The sun's golden rays warmed the village, fat white clouds floating lazily overhead. The scent of sawdust filled the air as did the sounds of the villagers working and laughing. With their buildings on the mend, the farmers were passing through the streets, setting out to sell their crops to the next village over.
The first villagers to leave in several hundred years.
Miraculously, other than destroying the temple and several huts, the Outengu had caused no human casualties. A few of the villagers had to be bedridden to mend their wounds, but thanks to the tireless efforts of Seiko and the villagers who helped her they were all going to survive. Now, they could begin the long and arduous process of catching up with and rejoining the outside world.
That was a problem Ronuku didn't care to see how it turned out. It was long past time he left this dirt hole.
"Come ooon," he heard Kohana whine impatiently and stamp her foot, "It's been nearly a week since we took down that bastard, just what exactly are we waiting for?!"
"Kohana please, you know you two were injured and needed time to heal," Kaida responded, annoyed, "Seiko-sama's been very...generous...to you."
The four of them, students and pupils stood outside their hut, everything packed and ready to go. At long last, after over a month of training, they were ready to leave the village and return to their friends and family. The only thing that remained was Kaida's insistence that they give Seiko a proper farewell.
"Yeah...'generous' isn't the word I'd use." Kohana huffed
Ronuku sensed Kohana's anger and knew she recalled the moment after their battle against the Outengu when they confronted the blind priestess. Seiko had known all along that that monster had been waiting for them, but even now she refused to admit it. The two couldn't help but feel used and tricked; even though the priestess had shown them how to use their powers, at this point they harbored no love for her.
"Regardless," Kaida glared, "She still gave us a place to rest, and had the village provide us with enough food and supplies for a return journey to the others."
"If it were up to the ol' broad, we wouldn't be returning to our families." Ronuku grunted, his head lowered as he stabbed the firm ground a few times with the tip of his blade. His hand drifted and clenched the worn, wrapped handle of the blade tightly rocking and balancing his palm over the edge in restlessness.
"Enough," Naoe said, seeming annoyed with their impatience, "Lady Kaida and I are just as eager to return, but these things must be handled properly. Do not forget the value of what you've learned while staying in this village and training with Seiko-sama." The samurai's eyes glanced over both their pupils. "…Both of you." His voice rang firm, with a tone not unlike a tired parent lecturing their child's ill manners.
It was a tone that further infuriated his wild-maned student.
Despite all their talk, Ronuku found no comfort in the words of Lady Kaida, or Naoe. By now they stood only as permanent guards obstructing the pathway back to his wife and unborn child. The younger bushi's eyes darted to Kohana, his sole ally during what felt like the longest journey of their lives. After the fight with the Outengu, a quiet understanding had developed between the two. Their bickering had ceased for the time being, now replaced with frequent shared looks and solemn thoughts. It was their family at stake, nobody else would understand the feeling.
Kohana met Ronuku's look with a nod and turned back to their masters.
"Fine then," the young mother sighed "We'll say goodbye. But is there any way we can hurry this along?"
"I believe that Seiko-sama is preparing to come speak with us," Kaida said, "Once she's done tending to her village, she'll stop by here. I know you aren't fond of her-"
"Understatement," Kohana mumbled.
"-But just be polite. She's done a lot for you this past month and a half, you know. Once we're done here, we'll travel as fast as possible. I promise." Kaida glanced towards the crumbled archway of the temple where Seiko was making her rounds amongst the wounded villagers. The line from that morning had gone down considerably, "It shouldn't be too long now. Just a few minutes."
Knowing that there was little chance for their pupils' attitudes about the situation to improve, Kaida and Naoe stepped aside and began to discuss the path they'd take to return to the rest of the group, leaving the two to stew in their agitation. Impatience crawled along Ronuku's skin, images of a pregnant Sango flashing through his mind.
We've been here so long, I can't take it anymore. I need to be there, Sango needs me, what if she's already-
"So, have you thought of any names yet?"
Despite their connection, Kohana's question took Ronuku by surprise. He glanced up, his hardened brows lightening for what seemed to be the first time since their journey began. Exhaustion, and the creases from constant worrying formed lines on his face. He bit his lip, looking down at the ground again with a small shake of the head.
"…Nah, we ah…" He grunted, his response riddled with hesitation as his impending parenthood shook him to the core once more. "Mm… hadn't much a chance to talk about of that for a while… not since we first found out." He admitted quietly, before glancing up again briefly. "…How bad does that sound?"
"Typical, you're never prepared." Kohana chided, though her tone was much softer than usual, "I never really got much of a chance to discuss names with Sesshomaru, but back when I was stuck in Kumamoto I was thinking about it all the time. It sorta...made things a little easier I guess. Just to focus on my child instead of what was happening in front of me." Her eyes softened as she reminisced. "If it makes you feel better though, I didn't come up with Futeki's name until I saw him. It didn't come to me until that moment."
Though Ronuku could sense Kohana's intent to comfort him, her words had the opposite effect. The bushi's face tightened.
"… Yeah, but you didn't have much a chance to miss that." He scratched at his chin, covered in the dark stubble he'd been neglecting, "… Kohana, my kid could be here, already. They could be alive and… and breathing… and seeing and hearing everything for the first time… and they don't even have a name, or a dad." Ronuku frowned. "First thing I thought when I found out about Sango being pregnant? 'That wasn't gonna happen. Not to my kid.'" He shook his head, lifting his arm briefly indicate to the village around them. "Might as well be a million miles away, for all they know."
The bushi paused, pinching the bridge of his nose as he caught himself, and drew in a deep breath.
"—Sorry, I just. I don't mean to be fuckin' whining to you… I know it's hard being away from Futeki and Rin."
Kohana's mouth tightened momentarily, but instead of snapping a retort she sighed.
"Yes," she said, "It is hard. Every day I worry that Rin is hurt, or that Futeki thinks I've abandoned him or…" She swallowed and looked down, unable to finish the sentence, "…Either way, being worried is a part of it, even when you're not parted." She looked up and met Ronuku in the eye.
"If you're already troubled now, then you're thinking like a parent."
As the young mother looked at him, and image came to the bushi's mind: an infant, a blend of himself and Sango. The baby was crying, surrounded on all sides by darkness; demons, bandits, wild animals, countless faces of danger circled the helpless child. It screamed, terrified of its surroundings, and it was up to him to protect it. It was up to him to guard this tiny fragile human and somehow make sure it lived.
He was going to be a dad.
Ronuku released a nervous groan, his stomach slipping at the concept again.
"God, does that ever stop? I didn't even know it was possible to worry so much over someone…" He asked, half to himself. He paused briefly, another realization coming over him as they stood there."You did this all… and you were way younger than me doing it too. But I gotta say Kohana, I'm not even pregnant so I don't know even half of what you went through but… I can't tell you how amazed I am at what you've been able to do. Being a parent. A-a mother, with everything going on all the time…" He rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the upcoming sentiments. "You're strong as hell, being able to handle all that."
Kohana's eyes widened, a huff of surprise blowing from her nose.
"Well well brother, if I'd known you were going to realize that I would have told you and Sango to start a family a lot sooner!" She smirked, mischievously grinning and attempting to look proud. Ronuku snorted and waved her off.
"But in all fairness," Kohana continued, "you should cut yourself some credit. We've all been through so much, I think this world has been making us grow more than we ever would have in the modern era. You've matured a lot Ronuku, and Sango is as strong as they come. With the two of you working together, I think your kid will pull through just fine."
The bushi smiled lightly at the compliment and brushed the back of his head. Another thought came to his mind.
"Sometimes you gotta wonder though," he started, "… I mean, do you ever consider asking… Like, I don't know, I considered I guess asking Sango about maybe… having my folks look after our kid until we're done with all this. With Naraku." He met her gaze, attempting to gauge her response. "I mean, this world for a kid? It's crazy. And we've got these targets on our backs…"
"...I don't know," Kohana said after a moment of thought, "I guess I'd never thought of it that option...I suppose it would be easier for your kid to fit in there, they're all human but...you'd be asking Sango to leave a newborn baby five-hundred years away, and as a mother I can tell you that isn't an option. You'd have to ask her to go too, but unless Kohaku is safe I can't see that happening either."
She looked as though she were about to say more, but was interrupted by Kaida's voice.
"Seiko-sama," The Noble woman called out as the blind priestess hobbled towards them on her cane "I'm glad that you've arrived, we were just preparing to leave."
"Oh come now," Seiko said, "I wouldn't let you leave without a proper send off. Of course, the offer still stands, you could always stay here and be honored at the temple."
Kohana didn't even attempt to hide her sour expression.
"Yeah, right," Ronuku growled, "and-"
"-As tempting as such a generous offer is," Naoe cut off his student, intercepting any means by which he could have offended the old priestess, "Seiko-sama… I believe I speak safely here for us all when we say that we all have families we're looking forward to returning to. Speaking of which!" He continued, not allowing for either of their pupils to cut back in.
"I've never had the gift to carry out a long goodbye…" His posture shifting to a readied stance in anticipation of their departure. Even without their own spiritual link, there were ways for the young samurai to silently and effectively communicate to Lady Kaida.
Kaida looked to Naoe and gave the slightest of nods.
"Seiko-sama," The noble woman said, "You and your village have done us a great service. We are grateful that we were able to assist you in return by taking down the barrier. We wish your village the best in returning to the rest of Japan." She bowed slightly, and Seiko returned the gesture. The old woman turned her blind gaze towards Ronuku and Kohana.
"Remember what you have learned. How the world will be changed by your power is completely up to your will."
"Rest assured, they will use their abilites wisely," Kaida answered for them. The noble woman turned towards the forest, "Come, it is time for us to set off."
As she spoke a breeze rustled through the trees, their leaves whispering against the wind. A low moan, the sound of a wounded animal, echoed across the clearing and a small figure fell from the tree landing in the bushes beneath. The small form's descent into the bushes was caught by Naoe's peripheral vision, causing the man to turn immediately towards the sound's source.
"Did you see that?" He asked, immediately looking to Kaida.
"Hm?" Kaida turned and looked. Ronuku, however, wasted no time to question the occurrence, opting instead to make his way over to investigate the mysterious and slightly suspicious figure while simultaneously finding the perfect excuse to refuse the blind hag a proper goodbye.
"Oh dear," Seiko uttered, suddenly looking about as though she were trying to see something, "I sense there is trouble brewing."
"What?" Kaida looked at Seiko and then back to Naoe. "Wait, Ronuku! Come back!"
"That's pointless, you know he won't," Kohana said before running off after the bushi.
"And all at once it's as if he's the same boy as before..." Naoe groaned, muttering under his breath as he watched the display.
Ronuku approached the bush with little caution, moans of pain still echoing from within. Whatever had been making that noise… it didn't sound big, or all that menacing.
"Probably just like, some baby bird that fell from the nest or something, right?" He asked, turning back to Kohana, having made the assumption she'd followed after him. The bushi turned back, bending over and shifting through the branches slowly.
"Hey bud, you fall from your nest little gu-" His gaze widened, recognizing the form before him. "What the hell?!"
Ronuku's heart lurched as he recognized the haggard form of his vassal and friend, Risu. The demon squirrel was battered, his fur clumped up and spiked in every direction, dark red stains splotching his pelt. He convulsed, his tail twitching wildly without control. He moaned again, a low wail that came from deep within his tiny chest. His eyes flashed open briefly, though they were blood-shot and yellow.
"Ronuku, what's the matter?" Kohana asked stepping closer to look as well, "What's in the b-...Oh my god! Risu!"
"Wait? Risu?" Kaida swiftly walked towards them, Seiko hobbling along as she followed.
"Wher...who..." Risu's voice cracked as he tried to speak. He glanced up, "R-ronuku?"
Ronuku's eyes widened seeing the familiar creature, if not a little worse for wear during their first reunion since his departure. His brows furrowed and his face tensed as shock gave way to immediate concern.
"R-risu?! What the hell!?"
Snatching the squirrel up from the ground, Ronuku held him up to meet the demon at eye level. Glancing over his rough state, a million thoughts were already flashing through the bushi's mind.
"Risu what the hell are you doing here?! What happened to you?!"
"Ronuku...thank goodness" The squirrel wheezed, "I didn't think I was going to find you..."
"You were looking for us?" Kohana asked, "Where's everyone else, are they ok?"
"They...," Risu gulped, "N-naraku attacked...he...he has the jewel, he has it..." His eyes shut and he convulsed again.
"The entire thing?!" Naoe gasped from behind, approaching the group quickly enough to hear the last bit of news.
Ronuku's fears worked their way into his voice, sharp and aggressive even as he held the injured and clearly shaken animal.
"The whole… that can't… there's no way that's right…" He turned back to Kohana. "… Kohaku still needs his shard."
"Kikyo was protecting him," Kohana said, her voice starting to shake, "Surely she didn't..."
"Kikyo...d-died," Risu managed to say, "Kohaku f-fled but...an ambush, N-naraku took it...Kohaku didn't m-make it..."
"That can't be!" Kaida exclaimed, "What of the others?"
"Attacked...I barely e-escaped," Risu winced again.
"We have to help them!" Kohana said, "Where are they?"
"It's useless...they..." Risu paused. His bloodshot eyes looked at Ronuku for a moment before he bowed his head, a tremor shaking him from head to tail.
"R-ronuku...I'm sorry," the squirrel whispered, "W-we didn't see him coming...Sango she...wanted revenge for K-kohaku...Naraku attacked her and...Ronuku, I'm so sorry..." the squirrel shuddered again.
"Sango and the baby are dead."
A chill ran through Naoe just hearing Risu utter those final words. He instinctively looked to Ronuku. The warrior couldn't see his pupil's face standing behind him, but his keen eye still managed to catch the first glimpses of the devastating impact this manifesting itself physically within the bushi.
Ronuku, remaining silent, narrowed his eyes. His expression read almost as if he'd misunderstood or misheard Risu at first. His head leaned forward, closer to the squirrel and his voice, struggling to remain somewhat steady, spoke again.
"…Wh…What do you mean.." He bit his bottom lip hard, praying that somehow he'd heard wrong.
"He...when Sango was down," Risu shook, "N-naraku...his tentacle...th-through her stomach...Kagome tried to help but...S-sango's gone..."
Kaida was at a loss for words, her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the bushi in sympathy.
"...What about Sesshomaru?" Kohana asked, shaking, "He...he has the Tenseiga, didn't...didn't he try to save her...?"
"H-he's gone," Risu said, "He left us..."
"What?" Kohana gasped, "What? No...why? He was going to help you guys, why didn't he...?"
"I don't know, but...he didn't save Sango...she's gone..."
The weight of the world felt like it was caught in a single lump in the bushi's throat. His lips parted, but nothing escaped save for a sharp exhale. His shoulders bunching up and his frame bending forward a bit, Ronuku looked as if he'd just had the wind knocked from his body. His head hung down as his mind tried to wrap itself around the reality of what he was hearing.
The baby crying surrounded by monsters…Sango…he was supposed to protect them from the darkness, he was supposed to be a father…
Naoe came forward, taking Risu from Ronuku's hands, which dropped to his sides immediately once they were relieved. The samurai watched Ronuku a moment, trying his best to keep himself steady for his student as well as the group as a whole. After few moments of silence Naoe lifted a hand slowly, reaching forward for Ronuku, but the bushi's shoulder ripped from his touch and he turned his back to the group.
He had changed.
The bushi's face was nearly unrecognizable from its usual appearance. His face, hardened in a forced way that conveyed his utter vulnerability more than anything else. His eyes were red, straining to keep the water forming a thick lens from running down. He'd still been biting his lip as he shook his head slightly, his chin displaying slight ripples as his voice shook with a new intensity.
He charged back towards Naoe, but focused his attention on the demon held in the samurai's hands. An accusatory finger pointed at him briefly before pulling back to his side sharply, the hand defaulting to a fist again.
"What the fuck are you doing here, then?!" He stumbled back a moment, pointing back towards the woods. "I tell you one thing when I leave… you STAY with them!" He yelled. "You keep them SAFE!" He shook his head. "Now you're HERE! You…Y-you come here telling me my wife…" He nearly doubled over with the sentence. "M-my… o-our baby…." Ronuku inhaled sharply.
"That f-fucking…he…he k-kills them… and you run, you leave them, and you have the stones to come tell me" His voice cracked in pain. "You come and show me…that you failed them…keeping yourself safe…"
"I...I came to warn you..." Risu wheezed, "Y-you needed to know..."
"Ronuku..." Kohana said, her voice quiet, "...Ronuku, let's...we can go look. Sesshomaru he...he wouldn't have left without reason, he can bring her back..." She took a slow step towards him, her eyes wide with sympathy.
Ronuku turned sharply towards Kohana, seething.
"You think so?! You think that fucking phantom gives two shits?" He barked without thinking.
Kohana looked as though she'd been slapped.
"Always goin' fucking awol when there's a pregnant woman in need, huh…" The bushi grunted in frustration, nodding his head. "Don't you worry, I'll find him… I'll find him right after I'm done with Naraku…" He threatened.
"Ronuku!" Naoe called out. "Ronuku.. I'm sorry.. I-I know this is hard but you're not thinking clearly—"
"What the fuck do you know about ANY of this?!" His student shouted back. "You haven't lost a damn thing today! Nothing!" He pointed to Naoe and Kaida. "You pull me out here… you tear me from my wife… f-from my baby…" His voice shook, his eyes welling up and beginning to overflow. "…A-and then he attacks…. and everyone… e-everything… I.. and I wasn't there…"
Ronuku's legs began to give way under his pain, the reality of the pain his wife and child had endured in his absence sinking into realization. His knees hit the ground and his shoulders bobbed, the bushi unable to fight the physical manifestation of his pain any longer.
His sobs echoed across the clearing.
"Trouble," Seiko spoke, having stood quietly behind the group the entire time, "The darkness has reached you here I'm afraid." Kaida gave the blind priestess a hard stare.
"Seiko," the Noble woman said, dropping the honorific, "Forgive us. I believe we will require more time here...Ronuku needs a place to grieve..."
"N-naraku," Risu suddenly gasped, "He...he's still out there with the jewel...nowhere is safe...can't stay here..."
Naoe's gaze lifted from Ronuku for the first time, staring at the convulsing squirrel.
"We cannot burden the village that has just regained its freedom with the possibility of another attack from an even more terrifying demon." He looked to Kaida for council. "….Lady Kaida." Naoe seemed uncharacteristically uncertain of what to do. "…We don't have many options."
Kaida hesitated, glancing at Ronuku with a look full of pity. She looked back at Naoe and sighed.
"Perhaps then," she said slowly, "We should head out...and see if we can find any trace of the others…"
"W-we were only a day away," Risu coughed, his voice sounding weaker, "By the mountains to the South…b-but N-naraku scattered us," he wheezed, convulsing again, "…I don't know who's left…"
"Do not face the demon," Seiko spoke up again, "Unless their hearts beat in unison, the sibling's power is useless, and should they fall further into darkness," her blind eyes looked from Ronuku and then stared at Kohana, "they will only be able to see darkness."
"Seiko," Kaida said becoming annoyed, "I believe we have more pressing matters to focus on. Their family, which you told them was the source of their power, has been destroyed. Until we find out just what exactly happened to them, I don't think they'll be using their 'ability' at all."
Seiko slammed her cane to the ground and glared at Kaida.
"Don't be a fool," the priestess snapped, "Their hearts are the source, not the family! If the family is the focus then that's what they will fight for, but if they turn towards reveng-"
"Ronuku!"
Kaida and Seiko looked up at the sound of Kohana's shout, but the grief stricken bushi was gone. Naoe stumbled, recovering from a blow to the throat that had caused him to drop Risu. The shape of Ronuku's back caught their eye, as he sprinted towards the south and disappeared into the forest.
"Dammit!" Kaida shouted, stepping forward to steady Naoe, "We need to stop him! Kohana, run ahead after him, Naoe and I will-"
"It's too late," Seiko's sad voice interrupted, "His heart only sees darkness."
"We can stop him," Kaida snapped, thoroughly angry with the blind woman, "Risu, how far away were these mountain…"
Her voice trailed off as she looked to the squirrel in the grass. He lay still and motionless, his glassy eyes looking into nothingness…
…As though he'd been long dead.