Michyasha: Thanks to everyone who reviewed my story so far! Makes me happy. I haven't been home a lot lately, so that's why this chapter is so late. Sorry if it's a bit short!
Anyways,
Disclaimer: I don't own nothing.
Chapter 5: So We Meet Again, My Beloved Killer
Miroku sighed and stared up at the starry skies, trying to figure out what had happened in the last few hours. Kagome was dead and Naraku had made off with all but one of their jewel shards. Sango was in a state of shock/depression. Inuyasha had disappeared altogether. Shippou hadn't even batted an eyelash all day. He was still sleeping like a log. A very noisy log….
A twig snapped and Miroku tensed. But it was only Sango. (who had been collecting firewood apparently.) She bent over and started to throw sticks into the fire. She said nothing while she did this. It was so depressing. Miroku didn't even feel like groping her, she was so sad.
"Miroku…" Sango whispered, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
Miroku got of his log and sat down next to her.
"Normally," Said Miroku. "I would ask you what was wrong. But it's pretty obvious this time."
Sango didn't reply to this. She just looked at him for a second before returning to what seemed to be a very interesting fire. Miroku didn't know what to do or say. Sango seemed to be off in her own world, locked away from everyone. How could he help her if she wouldn't talk to him?
"It's not your fault Sango." he whispered.
Sango hung her head so that her bangs covered her eyes. "Yes it is."
She clutched the cloth of her skirt, trying to keep herself from crying. Miroku watched with concern.
"Sango?" He tried to reach out to touch her shoulder, but Sango stood up before he could.
"Where is Inuyasha?" Sango asked.
"I don't know," Miroku replied, thrown off by the sudden change of subject. "But he can't be far."
Inuyasha glared at his reflection, hating it. How could this have happened? How could he have been weak enough to succumb to his demons die and kill the woman he loved? How?
With an anguished snarl he pounded his fist into the river desperately trying to destroy his image. It horrified him now. He didn't feel like he even deserved to live.
'Oh Kagome…'
Inuyasha gritted his teeth.
The scent of Kagome's blood was all over his hands. It was constantly reminding him the Kagome was dead. This was even worse than when Kikyou died. Kikyou had died willingly once she recognized her fate. Inuyasha was surprised to realize that he didn't love Kikyou anymore like he had always thought he did.
"Inuyasha?" Inuyasha heard someone standing behind him.
He turned around to see Sango, with an apologetic and sad expression on her face.
"What do you want?" he snapped.
Sango sighed. Inuyasha was trying to be his usual self in front of her.
To hide what he was feeling. However, he was failing miserably.
Sango knelt down beside Inuyasha.
"I came to apologize."
Inuyasha blinked. "How come?"
Sango started twisting the material of her skirt as she spoke.
"K-Kagome asked me t-to stop you if you tried to hurt her during that battle, but-"Sango squeezed her eyes shut and began to cry. "I thought you had been knocked unconscious so I went to go looking for Naraku instead. I had no idea that you were still conscious." Sango was sobbing now. "This whole thing is my fault. I knew something like this was going to happen from the start and- and…" Emotions flooded her and she buried her face in her hands, tears flooding down her cheeks.
Inuyasha hadn't said a word through Sango's story. He sighed.
"Don't worry Sango. It's not your fault, not completely anyway."
Sango looked up a little surprised at his reaction.
"You aren't the one who killed her." Inuyasha continued. "But the thing the gets me most is that fact that, well.." he trailed off.
Sango wiped her eyes and asked Inuyasha to continue. Inuyasha took a deep breath.
"I could see what I was doing and I knew it was wrong but I was too weak to do anything about it. I didn't even try!"
Sango sighed. "We're both to blame then."
The two stood up and as they did, Inuyasha saw Sango in a whole new light. She had never treated him like this before. She had always gone to Kagome or Miroku for help. This was also the first time he had connected with her emotionally. Without thinking, Inuyasha pulled Sango into a tight hug, a hug which Sango was only too happy to return. Both of them knew that this was only a friend to friend hug, but it sure didn't look that way.
"I feel horrible about this" said Sango, her voice muffled against Inuyasha's shoulder. Thinking that she meant the hug, Inuyasha went 'about what?'
"I feel like I let both you and Kagome down." After thinking for a few seconds a realization dawned on him.
"We have a lot in common." Sango gently broke their embrace trying to see whether she agreed with that statement or not. "I mean, think about it, we're both strong fighters who barely show emotion to others."
"We were both almost killed by someone we love." added Sango, "And they were both resurrected."
"Yeah" Agreed Inuyasha.
"One by an old hag and another by Naraku" Sango and Inuyasha stared at each other for a few seconds trying to figure out where this conversation was getting at. A few random words passed through their minds
'Resurrection…, magic… wish…' before the solution hit them.
Shippou snorted and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a night sky.
'How long was I asleep for?' He wondered.
Shippou sat up, looking around. He was all alone, save for Miroku and Kirara.
"Where is everybody?" Asked Shippou.
Miroku looked in Shippou's direction. Giving him a small smile, Miroku went back to staring at the sky. Shippou got up and plopped himself next to Miroku.
"Where did Kagome Sango and Inuyasha go? Inuyasha didn't make Kagome mad again did he? Inuyasha has to learn to treat her better don't you think?"
Miroku gave Shippou sides glance after the last two questions. His voice filled with resignation Miroku went into his most professional mode.
"Shippou, there is something you should know." Shippou blinked. Miroku took a deep breath and-
"WHAAAAATTT?" Shippou screamed as loud as he could.
Miroku winced at all the noise. He knew Shippou wasn't going to take the news well but he certainly hadn't expected that.
"Here you are." Ihsus pointed to a pool of water surrounded by 7 smooth rocks.
"Stand in the water and try to contact Inuyasha with your mind"
Kagome poked her foot in the pool, testing the water. Reassured that it wasn't freezing cold, Kagome stepped into it,
'Inuyasha… where are you? Can you hear me?'
Inuyasha froze. Was that Kagome's voice?
'Kagome is that you?'
Kagome nearly collapsed at the sound of Inuyasha's voice.
'Yeah it's me.'
Very slowly, an image began to form inside of Inuyasha's head. It was Kagome! She was standing in a pool of water with her eyes closed.
'Inuyasha, there's something that I don't understand. Will you explain it to me?'
Inuyasha was confused. But he replied
'Sure. What don't you understand?'
The answer almost knocked him off his feet.
'It's just that you seem completely different from the person who killed me. Have you got a brother or something?
Sweat drop…
'Kagome, you know that I have a brother. What's going on?'
He sounded so concerned and worried that it made her want to cry. Never mind. It did.
Kagome burst into tears before Inuyasha's very… mind.
'I don't remember anything from my life except you! I see flashes of memories but I have no idea what they mean!'
Kagome was so distressed and he could do nothing about it. It felt almost as bad as that horrible night when he held Kagome in his arms for the last time.
'Inuyasha,' Kagome's crying had died down and she was staring at him with an indescribable expression on her face.
'Tell me the truth. Are you really the one responsible for my death? Are you the one who killed me?'
Inuyasha's eyes widened. Kagome noted that Inuyasha looked almost scared.
'I need to know, Are you my lover or my murderer?' she whispered.
Michyasha: I don't think I did so bad. I'm only… 2 months late posting this up. I hope its good enough. R&R please!
