InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Spring fertility festival ❯ the next day part 4 Miroku & Sango ( Chapter 9 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: jeffs 
Miroku and Sango have a heart to heart talk and Kagome talks to someone other than Inu-yasha...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Supernatural / Romance / Occult / Horror / Hentai | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.09.2003 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 2.5K | Status: Completed
Miroku and Sango have a heart to heart talk and Kagome talks to someone other than Inu-yasha...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Supernatural / Romance / Occult / Horror / Hentai | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.09.2003 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 2.5K | Status: Completed
spring 6d
This is turning into a huge chapter . . . So, I'm going to alter my posting schedule. I'm going to post 2,000/3,000 word sub-chapters when I finish them, instead of posting a huge chapter next Sunday. (Oddly enough, while I've succeeded in most of the goals I sent for myself when starting this story, the one goal that I did not keep was limiting my word count per chapter to below 3000. Shakes head, so I'll see if I could do it on this last chapter.)
There will be 5 sub-chapters, (I hope). They'll probably go up every 2/3 days.
Please note: some very serious thoughts/conversions in this chapter. Some of the comments and ideas expressed will offend.
Hmm, Knowledge of my story "When friends find out." Might be useful. I will be using themes and concepts from that story. I don't think you absolutely need to read it, but Kagome's mother is in this sub-chapter and I explored her and Kagome's relationship in that story, and will be using that story as the basis for their relationship in this sub-chapter.
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Kagome is running through the forest in the direction of the old well.
'No! Abortion is not a choice. IF I'm pregnant . . . ' she grimaces, 'and I probably am. I will not make that choice.'
"Damned magic spells." She grits out.
'But . . . but. If I'm pregnant, what do I do? I haven't really thought about it. Once I knew that Sango was going to do that dance, I thought that I would not have to have sex and I didn't consider the consequences.' She thinks.
Kagome stops running as she reaches the old well. She looks around and she thinks, 'Inu-yasha, he needs to know, but . . . before I go and find him. I need to think this through.'
She glances at the well and says to herself, "Mother. Yes, I'll talk it over with her." Kagome jumps through the well.
On the other side of the well. Inside the house. (Mrs. H will be used as an abbreviation for Kagome's mother.)
"Mother! I'm home!" Kagome cries as she opens the door.
"Hi! Dear!" Kagome's mother hugs her. She is wearing a comfortable housecoat and slippers, otherwise nothing special. "Last night?" She raises an eyebrow in question.
"Ummm . . . I, how, I . . . " Kagome knows she needs to tell her mother about last night, but, getting the words out is difficult. Her face shows her confusion and worries.
"How about this, dear? I'll ask you a question and you nod yes or no, Ok?" Kagome nods yes. She starts looking around the house, obviously trying to see if they are alone.
"Oh, we are alone. Sota's playing with friends and I convinced my father that it'll be this afternoon before you would show up, so he's at the tourist shop. And I was trying to clean up (there was spring festival here last night as well, you know), but, I'll do that later, now that you are here."
Kagome sighs deeply, "thank you, mother." She whispers.
"Let's sit down together, dear, and we'll talk about last night." Mrs. H and Kagome sit down in the living room, very close to each other. Kagome's mother puts one hand on her thigh palm up. Kagome smiles and quickly grabs the open palm, like a drowning man would grab a floating log. Their fingers intertwine.
"Things got out of control, I assume." Kagome's mother says in a delicate voice. Kagome nods yes.
"Very out of control?" She raises an eyebrow to emphasize the question. Her daughter nods yes.
"Hmmm . . . you and Inu-yasha?" Kagome blushes beet red, but nods yes.
Mrs. H enfolds Kagome into her arms and whispers into Kagome's ear. "Did you like it?" Kagome's blush deepens, but she nods, yes.
"Hmmm . . . I would ask for details, but I don't think your blood pressure would take it. I assume it's on tape?"
Funny noises come out of Kagome's throat. She'd, somehow, forgotten that it would be on tape.
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Mrs. H asks with concern in her voice.
"Love scratches, mom." Kagome manages to squeak out. She smiles and says, "His back would look the same, but he heals so fast."
"May I see?" Her mother asks.
Kagome opens her shirt and leans forward so her mother can view her back, "Of course, mom." Her mother leans toward her daughter to better see her back.
"Hmmm . . . There are a lot of bandages on that back. Are you sure?" Her mother asks.
"It's ok, mom. Just scratches, really. They'll heal in a few days. Faster, perhaps, Keade is going to make something for them tonight." Kagome quickly says.
Her mother leans back and says, "You did enjoy it, though." Kagome hesitates, but she smiles and nods yes.
"Hmmmm . . . a few things you need to know, my daughter." Mrs. H starts to speak in a formal tone. Kagome's eyes widen and sounds, unintelligible sounds, come out of her mouth.
"First, your grandfather may not approve, so don't do anything where he knows about it."
Kagome closes her eyes and buries her head in her mother's breast. 'Oh my god, she's assuming Inu-yasha and I will do it again . . . '
"Second, Sota had better not come running to me after he sees things he shouldn't."
Kagome finally croaks out, "Mom!"
Mrs. H thinks, 'I don't know about this, but, given her back, if they're love making is as physical as it seems.'
After a pause she finally finishes saying, "One more, my dear and I'll be done. If you destroy your bed, I'm not buying a new one."
Kagome finally spits out, "Mom . . . Last night was a one-time thing. I'm not . . . "
Mrs. H hugs her daughter and holds her. "Shhhh, dear. It's ok. I remember my first time, I said that I'd never do it again, either." Kagome and her mother spend a few minutes hugging each other. 'I changed by mind soon thereafter, though. Will you, my daughter?' she asks herself.
While they are hugging, Mrs. H thinks, 'My mother and I hated each other. She watched me like a hawk and when I did anything wrong, she jumped on me with both feet. I've tried not to make the mistakes she did. She watched me too tightly, but did I make a mistake by not watching Kagome enough . . . '
She sighs and continues to think, 'It's to late to change . . . I let Kagome go and do as she pleases and when she does something wrong, I've tried to fix it and forgive her. Now . . . Am I right for basically giving her permission?' she mentally shrugs her shoulders. 'She has the other side of the well to hide it in, so I'm only going to find out if she tells me. By giving her permission . . . I can at least know something about how Inu-yasha and her are getting along.'
After a few minutes, Mrs. h breaks the hug and says, "Ahh, my dear, you came in here acting like that there's a problem, and since he didn't hurt you and you liked it, I'm going to assume the love making wasn't it. So, what is it?"
"Mom . . . last night was a fertility . . . " is all Kagome can get out before she starts squeaking.
"Hmmm, you're afraid of getting pregnant, then." Kagome nods, yes.
Mrs. H frowns as she concentrates trying to determine where on Kagome's monthly cycle she is at, "I don't think the timing with your cycle . . . "
Kagome interrupts saying, "Mom, there was a lot of magic going around last night. I don't think my cycle has anything to do with it."
"Oh, I see." A pause. "So, you're sure then." Kagome nods yes.
"Magic, too . . . " Mrs. H reaches into a pocket of her housecoat. "I bought these." She pulls out a small clear plastic bag with some pills in it. "I thought you and Sango would need them."
"What are they, mom?" Kagome whispers.
"Morning after pills, dear. To prevent you from getting pregnant. I have enough for both of you." She says as she hands the bag to Kagome.
Kagome's eyes tear up. "Mom . . . " She blinks, and her mother wipes the tears from her eyes.
Mrs. H smiles, "I do try to think about things, dear. And I've read the families history as well. The fertility festival village orgies did occur. Since it was one of the few fun times the villagers had, they are well remembered."
Kagome starts and sits up straight. "Mom, how many of these can you get?" she asks as she places the bag on the table.
Mrs. H raises an eyebrow, "I thought you just said you and Inu-yasha weren't going to do it again, so are they, would they be for Sango and Miroku?"
Kagome replies excitedly, "No! Mom! Not for me. The villagers."
"The villagers?"
Kagome replies quickly and her enthusiasm increases as she speaks, "Keade was talking about abortions and other ways to control the village's population."
Mrs. H interrupts, "and you would like some for them." Kagome nods. "Ok. I'll get some more. But, Kagome, this is technology and you said that there was a lot of magic last night?"
Kagome slumps and she grimaces, "Yes, it may not work . . . " her face gets a depressed expression on it.
"Kagome, dear, you are trying and that's all you can do. Ok." Mrs. h says with authority, "I'll have a jar by this afternoon."
"But these are called morning after." Kagome begins to say.
"My dear, they can work up to three days afterward, but they are best used as quickly as possible. And there are other potential problems, but I received a list of instructions and warnings with them. I'll make copies so you can give it to Keade and she can decide if she wishes to use them."
'Sango . . . yes, Sango will use it. But will it work? All that magic . . . there has to be a way to find out.' Kagome thinks. "How about some pregnancy tests?" she blurts out.
Her mother raises an eyebrow in a question.
"For Sango, and," Kagome pauses, and then whispers, "me."
"I have them, my dear. In my room" She pauses, and asks, "do you wish to take one of these now, my dear?" she holds up the bag with the pills in it.
Kagome sits up straight and thinks, 'Do I use it?' she pauses and shakes her head. "I do not know . . . " she whispers.
'Last night was a rite in honor of the gods, is using this against their wishes? Hmmm . . . Probably not, especially since Keade was so ready to do abortions. The rite was done properly, what happens afterward doesn't matter, most likely.'
"Do you want to get pregnant, my dear? From what you said before last night, I didn't think so. Moreover there is school and your responsibilities on the other side of the well " Her mother says.
Kagome speaks to her mother in a whisper. "I did not want to get pregnant before last night."
Mrs. H opens her mouth to speak, but she thinks, 'she's thinking hard. I'll let her think, then prod her if I need to.'
Kagome thinks, 'Has anything really changed to make me change my mind.'
Kagome grimaces. 'No, not really. Oh, yes, Inu-yasha and I had sex.' Her face twitches into a semi-smile. 'Great sex too, I think, but that was animal lust, not love. Is that enough?'
She bites her lips. "Mom, you said three days, right?"
Her mother nods, yes.
Kagome says, "then, I'm not going to take it right now . . . Inu-yasha and I need to talk. Hopefully with a child to talk about, he and I can really talk about us."
She thinks, 'last night the seal stopped that, maybe I made a mistake by leaving it on.' She blinks. 'When did it vanish? ... Susano-O!'
She jumps up and runs into the bathroom, her mother is following closely, but not stopping her.
She pulls out a small mirror and opens her shirt so she can look at the bite mark Keade had mentioned, but, due to the talk about pregnancy and abortions, she'd forgotten about. On the left side of her neck is a bite mark. She can see that it's not a normal bite. It shaped like a character from a written language, but she's never seen the character before. 'Damn . . . I wonder what it means. Inu-yasha . . . this must be why Keade said he needs to see it.'
Kagome's mother says, "What is that bite, Kagome. Did Inu-yasha?"
"No, Mother. Inu-yasha was possessed by the god of storms and he bit me." Kagome says in a distracted voice.
'Inu-yasha was possessed by a god, and that's all you're telling me. What else happened last night?' Mrs. H thinks. "What is it then, dear?"
"I've got to ask Inu-yasha, mom." Kagome bites her lips and continues, "I'm going back now. I've got to talk to him and give Sango those pills, mom."
Mrs. H nods in understanding.
Kagome hugs her mother and whispers, "thank you, mother." She heads downstairs.
"Back down the well, then." She says to herself as she picks up the bag on the table and leaves the house.
Her mother follows and waves to her as she leaves. She thinks, 'I wonder what the tape will show. And I wonder how long it'll be before I find out exactly what happened last night.' She purses her lips and says to herself, "At least I never threw away her and Sota's baby clothes, she might need them soon . . . "
On the other side of the well.
Kagome is climbing out of the well. She sees a small localized thunderstorm quickly and obviously magically forming over the location of the god tree.
'Inu-yasha . . . has to be. What is he doing?' she thinks as she runs in the direction of the god tree.
****************
Miroku walks into the village. He does a masterful job of ignoring the looks and whispers the villagers are giving him. 'Inu-yasha's damned red shirt . . . ' he thinks.
As he approaches Keade's hut, he can see that Sango, Keade, Kirara and Shippo are sitting on the porch.
Shippo looks at Miroku, blinks a couple of times, and starts laughing his heart out, "HAH! HAH! HAH!"
Sango looks at him and covers her mouth with a hand, trying to hide the giggles.
Keade looks, raises an eyebrow, and she says, "Your robes are in my hut." Miroku nods gratefully as he goes into the hut.
He pauses and looks at Sango. "You're one to laugh, Lady Sango. Did you not wear my clothes?"
Sango stops giggling and nods, "Ok, monk. I'll stop." Miroku nods in thanks and he goes into the hut.
"When your finished changing, I believe Sango would have a word with thee." Keade says in a loud voice.
"Come Shippo. It's been long enough and the people should be over their hangovers by now. I've got a village that needs cleaning." She picks up Shippo and leaves, nodding at Sango as she does.
Sango stares back at Keade angrily. 'I did not want to have to speak to the pervert.' She thinks. 'Do I leave? Hmmm . . . NO. He'd case after me.'
Miroku, after a couple of minutes, comes out of the hut wearing his robes. Inu-yasha's red shirt is in his arms. "I had wanted Lady Keade to see if someone could wash this. I wonder how long its been since it has been properly washed. But . . . " he says as he sits down beside Sango.
He thinks, as he does so, 'And I wonder how long Sango's scent will stay on my clothes. Putting them on and smelling her and my scents from last night . . . '
Sango, pointedly, moves away from him.
"Lady Sango . . . " He begins to speak.
"Last night was a fertility rite, monk." Sango interrupts in a hard voice. "You do know what that means."
Miroku pales and then in a whisper he asks, "Has Keade confirmed it?"
Sango growls out, "NO. Does she need to?"
He bits his lips and says, "It would be best. With the gods involved as they were, who knows what the result will be."
Sango stares into space for a few seconds before she finally nods, yes. 'Being sure, may be a good idea.' She blinks and thinks, 'that time when Kagome and I were talking about sex, she mentioned something about tests . . . I've got to remember to ask for about it, whenever she returns.'
Kirara moves under her hand which causes Sango to look down, 'I had totally forgotten about Kirara, his senses, while they may not be as good as Inu-yasha's, they can detect it early.' Her eyes widen and she nods to Kirara.
Kirara thinks, 'Good, she got the message. I have lived in her village for hundreds of years. I know what a woman smells and acts like when she's pregnant. Not to mention, that I've being smelling her since her birth'
Kirara curls back his lips, opens his mouth and seems to grimace as he inhales. 'She could be, but, that fertility spell last night really altered the smell of her body, and his odor is all over her, which isn't helping. In addition all the emotions she going through right now . . . Her smell is just changing too much right now. I'll know more in a couple of days.' He looks at Sango and moves his shoulders in the closest approximation of a human shrug he can do.
Miroku raises an eyebrow and asks, "Kirara can tell?"
"Yes, the midwife at my village used him a lot. She said he could tell earlier and better than she could." Sango replies in a somewhat distracted tone.
"Hmmm, I thought there were special ways a woman . . . " Miroku stops speaking there. The look in Sango's eyes is just a little too close to the way she looks at demons she's about destroy.
In an ice cold voice, Sango speaks, as though laying down the law. "There are. But they are not for men's knowledge."
Miroku bows his head, "I am sorry, Lady Sango." He swallows hard and thinks, 'I got stupid. There are parts of women's lives that men are not allowed to know. And I just overreached.'
"Why, Lady Sango, was Lady Kagome running away when I arrived?" he asks. 'Hopefully this will distract her.' He thinks.
Sango starts. She wasn't prepared for this question. "Kagome? She was running away because she thinks everything will turn out fine."
"Kagome's always looking on the bright side, Lady Sango. Why would that cause her to run away, now?" he asks.
Sango turns to look Miroku in the eye, "Because, monk, Lady Keade and I were discussing a female problem and how I'm going to solve it. And Kagome did not like my solution."
"A female problem?" Miroku whispers.
"Yes, one I'm not going to have in nine months." Sango heavily stresses the word "not."
Miroku goes ghost white. "You're sure?" he whispers.
"Lady Keade has already agreed." She spits out.
Miroku pauses, 'I never have formally asked her. So, if I mention that, she'll tell me, I don't have a say. But maybe, religion.' He thinks during the pause.
"Lady Sango, If you would please give this careful consideration." Sango's eyebrow raises, Miroku is using a tone of voice he's never used on her before, which is never a good sign. "As you know the taking of life . . . "
"Stop, right there monk." Sango interrupts. "We've both taken lives in our past."
"Lady Sango, they at least had the ability to defend themselves."
Sango, holds up a hand in a stop sign. "I am sorry, Monk. But, I not going to change my mind. I know that I'm committing a sin by doing it. I know that I'm greatly endangering my soul." She grimaces, "and given the creatures I fight, that is an important consideration. But. I will not change my mind." She stares hard at Miroku.
Miroku licks his lips and thinks, 'Is there something else I can do to change her mind? Physically try to change her mind, no, she better at it than I am. Kagome, yes, she ran away because of this, perhaps the two of us working together.'
"Lady Sango, would it possible for you to delay your decision. Perhaps upon further consideration . . . "
"No." Sango says in a flat voice.
Miroku closes his eyes and starts to play with the rosary covering his cursed hand. 'She's going to abort the child.' He pauses, 'and now I know the answer to my question. And the answer is no . . . ' he slumps down.
(If I really wanted to upset readers . . . I'd end this sub-chapter now, with this statement. But, I won't . . . )
Sango watches Miroku play with his cursed hand. The depressed look he has is the worse expression she's ever seen on his handsome face. 'I've got to do something to . . . ' she thinks.
Before she can stop herself, she softly and quietly says, "Until Naraku is dead, everything else is secondary."
Miroku straights up and he looks hard at Sango. She flinches from the intensity of his stare. "Only because of Naraku?" He whispers as he closes his eyes.
Sango reddens, and replies, "Yes." In a soft whisper.
A pause . . .
Miroku nods and whispers, "Yes."
He opens his eyes and a small smile graces his lips. "Lady Sango, I think I need to see if Lady Keade needs any help. Would you please hold, this." He shoves Inu-yasha's red shirt at Sango.
Sango reflexively grabs it. "Huh?" she blurts out, the sudden change in his attitude surprises her. As Miroku's hands leave the shirt, they brush against her upper thighs and he squeezes.
They look at each other in the eye and a silent message passes between them . . .
"Pervert!" Sango yells. She throws Inu-yasha's shirt at Miroku. She slaps Miroku and pushes him to the ground. She goes into the hut.
A small smile graces her lips as she does. 'At least now, we know.' She shakes her head and thinks, 'not that everything is solved.' Her hand goes to lower abdomen again. 'But, until Naraku is gone, we go back to the way it was.'
Miroku thinks as he watches Sango enter Keade's hut, 'At least for now, everything goes on like before. But it will be weeks before Sango will be able to abort the child. I will talk with Kagome and she and I will try to change her mind.'
He sits up, rubs his red check, and he smiles as he thinks. 'However, for the first time, I've got a real positive reason to kill Naraku, not just vengeance. Once he is dead, I will have a life to look forward to.'
"Now where did Lady Keade go, I do want to get this shirt cleaned, if only to upset Inu-yasha." He says to himself as he stands up.
A brilliant flash of light and a "BBOOMM!" of thunder rolls over the village.
Both Miroku, on the ground, and Sango, from the door of the hut, look in the direction of the noise. Over the location of the god tree is a very small localized thunderstorm.
Miroku says, "Stupid"
"Idiotic" Sango says,
"Inu-yasha . . . " they both say together.
They both start to run to the god tree, but stop after a couple of steps. For perhaps the first time in their lives, they don't have their weapons with them. They look at each other and small grins appear on their lips.
They get their weapons and run to the god tree.
End ch 6d
For readers who might not like my version of her mother . . .
Alternate scene without Kagome's mother.
"Mom! I'm Home!" Kagome's cry echoes through the house. She frowns and thinks 'they're not here . . . ' She goes to the kitchen and looks at the table. Her mother always leaves her notes there. On the table is a note and two paper bags.
The note reads:
Dear Kagome,
I have taken your Grandfather & Sota out visiting. We'll be back late this afternoon. I'm leaving this note in case you come in. I did some thinking about what happened to you and your friend Sango last night and decided to help you two girls. The objects in the bags will be helpful.
With Love,
Mother.
Kagome opens the smaller of the two bags. In it is a bottle of pills. And a list of instructions. The instructions are titled: Morning after pill. Instructions and cautions.
Kagome picks up the bottle. 'Sango . . . she'll love this. It'll help her a lot.' Tears begin to well up in her eyes and she wipes them off. She looks at the instructions and the first thing that leaps out is that while it helps to take them as soon as possible, you can delay up to three days, if you wish. She breathes a sigh of relief . . . 'they can be used. I was afraid that you have to take them when you wake up . . . ' she thinks.
She whispers, "even better, there is plenty here, so Keade can use them as well. This is better than anything she mentioned."
Kagome swallows, and thinks, 'but . . . last night was also a magical night. Will they work against magic?'
She takes a deep breath and says, "We'll find out. I'm sure." She puts the bottle and instructions back in the bag. She opens the other bag, in it is two home pregnancy tests.
"Thank you, mother." She whispers as tears well up again.
She sits down at the table and puts her head in her hands. "Now . . . Do I use that pill." She pauses and shakes her head. "I do not know."
'Last night was a rite in honor of the gods, is using this against their wishes? Hmmm . . . Probably not, especially since Keade was so ready to do abortions. The rite was done properly, what happens afterward probably doesn't matter, most likely.'
"Do I want to use it?" she whispers. "I did not want to get pregnant before last night. Has anything really changed to make me change my mind?"
She grimaces. "No, not really. Oh, yes, Inu-yasha and I had sex." Her face twitches into a semi-smile. "Great sex too, I think, but that was animal lust, not love. Is that enough? ..."
She bites her lips. "No . . . Inu-yasha and I need to talk."
She thinks, 'the seal last night stopped that, maybe I made a mistake in leaving it on.' She blinks. 'When did it vanish? ... Susano-O!'
She jumps up and runs into the bathroom, pulls out a small mirror. She opens her shirt so she can look at the bite mark Keade had mentioned, but, due to the talk about pregnancy and abortions she'd forgotten about. On the left side of her is a bite mark. She can see that it's not a normal bite. It shaped like a written character, but she's never seen the character before. 'Damn . . . I wonder what it means. Inu-yasha . . . this must be why Keade said he needs to see it.'
"And I want to talk to him, too . . . " She looks at herself in the mirror and nods. "I'll decide about the pill, after I talk to Inu-yasha." She nods at herself again. After replacing the mirror and straightening her clothes goes downstairs.
"Back down the well, then." She says to herself as she picks up the two bags on the table and leaves the house.
Kagome is climbing out of the well. She sees a small localized thunderstorm quickly and obviously magically forming over the location of the god tree.
'Inu-yasha . . . has to be. What is he doing?' she thinks as she runs in the direction of the god tree.
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authors' notes:
In chapter one of this story, I dismissed Kagome's mother, her opinions and her influence very quickly. So. This sub-chapter . . . highlights her. I am using the same personality and themes that were fully developed in my story "when friends find out." So, if a reader has a question or comment about her personality, please read that story.
Morning after pills . . . a short web-search will give you plenty of hits. Most have instructions for using them. The info in the story is correct. (Please note: in 6e there will be large authors' note on pregnancy.)
I've never seen Kirara used to detect pregnancy. Oh, I know a cats sense of smell isn't the same as a dog, but it's still much better than humans. (I did a short web-search . . . the ratios on the cells in the nose that detect odors. Human 5 million ave. dogs up to 225 million. Cats up to 200 million. Hmmm. Closer to dogs than I thought.. )
Sango's pregnancy will be addressed in the epilog. (The pill and other things will be discussed . . . ) This part was simply to place Miroku and Sango's relationship back on a more even keel, with as minimum of change as I could.
Hopefully the change in tone at the end will go over well. There will still be arguments. Miroku will, unless something else happens, try to change Sango's mind, any way he can. Just remember, they might like each other again at the end, but, once Miroku begins to try to change Sango's mind... well...
Hmmm . . . While reading Japanese stories and histories, there is a very distinct male culture and very distinct female culture. And crossing that line . . . Modern readers have to remember that men were not allowed know much about the process of childbirth. The midwife, within the limits of her profession, was the most powerful person in Japan. She could, and would, order anybody and they'd better obey. It didn't matter if you were the emperor or not. NO man was allowed in the room during childbirth. Or during any examination up to it.
A woman monthly cycle, was a very great mystery. Even to women. (Remember no modern medical knowledge.) There is a lot of magic/mystery surrounding it.
Shakes head, sigh . . . so much of the critical issues in some Japanese stories are just hinted at, never explained . . . Like I've tried to do above at the end with Sango and Miroku. The limited thoughts at the end of story was an attempt by me to duplicate some of the sequences I've read. I might be making this sub-chapter too lite, after the others, but...
Oh, yes, I general note to reviewers. I will answer questions, but . . . I need an e-mail address to reply to, though. So, if a review has question, but no email, I may not be able to answer your question. (I might try and do some sort of reviewer reply chapter, but if I do, that will be at least a month away.)
thank you for reading
jeff shelton
This is turning into a huge chapter . . . So, I'm going to alter my posting schedule. I'm going to post 2,000/3,000 word sub-chapters when I finish them, instead of posting a huge chapter next Sunday. (Oddly enough, while I've succeeded in most of the goals I sent for myself when starting this story, the one goal that I did not keep was limiting my word count per chapter to below 3000. Shakes head, so I'll see if I could do it on this last chapter.)
There will be 5 sub-chapters, (I hope). They'll probably go up every 2/3 days.
Please note: some very serious thoughts/conversions in this chapter. Some of the comments and ideas expressed will offend.
Hmm, Knowledge of my story "When friends find out." Might be useful. I will be using themes and concepts from that story. I don't think you absolutely need to read it, but Kagome's mother is in this sub-chapter and I explored her and Kagome's relationship in that story, and will be using that story as the basis for their relationship in this sub-chapter.
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Kagome is running through the forest in the direction of the old well.
'No! Abortion is not a choice. IF I'm pregnant . . . ' she grimaces, 'and I probably am. I will not make that choice.'
"Damned magic spells." She grits out.
'But . . . but. If I'm pregnant, what do I do? I haven't really thought about it. Once I knew that Sango was going to do that dance, I thought that I would not have to have sex and I didn't consider the consequences.' She thinks.
Kagome stops running as she reaches the old well. She looks around and she thinks, 'Inu-yasha, he needs to know, but . . . before I go and find him. I need to think this through.'
She glances at the well and says to herself, "Mother. Yes, I'll talk it over with her." Kagome jumps through the well.
On the other side of the well. Inside the house. (Mrs. H will be used as an abbreviation for Kagome's mother.)
"Mother! I'm home!" Kagome cries as she opens the door.
"Hi! Dear!" Kagome's mother hugs her. She is wearing a comfortable housecoat and slippers, otherwise nothing special. "Last night?" She raises an eyebrow in question.
"Ummm . . . I, how, I . . . " Kagome knows she needs to tell her mother about last night, but, getting the words out is difficult. Her face shows her confusion and worries.
"How about this, dear? I'll ask you a question and you nod yes or no, Ok?" Kagome nods yes. She starts looking around the house, obviously trying to see if they are alone.
"Oh, we are alone. Sota's playing with friends and I convinced my father that it'll be this afternoon before you would show up, so he's at the tourist shop. And I was trying to clean up (there was spring festival here last night as well, you know), but, I'll do that later, now that you are here."
Kagome sighs deeply, "thank you, mother." She whispers.
"Let's sit down together, dear, and we'll talk about last night." Mrs. H and Kagome sit down in the living room, very close to each other. Kagome's mother puts one hand on her thigh palm up. Kagome smiles and quickly grabs the open palm, like a drowning man would grab a floating log. Their fingers intertwine.
"Things got out of control, I assume." Kagome's mother says in a delicate voice. Kagome nods yes.
"Very out of control?" She raises an eyebrow to emphasize the question. Her daughter nods yes.
"Hmmm . . . you and Inu-yasha?" Kagome blushes beet red, but nods yes.
Mrs. H enfolds Kagome into her arms and whispers into Kagome's ear. "Did you like it?" Kagome's blush deepens, but she nods, yes.
"Hmmm . . . I would ask for details, but I don't think your blood pressure would take it. I assume it's on tape?"
Funny noises come out of Kagome's throat. She'd, somehow, forgotten that it would be on tape.
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Mrs. H asks with concern in her voice.
"Love scratches, mom." Kagome manages to squeak out. She smiles and says, "His back would look the same, but he heals so fast."
"May I see?" Her mother asks.
Kagome opens her shirt and leans forward so her mother can view her back, "Of course, mom." Her mother leans toward her daughter to better see her back.
"Hmmm . . . There are a lot of bandages on that back. Are you sure?" Her mother asks.
"It's ok, mom. Just scratches, really. They'll heal in a few days. Faster, perhaps, Keade is going to make something for them tonight." Kagome quickly says.
Her mother leans back and says, "You did enjoy it, though." Kagome hesitates, but she smiles and nods yes.
"Hmmmm . . . a few things you need to know, my daughter." Mrs. H starts to speak in a formal tone. Kagome's eyes widen and sounds, unintelligible sounds, come out of her mouth.
"First, your grandfather may not approve, so don't do anything where he knows about it."
Kagome closes her eyes and buries her head in her mother's breast. 'Oh my god, she's assuming Inu-yasha and I will do it again . . . '
"Second, Sota had better not come running to me after he sees things he shouldn't."
Kagome finally croaks out, "Mom!"
Mrs. H thinks, 'I don't know about this, but, given her back, if they're love making is as physical as it seems.'
After a pause she finally finishes saying, "One more, my dear and I'll be done. If you destroy your bed, I'm not buying a new one."
Kagome finally spits out, "Mom . . . Last night was a one-time thing. I'm not . . . "
Mrs. H hugs her daughter and holds her. "Shhhh, dear. It's ok. I remember my first time, I said that I'd never do it again, either." Kagome and her mother spend a few minutes hugging each other. 'I changed by mind soon thereafter, though. Will you, my daughter?' she asks herself.
While they are hugging, Mrs. H thinks, 'My mother and I hated each other. She watched me like a hawk and when I did anything wrong, she jumped on me with both feet. I've tried not to make the mistakes she did. She watched me too tightly, but did I make a mistake by not watching Kagome enough . . . '
She sighs and continues to think, 'It's to late to change . . . I let Kagome go and do as she pleases and when she does something wrong, I've tried to fix it and forgive her. Now . . . Am I right for basically giving her permission?' she mentally shrugs her shoulders. 'She has the other side of the well to hide it in, so I'm only going to find out if she tells me. By giving her permission . . . I can at least know something about how Inu-yasha and her are getting along.'
After a few minutes, Mrs. h breaks the hug and says, "Ahh, my dear, you came in here acting like that there's a problem, and since he didn't hurt you and you liked it, I'm going to assume the love making wasn't it. So, what is it?"
"Mom . . . last night was a fertility . . . " is all Kagome can get out before she starts squeaking.
"Hmmm, you're afraid of getting pregnant, then." Kagome nods, yes.
Mrs. H frowns as she concentrates trying to determine where on Kagome's monthly cycle she is at, "I don't think the timing with your cycle . . . "
Kagome interrupts saying, "Mom, there was a lot of magic going around last night. I don't think my cycle has anything to do with it."
"Oh, I see." A pause. "So, you're sure then." Kagome nods yes.
"Magic, too . . . " Mrs. H reaches into a pocket of her housecoat. "I bought these." She pulls out a small clear plastic bag with some pills in it. "I thought you and Sango would need them."
"What are they, mom?" Kagome whispers.
"Morning after pills, dear. To prevent you from getting pregnant. I have enough for both of you." She says as she hands the bag to Kagome.
Kagome's eyes tear up. "Mom . . . " She blinks, and her mother wipes the tears from her eyes.
Mrs. H smiles, "I do try to think about things, dear. And I've read the families history as well. The fertility festival village orgies did occur. Since it was one of the few fun times the villagers had, they are well remembered."
Kagome starts and sits up straight. "Mom, how many of these can you get?" she asks as she places the bag on the table.
Mrs. H raises an eyebrow, "I thought you just said you and Inu-yasha weren't going to do it again, so are they, would they be for Sango and Miroku?"
Kagome replies excitedly, "No! Mom! Not for me. The villagers."
"The villagers?"
Kagome replies quickly and her enthusiasm increases as she speaks, "Keade was talking about abortions and other ways to control the village's population."
Mrs. H interrupts, "and you would like some for them." Kagome nods. "Ok. I'll get some more. But, Kagome, this is technology and you said that there was a lot of magic last night?"
Kagome slumps and she grimaces, "Yes, it may not work . . . " her face gets a depressed expression on it.
"Kagome, dear, you are trying and that's all you can do. Ok." Mrs. h says with authority, "I'll have a jar by this afternoon."
"But these are called morning after." Kagome begins to say.
"My dear, they can work up to three days afterward, but they are best used as quickly as possible. And there are other potential problems, but I received a list of instructions and warnings with them. I'll make copies so you can give it to Keade and she can decide if she wishes to use them."
'Sango . . . yes, Sango will use it. But will it work? All that magic . . . there has to be a way to find out.' Kagome thinks. "How about some pregnancy tests?" she blurts out.
Her mother raises an eyebrow in a question.
"For Sango, and," Kagome pauses, and then whispers, "me."
"I have them, my dear. In my room" She pauses, and asks, "do you wish to take one of these now, my dear?" she holds up the bag with the pills in it.
Kagome sits up straight and thinks, 'Do I use it?' she pauses and shakes her head. "I do not know . . . " she whispers.
'Last night was a rite in honor of the gods, is using this against their wishes? Hmmm . . . Probably not, especially since Keade was so ready to do abortions. The rite was done properly, what happens afterward doesn't matter, most likely.'
"Do you want to get pregnant, my dear? From what you said before last night, I didn't think so. Moreover there is school and your responsibilities on the other side of the well " Her mother says.
Kagome speaks to her mother in a whisper. "I did not want to get pregnant before last night."
Mrs. H opens her mouth to speak, but she thinks, 'she's thinking hard. I'll let her think, then prod her if I need to.'
Kagome thinks, 'Has anything really changed to make me change my mind.'
Kagome grimaces. 'No, not really. Oh, yes, Inu-yasha and I had sex.' Her face twitches into a semi-smile. 'Great sex too, I think, but that was animal lust, not love. Is that enough?'
She bites her lips. "Mom, you said three days, right?"
Her mother nods, yes.
Kagome says, "then, I'm not going to take it right now . . . Inu-yasha and I need to talk. Hopefully with a child to talk about, he and I can really talk about us."
She thinks, 'last night the seal stopped that, maybe I made a mistake by leaving it on.' She blinks. 'When did it vanish? ... Susano-O!'
She jumps up and runs into the bathroom, her mother is following closely, but not stopping her.
She pulls out a small mirror and opens her shirt so she can look at the bite mark Keade had mentioned, but, due to the talk about pregnancy and abortions, she'd forgotten about. On the left side of her neck is a bite mark. She can see that it's not a normal bite. It shaped like a character from a written language, but she's never seen the character before. 'Damn . . . I wonder what it means. Inu-yasha . . . this must be why Keade said he needs to see it.'
Kagome's mother says, "What is that bite, Kagome. Did Inu-yasha?"
"No, Mother. Inu-yasha was possessed by the god of storms and he bit me." Kagome says in a distracted voice.
'Inu-yasha was possessed by a god, and that's all you're telling me. What else happened last night?' Mrs. H thinks. "What is it then, dear?"
"I've got to ask Inu-yasha, mom." Kagome bites her lips and continues, "I'm going back now. I've got to talk to him and give Sango those pills, mom."
Mrs. H nods in understanding.
Kagome hugs her mother and whispers, "thank you, mother." She heads downstairs.
"Back down the well, then." She says to herself as she picks up the bag on the table and leaves the house.
Her mother follows and waves to her as she leaves. She thinks, 'I wonder what the tape will show. And I wonder how long it'll be before I find out exactly what happened last night.' She purses her lips and says to herself, "At least I never threw away her and Sota's baby clothes, she might need them soon . . . "
On the other side of the well.
Kagome is climbing out of the well. She sees a small localized thunderstorm quickly and obviously magically forming over the location of the god tree.
'Inu-yasha . . . has to be. What is he doing?' she thinks as she runs in the direction of the god tree.
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Miroku walks into the village. He does a masterful job of ignoring the looks and whispers the villagers are giving him. 'Inu-yasha's damned red shirt . . . ' he thinks.
As he approaches Keade's hut, he can see that Sango, Keade, Kirara and Shippo are sitting on the porch.
Shippo looks at Miroku, blinks a couple of times, and starts laughing his heart out, "HAH! HAH! HAH!"
Sango looks at him and covers her mouth with a hand, trying to hide the giggles.
Keade looks, raises an eyebrow, and she says, "Your robes are in my hut." Miroku nods gratefully as he goes into the hut.
He pauses and looks at Sango. "You're one to laugh, Lady Sango. Did you not wear my clothes?"
Sango stops giggling and nods, "Ok, monk. I'll stop." Miroku nods in thanks and he goes into the hut.
"When your finished changing, I believe Sango would have a word with thee." Keade says in a loud voice.
"Come Shippo. It's been long enough and the people should be over their hangovers by now. I've got a village that needs cleaning." She picks up Shippo and leaves, nodding at Sango as she does.
Sango stares back at Keade angrily. 'I did not want to have to speak to the pervert.' She thinks. 'Do I leave? Hmmm . . . NO. He'd case after me.'
Miroku, after a couple of minutes, comes out of the hut wearing his robes. Inu-yasha's red shirt is in his arms. "I had wanted Lady Keade to see if someone could wash this. I wonder how long its been since it has been properly washed. But . . . " he says as he sits down beside Sango.
He thinks, as he does so, 'And I wonder how long Sango's scent will stay on my clothes. Putting them on and smelling her and my scents from last night . . . '
Sango, pointedly, moves away from him.
"Lady Sango . . . " He begins to speak.
"Last night was a fertility rite, monk." Sango interrupts in a hard voice. "You do know what that means."
Miroku pales and then in a whisper he asks, "Has Keade confirmed it?"
Sango growls out, "NO. Does she need to?"
He bits his lips and says, "It would be best. With the gods involved as they were, who knows what the result will be."
Sango stares into space for a few seconds before she finally nods, yes. 'Being sure, may be a good idea.' She blinks and thinks, 'that time when Kagome and I were talking about sex, she mentioned something about tests . . . I've got to remember to ask for about it, whenever she returns.'
Kirara moves under her hand which causes Sango to look down, 'I had totally forgotten about Kirara, his senses, while they may not be as good as Inu-yasha's, they can detect it early.' Her eyes widen and she nods to Kirara.
Kirara thinks, 'Good, she got the message. I have lived in her village for hundreds of years. I know what a woman smells and acts like when she's pregnant. Not to mention, that I've being smelling her since her birth'
Kirara curls back his lips, opens his mouth and seems to grimace as he inhales. 'She could be, but, that fertility spell last night really altered the smell of her body, and his odor is all over her, which isn't helping. In addition all the emotions she going through right now . . . Her smell is just changing too much right now. I'll know more in a couple of days.' He looks at Sango and moves his shoulders in the closest approximation of a human shrug he can do.
Miroku raises an eyebrow and asks, "Kirara can tell?"
"Yes, the midwife at my village used him a lot. She said he could tell earlier and better than she could." Sango replies in a somewhat distracted tone.
"Hmmm, I thought there were special ways a woman . . . " Miroku stops speaking there. The look in Sango's eyes is just a little too close to the way she looks at demons she's about destroy.
In an ice cold voice, Sango speaks, as though laying down the law. "There are. But they are not for men's knowledge."
Miroku bows his head, "I am sorry, Lady Sango." He swallows hard and thinks, 'I got stupid. There are parts of women's lives that men are not allowed to know. And I just overreached.'
"Why, Lady Sango, was Lady Kagome running away when I arrived?" he asks. 'Hopefully this will distract her.' He thinks.
Sango starts. She wasn't prepared for this question. "Kagome? She was running away because she thinks everything will turn out fine."
"Kagome's always looking on the bright side, Lady Sango. Why would that cause her to run away, now?" he asks.
Sango turns to look Miroku in the eye, "Because, monk, Lady Keade and I were discussing a female problem and how I'm going to solve it. And Kagome did not like my solution."
"A female problem?" Miroku whispers.
"Yes, one I'm not going to have in nine months." Sango heavily stresses the word "not."
Miroku goes ghost white. "You're sure?" he whispers.
"Lady Keade has already agreed." She spits out.
Miroku pauses, 'I never have formally asked her. So, if I mention that, she'll tell me, I don't have a say. But maybe, religion.' He thinks during the pause.
"Lady Sango, If you would please give this careful consideration." Sango's eyebrow raises, Miroku is using a tone of voice he's never used on her before, which is never a good sign. "As you know the taking of life . . . "
"Stop, right there monk." Sango interrupts. "We've both taken lives in our past."
"Lady Sango, they at least had the ability to defend themselves."
Sango, holds up a hand in a stop sign. "I am sorry, Monk. But, I not going to change my mind. I know that I'm committing a sin by doing it. I know that I'm greatly endangering my soul." She grimaces, "and given the creatures I fight, that is an important consideration. But. I will not change my mind." She stares hard at Miroku.
Miroku licks his lips and thinks, 'Is there something else I can do to change her mind? Physically try to change her mind, no, she better at it than I am. Kagome, yes, she ran away because of this, perhaps the two of us working together.'
"Lady Sango, would it possible for you to delay your decision. Perhaps upon further consideration . . . "
"No." Sango says in a flat voice.
Miroku closes his eyes and starts to play with the rosary covering his cursed hand. 'She's going to abort the child.' He pauses, 'and now I know the answer to my question. And the answer is no . . . ' he slumps down.
(If I really wanted to upset readers . . . I'd end this sub-chapter now, with this statement. But, I won't . . . )
Sango watches Miroku play with his cursed hand. The depressed look he has is the worse expression she's ever seen on his handsome face. 'I've got to do something to . . . ' she thinks.
Before she can stop herself, she softly and quietly says, "Until Naraku is dead, everything else is secondary."
Miroku straights up and he looks hard at Sango. She flinches from the intensity of his stare. "Only because of Naraku?" He whispers as he closes his eyes.
Sango reddens, and replies, "Yes." In a soft whisper.
A pause . . .
Miroku nods and whispers, "Yes."
He opens his eyes and a small smile graces his lips. "Lady Sango, I think I need to see if Lady Keade needs any help. Would you please hold, this." He shoves Inu-yasha's red shirt at Sango.
Sango reflexively grabs it. "Huh?" she blurts out, the sudden change in his attitude surprises her. As Miroku's hands leave the shirt, they brush against her upper thighs and he squeezes.
They look at each other in the eye and a silent message passes between them . . .
"Pervert!" Sango yells. She throws Inu-yasha's shirt at Miroku. She slaps Miroku and pushes him to the ground. She goes into the hut.
A small smile graces her lips as she does. 'At least now, we know.' She shakes her head and thinks, 'not that everything is solved.' Her hand goes to lower abdomen again. 'But, until Naraku is gone, we go back to the way it was.'
Miroku thinks as he watches Sango enter Keade's hut, 'At least for now, everything goes on like before. But it will be weeks before Sango will be able to abort the child. I will talk with Kagome and she and I will try to change her mind.'
He sits up, rubs his red check, and he smiles as he thinks. 'However, for the first time, I've got a real positive reason to kill Naraku, not just vengeance. Once he is dead, I will have a life to look forward to.'
"Now where did Lady Keade go, I do want to get this shirt cleaned, if only to upset Inu-yasha." He says to himself as he stands up.
A brilliant flash of light and a "BBOOMM!" of thunder rolls over the village.
Both Miroku, on the ground, and Sango, from the door of the hut, look in the direction of the noise. Over the location of the god tree is a very small localized thunderstorm.
Miroku says, "Stupid"
"Idiotic" Sango says,
"Inu-yasha . . . " they both say together.
They both start to run to the god tree, but stop after a couple of steps. For perhaps the first time in their lives, they don't have their weapons with them. They look at each other and small grins appear on their lips.
They get their weapons and run to the god tree.
End ch 6d
For readers who might not like my version of her mother . . .
Alternate scene without Kagome's mother.
"Mom! I'm Home!" Kagome's cry echoes through the house. She frowns and thinks 'they're not here . . . ' She goes to the kitchen and looks at the table. Her mother always leaves her notes there. On the table is a note and two paper bags.
The note reads:
Dear Kagome,
I have taken your Grandfather & Sota out visiting. We'll be back late this afternoon. I'm leaving this note in case you come in. I did some thinking about what happened to you and your friend Sango last night and decided to help you two girls. The objects in the bags will be helpful.
With Love,
Mother.
Kagome opens the smaller of the two bags. In it is a bottle of pills. And a list of instructions. The instructions are titled: Morning after pill. Instructions and cautions.
Kagome picks up the bottle. 'Sango . . . she'll love this. It'll help her a lot.' Tears begin to well up in her eyes and she wipes them off. She looks at the instructions and the first thing that leaps out is that while it helps to take them as soon as possible, you can delay up to three days, if you wish. She breathes a sigh of relief . . . 'they can be used. I was afraid that you have to take them when you wake up . . . ' she thinks.
She whispers, "even better, there is plenty here, so Keade can use them as well. This is better than anything she mentioned."
Kagome swallows, and thinks, 'but . . . last night was also a magical night. Will they work against magic?'
She takes a deep breath and says, "We'll find out. I'm sure." She puts the bottle and instructions back in the bag. She opens the other bag, in it is two home pregnancy tests.
"Thank you, mother." She whispers as tears well up again.
She sits down at the table and puts her head in her hands. "Now . . . Do I use that pill." She pauses and shakes her head. "I do not know."
'Last night was a rite in honor of the gods, is using this against their wishes? Hmmm . . . Probably not, especially since Keade was so ready to do abortions. The rite was done properly, what happens afterward probably doesn't matter, most likely.'
"Do I want to use it?" she whispers. "I did not want to get pregnant before last night. Has anything really changed to make me change my mind?"
She grimaces. "No, not really. Oh, yes, Inu-yasha and I had sex." Her face twitches into a semi-smile. "Great sex too, I think, but that was animal lust, not love. Is that enough? ..."
She bites her lips. "No . . . Inu-yasha and I need to talk."
She thinks, 'the seal last night stopped that, maybe I made a mistake in leaving it on.' She blinks. 'When did it vanish? ... Susano-O!'
She jumps up and runs into the bathroom, pulls out a small mirror. She opens her shirt so she can look at the bite mark Keade had mentioned, but, due to the talk about pregnancy and abortions she'd forgotten about. On the left side of her is a bite mark. She can see that it's not a normal bite. It shaped like a written character, but she's never seen the character before. 'Damn . . . I wonder what it means. Inu-yasha . . . this must be why Keade said he needs to see it.'
"And I want to talk to him, too . . . " She looks at herself in the mirror and nods. "I'll decide about the pill, after I talk to Inu-yasha." She nods at herself again. After replacing the mirror and straightening her clothes goes downstairs.
"Back down the well, then." She says to herself as she picks up the two bags on the table and leaves the house.
Kagome is climbing out of the well. She sees a small localized thunderstorm quickly and obviously magically forming over the location of the god tree.
'Inu-yasha . . . has to be. What is he doing?' she thinks as she runs in the direction of the god tree.
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authors' notes:
In chapter one of this story, I dismissed Kagome's mother, her opinions and her influence very quickly. So. This sub-chapter . . . highlights her. I am using the same personality and themes that were fully developed in my story "when friends find out." So, if a reader has a question or comment about her personality, please read that story.
Morning after pills . . . a short web-search will give you plenty of hits. Most have instructions for using them. The info in the story is correct. (Please note: in 6e there will be large authors' note on pregnancy.)
I've never seen Kirara used to detect pregnancy. Oh, I know a cats sense of smell isn't the same as a dog, but it's still much better than humans. (I did a short web-search . . . the ratios on the cells in the nose that detect odors. Human 5 million ave. dogs up to 225 million. Cats up to 200 million. Hmmm. Closer to dogs than I thought.. )
Sango's pregnancy will be addressed in the epilog. (The pill and other things will be discussed . . . ) This part was simply to place Miroku and Sango's relationship back on a more even keel, with as minimum of change as I could.
Hopefully the change in tone at the end will go over well. There will still be arguments. Miroku will, unless something else happens, try to change Sango's mind, any way he can. Just remember, they might like each other again at the end, but, once Miroku begins to try to change Sango's mind... well...
Hmmm . . . While reading Japanese stories and histories, there is a very distinct male culture and very distinct female culture. And crossing that line . . . Modern readers have to remember that men were not allowed know much about the process of childbirth. The midwife, within the limits of her profession, was the most powerful person in Japan. She could, and would, order anybody and they'd better obey. It didn't matter if you were the emperor or not. NO man was allowed in the room during childbirth. Or during any examination up to it.
A woman monthly cycle, was a very great mystery. Even to women. (Remember no modern medical knowledge.) There is a lot of magic/mystery surrounding it.
Shakes head, sigh . . . so much of the critical issues in some Japanese stories are just hinted at, never explained . . . Like I've tried to do above at the end with Sango and Miroku. The limited thoughts at the end of story was an attempt by me to duplicate some of the sequences I've read. I might be making this sub-chapter too lite, after the others, but...
Oh, yes, I general note to reviewers. I will answer questions, but . . . I need an e-mail address to reply to, though. So, if a review has question, but no email, I may not be able to answer your question. (I might try and do some sort of reviewer reply chapter, but if I do, that will be at least a month away.)
thank you for reading
jeff shelton