InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sayonara, Kanashi Houshi ❯ Itamu to Ame ( Chapter 2 )

Sayonara, Kanashi Houshi

(Goodbye, Sad Monk)

By Golden-sama

Rated: PG-13, for Mild Language, Violence, and Miroku's usual habits

Summary: Miroku discover he has only one week to live before his Kazanna devours him. How will he live his last week alive? Read it! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll get to read one dam' good story. So what are you waiting for?

Chapter Two

Itamu to Ame

(Pain and Rain)

Vanilla was a strong smell, and it was everywhere on the large castle of Tsune-sama. Tsune-sama loved the smell of vanilla more than he loved his sakura gardens and his fish ponds. He could not have imagined a more luscious smell than vanilla.

"Tsune-sama."

The young lord of the castle and town was sitting on his porch; his dark hair was wet from the swim he had taken earlier. He was happy today and so was everyone who knew him. Now he just sat in the bright morning sun, watching the fish swim in the pond.

The person who had called the young lord's name was one of his maids, her name was Akiko. She was the fairest of all of his servants, and when she was first taken on as his maid, many believed Tsune would make her his wife, he did not, however.

"Yes Akiko-chan, please come sit down."

Many lords in this age of war and power struggles would not be nearly as formal with their servants, not even with their wives or children, and they would never ask a commoner in their employment to sit down. Tsune-sama, however, did do this.

"Oh no, Tsune-sama. I just bring word from the gardens; some of the gardeners have been attacked by strange insects." Akiko said happily. She had a very pretty smile, something Tsune-sama knew very well. And he enjoyed her smile. She knew she should not smile at a time like this, but around Tsune-sama she was always smiling. And not a fake, half-hearted smile, it was a real smile. A true smile.

"I will go see what I can do."

Tsune stood up and brushed his silk clothing from being as dirty, and then he turned and made his way towards the door. Akiko watched the young master walk away with a sad sigh. She had fallen in love with him in the short time since he had become lord of this town, but there was nothing she could do. He didn't even take notice of love or such things.

As Tsune walked down the steps, his happy expression suddenly became quite unhappy. The gardens were looming into view and he could see Izumo, his chief gardener. The old man didn't look happy at all, instead he look fearful. Yet it was not a worrying old man that caused Tsune-sama to become quiet and his eyes to narrow. It was the insects that he saw buzzing in the garden.

"Izumo, leave this place. Take all of the gardeners. Go now."

"But Tsune-sama, we haven't even told you--"

"It is a youkai, Izumo. Now go leave this place. And summon Akiko for me."

The gardener, upon hearing the word `youkai', had hurriedly told the other gardeners to follow him and he was on his way away from the garden. As they left, Tsune walked towards the large, odd looking bees.

"You can tell Naraku that my answer is still no, and if he harms any more of my villagers than we shall be enemies."

The insects did not look happy at this, but they flew away, relaying the message to some dark corner of the world where their dark master waited for them.

"Tsune-sama?"

It was Akiko once more. Tsune-sama turned to her and looked at her with dark eyes full of hate and sadness.

"Take my nephew and heir away from this castle. Bear him swiftly to a person called Inuyasha, go in the night."

Akiko blinked once, and then bowed to him. But still she had to ask…

"How will I recognize this Inuyasha?"

"He is a hanyou. He travels with a group of humans. You will see them when you see them."

Akiko bowed once more. Then she hurried to the main castle house and entered, looking for Tsune-sama's nephew and heir. The young boy had traveled here with Tsune-sama when Tsune-sama had battled the youkai attacking their village.

"Akiko-chan?"

It was Tsune-sama's nephew. A young, brown haired boy. Face covered in freckles.

"Please, we must leave this place. You uncle and my lord has requested it."

The young brown haired boy nodded his head.

"Please, hurry Kohaku-sama." Akiko said to the young heir of the castle.

------------

Sango's young life had been filled with such pain already that she doubted very much it could get worse. Or at least she had the day before last, but now she knew it had become worse.

For sixteen years Sango lived in the Youkai Taijiya village. For sixteen years she was happy, with her father, her brother, her village, and her Neko, Kirara. And then that changed. She prayed that she would not have to face her next sixteen years with this kind of pain.

And now she prayed that she would not face them alone. The night before last she had refused to leave Houshi-sama's side. Even if he was, well, Houshi-sama. She had slept not five feet from Miroku, something that at previous times would have scared her worse than some youkai, but now she had to. He couldn't die. He just couldn't.

And when she opened her eyes, she rolled over and looked to the place in the middle of Kaede-oba-san's hut where Houshi-sama had slept. And now he was gone.

"Houshi-sama? Houshi-sama!?"

"Keep it down Sango, I have a headache."

The brown eyed girl turned her head to the corner of the hut, where Miroku was sitting on a pillow. He was trying to eat some stew, but it looked as if he had trouble swallowing it.

"Houshi-sama, you're up and . . ."

She didn't want to sound as worried as she did. She shook her head and took a deep breath, but Miroku waved it off.

"Yes I'm up. The pain is gone Sango. I'm just numb now."

Sango didn't quite believe him. The expression on his face was one that showed not pain, but pure agony. She moved over next to him and attempted to help him with the chop sticks.

"Ah Sango, the fact that you were worried greatly relieves me."

It took every bit of self-restraint she had not to slap him this time. Not from the comment, but from his hands. She pulled away from him, afraid that even if he was doing… what he always did, he may still be in pain. And judging from his eye, she was right.

-----------------

"So what the hell is wrong with him?"

Not far from the hut, at the side of the riverbed were the rest of the group. Inuyasha was lying in a tree branch above the heads of the rest, looking down. Kaede-oba-san was filling a bucket with water from the lake. Kagome just sat with Shippou on her lap, both of them looking very worried about the monk.

"I don't know Inuyasha, but as always your candor is helpful." The old woman said scornfully.

Inuyasha was about to say something back, when he suddenly felt a itching on his neck. With a great slap, he smacked not only his neck, but Myoga too.

"Ah, Inuyasha-sama, how I have missed that taste." The small flea said from his new spot on Inuyasha's hand.

"What's wrong Myoga, your usual hiding spot get raided by some youkai?" The hanyou said as he peered at the tiny flea demon on his hand.

"Now really Inuyasha-sama! I'm here to help Miroku-sama."

Kagome, Shippou and Kaede all looked up at Inuyasha and his flea. It was true that Myoga knew much about strange curses and pains, and they hoped he could help Miroku.

"Well? What are you waiting for baka!?" Inuyasha growled at the flea, and threatened to close his hand and smash him to death. After jumping down to the new safety of Kagome's hair, Myoga began to speak.

"That yellow jewel that Kagura threw into Miroku's Kazanna was the eye of Garudomaru. Once the painful first steps are over, I think that Miroku will have about seven days to live."

Kagome and Shippou both looked shocked, and ready to cry. Inuyasha looked as if he was ready to pounce on the flea and kill it, and Kaede had a grave look on her aged face.

"Wait, wait!" Myoga said at once. "Don't get all sad yet, there is a chance to save him."

"What do you mean?" Kagome said at once.

"Well you see, Garudomaru was the creator of the Kazanna, and so--"

Inuyasha quickly and rudely interjected. "Naraku created it, baka."

"No." Myoga responded. "Naraku was the one who cursed Miroku-sama's grandfather, but he doesn't have the power to create a curse like the Kazanna. To create a curse that powerful you must be a taiyoukai, like Garudomaru, or your father."

Inuyasha looked as if he doubted this, but it didn't matter to Myoga.

"You see, about sixty years ago Garudomaru, who was a great bird taiyoukai, wanted to become a phoenix. Of course a phoenix is the most majestic of all creatures. However Garudomaru was twisted and evil, and could not become a phoenix. So he became made and began to curse people. He'd make a air tunnel in their throats so that when they opened their mouth they'd suck in everything around them. After enough time without food, they'd die. It was very twisted."

"Hello dumbass, Miroku's Kazanna is in his hand, not his mouth." Inuyasha said again.

"Inuyasha, stop interrupting!" Shippou barked angrily.

"Don't tell me what to do you stupid raccoon!"

"I'm a fox!"

"Whatever!"

"Oswari."

There was a great smash as Inuyasha fell from the tree and slammed into the ground with such force that birds in trees all around the lake flew away. Shippou happily hugged Kagome for her help. The Myoga cleared his throat and they all turned their eyes back to him.

"As I was saying, Garudomaru kept cursing people for ten years, but then, about fifty years ago, a Samurai who was cursed with Kazanna in his throat cut out Garudomaru's eyes. Before the blind Garudomaru died, he was cared for by a kind woman, to whom he taught the secret of the Kazanna curse. This woman was, of course, Naraku in one of his various disguises. And three days later Naraku tried to curse Miroku-sama's grandfather with the curse. Of course it was different from Garudomaru's curse; it was in the hand, so that the person would spend a longer life than a few days with it."

"Listen baka, you said there was a way to save Miroku, I wanted that, not a history lesson you fuc--"

"Oswari." Kagome said. "Go on Myoga."

The flea nodded. "Anyway, by throwing that yellow orb into Miroku, it's good news."

"How so?" A voice asked. Everyone turned around to where Miroku was standing, leaning rather, on his staff. Sango was not far away. Miroku's face was still covered in sweat and he still looked to be in pain.

"You should be in bed." Kaede said, but Miroku shook his head.

"I should sleep while you all talk about weather I'll live or not? No, I think I'll skip sleeping, that is unless I had some company." He said turning his head to Sango. Her entire body was shaking with fury. Not over his perverted comments, that she was used to. But over the fact that he was dying and still the only things he could think of were dirty.

"Miroku-sama, listen to me. The reason this is good news is because this is a chance to end the threat of Kazanna." The flea spoke. Miroku's eyes suddenly widened, and now he was interested.

"You see, by throwing Garudomaru's eye into your Kazanna, he has stopped Kazanna's growth. It will not grow any larger for seven days. And if we can cure you by then, then the Kazanna will never grow again. Of course, it won't disappear until Naraku is dead, but it will stop growing, and therefore it will stop the threat of your dying form it. Now if we don't find you the cure in seven days then the Kazanna will grow larger by the second until you and anything else within one hundred miles is sucked inside."

"That's so reassuring." Inuyasha said sarcastically.

"How do we cure it Myoga-oji-san?" Miroku asked. All thoughts of perversion or pain had been pushed out of his mind. Miroku was more stern and serious than anyone had ever seen him before.

"By finding the other eye of Garudomaru, the blue one, and throwing that in your Kazanna. That and that alone will cause the threat of your death to stop, and it will cure you of the poison of the yellow eye."

Miroku nodded. "But where is the blue eye?"

--------------

Akiko had never run this fast in her life. She had been sent away from Tsune-sama's castle, in search of a demon called Inuyasha. With her was Tsune-sama's nephew and heir, a young boy by the name of Kohaku. And behind Akiko and Kohaku was a youkai.

"We can't outrun him, Akiko-chan." Kohaku said with his usual grim voice. It was so weird, Akiko had always believed, that someone as care-free and happy as Tsune-sama could have a nephew who was full of such sorrow.

Behind them the sounds of the youkai's steps were getting louder, and louder. And as they ran, it drew ever closer.

"Yes we will Kohaku-sama." Akiko said. Her rich black hair, once so clean and well-kept was now a mess. Her skin was soft and fair, and not used to this murderous terrain and conditions. And blood streamed from many cuts. Yet still she ran onward. Whether he took notice or not, she loved Tsune-sama, and she would protect his nephew and heir with her life.

"Why do you run Kohaku?" A cold voice called out from the youkai that chased them. Kohaku didn't want to hear that voice ever again.

"Have I not treated you well, Kohaku? Have I not been a good person and treated you as you should be treated? Why do you run from this Naraku?"

"I know what you did! I know what you made me do!" Kohaku screamed out, his eyes were burning with tears that streamed down his face.

"Then come back to this Naraku, and I shall take those memories from you as I did before. Do not fear me, Kohaku. We are friends."

Kohaku screamed once again, all the pain and suffering in his body was coming back to him. He began to shake and Akiko knew he would fall down if he kept running like this, and if he fell that youkai would catch them.

"Kohaku, if you run I will kill her." The youkai spoke once again. "I will kill her Kohaku."

Kohaku cried more, and screamed louder, but still he ran. He would not believed Naraku. Naraku was nothing but lies.

Akiko wondered who `her' was. Surely he wasn't meaning herself. It must be one of Kohaku-sama's relatives. Yet Tsune-sama said that Kohaku's parents were dead. Could Tsune-sama have lied? No, Akiko knew he would never lie.

"She will die Kohaku. This Naraku will kill her myself. You know I will."

Suddenly Akiko felt the ground beneath her falter and give way. She screamed, yet even as she did she felt a hand keep her from falling. She watched as Kohaku fell down the side of the mountain and towards the river below. She screamed and cried but still she knew Kohaku was the safe one.

She was the one who had been caught.

-------------

Kikyo was bent over a old man who had wounded his leg working in the field. He had tripped over some weeds and his leg had hit a rock.

"It's broken, but some of these herbs can help it heal quickly." Kikyo said quietly. The old man smiled and thanked her as two of his sons stood waiting to help him get home.

"You're welcome to stay here, if you wish." Kikyo said. "You really shouldn't be moved around too much."

"Oh Kikyo-sama, thank you. You are truly a gift from heaven." The old man said, his eyes full of tears of joy.

"Yes…" Kikyo said quietly. "Heaven…"

She sighed and shook her head. She was helping people. She was doing as a miko should.

`And your also feeding off the souls of those you can't help, Kikyo. You are a curse from hell, not a gift from heaven.'

"Miko-sama!"

Kikyo pushed away her thoughts and looked up. There was a man she had never before seen, but she could smell the vanilla radiant off him. It was odd.

"Yes, I am Kikyo, the Miko of this village."

"My name is Izumo; I am a gardener in the service of the great Tsune-sama. A plague of insects have befallen our village. We need the aid of a skilled miko to help cure us. Tsune-sama said that the bees were servants of a youkai called Naraku, and he said that you would help us."

Kikyo sighed and closed her eyes. Naraku. Yes she knew him and his insects well. After all, he had killed her.

"I will follow you." Kikyo said. "I will come help your village."

-------------

It was raining now. The day was melting away with the rain. And as it did, Miroku sighed.

The houshi was sitting out on a green hill at the edge of Kaede's village. If what Myoga said was true, when this day ended he'd have only six left. He gave a sigh and thought about what he must do.

What could he do? They needed the blue eye of Garudomaru, or they had to kill Naraku. And they had only six days to do it. And Miroku knew well that if Kagura had the yellow eye, than Naraku had the blue one as well.

How could they hope to find it? Miroku had spent hours thinking of a way to get that eye, a way to save his life. And he knew they were all hopeless.

But in that thinking one idea did come to him. Perhaps, it was a long shot, it truly was. And yet maybe he could pull it off. And if he did, then maybe any doubt Sango had of their love would go away.

"Ah, Haichi, you're late. "

Haichi the raccoon sighed and nodded. He was standing behind Miroku.

"Well what's the rush anyway Miroku-dono?"

"I'm dying Haichi." Miroku said without looking at his old friend. Haichi didn't believe him at first, but something about the way Miroku didn't look at him, that made him realize it was true.

"M-master Miroku-dono, y-you can't--"

"I am. I'll be ready to leave in just a minute."

Haichi blinked once again. "What about Inuyasha and your friends?"

Miroku's head shook. "No Haichi. I'm doing this alone. I just need you to give me a ride, and then you can leave too."

Haichi was the biggest cowards Miroku had ever met, with the exception of Myoga the flea. And yet still his friend would never abandon Miroku, not in this case anyway.

Miroku reached down on the hill, as the rain fell over his body. He picked a small flower from the ground and walked over towards Kaede's hut. He quietly crept inside, making sure not to wake Inuyasha, which was a tough task. He crept past where Kagome slept using Shippou as a stuffed toy, and over to Sango.

The young girl was sleeping so peacefully. She was full of such sorrow, and she would be full of more when he was gone, but when she was asleep she had no cares or pain, and it was now, as he watched her sleep and realized that he would never see her again, that he truly appreciated her. That he truly realized just how much he loved Sango.

"Sayonara."

He reached down and kissed her cheek softly, lying the flower next to her face. Then he stood and walked towards the door.

"You're leaving then?"

Miroku turned around to Inuyasha. He was still sitting in the same position he always slept in, only now his eyes were open.

"Yes I am." Miroku said, turning his face back to the open door and the raining path that lay ahead of him.

"You know we're going to follow you as soon as Sango wakes up." The dog demon said.

"I know."

"Alright, see you then monk."

"Goodbye Inuyasha."

And then Miroku walked out into the rain, walking towards his fate…

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Author's Notes: Three reviews! *Dances around* I got three reviews on chapter one! YAY! Plus I got a review from my friend on AIM so that's four!

*Bounces around, then stops realizing he looks like a baka*

Anyway, I'll start on chapter three very soon, today in fact, so it may be up really soon!

Thanks for reading, oh and here's the translations.

Translation Guide

Houshi - Monk (Obviously)

Baka - Idiot/Stupid/Fool

Miko - Priestess

Sayonara - Goodbye

And as for the name suffixes…

-chan: literally means "little" or "cute"; a diminutive name suffix used to address children, female relatives and (close) friends. Also a common endearment. Adding this to a relative's appellation gives the appellation a familiar tone.
-kun: a name suffix used to address people of equal/lower social standing and/or age; more casual than -san, this is applied almost excessively to males. Can also be diminutive, like a male version of -chan.
-san: a name suffix indicating respect; translates to Mr., Miss or Mrs. Using a plain name is a quite casual way of addressing a person, and unless you know them well it is considered somewhat rude.
-dono: an archaic, outdated name suffix indicating respect; slightly more polite than -san
-sama: a very respectful, even reverent name suffix; may be translated as sir, lady, lord etc.

And Oba-san and Oji-san is Grandma/old woman and Grandpa/old man.

Ja ne

~ Golden-sama