InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miko Malice ❯ Release from the Shadows ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions among others.

 

Thanks to all my reviewers!

 

A/N: Before you start in, yes, there are going to be some grammatical errors. I just need to post this and be done with it. I promise, I'll come back later and give it a good solid proofing, but if I have to read this chapter one more time, I'll stop working on this story all together. I started my new job, which involves writing lots of letters and brochures, so I'm pretty burned out on clacking on my computer. If you failed to notice, I've missed a couple Friday updates. I'm going to try to fix this, but working seems to be eating up my creative vibes.

 

Chapter 6 Release from the Shadows

 

Hands were holding her down. She was struggling, fighting, screaming even though her voice had no sound.

 

Her hands were tied down.

 

A heavy weight pressed her into the floor.

 

No, no. Not again.

 

There was nothing she could do.

 

Hands all over, especially pinning her shoulders.

 

Why couldn't she just wake up?

 

To answer her prayers, Kagome woke from her nightmare with a start. At first, she could not for the life of her recognize her surroundings, but when she finally noticed the white haired hanyou perched at her side and looking at her with deeply worried eyes, Kagome finally realized that she was safe.

 

“Are you alright?” Inuyasha asked cautiously. Kagome saw out of the corner of her eye as he pulled his hand off her shoulder. She hadn't even realized that he had been touching her.

 

Kagome nodded that she was fine, but her hands still shook a little and she felt that at any moment she might burst into tears.

 

“Are you sure?” Inuyasha asked. She had bowed her head down toward her sheets and he reached out to bring her chin up so she could not look away.

 

On instinct, Kagome flinched away at the action. Yet, when she looked through the dark of the room into Inuyasha's sad eyes, she felt regret. He had been so kind to her in the short time they had known each other and she could only repay his benevolence with fresh fear.

 

Looking at one another in silence for a little longer, Inuyasha slowly got to his feet and left Kagome to her thoughts. I wish you would trust me.

 

Kagome for her part sat in her dark room. She was still a little frightened and the thought of lying back down on her futon was not the most appealing. I wish I wasn't so afraid.

 

XXXXXXXXXXX

 

They had not been walking to terribly long, and already the silence was eating at Inuyasha.

 

Traveling down the forest path side by side gave the pair of hanyous little opportunity to face one another, and therefore cut off the usual route of body language through which Miyuki communicated.

 

Inuyasha could only look at the girl's profile, and she just appeared calm.

 

Kagome, for her part, wished Inuyasha would say anything. He had rudely woken her up this morning like he did every morning, though she did get the feeling that he was allowing her more time for her meditation: each day, it was a little latter before he came banging on her door.

 

This morning, he had told they were going to see “Kaede”. That was all he had articulated of their plans: no explanation as to who Kaede was or why they were paying her a visit. What if Kaede was his intended, or the like? For some reason, the thought did not sit well with Kagome.

 

After they're mutually made omelet, they had set out, in silence, and were still in lacking in conversation.

 

Inuyasha's nose was working over time, eyes and ears darting in every direction trying to find any conversation piece. Anything at all would do.

 

Just then, he realized they were practically at the front step of Takahashi Manor.

 

“We're almost to my parent's house.” Inuyasha said, trying to be nonchalant, but secretly hoping that she would be impressed. No matter what the scale of her little doodles in the ash last week, Inuyasha knew the girl walking next to him had, during at least some point in her life, lived in a palace. Would his family's home measure up?

 

Kagome turned to smile at him, and they went back to walking in silence.

 

Though this time it wasn't as deafening. At least she hadn't been completely turned off by the manor and snubbed her nose at it.

 

They had only crossed the first line of guards that protected the manor when Sango came up the trail to meet them in her cart.

 

“Inuyasha! Miyuki! Ohyo!” She waved at the pair, pulling on the reins of her donkey to bring it to a stop.

 

“Hey Sango,” Inuyasha called. Kagome gave a friendly bow.

 

“Where are you headed so early?”

 

“I wanted to take Miyuki to see Kaede.”

 

Sango visibly blushed. “Ka-Kaede? Why?”

 

Inuyasha squinted at her, confused by her obvious embarrassment. “Some things have come up,” he spoke each word carefully. He didn't want to say more: if Miyuki really was a miko, it would be dangerous for her to be in youkai territory—especially as a hanyou. Any demon who found out would not hesitate to cut her down, and they would have more than one reason to do so.

 

“Oh,” Sango said, looked at the ground, her hands fidgeting with the reins.

 

Inuyasha turned to look at Miyuki to make sure that she was also picking up on the weird vibes Sango was sending off. The neko shrugged her shoulders at him, but he could tell Miyuki thought Sango was acting strangely.

 

“I guess we should get—”

 

“Can I come with you?” Sango asked quickly, before Inuyasha could even finish his sentence. “I was going to the Cabin to clean it a tad early, but since you aren't even going to be there…please? It's been so long since I've seen her? Please Inuyasha?”

 

Inuyasha wasn't sure what to do: “Um…its alright with me. As long as you aren't going to get in trouble for leaving work in the middle of the day.”

 

Sango waved her hand in their air to brush away any worry. “It will be fine. I'll just say I was giving you a ride.”

 

Inuyasha thought for a moment more. Something was not right with Sango, but if she wanted to go see Kaede, who was he to argue? Perhaps she needed a remedy for something to do with her pregnancy and she was too embarrassed to tell him directly. Not to mention, Inuyasha liked the idea of being able to offer Miyuki a ride since she still didn't want to travel by way of his back.

 

Decision made, Inuyasha leaped up onto the back of the cart and reached down to help Miyuki to join him. Once they were settled, Sango jerked the reins to make the donkey move on.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Midori climbed higher and higher up the mountain.

 

Thanks to the mikos her father had under his control, her demon strength was reduced to the point that she could no longer fly due to the wards placed around the castle. Though it made things helpful when the demon lord was in battle, it was a pain in the ass when one wanted to drop in for a visit.

 

She dug her talons into the bare rock face of the mountain, pulling herself along by sheer strength of will. Sweat slithered along her temples to disappear behind her hairline. The usually proud demoness was disheveled and scarred from her journey through youkai country.

 

But at least she was nearly at the door of her family home.

 

She could only hope that she was more welcomed there than she had been elsewhere.

 

When at one time she had been a figure to be revered and feared in the land of the demons, Midori found herself shunned and attacked.

 

Demons were not supposed to marry humans; that was how hanyous were made. Such couplings went against the very laws of nature!

 

Anger fueling her climb, Midori dug her claws deeper into the rock and bounded the rest of the vertical way to the top.

 

She landed gracefully and when she looked up, Midori found herself looking into the eyes of an old and battle scarred youkai.

 

“Midori!” He cried out, and for a moment she was sure he would strike her. “You have been missed child.”

 

With that, Midori's father left her to get to her feet alone as he headed back toward the tall, mountain stronghold.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Sango was so nervous that the stench she was giving off had both of her hanyou companions covering their noses with their sleeves.

 

Inuyasha and Kagome's eyes met on more than once as they shared the private joke.

 

The inu hanyou still couldn't help from worrying about what had his old friend so anxious. It had been Sango's idea to go with them to Kaede's in the first place.

 

When the cart finally halted before the wise woman's hut, Inuyasha could see that Sango's hands were visibly shaking.

 

Inuyasha jumped over the edge of the cart and hurried first help Sango down, then reached up to take Miyuki's hands. It was only after the neko hanyou had accepted his grasp that Inuyasha felt the newness of it: she was beginning to trust him. Their hands remained together a little longer than needed to be. For once, Miyuki didn't jerk away or reek of fear from his touch.

 

Inuyasha couldn't help but smile at her.

 

“Who's that you have there, Inuyasha?” A voice called to them. The two hanyou turned to see a short and old woman coming toward them, her hands tucked behind her back.

 

A moment later, a young man dressed in purple and black appeared at the doorway. He gazed at Sango who averted her eyes, finding the ground much more interesting than anything else.

 

Giving the elder miko a short, respectful bow Inuyasha explained, “This is Miyuki. I wanted you to meet her.” Turning to Miyuki, he introduced the miko: “This is Kaede. She is our local miko and wise woman. My father offers her protection in trade for spiritual knowledge and healing for his human servants.”

 

Kagome nodded and faced Kaede, bowing. This is Kaede? She's an old woman! Kagome felt herself relax. I guess she isn't Inuyasha's intended then.

 

Kaede stepped up to the neko and took the girl's hands in her own. “I see why you brought here to me, Inuyasha,” Kaede said, pulling her hands quickly away. Inuyasha looked down at the movement to see that Miyuki's hands were glowing their faint pink. “I think we should go inside.”

 

Inuyasha and Kagome both nodded and the three of them retired into the hut, leaving Sango alone.

 

She raised her head and glared at the young man, stuck her nose in the air and headed off to a shady patch of trees.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

“Come into the light. Let me see you child.”

 

Midori stepped forward.

 

They stood in her father's courtroom, his thrown in the center and surrounded by his many neko attendants. All were whispering at the reappearance of the missing daughter, the one sent into human lands. No one had ever thought they would see Midori again. Many had thought her dead.

 

Here she was, a legend in her own right, a powerful demoness warrior, killer of masses and she was being spoken to as if she were a kitten.

 

Her brooding did not stop Midori from complying with her father's request.

 

“You haven't changed, my child, even as you live among humans.” Her father sounded as though this surprised him.

 

Midori felt he was trying to slight her, and schooled her features to show no emotion. “No father, I have not.”

 

“And how do you find such a life?”

 

“I rarely have cause for complaint, father.”

 

The youkai ruler did appear convinced: “Rarely? Then do you have complaint now? Is that why have come all this way on your own?” The both knew he already knew she was there to ask him something.

 

This is not going to be easy. “It is Kagome. She—”

 

Her father cut her off with a bored wave of his hand. “The hanyou's name will not be mentioned here.” The whispers that had nearly dissipated, came back with a vengeance. It appeared the little tid bit that Midori had had a child had been withheld from the neko court. “I hope it is not for her sake that you have come all this way in such a state, disgracing both my house and that of your husband.” The neko ruler was laughing at her.

 

Midori was not one to be laughed at. Particularly at a time like this.

 

“Right, husband, not mate.” Midori spat angrily. The two guards standing on either side of her father looked to another uneasily. “You're the one who arranged my marriage for a cursed treaty that neither party benefited from. You—you did not even use the human land you gained through marrying me off! And now you won't even listen when I try to tell you that your granddaughter is here. In demon lands—if she is not already dead!” Midori suddenly calmed, a sadness over taking her anger. Carefully, she bowed: “Please, father, help me.”

 

The ruler was quiet for some time, but at last he spoke. “What exactly do you wish me to do, child? Send out forces that would be hostile to a hanyou child? Such a venture would be useless—for more than one reason. Your kit is unquestionably already dead. Go back to your husband.” Suddenly feeling charitable, “Or if you like, stay here.”

 

“No thank you, father. I will be looking for Kagome myself. Thank you for your time.”

 

Without waiting for a response, Midori gave a sharp, curt bow and stormed out.

 

No one had ever known what to make of the strange demoness, and this visit did nothing to set anyone straight.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Once she had Inuyasha and Kagome seated before her cooking fire, Kaede set about making tea.

 

“How long has she been with you, Inuyasha?” Kaede asked, sitting down with some small earthenware cups.

 

Without really thinking about his words, Inuyasha answered: “I won her almost two weeks ago. She lived a week at the manor and then Sango brought her back to the cabin to live with me. She's been there since.”

 

Kaede looked aghast: “You won her?”

 

Inuyasha nodded, suddenly realizing how strange what he just said sounded. “I was um…at the tavern. By the crossroads? She was a slave belonging to a youkai master.”

 

“Poor child!” Kaede cried. She reached out for Miyuki's hand, and to Inuyasha's envy, the neko took and tightly grasped fiercely back. When did she ever do that for him, except when he was helping her in and out of the cart? Sure they had touched before, but not the way Miyuki practically clung to the wise woman, seeking strength and support.

 

Trying to push down his feelings, Inuyasha attempted to get the conversation in the direction he wanted it to go: “What can you tell me about her?”

 

Kaede regarded Inuyasha with a careful eye. “I can tell you she is a miko, but without reading her mind, not much else.”

 

“I already figured that!” Inuyasha snapped. “Can you read her mind?”

 

“Now you're just being foolish, Inuyasha,” the wise woman chuckled.

 

“Well I don't know what you witches can do!”

 

Kaede thought for a moment. “I could try projecting our auras onto a spiritual plan. There we would not have to rely on our voices to speak.”

 

“Keh, do whatever,” Inuyasha scoffed nonchalantly, but after a moment added: “As long as Miyuki doesn't mind.”

 

Turning to Kagome, Kaede checked to make sure the neko was willing, and then instructed her to meditate. Both arranged themselves in the prayer position Inuyasha had observed Miyuki taking on more than one occasion during her morning devotions.

 

After a few minutes, both mikos were breathing in sync with one another. Kaede carefully reached out and placed her hands on either side of Kagome's head.

 

“Now, I'm going to connect our auras and carry them to a place where we can talk. You need to relax, Miyuki. Inuyasha, since it will be the same as if we were in deep meditation, just keep an eye out that we are not disturbed. Are you ready, my child?”

 

Kagome nodded. Her palms had begun to sweat in anticipation. She was going to get to speak to someone. They could stop calling her Miyuki! Maybe the wise woman could help her get her voice back.

 

She began to feel a warmth at her temples, but Kagome forced herself to relax. This wasn't frightening, not like the memories that gave her night terrors.

 

With an abrupt jolt, Kagome found herself blinking her eyes in an effort to adjust them to the sudden light that surrounded her. When she finally managed to open stand the glare without pain, she found that she and the Kaede were seated, as they had been moments before, only now they were in an endless grassy green field instead of the stuffy little hut.

 

“Where are we?” Kagome asked and immediately her hand flew to her mouth. She was shocked that after so many months of being silent that her vocal cords were suddenly working again.

 

“A spiritual plain. I know not which one, but a place where mikos and priests can go to rejuvenate their powers all the same.” Kaede offered her a motherly smile. “Now child, tell me of yourself.”

 

Kagome looked down at her hands. They were shaking a little, but for once it was not because of fear but anticipation. “My name is Kagome.” That seemed like the best place to start. “I'm from the human lands.”

 

“A hanyou? From the human lands?” Kaede could not hide her surprise. When one found half demons, it was usually in youkai territory and their mothers were almost always human servants or slaves in the large households.

 

“My mother is youkai married to a human lord and priest.” Kagome clarified. “I have never met my mother's family and I think they have disowned her.”

 

Even though the girl before her was speaking clearly enough, Kaede was still warming her mind up to what she was being told. “So your maternal family is here, in youkai territory?”

 

“Yes, though I don't know its name. My father did not like for it to be mentioned.”

 

Something further occurred to the wise woman: “Your father is a priest? That is how you got your powers?” A human priest as a father and a youkai for a mother? Whoever heard of such a thing? Whatever was said about the neko, if she was telling the truth, she was most remarkable.

 

“Yes, my father is a powerful priest. I think that is why mother's father chose him to be her husband.” Kagome looked sad for a moment, “But I cannot be for certain.”

 

Kaede nodded, understanding even what Kagome was not saying. Especially among the boarder lands some time ago, there had been a craze among the leaders of both youkai and human sects to intermarry in an attempt to integrate the two realms. Inuyasha was a product of such a marriage, and it appeared that so was Miyuki—no she had said her name was Kagome. But sadly, after a few assassinations, botched treaties, and no peaceful integration, humans and youkai had gone back to hating one another. The women sent off into the marriages had been forgotten by their birth families, and were often disposed of in the frequently brutal manner that their new family saw fit.

 

“Your father taught you how to use your miko powers?”

 

Kagome smiled as if at a distant memory. “In the beginning it was so I would not harm myself—it so rare to be a miko and have youkai. He was reluctant to teach me at first, but once I leaned the basics, he found I was an even better student than my half sister whose mother was a priestess.”

 

“You have a sister?”

 

It was as though a dark veil fell over Kagome's face. She nodded, bowing her head so that her hair covered her face.

 

“Kagome?”

 

“My sister is the reason why I'm here and why I'm this way.” Her voice was tiny and it was clear she was restraining her tears.

 

“She did it because you're hanyou?” Kaede asked the most obvious reason. If she could get to be bottom of why Kagome had been sent away, perhaps she could help her.

 

Kagome gave a defeated shrug and raised her head, showing her eyes that glimmered with tears. “She wanted to get rid of me. Why I couldn't say, but she's never liked me.” Sniffling, the neko looked off into space. “I guess I never tried to make her love me, but then she always made it clear she did not want me around. She refused to call me sister.”

 

“I'm sorry child,” Kaede reached out and gently hugged Kagome. The little neko cried into the old woman's shoulder for some time, letting go all of the anguish she had had bottled up for so long. “These tears must me more than just the lack of a bond between you and your sister. There is more, isn't it? What did your sister do?” Kaede hated to ask, but this was their one chance to find out what had happened so they could help.

 

Kagome was silent from a few minutes as she attempted to curb her sobs enough to speak. “She attacked me. She made me eat Silence Root and then she cast a spell on it so it would be bound to me until she saw fit to remove the charm. After that, she—she sold me to these men,” Kagome stopped in her story to cry some more; the shoulder of Kaede's dress was becoming soaked. “They took me into youkai lands, and for months, I have been here…being passed around from m-master to master. They've used me. I'm surprised my miko powers still work at all, I've been so—”

 

Kaede squeezed Kagome's body tightly. “Sshhh, don't think like that my child. It is all right. The purity that gives you your miko powers is not in your body, but in your soul. Worry not, my child.”

 

“I'm just so afraid. Inuyasha has been so kind to me, and he knows that I'm still afraid of him. And I have nightmares and flashbacks and whenever I feel I might be able to relax, the fear comes back.”

 

Kaede sighed. She sat Kagome up straight and used her thumbs to brush the tear tracks away from the girl's face. With a motherly smile: “Let me see what I can do for that, and while I'm at it, I'll look at that spell of your sister's.”

 

Kagome nodded, sniffling the last of her weeping away.

 

Again, Kaede raised her hands to Kagome's temples, this time touching her skin with the tips of her fingers. Channeling her power, Kaede pushed her aura into Kagome's, soothing and smoothing the neko. She could feel and see in her mind the rips and tatters in the girl's soul, and the wise woman set about repairing her wounds. It was like sewing patches on an old, beloved quilt: cover the holes from wear and tear to make it as whole as a possible.

 

Kaede knew she couldn't fix everything she found wrong with Kagome, but she could repair as much as possible of the damage that had been done to her in the past few months.

 

At least the fear of Inuyasha would be almost gone.

 

Kaede couldn't help but quirk a smile at the thought. So, the little neko had taken a liking to the young Takahashi. That could be good for the both of them.

 

When she was finished with dulling Kagome's memories and relaxing her soul from all the torment she was clearly in, Kaede moved on to the spell. She located the remnants of the Silence Root resting in the pit of the girl's stomach. Over the months with the reinforcement from her sister's spell, it had grown hard and presumably indestructible. Not to mention that it had some how developed a tiny aura of its own that had latched onto Kagome's aura. Which was probably why she wasn't speaking.

 

Kaede tried to pry the two auras apart. If she could do that then the material part of the Root in Kagome's stomach would surely succumb to natural digestion.

 

However, try as she might, the Silence Root and Kagome's aura were tightly bound.

 

They would surely need her sister to undo the spell.

 

Pulling her aura back, Kaede smiled warmly at the young girl before her. She could be no more than a teenager; of course she could just look young. No matter. She was still much too young than to have seen and experienced the things that she had. And all because of the ill will of a sibling. Kaede hoped that she had been able to mend the girl's soul some.

 

“There is nothing I can do for the spell that your sister has to set on you,” Kaede said, and Kagome's face fell, “but I have tried to help with your fear. I cannot erase your memories, but I can dull them so that they do not cause you such pain and fright and worry. The terrors that haunt your sleep should leave you and you will not fear Inuyasha as much as you have. You still have a long road to take, but I know to have eased your journey, my child.”

 

Kagome smiled brightly. “Thank you Kaede, thank you so much.” Breathing deeply, she could already feel the weight that had been lifted from her soul. “I think I'm starting to feel better now.”

 

“That is good my child. All that I ask is that you repay your thanks to Inuyasha. I think your friendship will be good for him. He has long been lonely here in the youkai lands. They two of you are not as different as some might think.”

 

Kagome agreed, she had been think much of the same. “I know Kaede. I hope that now I can be as much help to him as he has been to me.”

 

“Good child. I am sorry that there is nothing to be done about your voice. The spell is too strong and the Silence Root has been bound to your own aura. Only your sister will be able to free you. There is not other way that I can think of.”

 

“Thank you for trying, Kaede. I only wish I could speak to Inuyasha.”

 

Kaede could help but feel happiness at that wish: “Maybe you will one day, Kagome. Perhaps one day soon.”

 

Kagome smiled her thanks.

 

“Are you ready to go back?”

 

With a sigh, Kagome nodded.

 

Moments later, she found herself sitting in Kaede's hut next to an anxious looking Inuyasha.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Sango paced worriedly around the small thicket of trees. There was the slightest pain in her back and her feet had begun to swell. By her count she was at least three months along in her pregnancy.

 

And the father of her baby was nowhere to be seen.

 

Well, only figuratively speaking.

 

In reality, Sango could see the lech leaning up against the side of Kaede's hut pretending to meditate. She wanted to think that he was sneaking peaks at her, but she demanded her heart be logical.

 

Miroku had long ago washed his hands of her. After he got what he wanted.

 

She was a fool for wanting to come here. She had hoped that for once she would be able to find the words she needed to say to Miroku.

 

A large problem was that she didn't know what she wanted to say to him.

 

Did she want him to acknowledge her and their baby? Or did she just want closure for the way he had treated her?

 

Maybe just letting him know that she was about to have his child would have been a good place to start.

 

Sighing, Sango gave up on pacing and dropped down the cool ground, propping her back up against a tree to support her growing weight.

 

It was true that Hide and Lady Takahashi had said she could stay at the manor even though she was about to have a child out of wedlock, but Sango could help buy worry.

 

What if they changed their minds? Girls had been sent away for lesser sins.

 

Sango was startled out of her brooding thoughts when a pair of feet stopped in the dirt before her. She immediately recognized the sandals and had no reason to look up to the face attached to them.

 

“Do you mind if I sit with you for a little while?” Miroku asked, sounding hopeful.

 

“I don't own the trees.” Sango said as nonchalantly as possibly. “I'm sure Kaede doesn't care if you sit by them.”

 

Miroku dropped down to one knee in front of her. “I don't give a damn about the trees, Sango. It is you I want to be near.”

 

Glaring at him directly in the eye, Sango scoffed: “Could have fooled me.”

 

“Sango, I know I've been a fool and a coward, but its just that you were, well, I don't know…I wasn't completely honest about—and I what I wanted to say was—”

 

“Save it monk!” Sango hissed. With much effort and a bit of wobbling, she managed to get to her feet. “You have made it perfectly clear that you don't want me around you. I'm not blind, I know when I'm not wanted, Miroku. So please, go back to your milkmaids and leave me alone.”

 

Seeing Inuyasha and Miyuki coming out of the hut with Kaede, Sango quickly brushed passed Miroku.

 

“Sango, wait!” Miroku called after her, refusing to let her leave again. He had been so incredibly stupid before, running off to flirt with other women, but he had been so frightened! He didn't know how to act around women all that well to begin with as he had been raised in a monastery, and then Sango was so different from any other girl he had ever met! He had never been able to imagine her liking him that he panicked and fled when he should have stayed.

 

That he knew his mistake now did not help him one bit in winning back her favor.

 

Miroku was jogging toward Sango when she suddenly doubled over and he could clearly hear her retching.

 

Quickening his gait, he was at her side in an instant to hold her hair back from her face. “Are you alright, Lady Sango?” Miroku asked with worry; it was not everyday that a person stopped mid step to be ill. She must not be well.

 

“I'm fine,” Sango croaked. She was bent over, holding herself up by propping her hands on her crooked knees. She dared not raise her head and look at Miroku: her face was flushed bright red. What if he figures it out? Kaede is training him in healing—he should be able to recognize basic signs of pregnancy! What a way for him to find out he was about to become a father.

 

The lech deserves any shock he gets! It was a pretty big surprise that you were going to be a mother!

 

He may be a lech, but well, he's my lech and I don't want him to get hurt.

 

That's when Sango felt Miroku's hand, that had tenderly massaging her back, move down to grope her backside.

 

Fine. He gets whatever's coming to him.

 

Standing up straight, her previous embarrassment replaced with anger, Sango wopped Miroku across the face and headed toward the carriage where Inuyasha, Miyuki, and Kaede where staring at her with mild shock and great amusement.