Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. However, this story and created characters are mine.
Chapter 14: Phase Five- The Monk
The camp was becoming more and more empty, having three of its members disappear into the forest. Kagome, hugging her knees, continued to worry about the young fox demon by the blazing fire. InuYasha, wishing to stay by Kagome, stood guard in the canopy a dying birch tree. Miroku kept his mind on Sango, who entered the woods blindly without her trusty Hiratsu. He stared at the weapon, hoping she was alright.
"It's been too long. I'm going after Sango, she might need help."
"Just be careful Miroku. We don't want to loose you too." Kagome expressed her worry as controlled as she could without worrying anyone left at the camp. Sango had been gone for twenty minutes, way too long to find Shippo and especially Kirara.
"Don't worry," Miroku comforted the girl, "I'll have my wind tunnel and sutra to protect me. Besides," he added while grabbing the huge boomerang, "I will have Sango's Hiratsu." He stumbled in response to the weight of the weapon.
"I still don't know how she carries this thing. It's so heavy."
"You're just weak," InuYasha commented, staring at the blazing fire.
"InuYasha, be nice," Kagome scolded the dog demon, finger shaking and all. She turned to see the monk fade into the shadowed forest, her brow furrowed with worry.
Miroku walked for what seemed like an hour, searching for his comrades. The fact that night was falling soon and the trees blocked most of the sunlight made the task much more difficult. The darken setting reminded him of his conversations with his sister, his only living, or was living, relative.
"Midori," he breathed as ceased his search. The images of her death, being absorbed into Naraku's patchwork body, made his heart cringe. His teeth, and fists, clenched at the memory. He opened his right hand, staring at the rosary-protected hole, the curse that fell upon him and not his sister.
"I promise Midori, I promise to avenge you, you and our family. I will kill Naraku. Make him pay for the pain he caused us. I'm just sorry that I couldn't do it sooner."
His fist closed again, affirming his renewed promise. He looked to the sky, seeing the first stars that outshone the sun. He smiled, remembering the times of childhood.
"Kirara. Come back, Kirara!"
Miroku, interpreted by his original train of thought, perked his head to the direction of the voice. With his eyes squinted, he saw a female figure running through the woods.
"Sango!" Miroku shouted to the shadowed woman. She stopped upon hearing his voice. She watched him run to her, holding his staff in one hand and her Hiratsu in the other.
He came towards her, hoping she was alright.
"Miroku," Sango said, panting from exhaustion. He handed her Hiratsu to her while grasping his staff.
"You forgot your weapon. I thought I should bring it to you," the monk stated while glancing over her. There seemed to be no cuts or scrapes on her body, allowing him to release a sigh of relief.
"Miroku, I need your help. Something spooked Kirara. I can't catch her!" Sango quickly twisted her head, as if noticing something in the air. She quickly regained her composure and sprinted away from Miroku.
"Kirara!" She screamed as she disappeared from Miroku's sight.
Miroku followed the racing demon slayer, weaving through trees and underbrush. She continued to gather speed, faded from his line of sight. As she disappeared into the darkness, Miroku's brow quivered. Something did not feel right.
"Sango!" The echo in his worried voice made birds flee from the dead trees. Twigs snapped under his feet, causing him to slow his pace. He scanned the area. Nothing but dead trees laid the ground. The sight forced his brow to furrow. Something had killed these trees.
"Sango!" Miroku shouted into the decaying forest. His heart, filled to the brim with worry, caused him to sprint. He needed to find her, needed her in his arms. The wooden sandals that covered his feet pounded louder against the ground, until it stopped.
Miroku, breathing hard, came to a tree that was engulfing the surrounding trees and broken bushes. The tree, which had red foliage and dark wood, stood twenty feet tall. This, he figured, was the cause of the dying forest. He became focused once again, thinking about his love. His eyes fell onto the base of the tree, giving him a horrid sight. Sango was lying unconscious against the back of the red tree, with Kirara and Shippo curled up next to her. Roots covered her body, pinning her still body to the ground, while her cherished weapon lay by her feet.
"Sango!" Miroku began to step towards his fallen love when someone grabbed his arms. Unable to move his arms, he twisted his head. Gasping air was all that came from Miroku. Sango's lovely eyes were staring at his shocked expression.
"Here for your love?" Sango asked with a whisper, gripping tighter on his arms. Miroku stood frozen. How can there be two Sangos? She smiled at him, thrilled to know that he was scared.
"Don't worry, you'll be joining her." The woman shoved the monk into the tree. Miroku fell atop Sango, who was breathing slow and soft, before rolling down next to her. He scrambled to stand but found it futile. As soon as his body touched the trunk of the tree, roots emerged from the earth and began to wrap the monk to the tree. He felt his movement become more and more restricted as the roots wound tighter around his body. Knowing of his lack of movement, he looked at his capturer wearing the figure of his love.
"Who are you?" Miroku stared at the deceitful creature. She could hear the anger in his voice, disgusted that someone could be using his love's image against him.
"Wouldn't you like to know," the woman hissed as her appearance changed before his eyes. His eyes widened as her long black hair became short and her clothes changed from a simple pink and green kimono to long blue and purple priestly robes. The creature that was once Sango bent down to grab Miroku's staff. With the transformation complete, the former Sango had become Miroku.
"Who are you?" He repeated the question, now out of fear and confusion.
The new Miroku smiled as Kagura appeared behind him. Her arms were crossed and her mouth left in a state of boredom. With red eyes viewing the situation, she spoke out in shear annoyance.
"Are you going to do the next phase now?"
The fake monk shifted his eyes to the wind spawn of Naraku. The dark blue pearls squinted at the older sibling. Silence formed between the two offspring as tensions grew rapidly.
"You know that I cannot begin until after you do." The evil tone of his own voice made Miroku cringe. He saw Kagura quietly grit her teeth before leaving on her white feather. The two monks watched the demon disappear into the night sky. Satisfied by Kagura's absence, the fake monk began to desert the bounded Miroku.
"You're working for Naraku, aren't you," The constrained Miroku stated while gritting his teeth due to pain. The false monk stood silent as he thought of how to answer the comment. Miroku waited with shortened breath, ready for anything.
"I have no choice," the shape shifter replied, "Naraku has control of me. My fate lies with him." Miroku forgot about the pain as he focused on the voice of his doppelganger. It was sad, quiet, as if all hope was gone; the tone of someone who no longer wishes to live but fears death. For some reason, he felt sympathy for this new threat.
Realizing the growing sentiment between captive and prison guard, the Naraku incarnation regain his normal composure and said with a gleam in his eye, "Now to get some more victims." With a sly smile the copy of the monk left in the direction of the group's camp.