InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sayonara, Kanashi Houshi ❯ Yami no Ashita ( Chapter 8 )

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InuYasha

"Sayonara, Kanashi Houshi"

Season 02

Rated: PG-13 for Violence (Inuyasha), Profanity (also Inuyasha), and Mature Situations (Miroku)

Summary: Miroku has survived his near death ordeal, and has realized his love for Sango, but now the pair will be walking into an even darker plan of their fated foe. They say love conquers all, but can it conquer the evil of Naraku? S/M I/K

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha® or any characters. This story was written strictly out of the fact I enjoy writing and I enjoy watching InuYasha®. I am making no money off of this, only reviews.

Chapter Eight

Yami no Ashita

(Darkness of Tomorrow)

The ominous castle loomed in view over the shadowed lands. Once the great castle had stood proud and strong, and all matter of men respected and revered it. Now that had all changed. The Lords and Samurai who had once dwelt in that castle were gone, killed by a demon of unnatural and unholy power.

Kagura was tired; she had spent the entire day bewitching the corpses of the dead and making them kill the living. By noon the entire town and castle was extinct, and still it was all too mundane. She hated doing what she knew she must do. Every time she watched one of the men or women die, she watched the fear in their eyes as their life and blood drained away from them; she imagined that it was Naraku who was dying.

He knew. He knew she wanted him dead. He knew that by containing her free will, by forcing her to be his slave by keeping her heart in his possession, that she wanted him dead. He knew her plans to kill him. Naraku knew every detail of Kagura's mind. From her lust for freedom, to her desire for his own death.

And she knew he knew. It was no secret that one day Kagura would betray him. He simply didn't kill her or absorb her back into his body because she was harmless, and he became amused at her pain.

And on this day Kagura lay out on her back on the edge of the tall castle walls, staring up at the starry night sky. She could feel the wind blowing at her and she gave a quiet sigh, wanting more than anything to join the winds of the world and blow away from this place. Naraku, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, she never wanted to see any of them again.

Although she did want to see Sesshoumaru. She believed with every bit of her soul that he and Toukjin had the power to destroy Naraku, of course, Naraku wasn't for sale. He wouldn't do her dirty work for her, and since Naraku kept her heart and life in his kimono pocket, she couldn't do it herself.

With a sigh the Kaze Youkai lifted herself to a sitting position and stared down. She had heard the quiet footsteps of Kanna, who, while she looked younger, was truly Kagura's elder sister. The eldest of Naraku's detachments.

"What?" Kagura spat sourly.

"You have a job." The pale girl said. Her voice was free of any form of will, or mind. She had no mind. Naraku had created her without a heart or soul. She simply existed, she didn't truly live.

"Well what is the job?" Kagura was becoming annoyed. She was in a bad mood tonight. "I already killed everyone."

Kanna shook her head slowly from the left to right. "You must ask Naraku-sama."

Kagura sighed and muttered some four letter words as she ran down towards the dungeon of the castle. She could smell something that churned her stomach and she truly hoped Naraku wasn't doing what she suspected.

Surely enough when she arrived Naraku was sitting in a corner naked, and growing from his back was a large purple cocoon. It oozed a foul smelling green liquid and Kagura sighed. She didn't need another stupid detachment walking around for her to obey.

"Kagura." Naraku said quietly with an evil grin. "Do I disgust you so?"

"Yes." Kagura said with all honesty. In recent weeks she had dropped the act of trying to pretend she didn't hate Naraku with a passion that would not die unless it died with him.

Naraku laughed a deep laugh that froze one to the very bone marrow. Then the hanyou reached back and patted the large cocoon on his back with a fatherly pride. "It is Tsune."

Kagura quirked a brow. "Tsunenomaru the traitor?"

"Yes." Naraku smirked. "He's learned his lesson I think."

Kagura knew there was something else. Naraku only laughed once more.

"I have . . . edited him." The evil being explained. "Made him less like you."

Kagura shifted her weight and sighed. "Is there a point to all of this?"

The dark one smirked and looked up. "Indeed. Do you remember the events of a fortnight ago?"

Kagura let out a huff. "Yes, you tried to kill the monk, and after they beat your ass he survived. So?"

Naraku nodded. "True. But that plan went as I planned it."

Kagura laughed now, she couldn't help it. "You planned to lose?"

Naraku smiled and nodded. Suddenly Kagura was interested in what he had to said, as much as it disgusted her. "He is afraid now."

Kagura shrugged. "What?"

Naraku laughed yet again in his cold-as-ice laugh. "He is afraid to use his Kazanna. Even as we speak Miroku is trying to find a new weapon to use against us. And he will find one." A cold spark was lit in Naraku's eye. "He will find one and when he obtains it, I shall have a power so great I won't need this anymore."

He was, of course, talking about the ball of Shikon that hung from his neck. Kagura felt a surge of horror in her body. If Naraku could truly obtain a power greater than the Shikon no Tama, she knew two things. One, he would never be able to be stopped, and two, she would become useless, and he would kill her.

Trying to hide the fear that had taken root in her mind and soul, she spoke. "And what do I have to do with any of this?"

Naraku laughed once more and then he told her what it was she had to do.

"Fine." Kagura said. "Consider it done."

Kagura walked up the steps and out of the dungeon. As she did Naraku patted the lump of flesh growing from him once more and spoke to it, like a mother speaking to her child while still in the womb. "You see her? That is your sister little Tsunenomaru. You will kill her one day."

While Naraku spoke to his growing youkai minion, Kagura looked up at the moon. She knew damn well that if Naraku truly became greater than the Shikon Shards, he would kill her and Kanna right away. Of course, Kanna was no help.

She knew what she had to do. She had to save her own life. And the only way to do such a thing was to kill Naraku. And to do that she needed Sesshoumaru.

----

Most villages in Japan in the fine year of 1496 had great fear of the youkai, but this one was used to them. One youkai in particular, was quite the common site. Kaede-sama was the local priestess of this village. Fifty years ago her elder sister, Kikyo, was the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Fifty years ago, this village saw a great battle between Kikyo and her lover, the Hanyou, Inuyasha.

And if she didn't get back soon, the village may see a similar battle between Inuyasha and Kagome.

"What the hell is keeping that girl this time?"

Crowded outside Kaede's hut was the Hanyou in red, Inuyasha. His face and smooth skin told those who looked at him that he was young, perhaps only seventeen or more. However his ears told that that was a deceiving look. He was much older than that, but didn't look, feel, or act like it. His long silver hair was fairly well kept, but not nearly as groomed as that of his brother. And his odd ears could easily become a dinner conversation topic. He was an Inu youkai, a dog demon. Or at least half of one. Dressed in the ruby red robes made from the fur of the rare fire rat, and carrying an old battered sword around with him that was his only gift from the father he never knew.

Sitting not far away, dressed in the noble color of lavender was a young, good-hearted monk who was called Miroku. Always with him was a large variety of wards and charms, as well as his gold staff which was a family heirloom passed down from his grandfather, to his father, to himself. Yet it was one of two heirlooms passed down from Miroku's grandfather, it was the nicer of the two. The second heirloom was Miroku's right hand, covered in a cloth and tied with prayer beads; the Kazanna was both a blessing and a plight

"Inuyasha, you must learn to control your temper. Besides, Kagome-sama said she had a surprise for all of us when she got back." The monk said cheerfully. The hanyou gave a "Feh" and turned away.

Beside Miroku was a small Kitsune youkai. He looked like a normal young boy, bright eyes and an innocent face, as well as a whiny yet mischievous nature. Of course this young boy had a large bushy tail of bright auburn hair to match that on his head. Currently Shippou was entertaining himself with a small spinning top; the top was his favorite toy of course.

"Merow."

Shippou blinked. "Ah, you want to play too Kirara?"

Next to Shippou was a small blond cat, with two tails and dark colored paws. Kirara had bright and pretty eyes and soft fur that made her look very cuddly, of course that was because Kirara was happy. When she was unhappy, then she could be very much the opposite of cuddly. For she was a Neko youkai, and she was also very skilled in the area of fire and heat. But right now she had no thoughts of fighting with other demons, but instead just eyeing the spinning top of Shippou, which she thought would make a very nice toy.

And next to Kirara was her favorite person in the world, a young girl with rich brown hair. Sango's eyes were somewhat the mystery; they were filled with such joy and bliss most of the time, however deep beneath all of the fog of pleasure was the tears of bitter sorrow. And Sango knew sorrow well. Whenever she became truly happy and content, her mind would replay those horrible images and drown out that happiness. It was her punishment for enjoying herself. She gave it to herself. And it would only go away again the day she saw her beloved brother once more. Saw him free.

Sango did not partake in the conversation; instead she just turned her head away from the boys. She was lying on her back staring down at the lake that lay on the bottom of the hill upon which they sat. She had always marveled at how beautiful Kaede's village was the lake and the trees all made it seam so wonderful. With a quiet and peaceful sigh and looked up into the trees above.

Suddenly she heard the tiny kitsune youkai give a happy squeal from her side and take off like lightning, and she knew Kagome must be back. Sitting up, sure enough she saw the young school girl climbing out of the well, her bag looked even more crammed than before.

"About time." Inuyasha huffed.

"Oswari." Kagome said off-handed, causing the Dog-Demon to fall to the dirt face first. "I have presents."

Everyone gathered around Kagome for her presents, but most of all was Shippou, who was so excited that he was bouncing around and hugging Kagome's arm. Present was a magical word for the kitsune youkai.

"Shippou." Kagome said happily. "Here."

Shippou squealed in delight as he was handed a box of crayons, a pad of paper, and a small bag of something called `Skittles' which the kitsune identified as candy by the smell his sensitive nose smelled.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha, who had finally drug himself back up to his feet. He had a mean look on his face and a four letter word on the tip of his tongue until Kagome pushed a box of Ramen noodles into his face, at which point the Inu youkai broke into a wide smile and grabbed the box happily.

Then Kagome turned around to Sango and looked at them for a minute before she grabbed a small bottle of something from her bag and gave it to her.

"Its perfume Sango-chan." Kagome explained seeing her friends puzzled look. "It makes you smell good."

Sango sniffed the bottle for a moment and looked at the odd cap, which unbeknownst to her was a sprayer cap. As her finger pushed over it a jet of perfume shot from the nozzle straight into Inuyasha's face. In a instant the dog demon screamed and began to scratch at his nose, making a odd whelping noise.

"Poison! Poison!"

"Baka!" Kagome yelled at Inuyasha. "It's perfume!"

Kagome sighed and looked for Miroku's present, which was a small odd canister that looked like the lipstick Kagome kept in her bag. Miroku blinked at it, and clicked off the cap, revealing another nozzle.

"Not more!" Inuyasha cried.

"No baka!" Kagome sighed. "That's breath spray. It makes your mouth smell good."

Miroku shrugged and pocketed the strange bottle, deciding not to use it around the whimpering Inuyasha, for fear of Tetsusaiga. It was amazing, the man could have a hole knocked in his chest and he wouldn't make a sound, but one bottle of perfume could bring him to his knees with tears in his eyes.

Suddenly Miroku and Inuyasha both bolted up and looked around. A surge of Jyaki was in the air and that meant a Youkai was on its way to find them. Inuyasha gave one last sneeze and then began to dart his eyes from right to left.

Suddenly a large youkai appeared from the woods. It had the head of a bull and the body of a horse. Inuyasha yawned; it was just a simple beast and could be killed easily.

The dog demon leapt into the air and ran towards the beast, Tetsusaiga drawn and ready to strike, but before he had a chance the bull/horse youkai stomped with one of its large feet and smashed the Inu Youkai in his head, causing him to fall backwards onto the ground.

Sango quickly went for her Hiraikotsu but the bull/horse was too fast and it stomped another bulky hoof at her, causing her, Kagome and Shippou to jump to all directions to avoid the stomp.

Miroku instinctively went for the prayer beads on his right hand, but he hesitated. His left fingers had already grabbed the beads and he was halfway in pulling them off, when he stopped.

The memories of Kagura and the yellow eye of Garudomaru were still too painfully fresh in his mind. Shaking his head he grabbed for his staff, but it was too late, the youkai spun around to face him.

The bull/horse would have killed him, but Inuyasha had regained his footing and a Kaze no Kizu was already flying swiftly into the monster's side, which tore it into bloody ribbons.

"What the hell is wrong with you houshi!?" Inuyasha cursed. "You could have used your frickin' Kazanna you stupid son of a --"

"Oswari."

Kagome's voice drifted over the air to the sounds of Inuyasha falling into the ground and she sighed. She was lying in the dirt and her elbow had been scraped badly when she jumped away. It wasn't a bad wound, not compared to some of the ones she'd had.

It wasn't her elbow that hurt, it was her heart. She looked at Miroku and realized that the effects of Kagura's trap were still too fresh in his mind for him to be able to let go.

Sango knew the same thing. She stood and walked over to Miroku, wrapping her arms around him in a back hug. He pushed her away and walked off back towards Kaede's town.

Sango sighed. If he wasn't even taking advantage of her affection then she knew he was truly hurt.

And back in his castle, Naraku laughed once again as everything fell into place for phase two of his most deadly plan yet.

----

Viva la Inuyasha!

Howdy folks, at long last, because of popular demand,

Sayonara Kanashi Houshi - the Second Season

Is finally up and running.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I hope you'll all be waiting for the next installment, coming soon.