"You said earlier that you wanted to have a singing lesson. You still want me to sing?"
"Of course." Miroku said. "Sango, music is what we are. It's our passion. It's the one constant in our world. When you sing for me, you make me feel as if I have been whisked to heaven's gates, and have the privilege of hearing the Angels sing."
Sango's face grew much softer as he described their music together. When she sang for him, a wave of euphoria swept over her. When she sang for him, all she could focus on was pleasing him, pushing herself every time. And when he sang for her, that's when the real fireworks in her body began. When he sang, Sango would grow short of breath, her eyes unable to tear away from him; the area between her thighs would begin to pulsate.
"You have the same effect on me." She said looking back down to her meal. Miroku had once again taken her back to his home and attempted to make food. She shifted her eyes towards his, and noticed that he was staring at her, grinning.
They both let out a bashful giggle, and a sigh of relief. They ate together, talking about a multitude of topics: the managers, Madame Kaede, the ballet. Then Sango brought up Don Juan Triumphant.
"And Don Juan Triumphant? What am I going to be singing in it?"
It would be a crime for any other girl to sing the role of the passionate Aminta.
"Come with me, Sango."
He rose out of his chair, and walked into the next room where the organ was. Sango obediently followed him, curious to see what he was going to show her.
"This is the role I had intended for you to sing. I want you to sing this part, right here. Can you do that for me?"
Sango studied the notes and lyrics and nodded. Within seconds Miroku was playing and she began to release a glorious sound from her small body.
"No thoughts within her head but thoughts of joy! No dreams within her heart, but dreams of love!"
Miroku abruptly stopped playing and gazed into Sango's eyes. He never imagined it sounding as splendidly sweet as the way it did, coming from her two beautiful lips. She sang it the way it was meant to be sung, the way he could never dream of. His masterpiece was being brought to life, right before him, and he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Is something wrong? Is that not how it's supposed to sound?"
"No. God, no." Miroku replied quickly, forcing himself to hold back tears of joy. "That was…that was…perfection!"
Sango placed a hand on her cheek and glanced up from her music. "How did you learn to sing? Did you have an angel?" She smiled gently at her playful comment.
Miroku flushed slightly, but rewarded Sango with a soft smile and took his fingers off the keys. A faraway look came to his eyes, and he sighed at the painful memories. "No, Sango... there was no angel for me. Never an angel for me..." Slowly he turned his head to look at her directly. "I have sung... as I do now, since I was very small." He stated, willing the pain that must be very evident in his eyes, to go away.
Her head tilted to the side and she pursed her lips as she studied his pained features. It seemed he'd been through some dreadful things, and she felt bad for making him recall them. "I'm sorry if I've made you remember things that you did not wish to. I didn't mean to pry."
"Nonsense..." He said, reaching out to grasp her. Looking down at their joined hands, he slowly met her hazel orbs and chanced a very slight smile. "You may ask me anything you wish... you have every right to know about the man who has told you such a great lie."
Sango almost began to move closer to him, but decided against it and gazed into his eyes. They seemed to touch her soul. "I've forgiven you, Miroku. You know that." She smiled reassuringly at him and squeezed his hand.
"I am not worthy of your forgiveness. But thank you, sincerely… I thank you."
Sango smiled.
Kikyo was in Sango's dressing room, searching for the catch on the mirror. She had heard something about the mirror being a trap door. The diva had eavesdropped on Kagome. What a wicked woman!
Therehadto be one—she had also spied on Sango one night, and saw her go through it.
However hard she searched, though, she couldn't get it.
In rage, she grabbed Sango's heavy metal hairbrush from the dresser and flung it with all her might at the mirror.
There came a loud, earth-shattering sound of breaking glass and then an eerie silence.
Kikyo looked up to see, through a ragged glass frame, a dark passageway.
Suddenly, she was nervous. She looked at the revolver she had in her hand, and then gained courage. 'He's just a man…and all men can die.'
Besides, he had threatened her role of Prima Donna! No one threatened her career!
She ducked through the broken glass and into the passageway.
Apparently, everyone had gotten over the Phantom's sudden appearance and disappearance, for now they were all dancing and laughing again.
Kagome and Inuyasha sat and talked for a while, but their conversation was abruptly interrupted as Madame Kaede burst into the room, eyes searching around until she found Inuyasha.
Silently she beckoned to him, and Inuyasha approached her with caution, wondering what was wrong. Kagome followed after him.
Madame Kaede gave Kagome's dress a scathing look and then waved it away as unimportant. "Follow me, both of you."
The three walked quickly through the shadowy halls of the Opera House. Madame Kaede began to explain.
"I noticed Kikyo sneaking out of the room after the Phantom disappeared, so I followed her. She went into the managers' office, where she apparently knew a revolver was. After that, she left with the revolver and went to Sango's dressing room.
"I don't know what made her do it. I didn't think she had the spirit to find the Phantom herself. She may have been just too angry…" She paused, a thoughtful look on her face, "But, more than likely, she was just too drunk."
Inuyasha frowned. They had reached Sango's room, and Madame Kaede opened the door.
"Crap…" Inuyasha muttered under his breath as Kagome let out a gasp.
The floor was littered with broken glass, and the place where the mirror had been, now revealed a jagged, gaping hole in the wall.
Inuyasha dashed across the room, ignoring the glittering pieces of glass.
"Inuyasha! Wait!" Kagome cried, "She has a gun! What if she shoots you?"
But Inuyasha's ears were deaf to his friend's cries as he sped down into the black labyrinth.
Kagome hesitated for a moment, and then began to follow him.
"Miss Higurashi!" Kaede called.
Kagome turned and gave her an apologetic smile before she fled.
Kikyo had only gone a little way into the passage before she had lost her nerve. She would kill this creature, she was determined of it!
But she was scared…
Frightened and disturbed, she turned to go back, and found she didn't know which way to go.
Which way was back, for that matter?
Kikyo turned in circles, looking for any hint of light.
She found none.
Frantic, she picked a direction and ran.
After what seemed like hours, she saw a hint of light ahead. Feeling relieved, she made towards it, only to find that it wasn't the way out after all.
The light revealed a boat, tied on the shore of what looked like an underground lake.
The source of the light was a small lantern hung on the bow of the boat, its light flickering weakly. It was clearly almost distinguished.
How the boat had come to be there, she never found out.
Most likely, Miroku had used it to cross and get to the masquerade, and then had used a different way to get back.
Maybe he swam?
Whatever had happened, Kikyo didn't care. She viewed this as pure luck, and was ready to take advantage of it.
The darkness had all but driven her insane, and since she couldn't go to Sango's room, she only had one thought in her mind—to kill the Phantom of the Opera.
"There ees no Phantom of the Opera…" she reminded herself quietly as she stepped into the gondola, "'E ees a man, and notheeng more…" She grasped the pole and shakily pushed off from the shore.
Just a few feet from the shore, she began to curse. This was harder than she had thought it would be!
She dug the pole into the ground and pushed with all of her strength, which only moved the boat another couple feet.
Cursing louder than before, she tried again, but was failing miserably.
"Zhen I'll keep going, leetle by leetle." she said aloud, "Zis 'ghost' must die!" With renewed determination, she pushed a little harder, though Kikyo still didn't go much further than two feet.
She moved the pole forward to push again, but found that it was stuck. Oddly, it felt as though someone was holding it back…
Kagome caught up with Inuyasha and stopped her with a hand.
Inuyasha looked questioningly at her, and she explained. "How do you know where you're going?"
Inuyasha sighed patiently, "I've been down here before."
Kagome nodded. "Oh, okay…"
Inuyasha waved his arm forward. "This way. Follow me."
Kikyo yanked on the pole with all of her might, and was horrified to find that there was someone clinging to the end with a scaly arm.
She screamed and dropped the pole into the water, where it sank to the bottom.
She quickly found that this was a stupid move, however, for she was now stranded in the middle of the lake with no way to go further.
She let out a string of angry, frightened, foul words.
Suddenly, Kikyo broke off with another shrill shriek. The creature that had been holding the pole was now slowly tipping the boat over…
Kikyo fell partway into the water, and then grabbed the boat to stop from falling all of the way in.
A cold, clammy hand fastened around her ankle, and she cried out, kicking at it.
The creature was stronger than she had expected though, and she couldn't stop it from pulling her down…
Kikyo let out one last cry, then was submerged in the cold water.
No one ever saw her again.
Miroku had just finished changing out of his Red Death costume when he heard the shrieks. Thinking that it was Sango, he rushed out to look at the lake. He had left her alone, while he changed into warm clothes.
The screams had stopped by the time he had reached the door, however, and now the lake was still…
Kagome followed Inuyasha through the dark passageways, and at last they reached the lake.
It was still and silent, but oddly…
Kagome frowned. "What is the boat doing in the middle of the lake?"
Inuyasha didn't answer right away, staring at the boat. "I'm not sure… It might mean… But I'm probably wrong …"
Kagome was about to ask what he meant, but suddenly Inuyasha turned and strode back off into the passageways.
Quickly she ran after him, but then tripped and fell in the darkness. "Inuyasha, wait! Where is Kikyo? I don't understand…"
Inuyasha looked over his shoulder and sighed playfully at her. "You're pathetic, you know that?"
He walked over to her and offered his hand.
Kagome blinked but then got insulted and pointed her nose upward. "Excuse me! I am not pathetic! Now, where's Kikyo?"
Inuyasha bent down and picked Kagome up bridal style. Flabbergasted, Kagome's hands flew to his neck and her head rested in its crook.
Inuyasha whispered softly in her ear, "Let's just say…we won't be seeing much more of Kikyo."
Madame Kaede stood in Sango's dressing room, debating on going after Inuyasha and Kagome. After a moment, though, she brushed the idea aside. If she had, she would probably have gotten lost, and that wouldn't have helped at all.
Instead, she contented herself with the only thing she could help with at the moment—she began to pick up the shattered glass to the mirror.
When she had most of the bigger pieces collected, she found a broom and brushed the small ones away from the ruined mirror and into a pile in the corner.
She surveyed her work and nodded. It would have to do until she could find a dust bin.
Madame Kaede suddenly jumped as she heard voices in the hallway. They were close—why hadn't she heard them before! They sounded angry, and Kaede realized with panic that they were the voices of the managers.
She turned to face the shattered mirror. What to do!
Her eyes found Sango's dresser, and she quickly ran over it and began to push it across the room to the empty frame.
She had just finished when the managers walked in.
"Madame Kaede? What are you doing here? Where's Ms. Youkaitashi?" Ginta asked.
Hakkaku just smiled and waved at her, and she forced a smile back. He was obviously very drunk. Red Death's appearance must of really gotten to him.
"She's out at the moment, but she'll be back soon. Is there something you wanted to tell her?"
Ginta sighed. "She probably could guess, anyway, as the ghost seems to like her for some reason, but she got the largest, coolest role in his opera. We were just going to give her some of the music to practice…"
"I'll give it to her." Keade offered. Then, curiously, she added, "So you are going to perform it?"
Ginta gave her a sour look. "Do we have any choice? Here is Mademoiselle Youkaitashi's music."
Kaede carefully took it from him, and then the managers left.
She breathed a sigh of relief and set the music on the bed.
Then her gaze turned back to the pile of glass in the corner. 'I'll have to find a dust bin before someone notices.' she thought, then turned to go look for one.
However, the doorway was blocked by a shadowy figure.
Madame Kaede gasped as she realized that it was the Miroku
She was about to ask why he was here, but he spoke first. His voice sounded worried—almost frantic.
"Where is Sango?"
"She's with you, isn't she?"
Miroku groaned and leaned against the doorway.
"Why, Miroku? What's wrong?"
Miroku shook his head and wouldn't answer. Then he looked up and noticed that the dresser was pushed in front of the mirror. He frowned.
"Why is the mirror blocked?"
Kaede flushed a bit. "Oh… I… well…Kikyo, ye see, she was going to…and she threw Sango's hairbrush at… So she could get through, you see… and she… Well, she broke it."
Miroku waved that away, too upset to worry much about the broken mirror. The fact that Kaede was acting odd meant nothing to him. He was too troubled about Sango to think of anything else.
"She… she wouldn't have tried to cross the lake, would she?"
"In what? The boat?" she asked curiously. "Well, yes, I suppose."
Miroku closed his eyes, trying to compose himself. "Why would she leave me?" He whispered.
"Inuyasha and Kagome are looking for ye." Kaede added.
Miroku's head snapped up and he stared at her. After a tense moment, he said, "Follow me."
He walked out into the hallway, and after a moment Keade followed out of sheer curiosity.
She followed him around to the back entrance to his home—the one that went through the torture room—and then he led her out of the front door again.
"We couldn't take the shorter route, over the lake." He explained, "And that is why."
Miroku pointed out to the middle of the lake, where the boat floated.
Kaede gave him a puzzled look. "What happened?"
"I'm not worried about the boat. The Siren will bring it back. But…"
"The Siren? What happened?"
Miroku sighed. "If anyone other than me tries to cross in that boat, the Siren in the lake drowns them." his voice broke about halfway through, and he turned away, trying to compose himself again.
"That is why I asked you where Sango was." he whispered. "I heard someone crying out, but by the time I got out here… It was too late."
"I think that Kikyo is dead, Kagome." Inuyasha said.
Kagome's skin whitened several shades. "W-what do you mean… he didn't kill…" she trailed off, eyes wide with horror.
"No."
Kagome sighed, relieved. "Then why do you think that?"
Inuyasha gestured to the boat. "I think she drowned. Surprisingly, I don't mind much." Inuyasha gave a sardonic grin.
Miroku walked down the passageways in the cellar with ease, pushing all of his emotions away at the moment. He couldn't focus on… on… her. Not now.
Ahh, let's see now… who was first on his list? …
Sango wouldn't like this. Sango would be upset with you…
Miroku pushed the voice to the back of his mind and kept walking.
The managers, of course, were first. Ginta and Firmin… Miroku shook his head. They truly didn't know how to run a business.
Not that he was going to kill them. No, he had something better planned…
Next on his list, right under them, was Kikyo. He wasn't going to worry about her until the morning, however, because she had been strangely quiet lately, and he was tired.
Then Bankotsu, he needed to lose weight. Apparently, he still wasn't trying much, for he was heavy now than he was before. Miroku certainly recalled telling Ginta and Hakkaku when they first arrived that the man needed to lose weight, and though he had just reminded him at the Masquerade, he could tell that they still weren't going to listen to him.
Miroku came out of a passageway close to the manager's sleeping quarters. Ginta's was on the left side of the hall, and Firmin's was on the right.
Miroku smiled thinly. Before he died—and oh, yes, he was certainly going to die… he knew he wouldn't be able to live now, without Sango—he was going to make sure that Don Juan was performed perfectly. Unfortunately, part of this was relying on the managers, who were…well… less than perfect. And who would play the lead?
Miroku heard angry voices from Ginta's room. Apparently, they were arguing about the score. Gintra was furiously complaining that the music was too hard, the scale was ridiculous, and the entire opera was overall nonsense. Hakkaku, apparently, was still trying to get over his drunkenness, and was saying something about how the cast would just have to work hard, big deal, could he go to sleep now?
Miroku slunk back into the passageways, and found the trapdoor that led to the room the managers were in. The trapdoor exited behind a wall-hanging of some sort.
He opened the door, but stayed behind the hanging.
"Good evening, messieurs, I see you are having trouble with my opera."
The managers silenced in an instant.
Miroku smiled and decided to have a little bit of fun. He threw his voice to the other side of the room.
"What is your complaint with my opera?" he demanded.
The managers whirled around in their seats and stared at the opposite end of the room.
"N-nothing." Hakkaku stuttered, "It's fine—"
"Yeah right!" Ginta snapped, "Your opera is complete nonsense! The music is much too hard for anyone to play, let alone sing!"
Miroku threw his voice once more, so that it would be right beside them. "Then maybe you need a better orchestra!" he hissed.
Ginta jumped at the closeness of the voice, and Hakkaku nearly fell out of his chair.
"W-what…" Hakkaku stuttered, but once more Ginta cut him off.
"Our orchestra is fine! There is nothing wrong with their talent! I think that it is you that has problems! The score is stupid! None of these notes even sound nicely when played together! Do you want the audience to walk out and ask for refunds!"
Miroku slipped out from behind the hanging. Ginta and Hakkaku didn't see this, as they were not looking in his direction. "Good evening, Messieurs."
He could hear both managers' startled shouts as they scrambled to turn and face him.
When they did, they watched him glide over to stand beside the piano that Ginta had in his room. One of the previous managers had played the piano at least decently, and he had never taken it with him when he left. Perhaps he had thought it was cursed, like everything else at the Opera House.
Ginta and Hakkaku stared at him, then exchanged looks with each other.
Miroku smoothly sat down at the piano and began to play a song from his score.
The managers could only stare, astonished.
Miroku frowned. The piano's pitch wasn't perfect, and it wasn't nearly as good as playing the organ. Still… it was nice to play one last time…
When he finished he stood swiftly, returning his managers' amazed stare with flashing cobalt eyes.
"Is there a problem, gentlemen?"
There was a long pause, then Ginta stammered, "N-no."
Miroku smiled. "Good. Then I have no need to kill you. Yet. My opera will be perfect, messieurs, remember that."
He swiftly blew out the candle, and faded into the passageways once more.
When the managers relit the candle, they were amazed to find that he was gone.
"But the door was locked!" Ginta cried, "And the key is still in my pocket!"
Hakkaku only stared and shrugged.
Miroku rubbed his temples. That hadn't gone the way he had wanted it to. Had wanted to scare them out of their wits—but he hadn't been able to threaten them with anything, or to hurt them. Suddenly he had lost all his passion to do so. He had told Kaede that he was going to scare people, but now he no longer cared.
He sighed, then suddenly collapsed in the passage. 'What did it matter?' he wondered to himself, 'Sango is gone. There is no lead for the play anyway.' No one other than Sango could do the part. He had tailored it to her voice after he met her. No one else would sound right… and certainly not Kikyo, who would surely get the lead when they discovered that Sango had disappeared.
Miroku closed his eyes. Everything was falling apart, and it was his fault. It was his fault Sango was dead…
He closed his eyes, and slumped against the wall, wondering if he could just die there. After all, it wouldn't matter… nothing mattered…
…Three days later…
Sango was more than upset. She had merely gone to change out of her wet dress, and when she had come back, he was gone. And she was in his house all alone! Where was he?
Sango began to cry.
"Oh Miroku…" she whispered, tears coming to her eyes, "Where are you?"
Inuyasha searched the passageways once again, after dropping Kagome off.
He had hunted through almost all of the passages, however, and was beginning to lose hope of finding his friend. Maybe he wasn't there after all. Maybe he had left the opera house for good…
Suddenly the hanyou, who had been lost in his own thoughts, stumbled over something lying in the pathway.
His eyes widened as he saw what it was.
"Miroku!" He quickly knelt down beside him, shaking him gently. "Miroku, how long have you been down here?"
Miroku didn't respond, and his eyes remained closed. His breathing was shaky, and his skin was even paler than usual.
Inuyasha shook him a little bit harder, and Miroku weakly pushed him away.
"Who…? Ah, Inuyasha. I should have known you'd find me." he lay back and closed his eyes once more. "Leave me, now. I did not want to be found. I was so close…"
Inuyasha wouldn't leave. "Miroku, no, get up! You don't understand— Why aren't you in your house? "
But Miroku was unconscious, now, a small, sad smile on his face.
Inuyasha knew that now he wouldn't be able to wake Miroku up. If his guess was right, Miroku had been laying here in the cold, damp passageway for nearly two and a half to three days, and had lost a lot of strength. He wouldn't live much longer. He had lost the will to live.
"Miroku! She's alive." Inuyasha sighed, knowing his friend couldn't hear him. "She's alive."
Sango was pacing her room anxiously, trying to think of anymore places to look for Miroku that they hadn't thought of yet, when suddenly there was a knock.
She turned to face the door.
Inuyasha stepped in, looking tired.
"I'm glad you're here, Sango. I've found Miroku."
Sango's eyes brightened. "You did?" she whispered, almost not daring to believe it.
Inuyasha nodded, and then sighed. "I dragged him down here. Help me lift him."
Sango's happy smile suddenly faded away. "You have to carry him? Why?" she closed her eyes and swayed slightly. "He's not… he isn't…"
"He's still alive, but barely. He might not make it."
Sango hurried over and helped him carry Miroku over, and then set him on her bed.
"Miroku…" she touched his cheek and gasped. He was cold… even colder than usual. "Where was he? What can we do?"
"I found him in a passageway on the right side of the building. Apparently he had just collapsed there. Sango… I've never seen him like this. I think he wants to die." Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. "He thought you died and didn't bother to check his own house before coming to conclusions."
"Died?" Sango said in horror.
Inuyasha grimaced. "Kikyo's dead, Sango. She went to shoot Miroku with a revolver she had found. She took the gondola but the Siren drown— the siren drowns anyone who stirs the boat other than Miroku. I'm guessing he heard her screams and thought it was you trying to return to the opera."
Sango was now more frantic than ever. "What can we do! How can we help him! He has to live… he has to!"
"Pile the blankets on top of him." Inuyasha instructed, "I'll get him some water. We'll have a better chance of saving him if we can wake him up. Plus, he hasn't taken in any water for nearly three days… he has to drink something. I'll try to get some food, too, but we don't have much time."
Sango nodded, and ran over to a chest in a corner to pull out some blankets that she used when the weather got cold, then pulled them over top of Miroku.
When she looked up, she saw that Inuyasha had already left.
She turned her gaze back to Miroku, and stroked his forehead. "Oh, Miroku… please live… you have to live…"
She set her head down on his chest and cried, unable to stop the tears. "I love you, Miroku. Please…please… don't leave me…"
A/N: That solves my Kikyo dialogue problem!