Return of the author! Yes, I am alive and I am updating! Amazing, I know. Finally, I can write again! But, I think I still have Writer's Block following me. Just a bit. Very unnerving! Anywhosie, lets get to it! (P.S. If you notice, I change the months, situations and the locations a lot. Sorry, but this one seems like it'll be fun!)
Disclaimer: See now, I may be just a duck, but I'm an honest duck. So, as such, I must say . . .I own it all! Mwahahaha! NOT!
So, I guess this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Mekki.
Computer (a.k.a. Mekki): . . .
Yep. I agree.
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Chapter 10: Witch or . . .?
"Ack! Inuyasha! You're burning them!" Kagome jumped up from the ground beside her boyfriend and pointed.
"Kuso! What the hell!" Inuyasha jumped up as well, bringing the burning balls of fire with him. Miroku, Sango, Kikyo and Sesshoumaru just watched as the two stomped, yelled and finally tossed the two sticks with flaming marshmallows into the river beside them.
The four people watched as their friends argued about fault. Kagome attempted the 'sit' solution, as she had many time since the Halloween party nearly four months before. As always, Inuyasha snorted and said his famous 'Doesn't work!' line, then Miroku took the stick he'd been holding and tripped the silver haired boy.
Kagome stepped on his hand. "Inuyasha! Stay!"
"Dammit, Kagome, I am not a dog!" Inuyasha tried to push her away, but her fist collided with his skull. "Ouch! Damn, that hurt!"
Sango giggled, covering her lips with her hand in an attempt to hide the fact. Miroku smiled over at her. When she took notice to his staring, Sango looked down at the ground, blushing deeply.
"Well, now that that little entertainment has ended," Sesshoumaru said, lounged out by the fire, not really paying attention to the fact Kikyo was braiding his hair. "Maybe scary stories?"
The camping trip, so far, had been quite a humor. Inuyasha and Kagome fought, Miroku and Sango joked around with them (and each other), while Kikyo and Sesshoumaru talked amongst themselves, Kikyo laughing or Sessy-Boy chuckling over something random. Then, there had been the bear . . . Which had turned out to be a squirrel. And then Inuyasha's brush with death. Or, in his case, the river bed. Kagome had pushed him into the water as they had all been traveling up the trail.
Now, as the fire burned, their stomachs filled with the food Kagome's mother had whipped up for their trip, the group decided on what new adventure they could partake in. When Miroku suggested 'Group Make Outs', Sango smacked him good, right up-side his air-filled head.
Kagome shrugged and smiled. "We've done so many things. Sesshoumaru's idea was good, though."
Miroku put his hand to his chin, thinking a moment before nodding. (Now, we all know, the characters included, he is thinking about women and the fact if Sango gets scared, she comes within butt-grabbing rang. What will these knowledgeable characters do?)
WHAP!
Sango smoothed out her shirt as she sat down, after smacking the young perv, of course. She cleared her throat and smiled. "That sounds like fun. Who should start?"
"I will!" Kagome said, throwing up a hand. "And, boy, do I know some good ones!"
Inuyasha feigned a gag. "Not that one about the little girl being burned alive then, just as she's being sent to hell gets saved by some woman from the past." Gagged again. "Lame!"
"Oh, and you have room to talk! What about your whole 'Woman with hair as a weapon who turns out to have her soul sealed in a comb. That, my friend, is lame!"
Kikyo laughed. "Ok, what about the story of the demon with the power to summon demons, control hoards of the undead, change his body at his will, repopulate all of Japan, if need be, on his own, and who sucks demons within himself to make himself stronger?"
The sound of crickets filled the air. Kikyo shrugged. "Sorry, lame, I know."
"Ya think?" Inuyasha said, huffing over his shoulder. His brother's shoe hit him square in the back of the head. "Sorry."
"Well, this got us far." Sango laughed, shaking her head. "Ok, so, we need a story. How about Miroku tell one?"
"But I suck at telling stories!" He knew he was lying, but they . . . Did too. He sighed. "Damn. Fine, fine. Umm, fear, scariness, fright and evil. How about 'the Story of Martha Stuart'?"
"I'm gonna smack you," Sango warned, fist raised.
"Oh! Story, right! A story which I do indeed have!"
"Yay!" Kagome cheered, cuddling up next to Inuyasha, whose arms wrapped around her naturally. "Let's hear it!"
"Ok." Miroku straitened, cleared his throat and made a serious face as he began. "Once, long before this day, fifty years ago, a young man traveled a long and lonely path. His journey had started after his daily chores were to be done. But, on the road to town, this young man found a something. Something very, very special. Beside the road was a woman, sleeping in the mists on a bed of weeds. He had first believed that she was a good omen, a sign that his luck would change.
"But something happened when she opened her eyes. She bewitched him, using powers older than time to destroy him, making him but a shell. The man became a slave to this woman, to travel throughout the land, doing as she said with no way of refusing. She whispered in his mind each evening 'Kill for me once, and you shall go free.' Every night, the man would go into the mountains and kill. Every morning he would return with his victim's heart for proof of his accomplishment.
"One night, though, she told him to kill a village girl. Being the mindless, heartless being he was, the young man readied to take her life. Just as his knife came to her throat, though, the witch woman's power wavered. He came to himself just in time to stop himself. He looked upon the girl before him and wished he had never looked into another's eyes. Telling her to run, the man cut out a pig's heart for false proof and went to the witch that morning.
"She didn't seem to notice the difference in hearts, but she did, however, decide the slave had served his propose. Freeing him, the witch sent him home. All the while, he was only half-aware that he had killed many.
"As her walked inside his family's home, he looked not at happiness and loving welcomes, but at the dead. The witch had kept him for months, killing. But as he looked upon his slaughtered family, he realized their true demise had been caused by him. Each one of their hearts had been cut out.
"As he mourned, he thought up a way to gain revenge on the witch. Deep in his mind, he remembered certain things the witch had whispered. 'Those whom share his future, die on the knife from his hands, bleed the blood of the eternal moon, sleep in sun, burning in the depths of my hells, never know the reign of his power, for he shall never know as well. Kin, lover and friends shall burn, and for the future king, a life of emptiness, never knowing the truth.' He remembered laughter after the words, and the fizzle of a spell. So, what did it mean?
"For several weeks, the man searched for answers to the riddle, wondering the towns, asking all who would help if they knew the answer. Along the way, his gaze was set upon the wonder he had seen only once, with only fear greeting him last time.
"Pushing through the crowds, he touched her shoulder. As she turned, he was met with that same fear. He put her to ease, after much difficulty and begged for her help in his revenge. He had thought she would say no, but an agreement was made. She would help him, if he would help her.
"Mean while, as the man once her slave prepared to destroy her, she was busy casting a spell. The hearts of twenty traitors was needed and the fresh blood of the future ruler to work it. As she worked the spell, she noticed something strange. The heart of the future queen seemed to stay strong as the others withered. A sign that no betrayal had been committed. In a rage, the witch woman searched the lands for his presence. Nothing.
"Then came the man, a woman by his side, walking into her castle beyond the twilight of the mountains. Together, they chanted the spell that would weaken the witch's power. As they chanted, the witch screamed, offering the world as a gift, if only they wouldn't kill her.
"They continued to chant. Finally, in a flame of blue and screams of fury, the witch was gone. The man bowed before his lady, asking what it was she wished him to do.
"She told him simply that her father had arranged a marriage between her and a man that wished to kill her. She told him that if he would marry her instead, give her a child, and stay with her as a protector, she would trust him with all there was in the world.
"And they lived on, her fear nothing but a memory, and his love growing daily for his good omen." Miroku finished with a sigh and shrugged. "Not really scary, but it made me sweat as a kid and . . ."
He looked around the camp fire. Sesshoumaru and Kikyo lay on the sides, facing the fire, deep in sleep. Kagome and Inuyasha slept together, as well. He sighed. "It wasn't that boring."
As his gazed wondered to Sango, he saw that she had rested her head on his pillow. Smiling he shook his head. "Women. Gotta take over everything a man has."
Falling into sleep, Miroku wondered, though. Was Sango his witch woman . . . or was se his village girl? He closed his eyes and never found the answer.
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Inuyasha laughed as they walked into his house. Rin was sitting upside down on the couch, watching Sota and Kohaku play DDR Extreme. Both the boys seemed to be doing terribly. And the reason was clear; they were both playing it on Standard. Dorks.
Kagome shook her head and leaned toward Sango. "They want to show off to Rin."
Shippo ran in with Ramune bottles in hand and stopped. "Kagome!" Miroku watched as his brother sailed through the air and into Kagome's arms.
"Hiya, squirt." Kagome said, rubbing his head as if he were a small animal. Inuyasha growled at the boy and jumped to Kagome's side.
"Hey, twirt! What the hell are ya doin', jumping into my girl's arms?"
"Oh, Inuyasha," Shippo said, doing an I'm-better-than-you pose. "You're just jealous that I can get lots of girls. You can just get one."
Inuyasha crossed his arms, trying to keep from pounding the little snot. "Yeah, well Kagome is a lot better a woman than you could get."
Kagome giggled. "True!" She paused. "Wait! Am not! Shippo could get me, you dope!"
Inuyasha blushed and turned away. "Rin, you and me next, girly! We can bet these little vermin any day of the week!"
Rin smiled and jumped into his arms, then climbed onto his shoulders. "Yeah, so true!"
Sesshoumaru walked over and took Rin from their brother's shoulder. "Keep that up, and you'll fall. This idiot never knows how to treat a child." He told Kagome. "If you find any children around him falling over, it's his fault."
"Get back here, ass hole!" Inuyasha yelled, getting really pissed when his own girlfriend started to laugh! "Bastard! I'll kill ya!"
Sango giggled and shook her head. "Kagome-chan. I have to go home before six. My boss is going to call me soon."
Everyone's head turned toward her. She blushed. "It's nothing. Just, I had an accident at work the other day. I don't know. The boss has been checking up on me."
Miroku looked at her closely. "Why?"
"Well," she looked off to the side, trying to find an escape. "Um, well, ya see . . ."
"Someone has been following her." Kohaku said after the 'FAIL' screen came on for Sota and his game. "A shelf at work almost hit her. Someone said they saw someone run out after that."
Gasps washed over them. "What!"
"I'm fine. Really, but the boss thinks I need to hire a bodyguard 'cause this is the second time." Sango shrugged off Miroku's hand on her shoulder. "I don't have the money for that, and I don't think anyone is after me, so . . . He calls to check up."
"You should stay with one of us, then." Kikyo said, touching her friend's arm. "Just to be safe."
"But . . . Kohaku . . ."
"Sis, I can stay here with Sota and Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru." He cleared his throat. "Can't I?" he asked the two older boys.
"Of course," Sesshoumaru said. "Don't worry, Sango, you can bunk with us, too."
"Or," Miroku said, pretending to clear his throat to hide a sly smile. "You can bunk with me."
Kagome laughed. "You can pick a house, any house, and you are welcome to stay." She shot the pervert a glare. "But sleep in his house; you'll never come out clean again."
Sango giggled. "I doubt that. Well, Miroku lives right down the street. Closer, so if anything happens, I can get home quick, so . . ." She sighed. "Miroku, drive me home to get clothes and a stun gun."
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Miroku opened the door and smiled. "You didn't really bring your dad's old stun gun, did you?"
Sango shrugged. "I guess you'll just have to grab my ass to find out, don't you think?"
"Um, no."
Sango smiled as she set her bags beside the door. "Well, looks like I'm alone with you. Damn . . ."
Miroku smiled in his classic boyish 'innocence'. "What? I'll be a good boy. Promise!"
"Yeah, sure." Taking in the sights of his house, though she knew it like the back of her hand, Sango stepped into the living room. "Wow. Your mom's been doing a lot of remodeling in here, huh?"
Miroku smiled. Small talk. Small talk was good. "Yeah. Shippo and I have been slaves."
"That reminds me, where did your family go?"
He shrugged, looking around the area of the front door and into the kitchen. "No note. Funny, normally they leave warning if I'm not here when they leave." Weird. A strange feeling tinged at the base of his neck as he looked into the living room. They always left a note. Or a message. Picking up his phone, he checked for any missed calls. None. "Maybe I should check up on them."
"I'm sure they just forgot." Feeling a little nervous with the serious look on his face, Sango sat on the couch. "Or maybe they stopped off from picking Shippo up from base ball."
Shippo didn't play any sports. Of course, none of his friends knew. He didn't want to set off warning signs. Their dad had never played any sports, but they all knew that he loved them. Among other things. His father had once told them all a story about his early days in school. Base ball, football, running. He must have been really healthy. When they had asked why he never did any of those things now, Miroku's father had just gone silent and answered, I'm not in the same health I used to be.
Ha. That was an understatement! He had passed of that 'same health'.
The telephone rang loudly across the room, making both Sango and Miroku jump. Miroku chuckled, shook his head and answered. "Hello?"
"Miroku!"
"Mom? Mom, what's wrong?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Miroku saw Sango jump up. "Mom. Calm down. Breathe. Now, what's the matter?"
"Miroku." The voice sounded so frail and weak. Was she crying? Was that why? "Miroku, your father. . . He's in the hospital!" She broke into sobs, but he couldn't hear them. He just stared off into space. His eyes went dark and shadowed as he whispered "I'll be there in a few minutes" and hung up. Grabbing the keys he'd dropped on the door side table, Sango's hand and his phone, Miroku rushed out of the house.
"What. . . What's going on?" She thought her voice would crack. He looked suddenly so sad and anger. It gave her chills.
"My dad's in the hospital. My guess is he had another heart attack."
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