InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Evil Eye, The Serpent's Tongue ❯ The Serpent’s Tongue ( Chapter 6 )

The Serpent's Tongue

 

 

Kagome watched as Sango gently slipped into the water of the hot spring. They had been lucky to find one only a short walk from camp. It wasn't as big as the one near the well, but it would do just fine.

 

Both of them had shed their clothing, and after giving each garment a few seconds in the warm water, had flung them over a rock to dry.

 

“You know, I should take some of your clothing home with me one of these times, give it a nice washing. Where I am from, we have these things that allow us to automatically wash the clothing with soap. Oh, and we also have this stuff called fabric softener. It makes the clothing smell good and feel nice against your skin.” She leaned back, closing her eyes.

 

“Kagome…”

 

“I mean, nothing against how you clean your clothing, but once you feel how good a shirt is with a bit of fabric softener, you'll never be able to handle a shirt cleaned in a stream again.”

 

“Kagome…”

 

“In fact” Kagome said, a smile on her face, “We should start a clothing cleaning business. We charge villagers a bit of money, I travel to my time, get everything cleaned up, then travel back with it. We could have enough money to buy all the shards, instead of hunt them.”

 

“Kagome!” Sango said, her face cold. “Have you even heard a word I said?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then don't you realize that, considering I am leaving tomorrow, it's silly for me to give you clothing to clean?”

 

Kagome smiled. “I was hoping you would realize how silly it was to leave.”

 

“Kagome..I have to. Trust me, it's for your own good.”

 

“How can it be for my good Sango? I am losing one of my best friends all because she is embarrassed. You know, Shippo was right. We all love you, and we all don't care if you were afraid. Just because you were scared…”

 

“I wasn't scared of the demon!” Sango said. Kagome leaned away from her, startled by the outburst. Sango looked at her friend, her eyes wide, staring back at the demon hunter with fear.

 

Fear. Sango thought. I am scaring her…I should have gone already. It's already happening. I don't know what he did, maybe he did nothing, maybe he's just psychic. Whatever it is, I need to go now, before…

 

“Then why did you run Sango.”

 

Sago blinked, looking at Kagome. The girl had leaned closer to her, and had placed a hand on her shoulder. It was then that Sango realized she was shaking.

 

“Kagome, I…”

 

“Does this have to do with what Ryu did?”

 

Sango bit her lip, and shook her head. “Kagome, I can't talk about this…I won't talk about…”

 

“Is it something he said?”

 

Sango froze. Her mind was racing. She didn't want to leave…but she had to. But she didn't want Kagome to get the wrong idea.

 

“Are you made at us Sango?”

 

She looked at Kagome and shook her head. “no…I could never be mad at you. You are my friend. It's just…I…I need to go.”

 

“why? If your not scared of the demon, or not mad at us….”

 

“I'm scared…of myself.”

 

Kagome looked at her friend. Sango was shaking hard now, and it took all of Kagome's strength to keep her from leaping out of the spring and disappearing. And she knew, if she weren't restraining the demon hunter, that is exactly what Sango would do.

 

“What do you mean…yourself?”

 

Sango took a deep breath. “When Ryu grabbed me…he told me…something.”

 

“What did he say?”

 

“He said…he said that I..uh…” She sniffed. “That soon I was going to turn against you guys. That I would be working for him, and that I would destroy all of you…and enjoy it.”

 

Kagome shook her head. “That was an idle threat Sango. He won't turn you into a puppet…”

 

“Not a puppet!” She said, barely holding it together. “Kagome…he said I would be smiling when I did it. That I would enjoy it. I am not going to be a puppet Kagome. I am, with my own free will, going to kill you, and Inuyasha, and Shippo and Miroku and Kirara and any one else and I am going to do it myself, and I can't let that happen!” She tried to get out of the pond, but Kagome held fast. “You don't understand! I can feel it…even know…he was right! Pretty soon, I don't know what will make me snap, but I am going to kill you all, and I can't do that! I would rather die myself then hurt you all. Please Kagome, just let me leave!”

 

Sango began to sob, struggling fiercely. Kagome, however, held on tight. “Sango! He was lying! Demon's lie, all the time. Remember Naraku, how he said Inuyasha killed everyone in your village? Do you really think Ryu is telling the truth?”

 

“YES!” Sango sobbed. She lowered her voice. “Yes. After he said that to me…I could hear it, in my head. I could…see myself, striking you all down. I saw it Kagome…I see it, every time I close my eyes. Shippo's little body dangling off a sword, Inuyasha laying in a pool of his own blood, Miroku's throat slight….I can see myself…break every bone in your neck…and watching you look up at me…I am laughing Kagome. I am laughing as you stare up at me with your eyes, the light fading…Kagome, don't make me stay! Don't make me kill you!”

 

Sango broke down, clinging to Kagome as if she were a child. The teen tried her best to soothe her friend, but didn't know what to say.

 

“Maybe Ryu injected you with poison…or implanted false memories…”

 

“He has the serpent's tongue.”

 

Kagome turned to see Miroku step out from behind a bush. She blushed, covering herself and Sango up.

 

“Before you scream or hit me, let me explain.”

 

“Turn around.”

 

Miroku did so, slowly. After he could no longer see them, he began. “There is a legend about the dragon, how it was born. All the gods gave it the best gifts, since they deemed it the most royal of creatures. Some gave it wings, so it could soar among the clouds. Others gave it fire, so it could light its way. It was given armor by gods of battle, and senses from the more peaceful gods. Finally, there came a demon from hell, in the form of a serpent, that gave the dragon it's own tongue. It allowed the dragon to speak words that all would believe, so it could preach to the masses, and enlighten them, or so the demon claimed.

 

“Instead, the tongue corrupted the dragons, and allowed them to tell lies so well that they became fact. That is why most dragons were killed off…but some demons kept them, and bred with them, creating dragos, half breeds.”

 

Sango sniffed. “Your saying…that Ryu lied to me…and forced me to believe it was true?”

 

“I had hoped that our friend Ryu didn't have a tongue like that…seems now that he does. We must be careful around him. But listen to me Sango…” Miroku turned and smiled. “He was lying. You will always be our friend, and nothing he can do will make you fight us.”

 

Sango paused…and then smiled. “Miroku?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Stop staring at my chest.”

 

Miroku smiled. “That's the Sango we know and love.”