InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mitsukaitou: Blade of the Angel ❯ Chapter 1

FYI- This is also posted on Fanficton.net. However, in this version there are no author's notes.(I did tis cause quite honestly, I want to know the page hits. People don't always review.)

Inuyasha had run off, yet again, to aid Kikyo. Kagome knew this was where his heart lay, but she still felt the stinging loss of the one she loved. It was that pain which told her there may yet be a day when Inuyasha saw Kikyo, but instead turned to Kagome and said, "To Hell with her," but her better sense told her otherwise.

"Kagome, are you alright? You've been staring into space quite a while now" Sango asked, concern evident in her voice. Sango, of course, knew that it was Inuyasha's sudden flight that disturbed her, but she asked out of habit.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just thinking." This response was also very practiced, a warm smile completing the charade. Sango tossed a desperate glance to Miroku, hoping he would get the hint to leave her alone with Kagome.

"Shippo has been alone quite a while. I'm going to check on him." He said, giving a meaningful gaze to Sango. Shippo was in a nearby field, and would easily be heard if he were in trouble, but Miroku's getaway was clean.

"Kagome, you can't still love him, can you?" Sango burst out once Miroku was out of view.

"Oh Sango, I don't know!" She cried. "Knowing that he's so devoted to Kikyo...maybe it's more of a brotherly love now. I just can't tell. It seems so unfair for me to lament like this though. Sango, Sango tell me, it is my imagination or have I seen this same sadness in you? Losing someone you loved, romantically?" Sango gasped. She'd firmly believed that she'd hidden it away. Kagome saw through those shells though, saw what you hid.

"Yes. Not nearly so dramatic or painful as your constant suffering with Inuyasha though." Kagome gave a look to Sango to continue. Unknown to either of the girls, Miroku was hidden in the woods nearby. He'd only planned on listening to Kagome, with the intent of driving guilt into Inuyasha, but if he left now, they would hear him. Obviously the fates wanted him to hear Sango, and he complied. "I was engaged to be married to a man named Hikaze. He was among the strongest fighters in the village...so of course he was at Naraku's mansion..." Neither Kagome nor Miroku needed to hear the end to this bloody tale, as it was one burned into their minds forever, Kohaku being their eternal reminder. A single tear slid down Sango's pale cheek. Miroku, having a clear view, longed to reach out and brush it away. Should he have legitimately been there, Sango certainly wouldn't have permitted him near enough to do so anyway.

"Would you like to talk about him? Sometimes it helps." Kagome offered. Sango nodded in answer. It crossed her mind how awful it was that she started this conversation to help Kagome, but how the tables had turned drastically. It seemed to be Kagome's way of helping herself, though, to help others. "How was his personality?" Kagome asked, a small smile on her face.

"Kagome!" she laughed, "You wouldn't believe me! Exactly like Miroku! He was a lecherous, perverted, and furtively serious person. Miroku, he really is serious, Kagome. He's just trying to keep all of us out of our angst thoughts."

"I know, but he enjoys entertaining us a bit too much, don't you think?" Kagome asked with a playful grin upon her face.

"Quite a bit too much! But Kagome," Sango turned serious, "about Miroku. I've tried to avoid this, I really have. But about Miroku...I think I...love him." She finished off quietly.

"Sango!" Kagome squealed happily. Miroku felt he could do so himself. "Doesn't the whole perv thing turn you off at all?"

"To look at it like that, they, people like Hikaze aren't like that when they're attached to someone."

"Well I guess you haven't told him then."

"Every damn time there's a serious setting, his hentai mode kicks in! I wanted to tell him after he exorcized a wild dog demon from a dead Lady, but there was his hand, square on my ass!" She started laughing and Kagome joined in. As their laughter ceased, Sango continued. "I know I'll find a time to tell him. You did with Inuyasha."

"But here's hoping you have a happier result." Her voice wasn't quite as sad as it maybe ought to be.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, don't sound so apologetic Sango, it's ok. I've accepted it. What I have to do now I can do on my own. You, however, could obviously use a hand or two. Anything I can do for the koishii Sango?

"Can you clear out camp tonight? Sango asked excitedly.

"Easily!" Kagome smiled and gave Sango's hand a quick squeeze of dedication, and then released it, watching the red dot of Inuyasha drawing nearer. Kagome noted that the look on his face was pain, one that she had learned well in her own mirror.

"Oh Inuyasha." She murmured in sadness for him. Inuyasha heard, but knowing it wasn't meant to be, kept silent.

How much am I hurting her? How long will it be before they're both in danger? Inuyasha thought worriedly to himself. There's no way to choose between a wife and a sister, just no way...

Shippo, having returned from his play, was curled neatly in Kagome's lap, watching the sunset with her. Inuyasha made his way over to them and plopped down next to Kagome.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, knowing she had to be thinking about something. No one could stare at the sky for so long without moving.

"Kikyo." She said bluntly and honestly.

"Kagome-"

"No Inuyasha, let me finish. I've been trying to figure out a way to cleanse the hatred from within her."

"Why are you thinking about this?" he asked out of direct curiosity.

"So that you can be happy here on Earth instead of the fiery pits of Hell."

"Kagome, that's not...I'm not something you have to worry about."

"Sure you are Inuyasha! If I can't do something to help you and make you happy before I die, I won't rest in my coffin, I swear I won't." he looked at her, a slight tone of pain registering on his shocked face.

"Kagome, you've made me happy and you've helped me more times than anyone in battle. You know that. I just think it's better if-"

"If I keep away from Kikyo?"

"Maybe so." Inuyasha struggled for words before and as he spoke. "You two...don't quite blend" he finished lamely.

"Yeah, but..." whatever she'd planned to say, she finished only in her thoughts. Shippo was drifting to sleep in her arms, and Kagome was lost within the confines or her mind, as was Inuyasha. It was then Kagome stiffened. "What was that?" she asked concernedly.

"What was what?" Inuyasha asked in response.

"That noise, I heard something." She said as she began to walk into the woods, Shippo having been shifted so that he sat sleeping upon her hip, his head resting lethargically on Kagome's shoulder. Inuyasha wondered briefly if Kagome had lost her mind, but followed, sniffing the air for the threat he couldn't find.

Miroku had returned shortly after Shippo, claiming he'd been off, "meditating" after checking on Shippo. In truth, he hadn't been able to move from his spot. He noticed Kagome leading Inuyasha away. Rather than leaving Sango to make a move, he did. He rose from his place across from her and relocated so that he was directly next to her. She became rigid, and he wondered if it was for the prospect of his hand upon her or if it was due to her own nerves.

"Sango," he said. She jumped.

"Yes, houshi-sama?" she responded politely. Miroku sighed inwardly. She would choose now to be formal and distanced.

"I...I want to tell you something that's been weighing on my mind for quite a while."

"Go ahead houshi."

"You have a place in my soul that is beyond that of a dear friend. Sango...watashi aikou omaesan." Sango inhaled sharply.

"Ano...is, is that so?" she stuttered. A lurch within her seemed sure that he would say, "No, it was just a joke."

"It is so, please tell me Sango, do you return my love?"

"Yes, Miroku, watashi aikou omaesan." She leaned against him as he drew his arms about her. They remained this way, even as they heard Inuyasha's loud voice approaching.

"A rabbit! Honestly Kagome, it was a damn rabbit!"

"I didn't know that at the time."

"It was half a mile away! There's no way you heard it!"

"Inu...yasha, please stop...yelling." whined Shippo between yawns. It was then they stumbled upon Sango and Miroku. A brazen smirk spread across Inuyasha's face.

"Oh, I see now, you 'heard' something. You weren't wondering around blindly, hoping to find something! It's so obvious to me now! How could I have thought that?" Kagome put on a frighteningly pleasant smile.

"I'm glad you understand now Inuyasha. Why don't you come and Sit by the fire! It's quite pleasant to sit and watch the wood burn. It's also nice to sit while thinking and to sit while keeping silent." Four times in a row, just as Inuyasha was picking himself up, Kagome managed to slam him down again with a well placed word. Winking at Sango, Kagome settled into her sleeping bag with Shippo.