Kagome, who insisted on accompanying Sango to Lake Shakinjou, followed closely.
After Inuyasha had assured the already injured Miroku, he quickly used his Kazaana. Yunai had fainted in realization to the fact that she had touched that hand so many times.
'I had touched that hand, held that hand…only to find out that hand could not only kill everything in it's path but the only man I ever loved.' Yunai had confessed after hearing his full story. She held him close afterwards; the grip on his cursed hand was never ending.
Sango pushed another low branch out of her way, making sure Kagome saw it and held it for herself as well. They were close, just beyond the forest's branches and trees was the lake.
At first, Sango had been surprised at why Kagura had wanted to meet there. The lake, Lake Shakinjou, was undoubtedly different than other lakes. It wasn't muddied like the last they had seen, and it wasn't a residence for the small fish. No, it didn't hold the innocence and serenity of a moon lit lake, nor did it even smell like water. The water itself was a light shade of blue, if you would have seen it, you would have noticed it's unnatural taint. The waters are deep, untouched by anyone. It was rumored to have smelled of blossoming honeysuckles, but no one can be sure.
Besides the unnatural look of the fake looking lake, the rumors of its history was most surprising. Old stories and myths told of this lake being 'holder of chaos', thus looking very stressful as the waters continuously spilled over the small dirt shore. Honestly moving without any cause, the waters usually splashed without a reason. People came to relieve themselves, for the lake was suppose to free you of your stress once you looked in it's reflection. Nirvana, some say. It would basically be the container of everyone's negative feelings. Sango new first hand, it was true. But could it be that Kagura also came here to rid of the foul play Naraku would make her do?
But there were also fatal stories as well. It was told that one with a pure hatred, one who hopes to be purged of stress they knew would be inflicted on them in the first place, will not be very successful. Infact, those who had fit those descriptions have become insane, or mad. Literally filled with worries and doubt all the time.
The old maids, who Sango had heard this story from, stressed the fact that just like the humans who visit the lake, the lake had to be purged of the stress it holds for others. Thus, people who fit the morbid descriptions are chosen to be the new containers of everyone's worry, purging the lake and refreshing it to new.
Sango almost chuckled at the funny name the children in a near-by village called it. They called it, The Lake of the Mad. Funny, for she heard people would only turn mad rarely. Maybe they were dwelling on the negative factors of the lake more than the pure bliss it could give.
Kagome gasped as she gazed at the lake, Sango had visited here only once, secretly after her village had emptied out and she joined the new team she was residing on.
"It's…" Kagome closed her gaping mouth, "…Wow."
Sango smiled, "While I look around, feel free to look in."
Kagome nodded, strolling up a foot or two to the lake's small shore. Collapsing down on her folded knees, Kagome reached forward slowly.
The water rippled once Kagome's hand was a mere two inches away from the surface. This was definitely some type of supernatural, Kagome thought as she retrieved her hand back to her lap.
Sango was meant to wander, but she couldn't help but stall behind Kagome. Staring into the water, Sango went back into her memory the first time she had come. It was bliss. Sango watched Kagome lean forward, attempting to search for her own reflection.
Kagome stiffened, before relaxing completely. The lake let out a small ripple from the center before becoming completely calm once again. Sango heard Kagome sigh in recognition before standing back up and turning to her.
"Amazing, Sango. Why don't you try?"
Sango just looked off to the side, shutting her eyes as she let out a small trace of a smile.
"I have done it before…and for my own reasons, I don't wish to do it again."
Kagome stared at her curiously before dismissing it and turning to look at the lake again.
"Sango," Kagome said continuing to look over the lake. "What happens…if you touch it?"
A moment of silence basked the two before Sango walked along the shore wanting to reach the other side. "I don't know, Kagome." She called over her shoulder. "No one does, I think."
Sango chuckled, "No one wants to try."
Kagome also smile silently before looking at the other side of the lake. There wasn't much fog, but the moon was being slightly blocked by the trees. "Hey Sango…look—" She wasn't quiet sure…but it looked like…
Kagura stood on the other side of the lake, also gazing within its depths. She held the same relief stricken facial expression as Kagome had just held, Kagura backed up after looking.
"Sango," She called. Sango jogged over to her. Staying put, Kagome was still able to hear.
"Kagura, thank you for helping us today." Sango thanked.
Kagura nodded solemnly, accepting her gratitude.
They stood in silence, both glancing around them boredly.
Kagura broke into a smirk, "The bastard wants me to fight you again tomorrow."
Kagome looked worried. Not being able to stand too far away, she also joined their conversation. "What will you do Kagura?"
Kagura regarded Kagome for a second, wondering why she had accompanied the Taijiya. Was the Miko so easy to gain of her trust?
Shrugging, Kagura looked back at the lake. "I don't know, really."
"You will have to help us in secret, like you have been." Sango said aloud after thinking it over in her head. "Naraku is not stupid, as much as I hate to say. If you join us immediately, he will use it to his advantage."
"That is clear." Kagura spoke, a bit of irritation evident in her voice.
"What about Kanna?" Kagome asked.
"She won't agree with any of this. Kanna will stay with Naraku. End of story."
Kagome's hands formed into fists; "We can't just let you go back to him! What happens if he kills you before we can even find him? What happens if all your hard work is in vain?"
Sango nodded. "I agree…"
Kagura shook her head, "You don't understand. If he finds I am doing wrong, he will only torture me. The most I could do is help you bring you to him faster."
A moment of thinking made Kagura break into a grin, "A lot faster."
Kagome smiled broadly, "Finally!"
The group also seemed to be in a happier mood.
It was the next morning, and before they continued on their trek, Kagome uncharacteristically unlocked another part of the riddle.
"Travel backwards, where demise was feigned,
To find minions of the evil half parted.
Only after you separate, the good will from the bad,
Should the strength appear from behind the lake of the mad.
Things will be different, with similarities.
The hard things will be the easiest to find." Kagome had read aloud, following with her finger.
The group listened in curiously.
"So we went back to where Naraku had faked his death, and now we were supposed to 'Find minions of the evil half parted." Kagome smiled, "We already did that!"
Everyone stared at her questioningly, "Yeah…how?"
"Ok, the evil half parted…" Kagome began, trying to let the group try and guess.
"Tell us already, wench!"
Kagome visibly scoffed before sending Inuyasha to the ground for his lack of manners.
"The evil half parted means Naraku. He is evil, but even so he is only half demon." Miroku said aloud, earning a praiseful nod from Kagome.
"That's right! So his minions are none other than Kagura and Kanna." Kagome beamed. Now they're getting somewhere.
"Only after you separate—" Kagome began.
"The good will from the bad…" Sango finished fo her, "Does it mean…well that has to mean to figure out which one out of Naraku's minions is good."
Kagome nodded again, "Yes, which we figured out yesterday to be Kagura."
Inuyasha keh'ed after he fully recovered from his sitting.
"Then the rest is easy, good going Kagome!" Sango smiled at Kagome. "We met Kagura yesterday at Lake Shakinjou. Otherwise known as—"
"The Lake of the Mad…" Miroku finished, slowly going over everything in his head.
"Kagura said she would help us more often, but it can't be too noticeable."
"So what's the difference!" Inuyasha asked loudly.
"That's what the poem means…'This will be different', Inuyasha," Sango quoted, "' But with similarities…'"
Yunai began to finally get it, "And since she is indeed helping us, the harder things should be easier to find!"
Kagome nodded enthusiastically as she clapped her hands together infront of her chest.
Inuyasha stood, "Good job Kagome."
Kagome smiled.
Inuyasha smirked, "Well, only one way to go, and that's forward."
The others stood with a newfound hope.
It was a grey day, like any other. Except for the fact that there was going to be definite rain.
The group had stopped a while ahead, both Kagome and Yunai were feeling sick from the weather.
Groggy, wind swept, humid.
Sango had been through days like these. Days where you just feel like either taking a long nap or bulking over and purging your breakfast. Which was, to say the least, mildly appetizing. When her camp used to train in days like these, she would not eat. She would not drink. She would not stop, like the other men in her village did. She became successful, with the side affect of being alone due to her success.
The wind pushed in more humid air. Sango's skin was already sticky from the humidity, and her limbs we're weakening from both climate and lack of good sleep and nutrients.
This trip was all they needed to be successful, and she would not be alone. The others she traveled with were also going to be successful in what they do, together. This was the fight of their lives. The fight they had prolonged for too long. They needed satisfaction, and it was getting closer.
Sango hugged herself as she let out along sigh. She had been strolling in the forest near their campsite for a while now. Just walking. Thinking on occasion. One foot after the other brought her in a small clearing of trees, only about 10 feet wide and long. Standing in the middle, Sango looked down quietly as she began to sing the song her mother had sung in hard times. It was around the time when Kohaku was about to be born. In fact, it was the last song Sango had ever heard her mother sing.
There was a rustle in the trees to her right. Snapping her head in the direction, her body tensed stiff. She made sure to be quiet. Could it be an enemy? Or could it just be dinner-to-be?
Sango took Hiraikotsu off her shoulder and held it tightly in her hand, the other hand holding the hilt of her katana.
A moment of silence and another rustle later, Sango stood wide eyed at the scene before her.
It began to rain.
No. It was definitely not dinner.
Bankotsu groaned, his last fight had been successful with ugly benefits.
"Yeah ok, so I killed the damned demon but I earned a good looking scar from one corner of my chest to the other." Bankotsu rolled his eyes at his humor sounding dialogue.
If anything he was furious. Maybe by sarcasm, he could slowly let out his frustrations.
Bankotsu had indeed received a cut from his right shoulder to his left hip. But it was just a scratch, literally. The demon had aimed with his claws at the jewel shards Bankotsu had in his neck after the demon had totally forgotten about the shards in a pouch near his lower back. The demon had almost gotten the shards too, if Bankotsu hadn't moved out of the way, earning a long but barely deep scratch along his chest. But even if it was just a scratch, it had ripped through his chest's armor. Hey, as long as it didn't fall off, it was fine with Bankotsu.
The cut was about the width of a fingernail deep. Nothing compared to what he's been through in his real life. The one before this fake one. The one where he was nothing but a walking corpse holding shards.
Bankotsu continued to walk through the forest, dragging his halberd on the floor behind him. Using his other hand, he languidly used his sleeve to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Even the wind couldn't help his weaker position. Now that he was wounded and also had to haul Banryuu around, he couldn't help but sweat.
He sighed audibly. Now what?
Bankotsu smirked as he crushed a twig under his foot by accident. What ever happen to his sneaky self?
Looking ahead of himself, he saw a rather large bush. Well, he'd have to go through it. Bankotsu looked around. Yup, no other way but through it.
Carelessly swinging his halberd, Bankotsu swept the bush clean. Bankotsu took a good hold on Banryuu's hilt before he leapt over the shredded bush.
Looking back at the bush, he chuckled slightly, not exactly knowing why he felt the need to feel amused.
Bankotsu turned forward, only to meet the vision of the Taijiya.
Sango was standing before him, eyes wide, stance tense. She was holding her weapons so loosely; they looked like they were about to fall out of her grasp. Thus, bringing Bankotsu to smirk ever so sinisterly.
"Bankotsu?"
"Hey Sango." Much to his discomfort, he swung Banryuu off the ground and onto his shoulder, no doubt wincing just the slightest.
Bankotsu watched Sango drop her weapons, leaping into a sprint towards him.
Oh how she had missed him. She thought she would never see him again. Why she felt so hung onto him, only heaven knew, but like they say; You never know the value of something after it's gone.
Sango smiled as she encircled Bankotsu's middle, not noticing that he didn't return the hug.
Bankotsu leaned his head downward into her hair, remembering the fresh sweet scent of Sango. He shut his eyes in merriment, before remembering what he had to do.
"Bankotsu, I don—AUGH—" Sango's eyes widened as her mouth gaped open. There was a horrible searing pain in her lower stomach.
The hand on Bankotsu's shoulder tightened as Sango used him to hold herself up while she distanced herself from him to look down at her stomach. There, was a small dagger, and on the hilt was Bankotsu's hand.
Sango, trembling lightly, looked up at Bankotsu. He was smirking down at her, his eyes held pure malice.
"Bankotsu?" Sango croaked. She had gotten far worse stabs before; the knife hadn't even been lodged too far in. She would live.
Bankotsu stared back into her mahogany eyes. He had long forgotten that light shade of russet while he hadn't seen her. But now, even as she held onto him for balance while looking up into his eyes, feeling her warm blood seep onto his fingertips, he began to change.
She smiled.
Bankotsu's smirk died down barely, the corner of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.
Sango looked away from his azure eyes for a second. She had to snap out of this, she had to get to him. She had to know why he was doing this. Looking back down at the dagger still in her stomach, she weakly placed her hand on top of Bankotsu's, making goosebumps run all over his body; she was freezing.
With a sharp intake of air, Sango grasped his hand tightly and pulled; the dagger falling helplessly to the floor. The rain poured harder, almost instantly purging the blood from Bankotsu's knife to mix with the soiled dirt below it.
Sango backed off of Bankotsu, creating a good 5 feet in between them. "What are you doing, Bankotsu?"
Her slightly harsher tone made Bankotsu jump back into reality. He gritted his teeth, readying Banryuu to slice.
"What do you think I'm doing, Taijiya? I'm going to kill you."
Sango leaned down into a crouched position, her eyes never looking away from Bankotsu as she grasped the handle of Hiraikotsu as she stood once again and instinctually moved it infront of her. Again, the Banryuu and Hiraikotsu clashed.
"You lied!"
Sango gave Bankotsu a confused look before Bankotsu shoved the Hiraikotsu out of her grasp. She couldn't fight him. Not again. She wouldn't. Why was she feeling like this? Damn, it was so confusing, and even more frustrating.
Bankotsu pointed the end of his halberd at her bewildered form.
"You…you lied to me! I can't become human again! And I…you said…NOW I'M ALONE BECAUSE OF YOU!" Bankotsu yelled through gritted teeth, angry tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes.
The rain continued to batter against their forms. It was just a side annoyance, nothing they even noticed.
"Bankotsu…What do you mean?" Sango gently placed a weary hand on the tip of Banryuu.
Bankotsu glared at her from his narrowed eyes. "They all died. They left me! I told them everything you told me, you bitch, and they left me!"
Sango was taken back by his harsh voice, it was laced with such hate…
"Who left?"
"Them! My team!"
Sango looked surprised.
"Keh, they even ended up killing eachother. Heart warming, isn't it?"
"Bankotsu…" Sango thought over her words. She didn't want to apologize. Something like this always happens. "Bankotsu, when you want something so badly, you have to go through sacrifice…"
He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. Bankotsu stared at her incredulously, "Well now what am I supposed to do, wench? There's no way in hell I can become human now! It was all in vein! They all left me to be alone, and what do I get out of it? This is no sacrifice, I get nothing in return!"
"As long as Naraku—"
Bankotsu threw his halberd to the side, ignoring the grimacing wound on his chest. He stomped up to her, grabbing the neck of her slayer suit as he brought her eye level with himself, her feet lifting off the ground. He had a good 5 inches on her.
"He knows." Bankotsu whispered hoarsely. "I killed everything in my way. Even his Saimyosho. They watched me tell my former team that I was against him. Once he comes after the shards I possess, I'll be done with."
Sango tried to free herself from his grasp, but the situation left her questioning. She stared into his eyes; they were shining with tears that she just noticed were spilling over onto his cheeks. His teeth was gritted and his eyes were narrowed while his eye brows were knotted together between his azure eyes.
"Bankotsu…"
He shook her, as if wanting to knock the sense into her. "Damnit Sango! Is this what was supposed to happen? Does this happen to people like me?" His voice started to become less harsh, yet his facial expression was the same. Bankotsu began to slowly bring Sango back to the ground. "Is this my consequence? Was I destined to be alone in a life where I don't even exist?"
Sango felt the earth underneath her toes. She was slowly being put back down on the ground, his grasp loosened on her suit. His tears becoming an ongoing flow, only to mix with the rain as it too slid down his already tattered face. She stood still, quiet.
Bankotsu looked down, his bangs shading his eyes as he began to tremble. He looked as if he was holing in so much anger that shook him to come out.
With a sudden move, Bankotsu shoved Sango backwards as he let go of her suit. Her back met with the bark of a tree.
"He told me specifically, if I could just kill Inuyasha and his pathetic group, I could live a never-ending life." Bankotsu walked up to her, his fingers encircling her frail neck as he added pressure making her gasp sharply. "But no. I had to listen to you, and end up dying…alone!"
Sango reached for his fingers at the base of her neck, he was squeezing so hard…
Bankotsu began to ground his teeth, "Why did you poison my mind with such falsity. I know what kind of man Naraku is! I know! But he gives me what I want, and I still so foolishly wanted more out of you!"
"Ban—" Sango began to cough.
Bankotsu sank his fingers deeper into her nape as he chuckled darkly. "If I die…so do you!"
Sango narrowed her eyes as she brought her leg up, kicking him square in the chest.
She will not die. Not before Kohaku is freed.
Caught off guard, Bankotsu let go of her and stumbled back.
That took the last of her strength. Sango inhaled deeply once he let go as she fell to the floor, her knees folded underneath her. Placing her hands in the space between her parted knees infront of her, she looked down panting heavily.
Bankotsu, still on his feet looked down at the Taijiya. She suddenly gasped, groping at the wound he had given her in her lower stomach. It was probably now infected. He continued to stare at her as she began to speak through heavy pants.
"I never meant…for you to be so angry, Ban-Bankot--" Sango broke into a fit of bloodied coughs. She didn't even bother to finish his name. "I'm sorry…"
He looked to the side, and angry but sorrow look on his face. It would have been silent for the moment if the rain wasn't pouring hard, and if she wasn't gasping for air with occasional coughing.
"But Bankotsu," Sango began in a more determined voice, thus bringing Bankotsu to look at her, his attention centered. "You must know," Sango coughed again, "You will never be alone."
Bankotsu's eyes widened, she didn't even sound wounded. He voice was so determined. As determined as a promise.
"I will never leave you alone." She continued. "I swear to Kami that I will pay for what I did to you." Sango finished feircly.
Sango looked up at him, her eyes narrowed. "And so help you god, if you die on me Bankotsu. I won't let Naraku go on anymore, but you have to be alive! You won't die, Naraku will not get to you!"
Bankotsu stood directly infront of her after stepping before also dropping to his knees. He stared at her, emotionless.
"Please…I'm sorry…" Sango managed to say pleadingly before cupping her mouth to cough hoarsely. Bankotsu noticed the silent tears flowing down her face.
Their hair and clothes were damp with rain, as their cheeks damp with tears.
Bankotsu looked down at the damp soil holding them before bowing his head.
"Sango…damnit…I…" Bankotsu gripped the soil underneath his hand tightly. Gritting his teeth, he began to shake with sobs. "I just don't know what to do anymore…"
Sango suddenly reached foreword and encircled his neck with her trembling, cold arms, bringing him to rest his head under her neck. She felt his forehead lie at the base of her neck.
"Nobody knows what to do now, Bankotsu…but this was coming. You will be alive again, I know it. The sacrifice was not in vein. But when you want something," Sango's tears came a little harder, the whole situation hitting close to home. "So...bad…that you just…with hard work comes sacrifice. You just have to be strong enough to take the sacrifice Bankotsu…"
Bankotsu wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands grabbing at her back. His breaths were still deep and shallow.
Sango ducked her head as she felt Bankotsu cool down slightly, his hands undoing the tie in her hair that kept it together near her lower back, but she didn't care. Her hair curtained their faces from the rain as she moved her head closer to Bankotsu's. His breath was warming her, but he deserved warmth too.
It was turning dark quickly, probably because it was a rainy day.
Sango began to hum, the quiet was too overwhelming.
Bankotsu stopped his tears, now just panting rhythmically to her song.
"Sing for me…. Please,"
Sango lifted her head to look at him, her eyes wide and her cheeks slightly red. His eyes were closed, but he held a soft smiled as his grip on her tightened comfortably. Opening an eye to look at her out of the corner of his eye, he spoke again. "I thin I know that song…"
The song she was humming was a song her mother used to sing to herself when she felt down and her mother thought no one was listening, but she didn't know if her mother had made that song up or not.
Sango smiled as she sighed audibly. Starting slow and quiet, she began from what's he remembered.
"Swallow it up in the sound of my screaming.
Cannot seize for the fear of silent night…"
Bankotsu relaxed in her hold, shutting his eyes.
"Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming.
The goddess of imaginary light." Sango sang, her cheeks tainted with embarrassment.
In a slightly louder voice, she began the chorus.
"In my field of paper flowers…
And candied clouds of lullaby..."
Her voice seemed to echo softly through the forest.
"I lie inside myself for hours…
And watch my purple sky fly over me."
Gaining a little more confidence, she continued.
"I linger in the doorway,
Our alarmed minds screaming monsters calling my name."
"Let me stay,
Where the wind will whisper to me…"
Sango's hand traveled upwards and rested on the back of Bankotsu's head as she lifted her own and looked to the side to see the rain dampen everything even more.
"Where the raindrops, as there falling, tell a story…"
She then looked down, finding the rest of the lyrics fitting a certain situation. Sango stared at his face, his eyes were closed. Was he sleeping?
"If you need to leave the world you live…in…
Lay your head down and stay awhile…"
Sango rested her hand on his cheek, caressing it to let him know…
"Though you may not remember dreaming…
Something waits for you to breathe again…"
Bankotsu smiled, that last line was something you needed to really comprehend to understand how it fit in with the situation.
(AN: For those of you who might be lacking a few brain cells (lol jk) I meant for that last line to mean for Bankotsu to be alive again…REALLY breathing…)
Sango began to hum the music that came in this moment. Her mother was very gifted with the flute, she played many things. This son included, this would be the time her mother played a melody she would never forget. So, she hummed it.
Not being able to remember the rest, she just repeated the chorus. Her favorite part.
"In my field of paper flowers…
And candied clouds of lullaby…"
"I lie inside myself for hours…
And watch my purple sky fly over me...…"
Bankotsu drifted to sleep in Sango's arms. Unknowingly followed by Sango herself.
...I know...I know...i probably ruined EVERYTHING by having a modern-day song being sang by a fuedal-era character.
And becuase of that, i had to change a line in the song, because it was too..uhh...modern?
"Our alarm clocks screaming, monsters calling my name..." Was the ORIGINAL. But since Inuyasha and co. doesnt even know what an alarm clock is, i had to change it to:
"Or alarmed minds screaming, monsters calling my name..."
So yeah. I know the change is stupid (Alarmed minds? WTF!). But gimme a break, lol. Ok fine you dont have to, but i just thought this song kinda...fit? I dont know. THE SONG STILL DOESNT BELONG TO ME. THE SONG BELONGS TO AMY LEE AND HER BAND, EVANESCENCE. (i bet i even spelled that wrong...all her fans are gonna kill me in my sleep...scary...).
Oh! Another thing...this story was supposed to end a chapter ago, ya'know...lol but i kept on getting so many ideas i just keep adding on and on... I think yall will LOVE the next few chapters...can yall say jealousy? (lol ok so jealousy is MY favorite part of a story...) who the jealousy will be over is for me to know, and for you to find out. But i think yall will like it. Hopefully i dont get more and more ideas, to where this story will never end!
OMG! I GOT 67 REVIEWS! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH EVERYONE! Jeeze, you guys must actually like this then, wow..THANKS! I am so blessed to have yall review and say all that awesome stuff about the story and ocassionally me...THANK YOU GUYS! Oh--i could just hug you all...maybe even send you cookies! And believe me, thats an HONOR, becuase i NEVER sacrifice nor share ANY of my cookies...so yay for yall!
Do your thing, peeps (r/r)!
-Monica
PS: THANK AGAIN! WOO!
