Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine; they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. The following story is for entertainment and not profit.
Chapter 13: An Inevitable Fate
Sango slipped into the warm water of the spring and felt the tension in her muscles release. She had never thought to indulge in such pleasures before travelling with Kagome, but she had to admit the long soaks they shared were wonderful, 'girl time' with Kirara standing guard to protect them from minor demons and any peeping monks.
"How long are you going to say mad at Inu Yasha?"
"Huh?" Kagome opened her eyes to look at the woman across from her, "Oh, I'm not angry with him. I just wish he had better control over his temper."
Sango stared, confused. "Are you feeling alright?"
Her question spawned a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just find it hard to stay mad at him, especially after the long talk I had with Naosu. She helped me figure some things out." She became curious as the smile on Kagome's face grew warmer. What sort of revelation could have the power to make her so happy? Kagome continues when she noticed the look Sango gave her. "She told me that if I was going to love a half-demon, I would have to be prepared to accept him even at his worst, all his faults, or I'd never be happy. So that's what I'm doing…because I love him."
"Maybe that's why I can't stay angry with Miroku anymore." She had only meant to think the thought, but found herself unable to stop it from escaping under her breath.
"Really?" Kagome asked slyly, moving closer to Sango as a virulent blush spread across the exterminator's skin. "I didn't know you felt that way about Miroku." She suspected it, even attempted to encourage it, but now she was going to get it confirmed from the source. A scheming twinkle crept into her eye. "You should tell him how you feel."
"What!? No, I could never," she sputtered as she edged away from the other woman in the spring, "I mean, I don't know how he would react, how he feels, and he's a good friend, and…and…"
"And you like him. Admit it."
"Fine. Yes, I do." Maybe it was the warm water, or the strain from walking on eggshells all day to avoid setting off the still touchy hanyou, but Sango just couldn't find the energy to hold out against a prying Kagome, "But please don't say anything to him. I'll tell him when I'm ready and the timing is right. I promise."
"I can live with that." Kagome smiled as she turned and climbed out of the warm water. She had gotten what she wanted, for now. Sango sighed and followed her, dressing quickly before returning to where they had left the boys.
Five days of searching and still they had no clue as to where Naosu was, or even where she may have been. The farther north they travelled the more demonic scents criss-crossed their path, something was going on and not knowing what was beginning to put Inu Yasha a little on edge.
"It's getting late. We should think about making camp, Inu Yasha." Kagome said, as she gently tugged at his sleeve to get his attention.
"Why? You tired or something?" He responded without so much as a sideways glance.
"No, but -"
"Then we keep moving. No move stopping unless we absolutely have to." After a pause, he let out an irritated huff, "I'm going on ahead. You people are slowing me down."
Kagome stopped suddenly in her tracks, "Inu Yasha, wait -"
"What!?" he snapped turning sharply.
"I sense a jewel shard…just over that hill." Inu Yasha took off in the direction she indicated, sure that they had finally located the object of their search, knowing the others would do their best to keep up with him. But as he crested the small rise it wasn't Naosu that he saw. At the foot of the slope stood a single teen-aged boy dressed in the garb of a demon exterminator backed by a writhing swarm of Naraku's demonic wasps.
Sango felt her voice catch as she struggled to bring her emotions under control, "Kohaku." Miroku allowed his arm to slip around her shoulders in an effort to bring her added strength and comfort.
A flash of recognition crossed the boy's face at the familiar voice of his sister before Naraku's control reasserted itself. "Where have you hid the girl!?"
"Like we're going to tell you!" If Naraku didn't know where Naosu was, Inu Yasha wasn't about to let him know that they didn't either.
As Kohaku tightened his grip on his sickle the Saimyoushou moved into a more menacing formation in preparation for the attack. Inu Yasha readied Tetsusaiga as the others moved to stand read too with their respective weapons. Their opponent, however, remained unmoving, the wasps waiting.
'Kill them!' Naraku's insistant voice filled Kohaku's head, 'KILL THEM, NOW!' His eyes locked on Sango his own pained voice pushed back at the intruder in his mind, 'NO! I WILL NOT!'
'Then I no longer have any use of you.'
Across the field six sets of eyes watched as the weapon slipped from the boy's hand, his features displaying the battle that waged within him. Miroku's staff fell to the ground as he let go of it to better restrain the woman at his side. Sango struggled in his grasps as she watched her brother's body crumple into the grass, his hands pressed to his temples and his face contorted in pain. Her eyes widened in horror as one of the Saimyoushou swooped down and tore the jewel shard from his back. "NOOOO!" With a desperate lounge she wrenched free of the monk's firm grip and ran to her slumping brother's side.
"SANGO!" Miroku yelled for her as the swarm moved to surround her. Knowing the danger, he torn the beads from his hand and unleashed the power of his wind tunnel, pulling the insects away from her.
She barely heard the monk's worried cry as she clutched Kohaku's quickly cooling body to her own, before she felt the gentle tug of wind on her hair. 'He wouldn't.' She turned her tear-filled eyes back to where she had left him standing to see her selfless companion struggling to remain on his feet. The Saimyoushou flew willingly into the gaping hole in the monk's hand, their poison quickly becoming too much for him.
Miroku, his mind fevered and fire coursing through his veins, felt someone take hold of his wrist and loop the blessed prayer beads back into place. The wind tunnel sealed, his body could no longer resist the poison that flowed through it. 'And so this is how it will end,' he thought, 'not consumed as my father was, but as a sacrifice to save the only woman whose love I've ever wanted. Goodbye, Sango.'
Kagome felt the monk's body go slack as he seemed to slip into unconsciousness. Not being able to support his full weight, she did the best she could to guide his fall to the ground turning him to lay on his back. Her mind desperately searched for anyway to help her stricken, unconscious friend.
Sango looked back to the lifeless form she held in her arms. "Forgive me, Kohaku." She whispered into his hair as she laid the now empty shell of her brother down. With the swiftness of a hare she moved from her deceased sibling to her fading friend.
"Miroku, you idiot," she scolded. "What have you done?"
Kagome watched with tearing eyes as the other woman repeatedly slapped and shook the monk in an attempt to wake him. How could she bring herself to tell Sango the truth? Miroku was dead.