Chapter Nine: Siblings Reunited
"Now Haruko, let's go over this one more time, just to make sure we're clear. Where isn't Daddy going?" Miroku asked.
"The tea house!" Haruko answered.
"Right. Now where is Daddy going?" Miroku continued.
"The shrine!" Haruko exclaimed joyfully.
"That's my girl. What won't Daddy be doing?"
"Drinking!"
"And what is he doing?"
"Prayer and meditation." Haruko finished.
"Good. Now if Mommy comes back you be sure to tell her exactly where I am." Miroku ordered.
"Okay." Haruko complied.
Miroku got up and turned to go to the "shrine" to "pray and meditate" and found himself face-to-face with a very angry Sango. Miroku's face went white as a ghost's.
"Where exactly do you think your going?" Sango asked accusingly.
"Nowhere. I mean nowhere important that is. I was just planning to go to the shrine and pray." Miroku replied with a waver in his voice.
"Oh is that so?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure you weren't going to go to the tea house and down a few drinks?" Sango questioned, knowing damn well what the answer was.
"Um…no. I mean no I wasn't going to the tea house to drink, not no I'm not sure." Miroku stuttered.
Sango crouched down so she was more or less eye level with Haruko. "Honey, do you know where your father was going to go?"
"Yes. He was going to the shrine to pray and meditate." Haruko said with a face that was straight enough.
"You're a better liar than Daddy, but I can still smell a lie from a mile away. I'm going to ask you again and if you tell me the truth I might not punish you." Sango offered. "Now where was he going to go?"
"To the tea house, to drink sake." Haruko responded truthfully this time not wanting to be punished.
"Traitor." Miroku mumbled under his breath.
"Miroku, it is one thing to lie to me but lying to our daughter is something completely different." Sango scolded him.
Miroku tensed his facial muscles and shut his eyes tight. "Go ahead, hit me. I deserve it."
Sango smiled. "I have a better idea. Why don't you go to the tea house and have a large sake?"
Miroku opened his eyes and beamed. "Can I? Can I really?"
"Yes. I suppose every one could use a drink now and then. Just don't get hammered or your rocker and absolutely no flirting. I'd hate to have to murder some innocent young girl just because she was a victim of Miroku Fuschida's devilish good looks and charm." Sango joked.
"No worries there. Why would I flirt when I have the perfect woman waiting for me at home? By the way, have I told you how beautiful you are lately?" Miroku asked.
"I think so, but refresh my memory." Sango requested.
"You are so gorgeous that if beauty was a minute you'd be an hour. Your beauty is brighter than the sun and moon together. And if I was the last man alive and any other woman was the last woman alive. The human race would just have to die out." Miroku said in flattery. He gave her a few quick kisses on the cheek. "I won't be gone long, okay my love?"
As Miroku left his home and made his way across the village a particular figure caught his eye. The man was finely dressed in silken robes with a beautifully shod breastplate, made more for fashion than protection. The man had yellow-goldenrod eyes and long silver hair. The man had a green imp and a young human girl in tow. The man was Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Plain and after the defeat of Naraku; he was a person Miroku had never hoped to see again. Miroku quickly rerouted his course to Kaede's hut where Inuyasha and Kagome were staying. He was out of breath when he got there. "Inuyasha…" he gasped.
"I know." Inuyasha replied before Miroku could finish. "I could smell Sesshomaru's foul stench a mile away form here."
"You go stall him Inuyasha. I'll fetch Sango and Haruko." Miroku ordered.
"Right." Inuyasha agreed.
Kagome followed Inuyasha out to meet Sesshomaru. "Don't you think your jumping to conclusions? What if he's not here to fight?"
"Why else would he be here?" Inuyasha snarled.
At this point, Sesshomaru noticed Inuyasha. "Hello brother! How kind of you to come out and greet me as such."
"Cut that crap Sesshomaru." Inuyasha demanded drawing the Tetsuiga. "Why the hell are you here?"
"Sheath your blade Inuyasha. I have no desire to kill you. Not yet at least." Sesshomaru said coolly. "I think I have something you might want."
Inuyasha smirked. "Oh really? Funny last time I checked, it was me who had something that you wanted to get your filthy paws on."
"Insult me again half-breed, and I might reconsider my policy on killing you. Besides, I now posses a blade even finer than the Tetsuiga" Sesshomaru warned him.
"Whatever. What is this ever-so-precious item? What could you possibly have that I want?" Inuyasha asked, sheathing his sword.
"I suppose you wouldn't want him as much as that demon slayer you travel with. I have the boy, Kohaku." Sesshomaru informed him.
"Bullshit. Where is he?" Inuyasha asked.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" As if on cue Jaken, Rin, and Kohaku came jogging up. "You must move so quickly Lord Sesshomaru! Rin and I cannot keep up."
Sango, who had arrived by this time, refused to believe what her eyes were telling her. Kohaku had died, and even though he had been brought back, the Shikon shard was what kept him alive, and they now had the entire jewel in their possession. She had seen it herself. This couldn't be Kohaku. It just couldn't.
"Sesshomaru…" Kagome asked nervously. "Did you bring Kohaku back with the Tensiega?"
"What do you think?" The demon Lord replied.
Meanwhile, seeing his sister had helped spark Kohaku's memory. "Sango?" he wondered out loud.
Sango suddenly threw her arms around Kohaku's neck. "It is you!" she cried. She looked up at Sesshomaru. "Thank you Sesshomaru. Thank you so much."
"I did not so it out of my free will. Let us leave now." Sesshomaru turned to leave and Jaken dutifully followed. Kohaku managed to struggle out of his sister's vice-like grip to say a few final words to Rin.
"Thanks for brining me back. Would it not be for you I'd still be lying dead in that ditch."
"Honestly, it was my pleasure. It was Lord Sesshomaru who actually did it after all." Rin explained.
"True, but he wouldn't have done it to begin with without your persuasion, would he not?" Kohaku asked.
"I guess so." Rin said as she smiled sheepishly.
"Come back and visit us sometime." Kohaku requested.
"I'll try. Lord Sesshomaru likes to see his brother as little as is humanly possible. Or demonly possible in this case."
"I think you can convince him. Seems he's soft for you." Kohaku told her with a wink.
"Maybe." Rin gave him a quick hug. "It was nice to see you again Kohaku."
"Nice to see you too." Kohaku called after her as she left, struggling to catch up with Sesshomaru.
A moments silence lingered after Rin left, until that is, Miroku broke it. "So…" he began. "Who's your lady-friend?" he asked with a sly grin.
"It's nothing like that. Her name is Rin." Kohaku stubbornly replied. "What's it to you?"
"Touchy aren't we?" Miroku held up his hands in defense. "It was supposed to be a compliment."
"It doesn't matter. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend's sis?" Kohaku asked of Sango.
"Of course. This is Kagome. She is a priestess." Sango said, taking Kagome forward.
"Pleased to meet you." Kohaku greeted her, shaking her hand.
"Likewise."
"He is Inuyasha." Sango continued, pointing out Inuyasha. "He is half-demon, but a kind enough person when he's in the mood."
"Feh."
"And I'm Miroku." Miroku finished, taking it upon himself to be introduced. "I'm your brother-in-law."
"You're married? To my sister?" Kohaku asked.
"Something wrong?" Miroku responded with his own question.
"No. I just never thought Sango would end up getting married." Kohaku explained.
"Yeah, neither did I." Miroku admitted. "Your niece is back at our home."
"My niece?" Kohaku questioned, bewildered at the changes that took place while he was under Naraku's power. "I have a niece?"
"Indeed. Thanks to me." Miroku stated proudly.
"Lovely." Kohaku muttered snidely, less than pleased at the fact this man that he hadn't ever met had knocked up his sister.
"Come with us." Miroku invited Kohaku to come with him and Sango back to their residence. "You still must meet Shippo."
A/N: Just so you readers are aware, I know this chapter may be less than fantastic. I don't believe I'm good at writing Sesshomaru or Rin's characters, but it was necessary to add them in to bring Kohaku into the story, so bear with me. Thanks for reading, I may post review responses along with the next chapter, though it may be long in coming, as mid-term exams are looming.