A/N: Bonjour/Konnichiwa my loyal readers/reviews! This one's a total fluff chappie!
Anyway, I just wanted to make a quick shout out to my friend, BlackTopHat, for I found her review has made me laugh…hard.
'…Kikyo talks amazingly weird, I know it's an accent she's developed, but still, was that hard to write? Because it was kind of hard to read. I had to say it aloud and my brother was all "What's up with your voice? Sounds retarded. Like you have a mouth full of mashed potatoes."'
Omg, yes. It is extremely hard to write, not to mention it's OOC, but it's one of the things I loved about the actual Carlotta and I just had to put it in here. If I get lazy (probably sometime in the near future) I'll just make up an excuse for Kikyo to start talking like a normal human being. BTW BlackTopHat, your brother sounds exactly like mine.
It you guys want your own shout outs, just ask for 'em. And remember, I'm always looking forward to new readers!
(A/N: Let's back up a bit, to when Sango was in her trance-like state)
He could hear whispering begin like wildfire, spreading all throughout the room. The musicians had stopped playing their music and were looking around for the cause of the sudden lack of dancing.
The Red Death smiled grotesquely as he turned to face the two managers, who went white in the face.
"Ah, my managers."
Ginta and Hakkaku stared at him in awe.
"Er… Good evening monsieur," Hakkaku began. He had not yet connected the man in the Red Death costume with the Opera Ghost. "Enjoying the party?"
Idiot.
The Red Death took a few smooth steps towards them, quickly covering the distance. "Of course. A pity, though, as soon as I got here all of the festivities seem to have ended. Have you missed me, good monsuiers?"
Ginta gestured irritably at the orchestra to keep playing their music. "Monsieur, we're very sorry about the inconvenience. Why've you all stopped dancing?" he suddenly shouted at the people, who just watched him with amused yet horrified faces.
No one moved.
"He's up to something, Sango." Kuronosuke muttered to her, "I just hope he doesn't do anything irrational…"
Miroku glanced quickly at Sango and Kuronosuke as if he had heard, then turned back to Ginta and Hakkaku.
They stared at him blankly.
The Red Death chuckled slightly. "What's the matter, good messieurs, did you think that I had left you for good?"
The managers exchanged glances that said clearly that yes, indeed, they had thought that he'd leave.
"Well, I have written you an opera!" Red Death removed a bound manuscript from a deep pocket in his robe and threw it at Hakkaku, who caught it and staggered a little.
"Don Juan Triumphant! But I warn you that my opera must be perfect…and therefore, Kikyo is placed with the chorus. I would prefer it if she lip-syncs. Remember that I instructed that Bankotsu lose some weight? He's getting a bit on the heavy side. (At this, Jakotsu began to get riled up, but Inuyasha firmly held him back. Jakotsu had no complaint and let Red Death continue.) Well, Benkotsu hasn't yet, but before my opera he shall. Remember to keep Box Five reserved for me, and that my salary is due at the end of the month."
He took a step back and bowed slightly to Sango. "As for our star, Miss Sango Youkaitashi…" Red Death began saying his next verse in song, "No doubt she'll do her best, it's true. Her voice is good, she knows. Though if she wish to excel, she still has much still to learn." Miroku paused, shooting a bitter glance at Kuronosuke, whose heart pounded viscously inside his chest cavity, "If pride would let her return to me, her teacher…her teacher."
Miroku's cobalt eyes seemed to brighten up against the black face make-up that he painted around his eyes (in order to make them appear like the sockets of a skeleton). He breathed in, and started walking towards her.
Kuronosuke went to tighten his hold on Sango, but found that there was nothing there but air beside him. He bit on his lower lip to keep from crying her name, but Sango was already face to face with Red Death.
Kuronosuke's insides jumped as he heard the man bellow, "Your chains are still mine," but the last bit he couldn't make clear.
There was a flash and a plume of fire-like smoke. When the smoke was cleared, both Red Death and Sango had vanished.
Slowly, the facts began connecting, and Hakkaku gaped. "Ginta! Do you know who that was? It was the Opera Ghos—"
"You idiot! Shut up!" Ginta snapped, smacking him over the head.
There was a shocked silence, and then Hakkaku's shaking voice could be heard saying, "Wow, Ginta, look! He wrote us an opera! Wasn' that nice?"
"Were you not just here?"
Sango found her fall a bit less harsh on her small body, partly because she had landed on something soft.
"Huh?" Sango whispered. She then heard a muffled "umph!" from underneath her and gazed down.
"Miroku!" Sango gasped, realizing that she had landed almost directly on top of him. Her legs were tangled intimately with his and her soft breasts were pressing ever so lightly on Miroku's chest.
Sango looked around awkwardly and rolled gently off of him and onto the ground. "Are you all right?" She whispered softly into his right ear.
Miroku continued to stare up at the trap door. "I lost my breath for a few moments…wait just a little longer, it's returning to me."
"Sorry." Sango's cheeks, even in pitch black, showed patches of scarlet. She gazed at the back of Miroku's head as he sat up onto his bottom.
"You've followed me again." He mumbled to the darkness.
Sango sat up next and leaned forward to look at his face. Her eyes were beginning to see well in the dark, and her body immune to the coldness. "I couldn't let you leave without explaining some things." Sango looked down at her dress, "Miroku, why didn't you tell me you've gotten shot?" She sounded like she was choking on tears.
Miroku's eyes narrowed into glittering slits. "I'm sorry; I didn't think you would care. After all, you've defied me by accepting that boy's invitation to be married." He withdrew from his velvet pocket, the ring and squeezed it within his hand.
Sango became annoyed. This was the last straw! "Miroku, I'm tired of this! I'm tired of you getting angry with me for things I didn't do, or didn't know about." She took his face into her hands and forced Miroku to look at her. The tips of their noses (or rather, Sango's nose and Miroku's mask) brushed together from their closeness. "I'm not as helpless and childish as you think I am, and quite frankly, Miroku, I think you deserve a swift kick in the behind!" She inwardly laughed as Miroku's eyes widened. "Now, I did not accept Kuronosuke's proposal, and I still haven't. I was wearing the ring to make him happy; I thought it was the least I could do." She dropped her hands from his flesh and crossed her arms. "But with the way you're pushing me away like this, perhaps Kuronosuke does love me more than you do!" She 'humph'ed and scooted away from Miroku.
"What…what makes you believe that I don't love you?" Miroku pleaded and crawled to Sango's side.
"For one thing," Sango began coolly, "you've nearly abandoned me for five months!"
"But I was working on—"
Sango cut Miroku off without care of explanation, "And second, I find out from Kikyo that you've taken a bullet?" Sango could feel her eyes starting to burn and her lips curling into a pout. "Why didn't you tell me?" Sango sobbed, hiding her face in her hands.
"I didn't want you to worry, Sango…" Miroku cooed, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist.
"How did it happen?" She managed to ask through her tears.
Miroku contemplated whether to answer her or not. "I…I was visiting a friend of yours. Or rather, it was an unexpected visit." He said uneasily.
"Who?"
"Do you have to ask?"
Sango confirmed in her mind that he must've gone to see Kuronosuke one night and suddenly shrieked, "Miroku! You didn't try to kill him, did you?"
Miroku was slightly offended. He squeezed Sango affectionately and she leaned back into him in rising comfort. "No, no! I merely wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So I met him in his sleeping chamber. Unfortunately for me, the man must've thought I was some…madman trying to kill him. Ridiculous, no?" Miroku noticed that Sango wasn't laughing and decided to be serious. "Of course, he didn't realize that I was in the room until he noticed my eyes. Poor boy, I must've scared him to death. If you ask me, he's the childish one, because he retreated under his covers in fright. I thought that would be the best time to take my leave. This man was obviously no threat to me. I went out onto the balcony outside the chamber and before I knew it, there was an unbearable pain in my right shoulder and crimson colored blood was splattered on the ground. I'm guessing the boy had a small gun in his dresser draw, either that or under his pillow. But don't worry, my dear! I left before he could catch a good glimpse at me."
Sango froze underneath Miroku. "He shot you? Kuronosuke shot you?"
"It's not his fault, my dear. I seem to have that affect on people. I heard the news all around my opera house the very next day, how some maniac was in the viscount's room late one night. They probably decided to be smart and keep it quiet around you."
"But…but have you healed?"
"I asked Inuyasha to assist me in removing the bullet. I gave him the proper remedies and all was all right."
Sango sighed and relaxed slowly, "I still wish you would've told me…"
"I'll remember that if I ever get hurt again." Miroku was entirely serious and Sango cringed. Hopefully it would never happen again.
"And you weren't going to hurt him?"
"I made you a promise, didn't I?"
Sango smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. She curled her fingers into Miroku's velvet shirt, feeling a rush of icy air against her exposed skin. She shivered, snuggling closer into his body for warmth. Miroku stroked her hair tenderly.
"How do you do it?"
"Hm?" he lazily responded, engrossed in her as Sango twirled a lock of brown hair around her index finger.
"Stay down here all the time? Sure, I'm slowly adjusting but—"
"I've learned to adapt and it's quite nice once you get used to it."
"Living with the rats and spiders is nice?" Sango asked, astonished.
Miroku shrugged.
"Well, when you put in that way…"
Miroku's eyes then widened slightly at her following question.
"How do you bathe?"
"In the lake…" He trailed off and Sango nodded.
"I don't know if I'd be able to do that. I can't swim, and I'd sink right to the bottom if I tried." Sango looked away, embarrassed. Sango then looked over in the direction of the lake. She blinked, looked at Miroku, and stared back.
"Sango?"
Sango looked up at him with such adorable features. "Yes?"
"What is it?"
Sango ran her tongue over her lower lip. "I was just thinking what it would be like if I went in the lake. It'd possibly end in suicide, though."
Miroku pondered this for a moment, got up and circled the area around the bank. "You want to go in there?" He pointed to the dark misty depths of the aqua. "Is that right?"
She nodded reluctantly.
Miroku let out a deep sigh in defeat, and traveled back to her. "Let's go, then." He went over and picked Sango up. She found it very tricky not to let a smile creep its way across her face in delight. She watched silently as Miroku used one arm to tightly secure her body to him, and the other, to air out his cloak, letting it naturally spread across the ground. His muscles relaxed as he placed Sango on the fabric, careful for her not to get cold. He then turned himself from her. "You can get undressed on that."
Sango turned bright red. "What?" She squeaked.
"Well, I'd assume you wouldn't want to get your dress wet…" Miroku's voice stammered a bit, knowing that Kuronosuke had given her that gown.
"I…I can't!" Sango said flustered.
Miroku looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Why not?"
I'd be naked, that's why!" She huffed, beginning to think Miroku was a pervert.
Miroku burst out into a nervous laugh. "You have you're under dress on, don't you?"
Sango blinked, suddenly feeling stupid. "Oh…yes…"
Sango obediently obeyed and inched over to the edge of the lake, looking deep into the glassy water.
"On second thought, I can wait for some other time…" She could feel her body start to quiver.
Miroku fought with himself not to look (even if Sango was in her slip) but when he managed to catch a brief look at her from over his shoulder, it was to Miroku's relief that Sango didn't mind his intent gaze. And so, he turned around and knelt down beside her. "Is something wrong?"
"It seems so deep…" She trembled. "I'll sink for sure!"
"And I suppose you think that you'll drown?" Miroku let another sigh escape his lips. "Sango, you're not heavy enough to drown." He grinned, something Miroku did rarely.
"I do not find it funny!"
"No, no of course it's not…" He said, regaining his composer. Yes, Sango falling to the bottom of a lake like a rock was not a laughing matter. "You don't have to worry, I'm right here. I will let nothing happen to you, Sango. Now, this was your idea. The only thing you have to fear is fear itself. Don't make me push you in there!"
"You wouldn't push me in…" Sango smiled mischievously, noting how close Miroku was to the water. One more inch and…
"Oh, but I would."
"But you can't…"
"And why not?"
Sango placed a hand on his chest, leaning into him, "Because…" She whispered into his ear seductively, "You're all ready in it." Firmly but lightly, Sango applied just enough force to send Miroku into the mist with a satisfying splash.
Miroku popped his head out of the water, a look of bewilderment on his face. "You pushed me in…"
"Yes, and it was very fun while doing so." Sango laughed, watching as he pulled his wet hair out of his face. The soaked sleeves of his Red Death outfit were now clinging to the skin of his arms, as they floated on top of the water.
"I clearly have underestimated you, my dear."
"Yes you have, Miroku!" What a triumph this was to Sango. "Really though, are you all right?"
"Just swallowed some water…" He replied, swimming closer to her.
Sango was now on her hands and knees, gazing in at him. "I hope it wasn't too much." Her face just seemed to brighten up, with a look as if she had fallen head first into an everlasting love. Sango was far too busy admiring Miroku, to even notice that he had wrapped a damp arm around her waist and had dragged her in with him.
The outcome of this was a smaller splash, a tiny yelp and a fierce hold on Miroku.
"Miroku! Miroku!" She cried. Her eyes were squeezed shut.
He drew her to him. "I have you, Sango. You're safe. I won't let you go…"
Sango slowly fluttered her eyelashes open, and looked up into his cobalt orbs…
I won't let you go…
It echoed in her head.
"I told you you wouldn't drown! Now if I were to let go…"
"No!" Sango clung to him protectively, "You said you wouldn't!"
Silence.
Miroku nodded and rested his chin on her head.
A/N: Yay for a pointless chapter!