InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Fragile Heart ❯ Chapter Ten: Bonds ( Chapter 10 )

"A Fragile Heart"

by: Banshee Puppet

Chapter Ten: Bonds

~~~~~

Kouga flopped down, Indian style, in the grass. "Damn, this is seriously bad. I'm starting to thing that getting out of here is hopeless." He sighed heavily, and then, he heard it, someone calling his name. "Kouga!"

He leapt to his feet. "Miroku??!?"

Silence then, voices, but they were muddy, like people speaking above you when you're stuck underwater. "Miroku!" he called again. No answer. What was this sinking feeling? "Damnit! MONK!" he hollered. "Don't call me and then just ignore me you perverted freak!" the wolf stomped his foot indignantly, yet soundlessly, in his dream.

A low chuckle, a slight hiss, and a pop. "Good to know that your vocal cords haven't been damaged for your ordeal,"

"Miroku?"

Fading in. The monk was transparent, but very much there.

"Idiot," Kouga scolded and then, eyes widened to the hand gently clutching the side of blue robes, staining dark with blood, lots of blood. The monk's form flickered.

"Listen, Koga, you need to wake up. I can't do anything, and I don't think I'm going to make it."

"Moron! Don't say stupid things," Kouga protested.

"Don't be so stubborn," Miroku complained. The only reason I can be here at all now is because I'm unconscious."

"You're hurt badly?"

"I don't know. I think it's deep…" Miroku admitted in a way that implied his own thoughts were still a little foggy at best. "You've got to find a way to wake the others."

"You say that," Kouga sighs in aggravation, "but I'm stuck in here too."

"Oh you ARE troublesome," Miroku chuckled weakly, wincing. "Come on then, I'll show you the way."

~~~~~

There is, at least, one thing that holds true about time. It passes.

As Inuyasha stood over Miroku's grave comforting a crying Sango, this is what he thought about. No matter what world he was in, no matter what wish he'd made, he couldn't make time stand still. … …and to wish for happiness, even another person's happiness, is a very selfish thing.

He glanced over his shoulder at where Sesshomaru stood with Kagome and Rin. He was stoic, as always, but… 'Were you happy, Sess, at all? Because if you weren't then all this sorrow has been for nothing. And all of my own happiness…' He squeezed Sango a little tighter. '… … …has been not only useless, but more than I deserve.'

Miroku, he had died quietly in the night, star-gazing with Kagome. She hadn't realized at first, had leaned over to wake him, and he just…hadn't woken up. Even at the funeral, his face still seemed to be smiling peacefully.

'We would have buried you eventually, right? It shouldn't be this sad. We all knew it was coming. Even back then…even…at home. But then there was hope at least. Kill Naraku. You'd have been saved then. What could have saved you now, I wonder. From this.'

The funeral had ended some time ago, and he saw motion out of the corner of his eye. Sesshomaru leaned over and said something to Kagome, who nodded and walked over to the new grave where Inuyasha and Sango stood.

"We're gonna get going now," she told her friends softly. "Sesshomaru has to go to work soon."

Sango let go of Inuyasha and nodded. "Yeah okay," she said softly, and then the two girls embraced a farewell.

"I'll see you in school on Monday," Sango said in parting.

"Inuyasha…"

"What?"

"Do you think he's happy, wherever he is?"

"I'm sure he's fine. He wouldn't let something stupid like dying ruin his mood, the fool."

Sango smiled weakly. "Yeah, I bet he's happy."

Yeah, Inuyasha decided. Time passes, and people heal, no matter what else is true, this cannot be altered. 'People heal,' he reminded himself. 'No matter what happens, people heal.'

_____

Miroku groaned and forced his eyes to slowly open against the dim moonlight. His body was heavy. He couldn't bring himself to move much. It took him a few moments to reconcile which world he was in, let alone his state.

'Am I really going…to end like this?' he thought. His side still bled. He wondered how long he had been like this.

At least he could think. What had that all been…that world? He forced his brain into action. Dream worlds. He'd entered Kouga's dream-a large, empty forest. What he'd done there he can no longer recall, not with any amount of clarity. 'Must be the work of a dark monk…' he thought. 'A Dreamweaver. Never thought…I'd fall so easily under such a stupid trick…' He groaned again, trying to sit up, and failing.

Miroku had heard much about the Dreamweavers from his mentor. They were a sect of monks with dark powers who used magic and the power in peoples hopes, dreams, even wishes, in order to force their enemies into a life-like dream. Meanwhile their real bodies were forced into something of a comatose state. He'd heard of entire villages which had been destroyed like this, trapped in dream while their villages were burnt to cinders, and that sort of thing. It seemed they had fallen prey to such a one, and it appeared, that Dreamweaver was under Naraku's dark thumb. But how did the dream break? He couldn't remember ever hearing of one that had. But he had broken through. Kouga would do the same, he was certain, and they would figure out a way to shatter the dream world, and return their friends to normal, and also…to defeat Naraku once and for all! He had to believe this. 'But to do all of that…I have to live. Kouga, come on…I seriously, need your help…can barely even…lift my head…'

He squinted at the light from the slowly opening doorway and tried to discern who was standing there….

_____

"Do you know where you're going?" Kouga asked the monk.

"Not a clue!" Miroku returned more cheerfully than he had any right being. "I'm following the sound of the river."

"But there is no river!" Kouga protested, but…he heard it too, actually…running water.

"Precisely!" the monk returned, smiling over his shoulder. "Oh…ow…uhoh…" His transparent form started flickering rapidly. "Looks like I have to go now," he said. "Kouga, hurry up and…" and Miroku was gone.

"Wake up. Yeah. Yeah. I know already, I know. Geez, Persistent bastard. …but now that I know the trick…" his ear perked up. The sound of water was loud here. It had to be close. Running water. 'Hang on, monk. I'm on my way.'

_____

The last few weeks had been long and hard. Dealing with a depressed Sango was absolutely no fun. Now, she was asleep in his bed, not wanting to be alone but not admitting to that simple fact, and he was taking a shower. Inuyasha jumped, yelping, when something passed through the wall beside him. He blinked. "Kouga???!?"

"Heh. Well, found the running water-now what?" the wolf prince thought aloud, his bushy tail swatting irritably away at the water as he passed the naked 'puppy' and sat down on the lid of the toilet seat, shaking out his hair. His ear perked up at an odd sound-jingling?

_____

"Ah!" Tanjoh squeaked as the crystalline orb containing Kouga's dream world shattered. "Damn him!"

_____

"Wh-what the hell-and-" Inuyasha sputtered.

"Shh. I don't have much time before I'm figured out, so…anyway, hurry up and wake everyone up. There's a lot of trouble and I think Miroku might seriously die if I don't hurry."

"Wait. What?"

"This world isn't real. You knew, right? Naraku trapped us all here. It's been fun, but there's trouble now, so make everyone wake up. I gotta go. Meet ya on the flipside, mut."

"Wait! How am I supposed to…"

Kouga gave him a serious look. "We only figured out one way-me n' the monk." And then he was off after that jingling sound again…

*

Kouga smirked at the pink light coming off of the dreamcatcher hanging in the window. 'Of course,' he smirked. 'Of course. What better way to chase off a nightmare?' And he passed through the blue stone at its center, disappearing into another world.

*

The room was empty save for Sango's soft breathing when Inuyasha came out of the bathroom. 'Which is the dream?' he wondered, already knowing the answer.

_____

It was then that the blue eyes opened quickly, like waking from a nightmare. He leapt to his feet, and nearly got hit by a familiar kunai with chain. 'Kohaku.'

"Damnit! You may be Sango's brother, dead boy, but I don't have time for you now!"

Stupid Naraku and his stupid dark priestess and her stupid "animate dead" spell. Grr.

"Kohaku. I will handle him," a woman's voice said. Kouga would recognize that voice anywhere.

"Kagura!" With anger seething, he charged at her.

_____

Inuyasha took a steadying breath, white-knuckled around the knife in his hand. He'd been standing edgily over the bed for nearly twenty minutes. He'd made up his mind, and now he had to be strong. He leaned over her, the bed moving with his weight.

"Inuyasha?" she blinked awake, confused.

"Sango," he whispered. "I love you," and kissed her softly. Pulling away, tears brimming his eyes, he plunged the knife into her chest. She gasped in shock. "Now go help our friends," he said.

A single tear fell from his eye as he kissed her unresponsive lips once more, pulling the bloody knife from her heart. "I'll join you soon, so…be careful."

_____

Sango's hand came to her chest and she gasped awake.

"Inuyasha?" she asked as the sleeping demon's fingers let go of her hand. What the hell was going on?!!??

As Kouga slammed hard into the wall beside her, Sango realized, she'd ask later.

"San-go?" he winced, one eye only half open and blood dripping down the side of his face as he cradled his arm in a strange position.

"Kouga, wha-"

"Go find…Miroku. Gotta save…ugh!" He forced himself to his feet.

Kouga was in no condition to be fighting, Sango realized, and also, her katana was still at her hip. Yes!

"You' go get Miroku," she told him sternly, standing and drawing her sword. "I'll take care of Kagura."

Kouga didn't need to be told twice. He found the monk quickly. Sliding the door slowly open, (in no condition to do otherwise) he smirked.

"Sorry I'm late," he said.

Miroku smirked back when he realized who was there. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"I slept soundly enough," Koga answered. "But the dream was too sad."