InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fated Coincidences ❯ Chapter 3 - Suspicions ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3: Suspicions

 

During lunch, Kagome was again bombarded with questions from the villagers. To think that she'd have to lie again, Kagome was very distraught. Taking a deep breath, Kagome prepared to tell the same story she told Sango. To her surprise, Sango raised her voice and calmed the tension. As the villagers shuffled back to their seats, their quiet lunch continued.

 

It was not long after lunch ended and everyone had gotten back to their chores that the monk reached the village. The sun was high and shined down on the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Whispers from the villagers who saw the monk traveled to Kagome's ears and drew her attention away from the young boy who she was tending to. Kagome and Sango exchanged curious glances and without a word, walked towards the center of the village where the monk now stood in the clearing.

 

“Houshi-sama, come, meet Kagome-sama. She is the miko who looks over this village,” said one of the villagers as Kagome and Sango walked through the crowd.

 

The monk looked towards the direction the man pointed to and his eyes perked up as he saw the two girls. Immediately, a smile broke on his face and his feet dashed towards them. Both Kagome and Sango were taken by surprise when he drew near and said, “Oh my, by the word of the Buddha, tell me your name!” as he grabbed Sango's hands.

 

“S… Sango…”

 

“What a beautiful name, just like the crimson corals of the sea!” Miroku's face inched closer and closer to Sango's as he spoke and Sango reluctantly tried to remain a fair distance away. “Can you please bear my child?”

 

Silence.

 

Slap!

 

“W..What are you saying, Houshi-sama!? Something like that…” Sango's cheeks were almost as red as her right hand that hit squarely on his cheek.

 

“Ahahaha, don't mind me. Bad habit, bad habit…” Miroku smiled and tried to play it off. “By the way, if your name is Sango, you aren't this `Kagome-sama' who is the miko, right? Then,” Miroku turned to face the girl on Sango's left, dressed in a priestess' outfit, “You must be Kagome-sama.”

 

“Ye…Yes, that is correct. I am Kagome,” stuttered Kagome as she tried to regain her composure. “To what may I owe this honor, Houshi-sama?”

 

“Uh, perhaps it is better…” Miroku's voice fell off and his eyes gestured to a hut.

 

Kagome got the hint and bid the villagers to return to their tasks as she attended to their guest. Leading the way, she and Sango walked to her hut. After they were seated and the tea was served, Kagome gestured politely for Miroku to continue.

 

“Now, houshi-sama, to come such a long way to our small village and requesting this kind of privacy for a conversation with me, it must be an important assignment from Lord Naraku, is it not?” Kagome inquired while taking a sip of her tea.

 

“Haha, just like the rumors! Kagome-sama, you're quite the sharp one! Just as you said, I was given a special task by His Lordship and has come especially to seek your counsel. You see—” Miroku could not finish before Sango interrupted,

 

“Wait, how about telling us your name first? Who knows if you're a real monk or not!”

 

“Sorry, sorry! I forgot! My name is Miroku. Please just call me Miroku.” Sango's eyes widened as he said this.

 

“Miroku. The monk, Miroku! I've heard of you. The monk whose right hand bears the endless hole, Kazaanna.” Sango whispered.

 

“Really? You've heard about me!? This must be fate! You must bear my child!” Miroku leaned over the table and reached for Sango's hands.

 

“Ahem. Miroku-sama, as you were saying?” Kagome looked up from her tea mug and half glared at Miroku. Sango silently sighed of relief and thanked her friend for understanding.

 

“Ah, yes. Let's not go on tangents here. You two must have heard of the youkai that almost destroyed these lands 8 years ago…” Sango and Kagome listened carefully to Miroku's story. And as he continued, Sango began trembling and found it hard to think about what it might mean.

 

 

8 years ago

 

“Kohaku! Where are you?” A young Sango called for her brother. She found him behind the house practicing his aim with Kirara. “There you are. It's dinnertime. Come on, let's go eat. You must be hungry after all that throwing!” Sango smiled kindly to the younger boy and ushered him to the center of their village.

 

Sango, and the rest of her family, were professional youkai taijiya. During the Sengoku period, war ensued between humans and also between humans and youkai. Normal human beings did not have the experience and courage to defend themselves against youkai and so it was up to the trained professionals to rid villages of their greatest fear. Sango trained since she was 4 years old to be able to defeat even the most powerful youkai. Protecting people was her duty but also her honor. She prided herself to have completed every mission given to her and she held high hopes for her younger brother, Kohaku, who was just getting good at using projectiles.

 

At that time, although youkai roamed free in the lands, none acted in coherence that would put a threat on the existence of humans. Thus, people lived in peace. There was, of course, the occasional vengeful spirit or minor youkai that needed services from Sango's village and gradually, their village grew prosperous.

 

Lunch was a mundane routine and Sango sighed happily. She was grateful for the day off. It has been over a month that she was running around exterminating youkai and she needed a good break. However, peace just doesn't seem to settle for Sango.

 

Midway through lunch, the sky darkened to an unusual deep gray. It had just been sunny and cloudless so most of the villagers thought it was the occasional downpour that sweeps by in early summer. However, the deafening roar of youkai, extremely large, ferocious youkai, broke the cheerful clatter of the villagers. It was undeniable that Sango's village was the target for this mass of creatures and they made no hesitation before attacking.

 

Sango jumped from the table she was eating at and ran to retrieve her armor and weapons. She stood firm beside her father and friends and slashed through a bear youkai with expertise. The battle ensued for hours and only the clang of metal against claw or metal against flesh was heard. It was a losing battle and everyone knew it. The adversaries kept coming in endless numbers and villagers fell one by one.

 

By nightfall, the last few remained standing. Sango held unwept tears in her eyes for her dearest father and uncle, who died courageously moments before. Her frantic eyes searched the surroundings for signs of her brother.

 

“Please let Kohaku be alive! Please…” were Sango's only thoughts as she looked around. There, hovering over a massive pile of limbs and flesh, stood a man, no, it was definitely not human. Eyes of a deep sanguine bore into her as the being stared back at her. In his hand was the lifeless body of her dear younger brother, eyes rolled to the back of his head and arms hanging limply at his sides. Tepid blood flowed from a ghastly wound at the nape of Kohaku's neck onto the ground, staining the earth red. Sango drew her horrified eyes to the figure of her brother's killer. Two sharp canines protruded from his mouth as he prepared to devour the young boy in his arms.

 

Sango propelled herself forward and swung what was left of her weapon at the monstrous figure before her. The dull blade did not cut into his skin as she wanted and was caught in his flesh. A growl escaped from his chest and the next thing Sango knew, she was thrown ten meters away with a force that knocked her out. The last thing she saw was the youkai, yes, now she was sure it was a youkai, and his blood red eyes.

 

 

Quiet tears made way down Sango's cheek as she remembered the events of that horrible day. When she awoke the next day, she found her entire village obliterated and she was the lone survivor. The body of her brother was nowhere to be found and neither was the youkai. That was the day she vowed to track down the youkai who destroyed her village and murdered her family.

 

Kagome put a consoling hand on Sango's and looked at her sympathetically. The events of eight years ago was a sore subject for everyone who was old enough to remember. Sango's village was just one of the many that was attacked. To this day, no one knows the true identity of the youkai who had led the attack, though it was commonly agreed upon that it was a very powerful one who had the authority to control other youkai.

 

Miroku stopped briefly and looked at the two women. His heart went out to Sango, who was visibly shaken from his mention of the attacks. However, he did not hesitate, for the information he held could play an important role in tracking down the perpetrator.

 

“Forgive me for bringing up this unhappy subject, lovely Sango,” Miroku smiled warmly as he continued. “But Lord Naraku had me seek out Kagome-sama because we have a clue to his identity.”

 

The emphasis he placed was not missed by the two females. This was important, indeed and Sango was more than eager to act upon it.

 

“Well, out with it, Houshi-sama!” Sango dried her tears quickly and focused intently on his next words.

 

“We have convincing details that a very powerful youkai lord had his hand in these crimes.”

 

“Tell us something we don't know,” Sango said exasperatedly as she rolled her eyes.

 

Miroku chuckled at her interruption and took a sip of his tea. “Patience, my dear, patience. As you are well aware of, I'm sure, there aren't that many youkai lords who rule over their own domains. And the only one with a considerably large domain is—“

 

Kagome took a nervous breath in as she realized where the conversation was leading. No, don't say it… It's not him! It can't be him!

 

Sango squinted her eyes at Miroku. “Are you saying the youkai that destroyed 100 villages is Sesshoumaru, the Inu Taiyoukai of the West?”

 

Silence from the other side of the table affirmed Kagome's suspicions. It was a logical choice, quite frankly. Sesshoumaru was the only youkai lord with a domain that size. He ruled over everything west of the lush green forest that lied over the mountain to the southwest. Furthermore, he was the one of the remaining few who still retained his noble lineage. Only he would have the authority to influence a vast group of youkai.

 

Still unbelieving, Kagome asked Miroku, “Do you have any evidence leading to this conclusion?”

 

Miroku arched an eyebrow at her question. “Do you have any suspicions as to otherwise, Kagome-sama?” It seemed strange to him that the miko would doubt him. It was certainly worth some probing.

 

“Well, for one, he has no motive. Why would he attack helpless human villages? It's not like he takes pride in senseless massacres,” Kagome reasoned. She hoped she didn't sound too defensive. Of course, she did not know the youkai lord but somehow, she wanted to believe he wasn't the one behind the atrocity.

 

“Kagome-chan, what would any youkai need a reason to kill? It's their nature,” Sango retorted hotly. She didn't know why her friend was trying to lead the conversation in the opposite direction. Any lead into solving the case at hand was welcomed.

 

“Now, now, ladies. Let's be calm about this. I am not accusing Lord Sesshoumaru of any crime. I think this requires more investigation to determine the validity of the information. That is the precise reason His Lordship asked me to seek Kagome-sama,” Miroku tried to ease the tension in the room.

 

Kagome's robes rustled as she stood up from her kneeling position. “Miroku-sama, why don't we continue our conversation tonight? I have some errands to attend to. I will arrange for your stay with us tonight,” Kagome offered as she made her way to the door.

 

“That would be wonderful, Kagome-sama. Thank you for thinking so graciously of me,” Miroku rose from his seat as well and added, “Would it be too much to ask to share a hut with the lovely Sango?” with a mischievous smile on his handsome face.

 

Kagome stepped wordlessly out of the hut as the clatter of Sango's teacup meeting with Miroku's forehead sounded through the doorway. It was going to be a long, arduous day.

Sango means coral