In the last Chapter:
The baby was stolden from Kanna and Kohaku by Matsume. Matsume was the sister that Kanna and Kagura never knew about and now, her soul depends on the life of the baby. Sango, Kouga and Kirara go after her to retrieve and fight for the baby that holds her father's soul.
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha but I do have my words! Muhahahaha!
As the wind whipped through her hair; she remembered how much she loved her father. She glanced beside her and Kouga was running a long side Kirara. She was grateful that he dismounted her a little ways back so she wouldn't tire too quickly. She glanced back ahead of her as her thoughts wandered back to her father. She knew that being a demon slayer was hard and that she could endure that. But living with one that was as good as her father was far more difficult. Her father trained her long and hard with the Hiraikotsu. She smiled as she remembered when he brought it to her.
It was late in the afternoon and her father walked into the meadow behind their home where she was playing with Kirara. The Hiraikotsu was behind him and he took it off his back and presented it to her.
"Sango, this is going to be your weapon while fighting the demons with us."
Taking the large bone boomerang from him, she couldn't believe the weight.
"Father, I don't think that I can wield this. It is so large and heavy, how do you expect me to throw it?"
"I will teach you. This is called the Hiraikotsu. It will be your main fighting weapon while we are in battle. It is made of many various demons' bones that we have killed. It is strong but it will break under enough pressure. I will have to show you how to repair it as well."
Sango looked over the great weapon and smiled at her father. She nodded her head in agreement and he smiled back at her.
"Father, I will make you very proud to use this weapon that you have made especially for me."
"Sango are you ok?" Kouga asked.
"I am fine. I was just remembering the first time that my father gave me the Hiraikotsu." Sango said smiling.
"Wow, I am sure that you father knew that you would do well with it."
"He did. Although it took several weeks for me to throw it accurately but I learned fast. I wanted him to be proud of me and Kohaku wanted nothing but the same thing."
"Well I am sure that you have already done that. Sango you have already avenged him and your comrades by killing Naraku with Kagome and now that you have helped Kohaku live free and happy; I am sure that you father is proud of his children."
"Kouga you know that there are times when you scare me."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"I just forget at times that you can be wise and thoughtful of others when you want to be."
Kouga laughed and jumped on Kirara's back lightly behind Sango. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
"We will get him back Sango. We will find Matsume and get the baby back."
"I know Kouga, but I don't want to kill Matsume in the end. She is Kanna's sister after all."
"We will see if she is being controlled. You know that her mind is vulnerable when her life is in danger."
"Yes I know. I just hope that it is not too late."
Sango's face was very worried. The baby was only a day old. He will need to be fed soon. Can Matsume take care of him while she is doing this?"
Kouga's grip on her waist tightened.
"Mijtsu will be fine. If he is anything like your father and Kohaku, he will make sure that he survives."
Just as Kouga said that, the southern mountains came into view. Sango could feel the evil energy here and Kirara hated it as well. They moved in and out of various mountains trying to find Matsume's dead smell. Which they found near the most southern part of the mountains. Kirara mewed and they started heading down to the ground.
Just as Sango and Kouga dismounted off of Kirara, they were surrounded.
"You should not have come. Shaka is not wanting you here." A deep voiced said loudly.
Sango couldn't pin point where the voice was coming from but she was determined to fight if necessary.
"Since when do you take orders from an evil sorceress?" Kouga demanded.
"You are Lord Kouga of the Northern Wolf tribe."
"Yes I am and this is my mate Sango of the demon slayer village." Kouga said proudly.
"We have no quarrels from you or your mate. But we cannot let you pass."
"I am sorry but we must retrieve the kit from her. He is of my blood and my nephew. Therefore he is one of my clan." Kouga demanded.
"I am sorry Lord Kouga, but Shaka told us that if you pass, then our lives are sent to the netherworld."
"I am sorry but that is not true. You are the son of Oliefke. His pure blood runs through you. Which means your life and soul are safe. You are unable to pass into the netherworld because of this reason."
While all of this was being said, Sango and Kirara were walking around trying to find the entrance to the cave. And with each passing moment, she was losing the bond she had with the baby. She looked at Kouga and he knew what she was feeling.
"Lord Oshinke, you are doing your job well with distracting us. While the child's soul is being ripped from his tender body. I request passage one more time and after that we will use force. And we are not scared to because my mate was one of the people who fought and destroyed Naraku. And I know that you now understand that she is powerful and strong. So I request again. Please allow us safe passage to retrieve the baby." Kouga said, the sheer determination apparent on his face.
"Can you assure us that we will not be sent to the netherworld?"
"I promise you with my life." Sango said confidently.
"Then you may pass."
"Arigato Oshinke, for we shall meet face to face soon." Sango said happily.
The side of the mountains started to shake and then they saw that it was stone ogres that they were dealing with. Pieces of what Sango thought was mountains, moved gracefully out of the way, onto a neighboring mountain. Oshinke made his way to Sango and bowed. Kirara growled at him and he petted her lightly.
"Be safe in there. This mountain is the strongest of all of them. There is much magic in there. I will see you when you emerge with the kit."
"Thank you Oshinke." Kouga said as he bowed to the ogre.
When the ogre moved, the entrance was revealed to them. They walked in slowly and were soon met with such a great light and soft crying of the baby. Kouga, Sango and Kirara moved quickly into the main room of the mountain.
"I am glad that you made it Sango. I was hoping that you were going to miss this." Matsume said with a smile.
Sango gasped a little at what she saw before her. Torches lit around the circular room. A small tub of medicinal herbs near the middle of the chamber, the baby lying in it crying. A large fire pit in the middle with the shape of the body hardening in it. The wavy black hair apparent on its head and in its hands was a piece of the Sprig of Life. Sango knew instantly whose body that was hardening on the fire. It was Naraku's human body. And she was going to put the soul of her own father into that body!
Matsume laughed at Sango's realization of the matter but saw that Sango had not noticed all of the smaller demons waiting to devour the clay body above them. Matsume started chanting and the body on the fire started to move on it's own accord.
Kouga was looking around wondering where the sorceress was. He could not see her anywhere but he knew she was close because of her scent. He then found it wrapped within Matsume's own death scent. Shaka was now living in Matsume's body instead of her own. That was the reason Matsume was able to perform the difficult task.
"Sango, they are one of the same body. Shaka must have transferred her soul and magic into Matsume's body." Kouga said silently.
"You are correct wolf. I have transferred everything from my old body into this nice supple one. It is alright, Matsume had fun giving up everything and she was going to die anyways."
The body on the fire was now starting to get up and move around. Matsume/Shaka handed the form clothing for it to put on.
"What did you mean by she was going to die anyways?" Sango asked.
"The ogres had already beaten her nicely by the time I came out. She did not get permission to take the flowers away from here. So they beat her almost to death. Leaving her to die slowly and full of much pain. But I found her and healed her then took her body over."
"What are you planning to do with the baby?" Kouga asked.
"Why his soul is going to be moved into Naraku's new body and then the demons are going to devour him making him alive once again."
"Yes but that is the soul of my father not Muso!" Sango cried out.
"I know. All the better because the anger in his soul will manifest once the demons eat him and he will be like the old Naraku with a twist."
"And the twist is that he goes after us right?" Kouga asked.
"Yes you are correct Kouga. Matsume's and his revenge will be served."
"You know that you will not win right?" Sango asked placing a firm grip upon her Hiraikotsu.
"I will happen my dear Sango because your old love Miroku is not here to save you." Matsume/Shaka taunted.
"That may be true Matsume but I have someone stronger and whom I love dearly. Kouga and Kirara will help me defeat you and banish you forever in the netherworld." Sango said with great conviction in her voice.
Kirara already knew what she needed to do and she was ready. Kouga knew he had to move Matsume/Shaka away from the baby and take him out of the tub quickly while Sango dealt with the demons overhead. Sango looked at both of them and nodded.
Kirara at once jumped on the new body of Naraku and proceeded to bust it apart. Kouga leapt and landed on Matsume/Shaka, knocking her away from the baby. He could hear Kiara growling and tearing the new clay body apart. Sango was throwing her weapon time after time showering everyone with dead pieces of demons. Kouga grabbed the baby and jumped near Sango while Kirara advanced on Matsume/Shaka.
"Kirara! We have the baby! Let's go!" Sango shouted.
Kirara roared loudly in the air and the mirror that was on her collar started glowing.
"That fucking wench!" Matsume/Shaka screamed.
Sango and Kouga then understood why Kirara told them to wait. Shaka's soul started to escape Matsume's body first. It was a dark red soul that was very angry. Matsume tried to pull away from the mirror and she was having great difficulty.
"No! This can't be happening! I need to stay in Matsume's body!" Shaka screamed from within the dark mist of her soul. Matsume looked at Kirara and then at Sango and Kouga.
"I am sorry for this. I did not want to do this but she caught me stealing the flowers and I didn't want to die yet but now that I am, please tell Kanna that I love her and that I am sorry."
Then Matsume's soul was engulfed into the mirror. Her body stood there for a minute and then the cuts and bruises started to show. All over her body there were injuries and wounds showing up. A pool of blood was now at her feet and then the body fell to the floor. Kirara roared and then went to Sango's side. Where Sango bent down and hugged her tightly.
"Let's go home." Sango said.
Kouga nodded and then they started heading outside. When they got there, Oshinke greeted them.
"I see that you have survived the ordeal inside."
"I see that you are not in the netherworld." Kouga said smiling.
"Yes she held up her promise and as a thank you, please accept these from us." Oshinke said holding out a handful of Moondragon flowers.
Sango smiled as she accepted them with a smile and bowed low to him.
"I thank you very much for these Oshinke. My sister-in-law Kanna will love them."
"If she would like them to grow around her, all they need to do is put a drop of their blood on the petals and then bury the flower. If the gods approve, a section of the land around where the buried the flower will bloom and keep blooming until they are sent into the afterlife."
Sango went to Oshinke and gave him a hug. Then she mounted Kirara and they left. Sango was happy that they got the baby back and the flowers but she was happier that Matsume regretted her actions and only time would tell if Kanna would forgive her.
