InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow's Warrior ❯ Fighting the Past ( Chapter 9 )

This chapter has been such a long time coming that I beg forgiveness to those following my story.

Feel free to review and comment about anything from grammar, to the story itself, how I really should write faster.

Please Enjoy
~eef

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Running and fighting an invisible foe.
Running and fighting the past.
A piece of happiness briefly obtained
Destined to never last.

“Excuse me captain, we have an important message for you.”The spinning couple halted on the dance floor; to Sango it seemed as though they came crashing down to earth. A man she seemed to recognize from her nightly visits to the caves was standing next to them with a guy she didn’t recognize.

“Can’t it wait, I have a beautiful lady that I am dancing with right now and it would be a shame to leave her.” Miroku said light heartedly though the looks on the men’s faces were anything but.
“Captain, it is urgent that you come with us now.” The man said in a slightly lower tone looking at Miroku as if to get a message across using his eyes.

Miroku nodded solemnly and slightly licked his lips, turning back to Sango, “Well it seems our night must be cut short.” He bent down, picked up her hand and brought it to his lips lightly, “I am sorry my lovely lady Sango that I must depart. Don’t let in ruin your night. You should stay here as long as you like, though I have a feeling work will detain me till tomorrow morning.”

“I am kind of tired already.” Sango said making a convincing head droop to make her statement more believable.

“Then you shouldn’t stay long. I will see you tomorrow morning. I am sorry for being such a horrible date.” Miroku stood there reluctantly stepping away while babbling apologies to her. Finally he turned and disappeared through the crowd heading towards the administrating part of the building.

Sango waited little more than a few seconds before taking off towards the doors on the other side of the room. Unnoticed by most people, she slipped through the doors and into the night. Skirting the building she made her way to the wing Miroku had disappeared into and looked for low windows she had used as an entrance when following Miroku one of the nights earlier that week.Easing the window open she carefully hiked up her dress and ducked inside. The room was dark and musty. Furniture was covered with cloth and dust coated everything showing the room’s neglect and lack of use. Quiet sounds could be heard not coming far from the door. Sango crept across the room to hear them better and to get a visual on who was talking.

The door of the room was slightly ajar leaving a small sliver for her to peer through. Just as she put her eye to it, Miroku turned and walked away from the men he was talking to and out a back door into the night. His face was shaded in the dark hall way but his poise and walk appeared as one on a mission.

Sango was about to walk back across the room so she could follow wherever the captain was going but the men he had been talking to caught her attention.

“The General didn’t sound too anxious about those intruders did he?” Spoke the man who had interrupted their dance.

The men’s voices started growing quieter as they walked away from the door she was hiding behind. Carefully opening the door into a crack wide enough to slide through, Sango sunk into the shadows of the hall and quietly trailed the men.

“Nah he knows he got them.” Snickered back the man talking to him. “Damn fools, I almost feel sorry for them. How many of them were there?”

The first man scratched his head a little, “General said four.”

“Ha, four dead men.” The second one obnoxiously snorted before walking back towards the party.


Sango felt her face drain a little at the men’s words, Naraku knew about Inuyasha, Kouga, and the others. That was where Miroku had gone to do his duty protecting his employer’s holding. He was going to find them and then their fates would be sealed by Naraku.


Sango slipped into the shadows of the hall and made her way into the closest room that had an outside window. Changing quickly out of her dress, she neatly folded it and placed it in a corner covered by a large chair. Opening the window she slid into the night and quickly scaled the wall that surrounded the barracks.


Once in the woods, she located the bag Kagome had hidden for her. After a sigh of regret for having to ruin the hair her friend had spent so long on fixing, Sango pulled out as many pins as she could find and tied it back tightly. She drew her hood over her head and then disappeared into the forest’s darkness.


When she neared her pace slowed and she began to take in the goings on of the main entrance. The outward appearance was one of heightened security. Already extra soldiers were stationed there in case the main exit was used. A few other men were scouting the nearby rocks for the intruder’s mode of entrance. Sango hoped they hadn’t found her special entrance.

A sharp movement about ten yards to her left caught her attention and she squinted in its direction.

Again a small movement, barely perceptible in the dim light from the guards’ torches, could be seen. As a figure ducked his head back below the rock he was using as shelter. Sango saw enough to guess that the figure was Ginta, one of Kouga’s men.

Quickly checking for any guards looking her way Sango made a break for it and made it to Ginta’s hiding place. The man was looking the other way nervously and nearly yelped when he turned around seeing Sango.

“Ginta where are the others?” Sango asked in a whisper.

“Inuyasha split as soon as he noticed more soldiers arriving inside. He left a few ago. Kouga and Hakkaku were trying to find another entrance near the waterfall drop and I haven’t seen them come back. I think they are still over there.” Ginta nervously answered. Sango looked over towards the waterfall worriedly. “Alright, I’ll go find them. You need to get out of here.”

“But Kouga…” Ginta started to protest.

“Will want to see you make it out of here alive. No one is looking now, run.” She pointed and lightly pushed him towards the woods.

Lying back, Sango checked her knife and sword and made sure her hood was securely in place. Then checking both ways she took off towards the waterfall.

As she neared, the terrain grew more slippery and she slowed her pace aware that not far from her was a sharp twenty yard drop off that she did not want to accidentally slip off.

A loud crack of wood against rock up ahead drew her attention. Coming around a large rock she was confronted by a sight that froze her in her tracks. In the middle of a decently sized clearing bordered by boulders and the sharp drop off of a cliff, lay Hakkaku injured while Kouga and Miroku were fighting each other not far off in the dim light cast by the small moon.

Kouga was quickly dodging around the young captain using his superior speed to his advantage. Miroku stood carefully posed with a large stick in hand using it as a makeshift staff to fight. He patiently gauged his opponent waiting for an opening. Finding one he quickly struck forward with the speed and technique she had so often gone up against. Kouga barely moved his sword in time to block staff. Drawing back in surprise at the speed in captain’s movements, Kouga re-appraised his opponent’s talents.

‘Kouga knows he can’t win, and he needs to get Hakkaku to safety.’ Sango thought as she watched both men’s movements while they eyed each other daring the other to move first. She needed to save Kouga and distract Miroku so that he could get away.

She and Miroku moved at the same time. Miroku feinted left for a hit but instead brought the end of his staff around tripping Kouga. Taking advantage of the loss balance to throw his opponent on his back, Miroku knocked the sword away and had Kouga completely helpless below him. Sango dove between them just in time to block the last downward swing of Miroku’s staff with her sword easily cutting the stick in half.

Miroku sprang away to safety giving Sango time to whisper rushed instructions to Kouga.

“Get Hakkaku and get out of here. Ginta and Inuyasha are already made it out. I’ll take care of Miroku.

”Kouga nodded knowing not to argue with Sango when she was in fighting mode. He glanced at Sango who had assumed a low fighting crouch staring down Miroku through the eye holes in her hood.

Miroku carefully appraised his newest opponent while side stepping towards Kouga’s discarded sword. Sango maintained a position between Miroku and her fleeing allies. She carefully guarded their departure.

Once he had the sword in hand, Miroku made a move towards the departing pair only to be met face to face and sword to sword with Sango.

Quickly jumping back Miroku gave a last frustrated glance at the escaped trespassers who disappeared around the corner and then focused his attention back on the unknown attacker. The look in his eye was of complete focus and determination fierce determination. He wasn’t easily going to let whoever they were, go easily.

Sango waited for Miroku to attack first. She had no wish to harm him all she need to do was distract him and keep herself alive.

His attack came soon and swiftly. Sango blocked the first blow and the second but the third came unpredictably and she just barely missed rolling out of the way and sliding into a nearby boulder.

Lunging at her again Sango jumped to her feet and blocked a few more times before springing away finally putting enough space for her to rethink her plans.

She wasn’t a defensive fighter. All her strength in fighting lay in her highly attack based style. She would have to strike back and disarm or temporarily disable him to get away.

This time her attack came first, slightly shocking Miroku with its speed and technique. This time it was him desperately blocking her moves before leaping to safety at the farther edge of the opening near the cliff’s edge.

Sango walked towards him, both panting hard waiting for the other to move. Sango took off running sideways and Miroku mirrored her movements. Then both launching forward, they met again in flashes of metal.

Now neither was holding back, and neither was underestimating their opponent. All moves were careful and exact. All the training both friends had lived for most their lives became apparent and welcomed. They both fought hard with all their strength and ability.

The years apart showed plainly in their fighting. Miroku had trained much in the four years he had been gone. Where years ago his style had been unpolished and reckless, it was now precise and deathly accurate. Sango too had improved greatly since their last fight, going from a precise and cautious fighter to one that had gained great speed and insight.

Leaving a false opening Sango lured Miroku into taking a forward attack. He took it but saw her counter attacking coming and so blocked it. Parrying he brought his sword back around to caught her in a similar position but over stepped and left himself open. Sango did not take the opening instead opting to back up, reposition herself and again make a forward assault.

This time it was Miroku who tricked her. Creating a similar trap, Sango took a miss step and realized her position almost too late. She managed to bring her sword up just in time to narrowly miss a strike to the throat by little more than a hair’s width. Deflecting his sword and pushing away from him, Sango took a breath to focus herself and then to strike again.

The scrape on metal on metal, the sharp breaths of the fighters, the sound of stones and gravel scraping below their feet echoed in the air as the sound of the battle filled the small clearing. Both fighters fought hard for both breath and the upper hand, succeeding at neither well. Their bodies and minds were raised on fighting, hearts brought up to love the feel of the fight. To Sango and Miroku, they belonged to no place like where they were.

Drawing back Sango crouched in position to strike again. Miroku in response placed his foot back for balance poising his sword forward to intercept the oncoming attack. That’s when the sound of crumbling rocks reach Sango’s ear and the Miroku’s silhouette against the sky disappeared.With out thinking, Sango lunged forward just managing to grab his hand in time to stop his decent into the forest below.

Miroku froze at first and then made to grab the edge of the cliff near him. It easily crumbled under his finger leaving helpless and at the will of his unknown enemy.Then looking up Sango could only guess the surprise that must have played across his face, though she couldn’t see it in the darkness.

“My God.” He rasped when he gained his voice again then after his head cleared he realized who had his hand, “You?”Sango ignored the questioning in his voice, instead focusing on getting a strong grip on edge of the cliff to prevent both of them from plunging to their deaths. Carefully she placed her free hand against the ground and dug her nails in to prevent sliding. Then lifting one leg then the next to kneeling position she readied herself.

Carefully using the strength in her arm and her legs, she rose into kneeling position and started backing slowly away from the edge pulling Miroku with her. Step by step she focused on not slipping and keeping her grip tight on Miroku’s hand.Finally she managed to pull both of them to safety before collapsing on the ground fighting to get her breath back and rest her sore muscles.

“You saved me. Why?” his voice brought her back to where she was.

Sango jumped to her feet and backed away keeping her eye on Miroku. Her plan was to detain him and then make her escape. If she ran now she would be able to make it without him catching her.

“When we were fighting you could have killed me. I let my guard slip but you didn’t take the hit you avoided it deliberately. I could see it. Your fighting style everything…” His voice trailed off absently as he became lost in his own thoughts.

Bending down she picked up her sword they lay on the ground not far from her.


“I almost took you off the side of the cliff with me.” Miroku continued as if he was trying to figure it out himself by saying it.

“Who are you?” At the last comment Sango paused a moment then turned and ran.

Watching his attacker leave, Miroku’s jaw slowly slackened. His eyes squinted and then opened in recognition as he watched the shadowy figure slip into the forest.

- - -

Two figures walked down the darkened road. It was very late at night, or ungodly early depending how you looked at it. It was a crisp night with a small heavily shaded moon. In the distance, sounds of a party could be heard drifting through the air.

“Miroku, stop!” Sango was walking as fast as she could, given the restrictions of her long dress. In front of her Miroku walked moodily down the road, fast enough so that it appeared that he was running away from her but slow enough to show he wanted her to catch him.“You can’t tell me something like that and then leave.”

Her emotions were dull and chaotic. At some level the Miroku’s confession that he was leaving stuck, but it still wasn’t quite registering. She didn’t know what to do or how to react. When he had suddenly turned and walked out the door of the banquet, all the woman knew was that she had to follow him.

“MIROKU!! You stubborn, pompous ass, if you don’t tell me what the hell you meant, I’ll…I’ll… ugh.” Hiking up her skirts higher with one hand, she picked her pace with the other hand raised into a fist. When she caught up to him, with her hand poised above his head ready to strike, he suddenly stopped, spun around and grabbed her fist in midair.

“Sango, please...” His voice seemed tired and spent. It was strained as though he was trying to put his thoughts together but they just would translate into spoken words.

They stood there for a few minutes, the lone couple in the woods. Around them was a small clearing surrounded by thick woods. A light yet biting breeze blew through the forest, whipping around the figures, sending their hair across their faces.

Miroku held Sango’s wrist above her head for a few seconds. He suddenly dropped it, paced a couple of steps away, turned back facing the her, then deciding against it, pivoted back to where he was looking away from her.

“Sango,” his voice was still strained and forced, “I didn’t know how I was going to tell you.”

“When are you leaving?” she questioned flatly ignoring his excuses.

“Tomorrow morning, everything is ready and all the appropriate people informed so I can take my leave. I’ll be gone for a long time, I’m not sure yet when I’ll return.” His voice was expressionless and slow.She cut in. “So, I am the last person to know about this, is that it Miroku? Were you even planning on telling me or did that little part about you, my best friend, leaving for a few years just slip out?” Her speech was growing faster and a little wild.

“Miroku I know I am not one of the girls you like to swoon and obsess over, but… God.” She let out a frustrated and exasperated sound, “I thought our friendship was worth a little more than you riding away and shouting goodbye to me as an after thought. Miroku what the hell were you thinking?”

“Sango,” His voice sounded hurt as he turned to face her again. “It is nothing like that. I didn’t tell you till now because I didn’t know what to say. Out of everyone in this town you are the one that I will have the hardest time leaving.” Sango snorted a little at that comment. Miroku took a step forward and scooped up her hand.

“My lovely lady Sango,” he was using his nick name for her in an attempt to lighten the mood but was miserably failing, “doubts of my friendship towards you should never darken your brow. It is ill befitting of someone as beautiful as you.”

She again snorted at him, but he continued, “I was told to go by someone I respect a great deal. Who it was isn’t important. He told me I should go find my real family and explore the world a little before I am tied down to a life in the barracks.”

Irony always killed. It always seemed to strike deep chords that ran through people. He was running from a life she could only dream of having. He was leaving a position, an opportunity she would almost kill to have. He was spitting at her dream and running away from everything he had here. And because Sango was afraid of how far that everything might extend and who else he might be running from, she also ran.

Turning she sprinted away. It wasn’t rational; she knew that. It wasn’t mature; it was probably the most immature thing she had done in years. She spent the night sitting at the top of a waterfall not far from Agnus. Calling through the night she could hear Miroku looking for her but she wouldn’t return. Let him get a taste of his own medicine.

- - -

Sango ran. She shouldn’t have fought so long with Miroku. It had been too risky; they had too much history together, especially fighting with one another. She shouldn’t have let them get close enough to the edge so that she would have to save him. It proved her as too soft to be an enemy. It showed him that his attacker cared, cared for some unknown reason. It left a simple attack open to questions.

She had been stupid, but lucky. He hadn’t figured it out. Probably just thought she was really squeamish about killing, an expert fighter afraid of blood. There was nothing to do about it now, she would have to watch him closer the next time she saw him.

Nearing the fort Sango guessed that the banquet was still in full swing and drinks coming readily. The noise and light swam in the air around her as soon as she stepped from the forest.

Miroku would probably not come back to the dance but she needed to grab her dress. No one would be coherent enough to notice her there, so forming an alibi from returning was pointless. She also wanted to get back to the house and just sleep.

Stumbling through the bushes she found the bag she had dropped there and grabbed it quickly. The rest of her trip back to the house was surreal and easy. She met no people along her path and in no time she slid in through the window and closed it soundly behind her.

Stripping silently, she hid her gear and climbed into comfortable clothing. Falling back onto her bed she closed her eyes for a second and let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding.

She was exhausted the strength in her body suddenly zapped from her as her mind ran wild. The night had been a rollercoaster of events. It both took her back to a time before real worries and smacked the current problems and barriers back into her face.

For those brief few minutes they were dancing she was away from the world. Apart from the problems that clouded her life, back again to the girlhood she had never really lived. For a few minutes she was high above it all, until everything came crashing back down around her.

Turning and shoving her head into a pillow she almost screamed out of frustration, but a noise caught her ear.

Standing up she went and peaked first out her window then out her door. At the door she saw him. It was Miroku, but that didn’t make sense. He shouldn’t have been home yet, especially with the attack they had staged tonight.

Sango’s mind started to run away from her. Would if he knew? Would if he was coming to get her? Would she actually be able to fight him this time or would she chicken out again and lose her will? That was when she noticed how tired he seemed.

Miroku’s shoulders were drooping, and as he slowly shut the door behind him, he leaned his back against it letting his head drop to his chest. Even from her room Sango could hear the exasperated sigh he let out.

Quietly she stood there peeking through the crack in her door unable to turn away from the sight of the ever strong Miroku looking done with life. His forehead was scrunched deep in thought and the pale light from the embers in the fireplace accentuated the heavy bags under his eyes.

After a few moments the spell was broken and Miroku raised himself off of the door and walked into his own room. For the first time since Sango had arrived, he didn’t come in to check on her.

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PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!

Thank you to Melitza, Sango-the-darkwindwarrior, Nessa03, kiki, goose, and tearsofregret for your reviews. They, and my friends harping at me, are what got me to finally finish this chapter.
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