape of a spider.
"This appears to be the wound of a Sortanka but it is shaped like a spider."
Shippo ran over to Inuyasha and peered at the wound.
"Naraku's spider" exclaimed Shippo sadly.
"Naraku!" said Miroku.
"Oh yes, the evil shape changing half-demon" said Roshi. "Wait, are you sure this is the sign of Naraku?"
"Yes" said Shippo who started to cry again.
"We have seen the spider mark numerous of times on Naraku and his reincarnations." replied Miroku quietly.
"Inuyasha was definitely not himself tonight. Naraku either turned himself into Sortanka or made a Sortanka of his own", said Roshi.
Sango who had become eerily quiet replied solemnly , "Kagome will never know that was not Inuyasha."
Damn you Naraku. You have gone too far in killing Kagome; I will make sure you die painfully, thought Miroku.
Roshi quietly walked out of his hut leaving the three to mourn.
One-week later Kagome's funeral was held at Roshi's village since Sango and Miroku were too weak to travel to Kaede's village and they needed to make sure Kagome's spirit was put to rest. After the funeral the exhausted companions returned to Roshi's hut. All of their eyes were red and puffy from crying. Inuyasha still lay sleeping on the floor. Roshi entered the hut silently to check on the condition of Inuyasha like he had been doing for the past week. Inuyasha wounds had healed two days after the death of Kagome and he was still not awake.
"Roshi it has been one week since Inuyasha has been awake. Why hasn't he awoken?" asked Miroku.
"I am not so sure. What was the relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome?"
"Both were deeply in life with each other. Everyone could see that, despite how much they did not want to admit it to themselves or each other", replied Sango.
Sango had probably taken it the most out of all four of the companions. Frst her family, her village, Kohaku, and now her best friend Kagome, she simply had been through too much in her life. She remained eerily quiet although weeping on occasion but it had seemed the life had been taken right out of her.
"Arrogant jerk", stuttered the young kitsune, "he was so misunderstanding about it all."
Shippo had taken it the second hardest. Kagome had become like a mother to him and now he was deprived of one once again. He often became angry at Inuyasha, not so much as what he had done to Kagome, more because he was probably going to lose, what he considered, his foster father and the rest of the group too. All the while, Miroku and Kirara, tormented by the tragedy themselves, tried to remain strong for the group and help them in anyway possible.
"I believe Inuyasha has fallen into a period of dormancy, said Roshi."
"See when a demon loses a mate or someone even considerably close to being mate they –often put themselves into a deep sleep known as Heart's Slumber. The demon knows they can not survive with out their companion in their life so instead of dying from being heartbroken or suicide they wait in hope that there is some chance that their love will be restored or has not really died. He must have been conscious of what was happening when he killed Kagome and his heart can not take the fact that his own claws killed her. Inuyasha may stay like this for the rest of his life or until his heart can heal which I doubt will."
"Yes I have heard of this in my village" stated Sango. "Demons will stay like this until they die of aging, no matter what else befalls upon them. For full blood demons that would be almost forever"
"We have to help him", stated teary-eyed Shippo.
"First you must make sure Kagome is actually dead", said Roshi.
"We already know she is, her body was devoured by sharks", said Miroku.
"But did you see this occur?"
"Shippo and Kirara saw all of her blood in the water and the fins of sharks!"
"Still you need to make sure and then we can try to the process of awaking him or telling him which would require the help of a very powerful miko."
"Kikyo that is it! If Kagome really died her soul should have returned to Kikyo"
"Miroku, we all know she is dead", responded Sango sadly.
"I know but we have to make sure."
Two weeks had gone by and the group was almost completely healed thanks to Roshi's excellent healing abilities. It would probably take another week for them to be in fighting shape and then they would search for Kikyo but they would not have to wait.
On the night of the second week a soul skimmer appeared into the group's hut, although the two-tail, kitsune, monk, and demon slayer were asleep. The single soul skimmer brushed along the face of the slayer, waking her immediately.
Sango looked around, "Kikyo's soul skimmer"
Seeing Sango awake, the soul skimmer flew quickly out the door. With no time to waste, Sango rushed after the soul skimmer, leaving her traveling companions fast asleep. Sango followed the soul skimmer up to the cliff where the tragic events of three weeks had occurred. An overwhelming sadness consumed her but she soon spotted the resurrected priestess staring out into the ocean.
"Slayer what has happened to Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked fiercely without turning her gaze.
Sango carefully retold the events of three weeks ago and the previous state of Inuyasha. Kikyo did not respond soon after. Her thoughts seemed to be lost for the moment as a cool breeze blew through her hair.
"Funny isn't it? Fifty years ago Naraku did the same to Inuyasha and I. He is truly a foul and despicable creature but the only difference is Kagome survived", said Kikyo in a lifeless tone. "Her soul has not returned to me."
She turned suddenly in the direction of Sango, her dim brown eyes concentrated on the slayer.
"Inuyasha must be awoken for this is not how his end will be."
With that Kikyo walked right past Sango, disappearing into the forest, followed by her soul skimmers.
Inuyasha, Naraku shall pay for what he has done to you again. I promise
Sango rushed to get back to the village, despite the shooting pains coming from her shoulder. Upon entering the hut she awoke Miroku, Kirara, and Shippo telling them the important news she had just received.
Shippo's eyes opened wide and a smile appeared on his face for the first time in three weeks,"Kagome is not dead!"
"How can this be?" asked Miroku. "Kagome's body and heart could not have endured so much pain."
"I do not know", shouted Sango excitedly but we should start checking the nearby towns tomorrow to find out where she is.
"Lady Sango your wound is not fully healed, I am excited as you are by the news but we should regain our full strength in case there are any demons to be fought, especially Naraku."
As much as I hate to admit it, Miroku is right. If we come across Naraku we need to be at our full strength. Naraku deserves nothing less then death for what he was done to Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kohaku.
"I agree Miroku, in a week we will set out to find Kagome but what happens if she is being held captive somewhere or her wounds are being left untreated she will surely die."
"We just have to pray to Buddha she is not, for there is little we can do now."
The now cheerful gang had trouble falling asleep that night, and waited impatiently for the next week for their wounds to heal. Kirara and Shippo spent their time helping Roshi picking different herbs while Miroku and Sango got to spend some well needed quality time together with some occasional gropes and smacks, here and there.
When the fourth week came they all departed with smiles on their faces with high determination in finding Kagome as quickly as possible, but not before saying good-bye to Roshi.
"Thank you for all of your help Roshi, we are forever in your debt", stated Miroku.
"No you have ridden this village of Sortanka and avenged my grandfather that is all I could ever ask of you. Do not worry I will look after Inuyasha and keep him safe as well, just bring Kagome back safe."
"Thank you for your kindness", said Sango.
"Yea and for letting us help you", said Shippo.
"Meow"
"Thank you, you two helped me out a lot. Now good luck on your journey and if Inuyasha awakes I will have someone contact you immediately."
"Thank you, Roshi, good bye" said the three and the meowing two-tail as they walked out of the village, waving and smiling as they went, with sun shining it's brightest.
Lovely Winds ' Lovely Seas