InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fallen Samurai ❯ Chapter 21 ( Chapter 21 )

Wow! I can't believe that I have actually reached chapter 21!!! This story has come along so well, and I'm glad that so many of you have enjoyed it. I don't know exactly how many more chapters is left in this story, but I can tell you that it is more than half way through. So I'm back after my long vacation which was most enjoyable only to return home to a mess no thanks to Hurricane Charlie. I thank god I still have a place to call home and a family to return to. Prayers go out to those who weren't as lucky.

DISCLAIMOR: I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I OWN INUYSASHA, BUT I DON'T WHICH GOES TO CONFIRM THE STATEMENT THAT LIFE IS CRUEL AND UNFAIR.....

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Was this for real? It seemed like it was. Everything confirmed that this was reality . . . which made it seem more surreal. No, this wasn't reality, it just had to be a dream. This beautiful dream that resembled the sunkissed waters in his kingdom was just given to him without warning. He half expected to be flung out of these calm waters into the raging storm of reality, but that wasn't the case. It was real. The proof was given in his heart.

His heart . . . never would he have imagined to admit it to himself that he in fact did have such a thing. It seemed so contrare to his disposition, his beliefs, his herratage. And yet the cold and bitterness of it all was melting away like the snows melting into spring. That feeling of warmth replaced his old ways and he looked beside him for the cause of what started it in the first place.

Sesshoumaru starred down at the sleeping figure that layed beside him in a peaceful slumber. She was the cause for his drastic change. This once human had changed him in ways that he never felt possible. And he had chosen this change willingly, despite any actions or initiative that she might have taken in the beginning.

We are one, he thought to himself. The beginning may have started out quite rashly between us, but with time I knew that there was only one way I could change that. . .to change you. Although I am not deserving of your affections, still, my wish is realized, and once the Shikon no Tama is complete, my true wish will ensure our safety.

Sango opened her emerald eyes and looked up at Sesshoumaru with a warm smile. "Good morning."

"Sleep well?" he asked.

"Quite. And you?"

"Satisfyingly well."

Sango stretched and yawned, "You should have, considering."

Sesshoumaru made a small smile and carressed her face, twidling her ebony lochs between his fingers. "Something on your mind?"

Sango looked up suddenly, unknowing that she had let her face fall into deep thought. She shook her head and smiled. "It's nothing." She rose up and wrapped her robe around her, securing it tightly. Looking up, she saw her reflection in the mirror, and she began to walk slowly towards it; studying herself.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his robe loosely about him and stood behind her. "You are worried. For what reason?"

Her expression remained unchanged, as if she were starring at a stranger. "So much has happened since I departed from my comrades. Things have changed so much...I have changed." She stared at her once callused hands and sunburned skin. "Now I look in the mirror, and I hardly recognize myself."

Sesshoumaru placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "The winds have indeed grown stronger and wilder, Sango, but it still cannot bring down the majestic mountain." He brought out the partial jewel that hung from a chord and tied it around her neck. "Although they will come and go, I will always be here for you. Nothing will change that; I swear it."

Sango smiled. "You've given me so much. You've given me a second chance to do what's right. You've given me what I thought I'd never have...." she turned and brought him down to her in a tight embrace. She then whispered softly in his ear, "...love..Thank you.."

Sesshoumaru caught his breath in his throat. Love? Was that what this strange feeling was called? That one emotion that he deemed absolutely worthless and felt only by the weak? But he wasn't weak. He the great Sesshoumaru was not a weak-minded person. Yet this is what was happening to him. He felt that strange calm by the sunkissed sea encase his heart in ecstasy. It was that feeling that made him do what he most feared...question himself.

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"Mama! Mama!"

"Rin?"

The little girl burst through the trees of the garden and out into the field. She looked around frantically before she found Sango sitting beneath the largest cherry tree. With tears in her eyes, she rushed towards her, and Sango barely had time to react before she ran right into her.

"Rin!? What's the matter?"

"Is it true? Are you leaving?" She looked up with teary eyes and her nose already pink from her sniffles. "Why? Why do you have to go?!"

"Oh, Rin, I will return," Sango said comfortingly. She lifted the small girl and held her close on her lap. "I have a few things that I need to take care of. Then, I promise that I will return to be with you."

"Promise?"

"Of course."

The cries of little Rin tore at Sango's heart. Rin had thought that even though she had promised to be her mother, she was abandoning her. She was so afraid to be alone and without a family, and she had a right to. She was left an orphan and if not for Sesshoumaru, she surely would have died. For Rin, a family meant she'd have a sanctuary and never have to worry of being alone. Unfortunately, Sango could relate to her unhappiness, but they both found Sesshoumaru who had come to rescue them.

"I will miss you, Mama, when you are gone."

"You will never be long without me, Rin." Sango looked up at the giant tree that spread its blossoms over them, filling the air with its sweet perfume. "This tree is one of my favorite places, Rin. My heart is always with something or someone I love. So if you ever feel like you're alone, Rin, remember that my heart will always remain here...and in you," she said gently touching Rin's heart. "Besides, someone has to keep that ugly toad Jaken from bothering you!" Sango teased and tickled her.

The air rang out with Rin's giggles and laughter, it and the sun once again melting away all their worries. It was here that they both truly felt that nothing else in the world mattered. That all the nightmares fled and the shadows vanquished, only to be cast in the glow of the light. The happiness that surrounded the innocense of youth forever in a colaidascope of dreams.

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"HEY!! Where do ya think you're going with that??!!"

"STOP IT INUYASHA!!!"

"GIVE IT BACK SHIPPOU!!!"

"NO!!!"

"Yet another day has gone by and another evening has arrived," Kagome sighed. "And still the same fight never ceases." She shook her head and continued stirring the hot pot of ramen.

"OWWWW!!!! THAT HURT INUYASHA!!!"

"QUIT YOUR WHINING!!!"

"I'M TELLING!!! KAGOOOOOOMEEEEE!!!!"

"Will you two just shut up already!!?? There IS more ramen!!" she snapped. "I can't belive you're acting like it's the last bowl in the world!"

"That bowl was rightfully mine until-"

"Oh Inuyasha, will you just shut up!! You forget that Shippou's a little kitsune!"

"Yeah so?" he huffed.

"So quit acting like a spoiled, selfish pup or this WILL be the last bowl of ramen you ever get!!"

Inuyasha sat grumpily on the floor while Shippou still clung to Kagome. During this whole ordeal, Miroku sat picking at the last bit of his food. He had been eating more, lately, which was only because Kagome insisted that he do it or suffer from failing health. Not like he was already suffering from bad health. He barely spoke anymore, and didn't give Inuyasha his usual head beatings with his staff, which was another reason why Inuyasha was getting out of control. Without Sango and Miroku, it was all up to Kagome to do the disciplining.

With each passing day, the group seemed to grow more and more restless. With the threat of Naraku, the sibling rivalry between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, the collection of jewel shards, and the dissapearance of Sango, their anxieties were being pushed over the edge. It seemed like every moment resembled the now crackling fire that lay before them; chaotic and wild. There were few moments of peace anymore, none of which lasted long when they began.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed. "I said leave Shippou alone!"

"Stop defending the-!"

He was cut short and was almost knocked to the ground by the thump to his head. Kagome and Shippou looked up suprised to see Miroku withdraw his staff from Inuyasha's head.

"Enough of these petty quarrels. You should keep that energy until it's most needed; such as in battle."

Inuyasha rose up and folded his arms and crossed his legs. "Feh!"

"Now, if you please, Kagome," Miroku continued, "I'd like to have a second helping of that delicious meal."

Kagome sat there wide-eyed in disbelief. That was the most that he had spoken in days! "Of course, Miroku-chan!" she exclaimed happily, relieved that he was now eating and seemed to be going back to his old self.

"Shippou," he said after sitting down with another hot steamy bowl, "you should know better by now than to provoke Inuyasha, especially when you are between him and his meal."

Shippou pouted and slumped in Kagome's lap. "He started it."

"Wanna try that again?!" Inuyasha snapped.

"SIT BOY!!" Kagome ordered, and down when Inuyasha and his bowl of ramen in a ten foot hole.

"He's not coming out?" Miroku asked.

The three walked over and peeked down the hole to see Inuyasha sitting at the bottom, eating his dinner. He didn't look up, just sat contentedly eating.

"If this is the only way I can eat my meal in peace that who cares," he said, gulping down the last few bites.

"Whatever works for you," Kagome shrugged.

Inuyasha suddenly jumped out of the hole behind her, eyes glaring and fangs bared. Kagome slowly turned with wide eyes, and she began to tremble.

"I-Inuy-yasha?"

Is glare didn't waver and he pounced on her, knocking her harshly to the ground. She screamed, and started threatening to 'sit' him so many times that she'd send him to the other side of the world. She was abruptly stopped when she heard a nearby explossion. She glanced up to see where she had stood a minute ago was now a smoldering crater. Inuyasha was still over her, glaring at the cause of her near death.

She turned the other way, to see a ferocious, red dragon with pale, sickly looking green eyes, large black horns. Its teeth were visibly powerful, able to crush your bones into powder. From its mouth came forth streams of smoke, evidence of where the ki blast had come from.

"Take Kagome, Shippou, and get out of here!!" Inuyasha ordered Miroku.

He nodded and proceeded to take the both of them to safety in the dense forest. Inuyasha wielded Tethsaiga and took his battle stance. In another blast of thunder that shook the very earth, the dragon sent another ki attack; this time directed at Inuyasha. He swiftly dodged the attack and immediately came back with his own counterattack. This, however, the dragon stopped abruptly with a mere flap of his giant wings, the gust of wind throwing Inuyasha off balance and sent plummeting to the ground.

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"Wait! Stop!" Kagome cried. "We have to go back!"

"No," came Miroku's firm reply. "Inuyasha will take care of this."

"But what if he needs our help?"

"He can handle it. His first priority was to get the both of you to safety. Returning to him will only cause him to loose his concentration and focus more on protecting you than defeating the enemy."

Kagome stopped and twisted her wrist from Miroku's grasp. "NO! I'm going back to help him!"

"Inuyasha entrusted me with keeping you safe! He couldn't live with himself if anything ever happened to you! Don't you understand that, Kagome?!! This is his way of protecting you from harm! He doesn't want you to end up like Sango!!!"

"W-w-what?"

Miroku held his head low. "He doesn't want to end up like me; forever beating himself over and over again for something that he could have prevented. For something that should never have happened because it was my. . .his duty to protect you."

"Oh Miroku..." Kagome held him close. "I understand...but do you honestly think that Sango would listen and abandon the man she loves?" Miroku blinked in suprise while Kagome smiled warmly at him. "Then you know the way I feel, and what I must do."

Miroku too smiled softly and nodded.

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Inuyasha looked up from where he lay on the parched ground after he had been tossed once again like an old rag doll. He saw the dragon start to slowly stalk him, prolonging his death just for the torture. The glint in its sickly eye told him that he was ready to strike the final blow, when it suddenly cried out in agony as a burst of light shone from its chest. Inuyasha was suprised to see one of Kagome's purity arrows petruding from its thick scales. He looked behind him to see Kagome in her finishing pose from releasing the fatal arrow. He could see just from the look in her eyes that she said, "I'll never leave you."

"Bring him down, Inuyasha!!!" she exclaimed.

With a smirk and a nod, he jumped to his feet, racing towards the staggaring beast and with one mighty swing of Tethsaiga, beheaded the monster. The grime and blood spilled all over the ground, and the corpse fell, shaking the ground.

"You did it Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed, running into his waiting arms. "You did it!"

"Thanks to you, Kagome." Then in a more of a stern tone said, "Why didn't you go with Miroku like I told you!"

"Because although you are strong and tough and have a big ego," she said with a grin, "I still love you and that means we stick together no matter what."

There was a low grumble and a groan that rang throughout the forest that interupted them and both turned in horror to see the body of the once deceased dragon rise up. The purity arrow had fallen from its mark and from where the head had been severed, three suddenly grew in its place.

"Shit!" Inuyasha growled. "How the hell do you kill this thing?!!"

Suddenly, out of no apparent reason, the great beast split apart into many pieces, each one smaller than the other. The stench of blood filled the air along with the smolder of burn and ash. Before giving the beast a chance to regenerate itself, Miroku immediately released his wind tunnel, cleaning up the giant mass of flesh and bones.

"What the hell happened?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Look!" Kagome exlcaimed, pointing to a revolving object in the air. It retreated to the trees and all looked to see what or who it was that had saved them. The wind blew, folding the limbs of the trees that sheilded her in shadow, now revealing her in the light of the moon. There stood the figure of the samurai princess, securing her new Hiraikotstu in place behind her back.

"It...can't..." Miroku stammered. "Is it really?"

"Miroku!"

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Thank you all for your patience in regards of me continuing with my fanfictions. Hope that now you all will continue in your reading and writing your reviews. Watch for Chapter 22!

~*~Lady Pheonix~*~