When Night Falls
Disclaimer- If I saidowned Inuyasha, that would be a lie... and lying is wrong.
Okay, dudes, sorry 'bout the two week wait... homework and stuff. Plus, this chapter was very poorly planned and I had to completely strip it down and rebuild it. So, to make it up to you, I have an extra long chapter for you today! 3218 words! WOOT! Erm... anyway... on to reviews...
DarkAngel: Yes... because I've already reached 15 chapters so now I'm gonna drop it... ... that was sarcasm just so you know. I'm gonna carry on with this baby 'til the end.
Kodocha08: Yes, Taichigroup... I'll check that story out. Anyway, to answer your question... I have a very very basic understanding of Japanese and and okay vocabulary, so some of these words I know, others I have to look up. For example, Tsuchi in this chapter does not literally mean earth, it's better translated as soil.
Crystal Promise: I'm likin' the name! And yes, I do enjoy pickin' on Inuyasha, he just get angry so easily so it makes it fun!
Ninalee-chan: Gross title? You tell me you work the graveyard shift at a hospital trauma unit, and you find Regurgitation gross?
Sashi: Thank you!
Veglma: What does ($ mean? Everyone agrees with Aki!
Tuf Stuf: Thank you... I think I'll just type that. Yes, Shippo loves his pocky! PPPPPPPPPOOOOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKYYYYYYYYY!
Deep Serenity: Oh well, you can't win 'em all I guess.
xXHyperactive Dork-assXx: Ah yes, Laziness, my best friend, my greatest enemy. It hurt, yes it did. Don't be afraid... MWHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Siren66: Oh man... I had a killer sugar high the other day... I ran straight into a cabinet and nearly gave myself a concussion...
Waves 100 review Banner snivvle Thank you all... so much! I would not be hear today if it weren't for all you. Oh... I'm so happy! SPecial thanks to DarkAngel for giving me my 100th... and 101st review. I luv all of you! 3 Anyway wipes tears away enough of my yakkin', here's chapter 15!
Chapter 15- Walking Alone
The next day the Inu-taichi left Aki's inn re-supplied, refreshed, and in altogether good spirits. Miroku now wore a light white robe given to him by Aki, but his right arm was still in great pain, and he speculated that using the Kazaana was no longer an option, but that was only a small source of concern as having been reunited with their weapons lowered the chances that they would actually need to resort to that. They felt ready to take on the world, and if the last elemental mage happened to show up, they felt more ready than ever to bring it down. But still the thought nagged at their mind, exactly how much time did they have? Everyday the red glow to the north grew brighter, changing the landscape from an eternal night, to what appeared to be an eternal sunset that cast a hauntingly beautiful orange glow across the horizon.
And this, of course, was not going completely unnoticed.
Ayame stood in the entrance of one of the caves, staring northward.
"I really don't like this," she mumbled, turning around and walking inside, where Koga sat, resting from his wounds he had obtained with what he said to be a water demon.
"I ought to check on Kagome," he said quietly, staring out the entrance.
"Don't you ever give up?" snapped Ayame, "Besides, you're injured."
Koga scoffed. "I'm fine, and I don't trust her with that mutt."
"What do you have against Inuyasha, anyway?"
"Lots of things!" Koga growled, "For one he… uh… look, I just don't trust him, okay?."
"Just what I thought, it's just a silly rivalry isn't it? You just don't like him 'cause Kagome likes him better than you."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Ayame sighed, "Whatever." Her eyes turned back towards the opening again. "I really wish I knew what was going on… I don't want to world to end."
"It's not gonna end."
"Everything else seems to think so. Everyday I see demons fleeing southward… well, except for this one odd one…"
"Odd one?"
"Yeah, it was really weird. It was maybe two days ago… I just looked down and there was this figure walking north… with long silver hair and carrying two swords. Whoever it was… it didn't seem to be in any sort of hurry."
Koga looked up, a slight amount of curiosity in his eyes. "You don't say…"
After many hours had passed, the Inu gang once more stopped to rest and eat some lunch. The initial burst of energy seemed to be wearing off after the uneventful time, and the mind set once more turned to that of a group of travelers, not necessarily expecting a fight for their life around every corner. At lunch it was decided that the bandages ought to be switched, a task to which Sango offered to do. As she unraveled the linen she let out a gasp.
"What's wrong?" asked Inuyasha.
"Look!" She moved aside, revealing Miroku's arm to her companions. Kagome and Shippo instantly looked as though they'd be sick, and even Inuyasha looked slightly perturbed by what he saw.
The color of Miroku's arm had lightened a bit, now creating and even more sickening shade, mixed in with a vomitous yellow. In addition, his arm was covered in disgusting boils, many of which had popped and were oozing a lumpy, purplish pus.
"That… can't be good," squeaked Kagome, looking slightly green.
"Actually, it's a good sign," Sango responded. "It means his arm is beginning to get rid of the poison created by the evil aura of the Shikon Jewel. What we should probably do is pop the remaining boils now, clean off the arm to prevent infection, and re-bandage it. If we leave them un-popped they will once we bandage them and then run the risk of something getting in them that shouldn't. Unfortunately… we can't get to the parts covered by that glove of his."
The others seemed slightly put off at the idea of popping the boils, so it was once again left to the strong-stomached Sango to perform the gut-curdling task, popping each of the boils and milking them of the vile liquid. Fortunately, Miroku's arm was still numb, and he only winced slightly as the pin intruded into the bulb and released a gush of pus.
"Sorry," Sango would mumble every time he gasped a bit.
"It's nothing," he finally said. "Thank you, though."
"Somebody had to do it."
"It could have been Inuyasha."
Sango shrugged, "He knows about as much about hygiene as he does about patience."
Miroku chuckled slightly as Sango began wrapping more linen around his arm.
"We'll check it again at dinner. I will warn you though, there will be more boils, and you're arm will probably be much more sensitive then."
"I don't mind Sango," his eyebrows rose slightly as he turned on a more flirtatious voice, "just so long you're the one holding onto my arm s it happens."
"Whatever," she said, rising to her feet.
Miroku sighed as he watched her walk away, "Will I ever win?"
And before you could say "No, you won't" the Inu-taichi were off again. But soon came the time where they legs once again grew weary and it was suggested they stop to sleep. All slightly disappointed at the lack of action, they bedded down as Kagome prepared dinner. Sango once again started the gruesome task of re-bandaging Miroku's arm, this time slightly more disturbed as Miroku had to clench his teeth hard in pain every time the sharp point punctured his skin.
"Thanks again for doing this Sango," Miroku spoke up as she completed a wrap and tucked one end of the linen in so it wouldn't come unraveled.
"Your welcome, just make sure it doesn't loosen."
"I'll do that," grinned Miroku, his hand reaching for some unknown object…
"Gah!"
Slap
"Houshi-sama!"
"Oh, when will this curse end?"
"Hey you!" snarled Sango, pointing one finger so it was directly under his nose, "don't you pull that crap with me! You're always doing that, groping me… and other women!"
Miroku backed up slightly, he had never seen Sango so angry at him, "S-Sango!"
"Don't 'Sango' me! Gah! Will you ever learn, Houshi-sama?" Miroku swore he saw tears forming at the edges of her eyes. "Sometimes… sometimes I just wish you'd get out of my life!" And with that she turned around and stomped off, leaving Miroku in shock.
"Fine," he said quietly to himself after a moment, "if that's the way she wants it…"
An hour later, as everyone was asleep, Miroku quietly crept away from them. Even Inuyasha was so tired that he did not wake up to see Miroku leaving.
"I will not burden you anymore Sango." Sighing as he did so, he turned and headed northward alone.
He knew that perhaps he was going against his words… that he'd never let her cry again, he knew that she would wake up in the morning and completely forget her anger towards him, only to notice he was no longer there, and she'd be sad again, but Miroku was thinking past that. He knew, in the end, he'd only end up hurting her more. He was cursed… cursed with the one thing Sango did not need anymore of. Death. What cruel irony that the one thing she needed was the one thing that he could not offer her. And don't get him wrong, Miroku was not stupid, he saw all this, he felt the bittersweet pang of ethereal cruelty that he had been not-quite-blessed with, and he also saw how his lecherous acts hurt Sango. Her pain would be much less if he left than actually having her witness his doom, and then she would not have to put up with his perverseness. Because, of course, Miroku was only thinking of Sango. Sango was the most important thing in the world to him, but he was a monk, and monks where taught to severe all ties with earthly things. It was better for both of them this way, and he saw this.
Miroku was possibly the smartest idiot on the face of the Earth.
After walking for a long time, Miroku knew he knew the others would be waking up at about this time, and that he was well out of the range of Inuyasha's nose.
Darn you Miroku, he scorned himself, you spent so much time with them you got used to their habits. You're on your own now, just like before, nobody's ass but your own to look after.
Yeah, another part of his mind answered, and nobody to talk to but myself either.
"Shut up, both of you," Miroku spoke aloud, as if the voices in his head were somebody other than himself. He sighed, "I'm going crazy."
One thing Miroku noticed the further he traveled, was that the land became more and more barren. The ground was flat and rocky, with large outcroppings every now and then breaking across the horizon.
"This isn't supposed to be like this," he said in awe, "Mushin always told me the far north was completely covered in trees! This is… this is all dead!"
"Admiring my handy work I see!"
Miroku spun around, "Where are you?"
"Tsk tsk, aren't you gonna ask who I am?"
"I know who you are… you're the Earth demon, Tsuchi, aren't you?"
"Wha? How'd you know?"
"Who else could you be? Now show yourself!"
"Fine!"
Miroku backed up as the ground beneath his feet began to bulge, before morphing into a female demon. Her armor seemed to be made completely of rock, her red hair cut close to here head and spiked.
"Not one for theatrics, are you?" she asked, eyes scanning his body.
"If they're unnecessary…" glared Miroku.
"Well, never mind. I must say, though, I'm quite pleased to find you… alone."
"Why are all you coming after me?" growled Miroku. "Oh, don't give that look," he retorted, seeing the questioning look on the demon's face, "Mizu said you're going after Inuyasha, but if so, why did she abduct me? And why did Kaze plant me in the middle of a desert with a crippled Hanyou? And why did your goddamn fire brother, throw a goddamn Shikon shard, into my goddamn Kazaana?"
"Y'know, for a monk, you have an awfully dirty mouth… but you are also quite intelligent, so to answer your question… let's just say you have something we want!"
"And what would that be?"
"YOUR LIFE!"
A blade of rock came flying towards him instantly, but he managed to shear it in two with his shakujou. As a result he lost his balance and began to fall backwards. The ground under his feet rose up instantly, sending him flying backwards. He righted himself instantly and charged forward, only to be met with a barrage of stones.
As he lay on his back, bruised and moaning, he heard the footsteps of Tsuchi grow closer.
"You're not nearly as tough as I have heard…"
Dammit... she's so powerful… and I still can't use my Kazaana!
A foot came down hard on his chest, shattering a rib and forcing him to cough up blood.
"How shall I kill you?" smirked the demon. "Shall I slice you to bits? Or crush you? Or perhaps you prefer a slow and painful suffocation?"
"I'm guessing I have no say in the matter?" hissed Miroku.
"Correct… and I think I like the idea of a good crushing, I love the way guts splatter."
Suddenly there was a great scream, and a whirring sound as a shower of rocks fell over Miroku, and all pressure was removed from his chest.
Slowly he rose to a sitting position, clutching at his chest. He saw the lower half of the demon lying on the ground. There was no blood.
He looked up and there she was.
"Sango-sama…" he breathed.
She was quiet as she approached him, her bangs hanging low over her eyes. Kirara stood in the background, still in her demon form. Sango drew close and stopped in front of him. Miroku rose to his feet.
"How dare you…" she growled.
Miroku was on the ground again, this time clutching his cheek. The blow from her punch had sent him to the dirt.
"Sango-sama…" he repeated.
"How dare you just leave like that!"
"I… I…"
"You're lucky I followed you, Houshi-sama," she yelled, putting great emphasis on his title, "or you'd be no more than Monk stew right now."
"Yes, and I thank you… " he said, standing up once more, thankful she did not hit him this time. "And trust me… I did have a reason for leaving…"
"A reason that you could not share with us?" she said coldly, "Or is just that you wanted to make me worry?"
"Sango… I would never…" he took a step forward and cautiously wrapped his arms around her. Her head came to a rest on his shoulder, and when his robe became moist he knew she was crying.
His reasons seemed so selfish all of a sudden.
"Listen, Sango… I would never intentionally hurt you, you know that, right?"
She nodded slightly, pushing his robe across his skin.
"Don't cry Sango… as long as I have a choice… I shall never leave you again."
"Good," was all she said. As she was lifting her face from his shoulder, however, she froze, staring past his head. "Houshi-sama… where's the demon's body?"
No sooner had she asked did the ground beneath their feet shoot upwards, sending them sprawling to the ground.
"Stupid humans!" Tsuchi's voice rang out, "leaving yourself open to my attack!" The ground once more formed itself into the female earth demon. "My body cannot be broken."
Sango quickly regained possession of the Hiraikotsu, propping it in it's battle-ready position against her shoulder. "There's three of us now… do you think you can handle that, demon?"
"Easily!" Multiple blades of rock came flying at them, but this time they took shelter behind the Hiraikotsu, which's strong bone body completely defended them from the assault.
Kirara, meanwhile, circled around and tackled Tsuchi from behind, sending he tumbling forward right in front of Miroku and Sango. Raising the Hiraikotsu above her head, Sango swung it forward, however, only moments before, Tsuchi had sunk into the ground, and the Hiraikotsu connected with nothing but dirt. A great move then moved through the surface, knocking both of them of their feet.
"How do we beat this thing?" asked Sango.
"It's living, right?" Miroku responded, "So it can't be completely the earth itself… there must be a heart… a core of some sort! We destroy that, we destroy the beast!"
"But where?"
"Somewhere where she would know she would be able to find it again… something out of place!"
But there was no time to reflect on that thought, as a ridge of rocks came shooting through the ground towards them. They jumped, and the ridge cut in between their bodies, separating them. Sango was quick to crash through the barrier with the hiraikotsu, however.
There was a great howl as Kirara was thrown backward into the ridge of rocks, instantly shrinking to her smaller form, no longer containing the strength to fight.
"Kirara!" yelled Sango, but she was soon distracted a barrage of rocks, one of which hit her on the side of the head with a sickening crack. She slumped to the ground, unconscious.
"Sango!"
"It's just you and me now, monk!" cackled Tsuchi, once more hidden from his sight.
Damn… I can't sense where she is… I can't use the Kazaana... Sango and Kirara are down for the count… this does not look good.
There was a great rumbling beneath his feet, and Miroku jumped to the side, just in time for a giant stalagmite to miss him. In the blink of an eye, the stalagmite transformed into Tsuchi. Her fist connected with his cheek, sending him flying backwards before finally skidding to a halt.
"No more play!" yelled Tsuchi, "Your blood spills now!" One of her arms morphed in to a long, curved blade, and she shot towards him, ready to remove his head.
And Miroku could do nothing but watch. She was too fast! He raised the shakujou to cover his face, though he knew that it would do no good. He closed his eyes.
"You're mine!"
Miroku waited… but nothing happened. Slowly he opened his eyes, and found himself face to face with the demon. Letting out a scream he scrambled backward, but stopped when he noticed something. Her eyes were blank and her body had lost all sense of flesh. Tsuchi now stood unmoving, a rock. Miroku's eyes panned to the side, and there was Sango, standing on legs so weak she had not been able to catch the returning Hiraikotsu.
Off in the distance lay a sing dead tree, chopped clean in half.
"Damn demon," she growled weakly, "no one hits Houshi-sama but me."
Miroku rushed over to her just in time to catch her as she fell. The side of her face where the rock had struck her was covered in blood, and he knew she was struggling to keep consciousness. Miroku wasted no time in ripping one of the sleeves of his new robe in order to bandage her head.
"You did it Sango," he grinned.
"Lucky guess," she chuckled slightly. Slowly she sat up, one handing reaching up to her head. There was an odd look in her eyes, Miroku could not place it. "Houshi-sama…" she whispered.
And then he realized, all this time her lips were drawing closer to his. He sat still in shock as they came closer… closer…
But at the last minute he turned away.
"No," he said.
"Houshi-sama…"
"Sango, that rock put you out of your right state of mind, you're not thinking properly. You might not even remember any of this later…"
"Mir-"
"No don't say my name," he cut her off. "Not now. I want the first time you say it to mean something Sango, that's not something that's possible now…"
He saw the first speckles of tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.
"Don't do that," he sighed, using his remaining robe sleeve to wipe the tears away. "Listen, I promise that I will… but when it happens you'll know what you're doing… and… not until Naraku is defeated. Not until I know I can promise you my life."
Sango looked a bit disappointed, but she nodded, "I'll hold you to it Houshi-sama."
"OI!" they looked up to see Inuyasha darting towards them, Kagome riding on his back. "Why'd you to run off like that."
Miroku smiled, before looking down at the woman, "Let's go Sango."
"Yes."
Miroku stood up and helped her to her feet, making sure she was stable on her legs before letting go.
"Houshi-sama?" she said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you... you're right."
"Anytime Sango, anytime."
And so, reunited with their friends, they headed off once more, feeling ready to face anything that would be thrown at them.
The statue that was once Tsuchi stood boldly out against the horizon as another figure approached it. Gentle fingers caressed the rocky surface that was once the flesh and blood of the face.
"The time has come, all my brothers and sisters have fallen, but in their death I grow stronger. We may not have been able to defeat them separately my comrades, but together, we will tear them limb from limb."
The fingers left the rock's face slowly, almost sorrowfully.
"Shame though… I hate eating rock."
End Chapter 15
Okay... I know some of you think the Miroku/Sango part near the end might be out of character... but remember, Sango was hit by a rock! And I think it's pretty obvious from the manga, they both know they love each other... it's just a matter of admitting it, something which neither of them seem ready to do. Sango, because she's afraid of her emotions... something Miroku is obviously not... and I think that the only problem he has is, as shown when he asks Sango to live with him, he's afraid he doesn't have much time to live, and would rather wait until after Naraku is defeated.
Anyway, please review! Don't worry... I have the next chapter all planned out.