InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sayonara, Kanashi Houshi ❯ Susume no Ume ( Chapter 5 )

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 Five

Susume no Ume

(Onward to the Destiny)

Sango's eyes opened, and she had to blink several times before she could see. Her memories were fried and she had a hard time recalling where she was, why she was alone, or how she had gotten here. Then as she painfully pushed herself up to a sitting position she reached her hand into her cat suit and found a small pink flower which she had save. Then it all came back to her. Kagura's assault, Miroku's imminent fate, how he had run off in the middle of the night alone leaving her with no more than flower to remember him of, her battle with the Naga.

"Damn." She cursed quietly, unable to move herself properly up to stand. "Houshi-sama…"

Her tear-filled eyes scanned the blue horizon of sky that surrounded her mountain resting spot. She was filled with pain and sorrow and she just wanted it all to end. She wanted to go back to the way things had been before. Yet that was wishful thinking, and Sango didn't have time for that.

"I'd give anything to see you again, Hou-, Miroku." She said quietly. "Just one last time."

"SANGO!"

Her brown head instantly shot to her side as she saw something fly towards her. It was a youkai, and she was running out of weapons. However she realized quickly that this youkai was the flying form of Haichi, Miroku's friend and servant. She also realized quickly that Miroku was not on his back.

"Haichi?"

The large flying youkai stopped next to her and transformed into his Raccoon form. He ran over beside Sango and bowed low, he was crying and shaking.

"Forgive me Sango-dono! I am truly in my heart sorry!"

"Haichi." Sango said quietly, her voice full of pain. "Where is Miroku?"

Haichi looked up and nodded, then he transformed back into his flying form. "I will take you to him. Sango-sama." She nodded and with great effort was able to climb onto his back. Then he quickly took off. She knew Kagome-chan and Inuyasha would be worried about her, but she waste time telling them she was okay. She had to find Miroku, and soon.

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Inuyasha was still in a foul mood, ever since his brother had poisoned him yesterday. Kagome knew very well that Inuyasha was always in a bad mood whenever they encounter Sesshoumaru, but she still wanted him to cheer up fast.

`We don't need this now.' Kagome thought to herself. `We need to find Sango-chan and Miroku-sama. I'm worried about them.'

Kagome was still on the back of Kirara, with Shippou still in her arms. And Inuyasha ran by himself next to them. His neck had a large burn mark where he had been poisoned, but that couldn't be helped.

"What the hell!?" Inuyasha suddenly stopped without warning, which Kagome hadn't counted on, and neither had Kirara. The large Neko youkai couldn't stop from colliding with Inuyasha's back, and causing all of them to tumble to the ground, quite painfully.

Inuyasha didn't seam to care. He smelled something.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked as she tried to move from under Kirara, luckily for her the oversized cat turned back into her chibi form.

"It's Miroku. I can smell his scent from over there." Inuyasha spoke, he pointed off into the distance a bit. Kagome peered off, and sighed. They were still looking for Sango, but now they had found Miroku. It was only then Kagome noticed the look inside Inuyasha's eyes, she knew that look, which was the way he looked at Kikyo.

"Inuyasha? Is it really Miroku-sama, or is it Kikyo?"

Inuyasha sighed and hung his head. "It's both."

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Finally now Miroku could see the city. They had arrived at Tsune's village. The gates of this secluded mountain town were high and wide, made from oak and painted red. As soon as Miroku drew close to the city, he smelt Vanilla and candle wax. He turned back to Izumo, who had been angry with him since he asked of Tsune was human, and asked a second question.

"Why does this place smell of --"

"Vanilla and candle wax?" Izumo finished the sentence bitterly. "It's one of Tsune-sama's laws. He loves the smell of vanilla, so five times a day he has his maidens go to the top of the four towers surrounding his castle and burn some vanilla on top of a holy candle. Why do you ask, did you think he was a vanilla eating youkai!?"

"Izumo." Kikyo said quietly. "If you continue to anger yourself with this Houshi, I will have to take my leave."

Izumo muttered angrily and lead them up the path through the center of town. At the back of the village was a dirt path, with great smooth stones lining the side, that lead up to Tsune's castle. Izumo lead them up this path, and Miroku and Kikyo followed in silence. Upon arriving Miroku smelt the vanilla even stronger. He saw the white mansion with the red roof and the four red towers that surrounded it. He saw the many fish ponds and sakura gardens, and standing on the steps of the main building he saw a young lord dressed in fine silk garments.

"Tsune-sama!" Izumo said, and he bowed down to one knee. "I have brought the miko called Kikyo as you requested."

Tsune's eyes were that of a human, Miroku noted, and he could sense no jyaki, so perhaps this man was not youkai.

"Izumo, you may leave us now." Tsune said. Then he turned around and beckoned them to follow him. He led them into his house, which also smelled of vanilla, and finally down to his chambers. He stood and looked out the silk shaded window.

"I asked for the one called Kikyo, and I got both she and the Monk Miroku." Tsune said from where he stood. "I am glad, yet I do wish Inuyasha had come with you houshi-dono."

Neither Kikyo nor Miroku spoke.

"I am youkai, of course." Tsune continued. "One of Naraku's, to be exact. Yet I mean you no harm, so please do not attack me."

"Forgive my rudeness, but why should we believe you?" Miroku said. Tsune turned around with a grim grin on his face.

"Good question, houshi-dono. This is ill news, for that means Akiko and Kohaku were captured."

Miroku suddenly remembered what Izumo had said about Kohaku being Tsune's nephew, and upon hearing these new words, he had to understand.

"About a month ago, Naraku created me. Strongest of all his detachments, that is how I was meant to be. Yet I spoke with Kagura one night, and I learned of the way Naraku truly is. I wanted to be free, and it was by accident that I became free. I enjoyed the smell of vanilla, so I burnt it with a candle I found in a village Kohaku and I had been sent to destroy. I learned soon after that the combination of vanilla that grows out of holy soil and a holy candle can disguise jyaki and hide youkai eyes."

That at least Miroku could understand, that explained the vanilla and candle wax smell to this place.

"I also learned that it could weaken Naraku's control over us. Kohaku was able to regain his memories from the scent of the vanilla and holy candle. So I made Kohaku distract Naraku, while I stole back my heart from him. Soon afterward Kohaku and I escaped from his palace. Naraku was searching for us when he found this town and heard about Inutaishou's fur. He attacked it and that is when I learned that this town was blessed by Inutaishou, and it grew vanilla. I saved the village from Naraku, and they made me lord. Yet now Naraku comes back for both me and the fur."

"Why." Kikyo asked solemnly. Tsune turned and stared deep into her lifeless eyes. "Why does he want a scrap of fur?"

Tsune nodded and walked over to a small desk. He opened up a small chest with a key from his yukata and he pulled from the chest a scarp of white fur.

"This is all that remains of Inutaishou the great. His bones are buried far away inside the Black Pearl, and the only other bits of the great youkai are Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga, but he cannot use those."

"Use it for what?" Miroku asked.

Tsune's face became grave. "Naraku wants to make this fur part of his body. Doing so would be just like making Inutaishou himself part of him. He would get the powers of the father of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. . ."

"And he would be stronger than both of them." Miroku said to himself quietly. "We cannot allow that to happen."

Tsune laughed. "Of course not, but how do you plan on stopping him? The fur is indestructible, and the three of us alone cannot stop the massive horde of youkai that he has on their way to this place."

It was then Miroku heard the silk curtains of the Lord's room open, he, Kikyo and Tsune turned around to face a white baboon. Miroku gripped his staff tightly, Kikyo loaded her bow in the blink of an eye, yet Tsune just stood there.

The baboon laughed. "At least you Tsunenoku, realize what I am."

Miroku put down the staff, but Kikyo did not lower her bow. She kept it dead aimed at the heart of the false Naraku. It was a kugutsu. A youkai's puppet.

"Ah, Houshi, are you enjoying your last week? How long is it now, three days?"

It may not be the real Naraku, Miroku thought, but it had his sense of humor. He watched as the fake Naraku reached under his baboon skin and pulled out a small blue jewel. Miroku's heart skipped a beat. The blue eye.

"Miroku, would you be willing to kill Tsune and Kikyo and bring me the fur in exchange for this?"

0

Miroku smirked, and in the blink of an eye he used his staff to cut Naraku's arm off, and he grabbed the blue jewel.

"Baka." The kugutsu spat. "That's no more the real Blue Eye than I am the real Naraku."

Miroku knew it was true, but just incase he slipped the jewel into his pocket. Naraku's puppet laughed.

"What of you Kikyo? Will you kill the houshi and youkai you stand next to?"

It was Kikyo's turn to laugh. "I will not speak with your toys, Onigumo. If you want to talk then talk to me yourself."

And Kikyo let her arrow fly into the fake Naraku. There was an explosion of light and sound, and when it faded, nothing was left but some burning monkey fur. Kikyo had a small smile on her thin lips.

Tsune laughed quietly to himself and caused Kikyo and Miroku to look at him. Tsune simply pulled aside the window curtain. In the distance they could see another white baboon, sitting on the hillside near the castle. Somehow both Kikyo and Miroku knew that this was the real Naraku.

"He will raze this entire village." Tsune said. "He will kill all, men, women and children. And us as well."

"Yes, but perhaps we can take that bastard with us." Miroku said hopefully. Kikyo nodded her head in agreement.

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Sango was still in a state of pure pain. She couldn't move and didn't want to. All she wanted was to see Miroku once more. Perhaps Haichi could help her. She hoped so.

Sango sat up as best as she could and looked at herself. Her hand was still cut up from her battle with the Naga, as was her shoulder and the back of her neck. She had a large scare on her leg and couldn't remember how she'd gotten it. None of that mattered, thought, compared to the pain in her heart.

"That tavern." Haichi said, breaking her thoughts. "Is where I dropped off Miroku-dono."

Haichi landed and waited until Sango had climbed off him before he transformed back into his former self. The brown haired girl looked over at the tavern, she was in pain yet all of that was forgotten upon learning Miroku may be on the other side of that door.

"Ahh!"

She turned back around to see Haichi shaking and pointed, turning her head quickly she caught sight of two flying objects coming towards a landing. One of them was a dragon, a two headed dragon that she had seen many times before. The other was Sesshoumaru.

She watched them land not far from the tavern. She could see Inuyasha's brother walk towards it, and he heart filled with pain once again. Could he be after Miroku? And then that pain doubled, her eyes moved to Aun, the Dragon. She saw Jaken and Rin, which was no surprise, but she also saw someone sitting between them, a young brown haired boy who was covered in bruises and cuts.

"Kohaku?" She said it as a whisper to herself at first, but then she screamed the name and began to run towards him. Kohaku turned his head to see her, and his own heart filled with pain. Sesshoumaru looked at her once, determined she was no danger to them, and then continued walking towards the tavern.

Sango arrived next to Aun quickly, but Jaken jumped down and got in her way, brandishing his staff menacingly.

"Hold it right the--"

She completely ignored the toad and stepped on his head as she jumped over him. She didn't stop till she was no more than a foot from her brother. Rin looked from Kohaku to Sango and back to Kohaku.

"Please leave me alone." Kohaku said quietly. The words were like a knife stabbed her in her already battered heart. Sango could not do that.

"Kohaku, do you remember me?" Sango said.

"Sister, please leave me alone." Kohaku still would not look at her. He kept his eyes starring off into the distance. Sango fell to her knees, a million and one questions echoing in her mind.

"Kohaku . . ."

"I said leave me alone dammit!" Kohaku screamed, and he turned around to face her, his eyes full of tears just like hers. "You have to leave here Sango, I can't see you."

Sango began to cry, breaking down at last. Between Miroku's oncoming doom and Kohaku not wanting to talk to her, she could no longer bear her troubles. She could no longer take any of the pain of this world.

"Sister." Kohaku said, once again his eyes were not looking at her. "Don't cry, just leave me be. I cannot be around you. I can't look at you. Not after what I did. Just leave me alone."

Both siblings were crying now. Kohaku began to sob into Rin's shoulder, and Sango just sat on the grass upon her knees in a trance, silent tears running down her face.

"Rin." The voice of Sesshoumaru cut the air. "Stay here at this tavern. Jaken will stay with you. I will return later."

And with that Sesshoumaru began to follow a dirt path up the side of a mountain near the tavern. He was walking the same path that Kikyo and Miroku had. He was following Naraku. And he was determined to kill Naraku now.

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Tsune walked out of his palace and stood on the terrace, facing off across the vast gap of land between his castle and the mountain on which Naraku stood. Tsune's eyes were glazed and he was deep within thought, watching the evil baboon watch him.

Inside, Miroku was thinking himself, as well. He didn't know what would happen when Naraku decided to attack this town, but he had made up his mind on one thing: He would fight. He would be dead in a little less than three days regardless, so he may as well protect this village with every last breath in his body.

Beside him, Kikyo stood silent and tall. Her soul snatchers had come to bring her a fresh supply of souls, and she didn't move or speak as they hoisted the glowing souls of the dead into her body. Miroku made no attempt to speak to her or Tsune, he merely thought. He thought about a lot of things, the oncoming battle, his fate, and mostly Sango.

It was then that across the way, Naraku rose from his kneeling position and stood proud and strong. His left hand grabbed the baboon suit that he wore and cast it off. Dark haired and ominous, Naraku stood revealed. In his right hand he clutched a katana, and around his neck he wore a necklace made from the Shikon no Tama.

"He is coming for us." Tsune said. Kikyo made no acknowledgment of him or Naraku, and Miroku merely nodded.

It was as Naraku began to walk slowly towards the village that a flash of blue light smashed into the ground next to him. He narrowly avoided it. Miroku's eyes flashing to the east, where the Western Lord was advancing, Toukjin in his hand.

"Sesshoumaru. . ." Miroku said quietly. He had seen the Inu Youkai's wrath on several occasions, and he knew that this would be a battle of epic consequences.

"Ah, Sesshoumaru-dono." Naraku said with a sheepish grin. "I see you have arrived just on time."

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but he rarely spoke, in peace or combat. Naraku clutched his Katana strong in his right hand, and Sesshoumaru mimicked the action with Toukjin and his only arm.

Then Sesshoumaru leapt forward, and Naraku leapt to meet him head on. Toukjin and the Katana collided with such force that both Naraku and Sesshoumaru were thrown back, yet both of them landed on their feet, unscathed.

"Ah, have you seen my new sword?" Naraku smiled devilishly. "I forged it myself, it is called Onikage. I think you'll enjoy it, Lord of the West."

Sesshoumaru's expressionless face turned suddenly into a smirk. Naraku saw this and was pleased. Naraku then turned towards the village and cried out in a loud voice: "Korosu! Susume Korosu!" and as he did the entire mountain side began to shake, Youkai, hundreds, no, thousands of youkai began to pour from the hillside and towards the town.

Miroku gripped his staff tightly and realized he would not die in three days.

He would die today.

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At the base of the mountain, Sango had moved away from her brother. Yet even still Kohaku thought about her as he sat beside Rin on the back of Aun. And even still Sango thought about him as she sat beside Haichi a few feet away. Rin herself looked very sad, but said nothing to anyone.

It was then they heard the explosion. Rin, Sango, Kohaku, Jaken and Haichi all turned their eyes towards the mountain that sat behind them, and watched in horror as youkai began to come forth from the woods, the rivers, from the sky itself. All of them heading towards a village.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin and Jaken echoed one another as they cried, knowing that that enormous horde of youkai were heading towards the same place as their beloved Inu Youkai.

"Ah, there attacking Tsune-sama's village." The old tavern owner said to his old friend beside him on the porch of the tavern. Sango ignored them mainly, until he heard the old tavern owner say:

"Ah, I just remember, that houshi and that miko who went up there, poor devils. They'll be killed. What you say their names were?"

And when the tavern owner's old friend said: "Miroku was the houshi, and Kikyo was the miko, I think." That is when Sango's eyes widened in a silent fear.

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Inuyasha had long ago picked up the scent of Kikyo and Miroku, and at once the group was faced with a tough choice. Look for Sango, or follow Miroku. In the end it was decided that Kagome would fly on Kirara and look for Sango, while Inuyasha and Shippou scouted the plains. By the time Kagome returned, unsuccessful, Inuyasha had caught the scent of Sango and Sesshoumaru, both of their scents headed the same way that Kikyo and Miroku had gone before. And so Inuyasha and Kagome were racing towards the old tavern when the youkai began to swarm the mountain.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha spat. "Naraku! He's the only one who could control an army like that!"

"Sango-chan!" Kagome suddenly cried. She was high in the sky on Kirara's back and could see the tavern. She could see Haichi, with Sango on back racing towards the mountain, and she could see Rin and Jaken atop Aun racing towards the same place.

"Why the hell am I always the last to know these things!?" Inuyasha growled.

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Author's Notes

As you can probably tell, the story is winding down. My guess is there will be maybe Seven Chapters, possibly more. Anyway, here are the translations.

Katana = A Japanese sword usually used by Samurai

OniKage = means "Ogre's Shadow" or "Devil's Shadow"

Korosu! Susume Korosu! = "Kill, Go forth, Kill!"