A\N: Well this chapter has more WAFF. Yuck. But there's some angst mixed in there as well, so that's a good thing. I can't write a good fic without angst and that's just all there is to it.
Okay, so the last chapter got the most reviews out of any so far. Including chapter one! How cool is that! I'm gaining lots of new reviewers to this story, and am managing to keep the older ones with me as well! This story must be better than I thought!
kagomeinuluv - Lots of people are beginning to swarm to it. I think my summary with Tenseiga caught people's interest (since everyone love Sess so much!). Anyway, I'll do my best to try and keep you on the edge of your seat for the rest of the story (though I don't know how long that'll be) and hope you continue to enjoy it.
MustluvKits101 - Thanx, I will, and all that other stuff.
-Box Queen - Thanks!
-Sexy Kat - I don't know when I'll get to Kagome or Inuyasha, let alone both of them together. First I have to get Inuyasha away from Kikyo and Kagome away from Naraku and I have to do that without neglecting all the other characters and still attempting to make it believable while keeping everyone in character and adding enough details and angst and excitement to keep everybody (including me) interested. It's hard work! Also, no, Sheepily is not a word-- I think what you were going for was Sheepishly. Similar but different.
-Lost Soul 4 Rizzle - Well obviously it wouldn't decompose, I mean that would totally ruin my story and make it really difficult to continue now wouldn't it? Lol, in truth, I don't think there really would be a way for it to decompose. I mean, it might rot a little, but there's nothing there-- no flies or maggots or fungus or anything like that to really make it break down. Besides, Sess could always use his youkai powers to heal it. -- So why the sudden change of identity? You in WPP?
-RamblingPhilosopher - Wow. You're an even bigger Sess fan that I am aren't you? Lol, I'm glad I kept in check, it's actually surprisingly hard for a guy who has like no emotion or facial expression. But then again, that is what makes it hard. You have to try and have him interact with other people and express how he's reacting to what they say without him actually revealing how he's feeling to anyone-- always keeping him in character as one big stoic block of ice. He may get a bit OOC in future chapters (and yes, he most certainly will be back!), but I'll hopefully explain exactly why that happens and make it believable. Actually, I think I did a much better job on one of my other stories (not on but he's sliding out of character on that one too.
-Black Betty - Yes, well, that was kinda the point you know. : )
-sprinda - ohohohohohohohohohohohoh--kay!
-MewMewFireHeart - I'm afraid I'm gonna have to not really respond to that because then I'll start ranting very aggressively again and you'll never get me to stop. But I'm glad you agree nonetheless.
-Almandine-Azaleea - I won't tell you. I don't like spoiling things for people. Actually, that's not true, I just like keeping people in suspense: )
-xolovexinuysaha - Well yeah you are. And better that than an awesome totally fucking reviewer. Well, I guess two out of three ain't bad-- I'm not even sure why I put that there-- purely impulse I guess. I'm a very spontaneous person actually. It's was pure impulse that made me write the first chapter of this story, and purely impulse that's had me continuing it (plus the awesome reviews from the awesome reviewers! ) And if you read on in this chapter you'll find out who she's having revived.
-Darking Queen - Well you can that that, but I can't promise that it's true. After all, I've now got how many characters to deal with? There's Amaya, Inuyasha, Kagome, Naraku, Sango, Miroku, Sesshomaru, Kouga (not right now, but I'll have to deal with him eventually won't I?) Kikyo, those fire-demon horses, Shippo, Kirara, Kohaku and a whole bunch of other people I haven't had in yet that I fully plan to put in in future chapters. Do you think I can finish up the summary and interactions and escape plans and battles and all that other stuff between all of these characters in a few chapters?
-lunerfox - I wasn't even aware I had a bad self! But I guess I must, cause otherwise I wouldn't be writing a story like this!
Everything Will be Alright
'You gave him his arm back?' Sango nearly yelled, then lowered her voice as Miroku stirred slightly in his sleep.
The monk's condition was getting better everyday, but he still wasn't off the thin ice yet.
'Why the hell would you do that?' Sango asked quietly, as Amaya stared at her with an impassiveness that could have rivalled the very demon lord they were talking about.
'Do you love your brother, Sango?' She asked, and Sango blinked, surprised, then narrowed her eyes.
'What does Kohaku have to do with any of this?' She demanded, trying to build a connection in her mind. Maybe she was trying to make a point about Inuyasha... they were brothers after all... maybe Inuyasha had asked her to do this?
'I will answer your question if you answer mine.' The sorceress said calmly, and Sango stared at her suspiciously for a moment, before sighing. 'Yes. I love Kohaku.' She said.
'Even after all he did? All he has yet to do?' Amaya asked, and Sango's eyes narrowed again.
'What are you getting at? What is this all about' Sango asked hotly, not liking this string of questions at all. To her surprise, Amaya answered.
'I have developed a plan to retrieve Kohaku from Naraku's hold-- it should not be too difficult since Naraku does not use Kohaku anymore, and only keeps him alive as leverage-- however, in order to do so, I need to be able to remove the shard from his back. He would die if I did that, so I need Sesshomaru to right that little difficulty with his Tenseiga. However, before I go to all the work of achieving this goal, I need to make sure that this boy is really worth it. Does he still have a place in your heart?'
Sango blinked, then her eyes widened slightly as the sorceress' words sunk in. 'You mean you can get Kohaku back?' She asked. Amaya stared coolly at her, then nodded slowly.
'He will have to serve me though, as a warrior, in the final battle-- and it will be final.' She said, her face dark. 'We will either achieve life and restore what we can that was lost, or we will be lost entirely in the shadow of Naraku and his poisons. However, I somehow doubt that Kohaku would be entirely trusting of me, even once I manage to free him-- I need you to convince him.'
Sango clung to the bars, staring blankly at the floor, the fire gone from her eyes to be replaced by exhaustion and then determination.
'I can convince him.' She said, and Amaya raised an eyebrow. 'You are certain? In this plan there can be no room for doubt.' Sango bit her lip, hesitating for a moment, then nodding her head. 'I can.' She said, and Amaya stared at her, her dark eyes devoid of emotion.
'You better be able to, Sango. The fate of this entire thing-- and your brother's face, lies on you.' She said, heading toward the stairs, pausing to look back over her shoulder. 'If you cannot, then I'm afraid Kohaku may have to be killed.'
Sango stared after the woman as the dungeon door again swung closed, then looked back over at Miroku, blinking back the tears stinging her eyes.
A small mewl at her side drew her eyes to Kirara, who stared steadily at her, and then transformed suddenly in a small blaze of fire.
Sango stared at the fire-cat for a moment and it stared steadily back at her, before moving forward and gently nudging her shoulder.
That was her undoing.
Sango collapsed against Kirara, her hands tangling and pulling at the youkai's soft fur as she cried into Kirara's soft fur, the cat ignoring the irritation the yanks on her fur caused.
Her large demonic ears twitched and perked slightly, and she glanced over at the cell across from them just in time to see Miroku's eyes scrunch slightly, then open, blinking in disorientation around him.
Kirara made a small noise, drawing the monk's eyes to her, and he stared in blank confusion at them for a moment, before he seemed to realise the circumstances they were currently in.
He took in the sight of the crying Sango, and, after a moment of straining, managed to pull himself to his feet.
Sango didn't hear him over her agonized sobs as he stumbled and then practically collapsed by the bars, ignoring Kirara's growl of warning that he shouldn't be moving.
Perhaps it was that that caused Sango to look up, though she looked at the fire-cat, not at the monk, grasping the fur more tightly still. 'I'm sorry, Kirara.' She said, then froze as another voice reached her ears, one so familiar, but one that she hadn't heard in so long...
'Sango.'
Sango's head spun around toward the monk, who was leaning against the bars, using them mostly to support his weight as he stared across at her. Sango stared at him, red-rimmed eyes wide with shock.
'Are you alright?' The monk asked, his voice weak and slightly strained. He swallowed audibly, but continued to stare at Sango with concern evident in his features.
'Miroku...' Sango said softly, her emotions running wild and her mind spinning. Then something seemed to click, and she flung herself toward the bars, ignoring the small yelp that escaped the fire-cat as several hairs parted company with it's body, her cry of 'Houshi!' Overlapping and drowning out the sound.
Miroku looked slightly startled at her reaction as she leaned against the bars, tears running down her face again, her hand reaching between the bars toward him.
Miroku did not hesitate to lift his hand and take hers in it, though it took him several seconds to accomplish the task due to his weakened state.
'Are you alright?' He asked again after a moment of silence where their hands began to relearn each other. Sango stared at him and a hiccup escaped her lips, not sure whether to be happy or sad.
'The sorceress... Amaya... she said... she said that she could free Kohaku.' Sango managed to choke out in broken sobs, and Miroku blinked, wondering in his baffled and exhausted mind how that was possible, and deciding that it was not worth pondering at the moment.
'But... she... she s-said that... that if Kohaku wouldn't help us in battle... that she would have to kill him.' She stared into Miroku's deep eyes as her own filled with tears again. 'Miroku, I don't know what to do-- what if I can't make him trust us again? What if he doesn't remember me--'
Miroku cut her off with a gentle squeezing of her hand. 'Don't worry Sango.' He said slowly, his throat straining with the effort. 'He'll remember you.'
Sango sniffed. 'You don't know that.' She said miserably.
'Yes I do.' Miroku said more firmly. 'He already is reluctant to kill you, and that is with the shard in his back. He...' He paused to swallow again 'he will remember everything and trust you when he is alive again.' Sango looked at him, desperately wanting to believe him.
'Do you think so?' She asked, her desperation shining through clearly in her tear-choked voice.
'I know so.' Miroku said, and, unable to bring her hand to his lips, placed a kiss on his injured hand, and, shaking slightly with the exertion, reached out and gently touched it to the one he still held, holding it like that for a moment, before quickly drawing it back as pain began to shoot through his arm.
Sango's eyes grew slightly wide again, as fresh tears of a different kind rose in her eyes, trickling down the rivers already streaming along her face and falling to the grimy dungeon floor. 'I love you Miroku.' She said gently, quietly, testing the words out loud, and both paused a moment to take in their effect.
Then Miroku smiled, and squeezed her hand tighter. 'I love you as well Sango.' He said gently, his eyes filled with a tenderness rarely shown there, and Sango felt her heat swell slightly in response.
'Don't worry.' Miroku said. 'Everything will be alright.'
And Sango smiled gently, even though in her heart, she wasn't entirely sure she believed him.
A\N: Alright, there you go all you Miroku\Sango lovers. I hope you enjoyed that chapter and their little interaction and the little bit of fluff in there, cause the whole thing sickens me. Bleargh! I need to have something dark and angsty in there already! Hm. Then again, I haven't dealt with Inuyasha in a while, and come to think of it, he did seem pretty upset in that last chapter that he was in...
CMoC (Current Music of Choice) -- (This has absolutely no relevance to the story what so ever) -- Don't Go Away - Oasis, I hate everything about you - Three Days Grace, I want to Change the World - V6, Bad Day - Daniel Powter and Scars - Papa Roach.
Again, these are just songs that randomly popped into my head while I was writing out the reviews not the actual story, so they have no relevance to anything really. Will probably be gone by next chapter.