InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Truth About Cats and Dogs ❯ Sango's Secret ( Chapter 15 )

Recap: Kirara was bitten by something that she suspected to be poisonous, but she did not tell the others about it. Miroku confessed to Kirara that he cared deeply for Sango, and Kirara agreed that she would like to see the two together.

 

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Chapter 15 - Sango's Secret

 

“Kirara! Miroku!”

 

Kirara squinted, struggling to focus her eyes as she tried to concentrate on the blurring form of Sango ahead of them, standing waving down the hill at them.

 

“We've found them at last, Kirara,” Miroku said, his voice sounding to Kirara as though he were under water.

 

“Hey, what took you so damn long?” Inuyasha yelled down to them.

 

“Did you have any luck finding any jewel shards?” Miroku called back to him, deciding to ignore his outburst.

 

“No,” Inuyasha sarcastically replied. “But that's probably because we had to walk so slow waiting for you two to catch us up. What took you so long?”

 

Sango backhanded Inuyasha in the arm, causing him to growl out a “hey!” in response, scowling at her as he awaited an explanation for her actions; but Sango ignored him, walking down the hill to meet Miroku, who had walked ahead of Kirara.

 

“Well?” she whispered.

 

“All is well,” Miroku whispered in reply.

 

“Thank you, Miroku!” Sango gushed, touching a hand to his arm.

 

Miroku smiled warmly at her, causing her to blush slightly and turn her head to one side.

 

“Kirara!” she recovered, stepping past Miroku to greet Kirara as she drew nearer. “I see you didn't manage to get all the blood stains out of your clothes, that's a pity.”

 

Kirara dumbly nodded her head, Sango's words leaving her head almost as soon as they had entered it, leaving her wondering exactly what she was agreeing to.

 

“Never mind, Inuyasha kept some of Kagome's ramen and potato chips, so we have food for you both,” Sango said, hooking her arm through Kirara's.

 

Sango started as she suddenly found Kirara leaning quite heavily on her as they walked.

 

“Are you alright, Kirara?” she asked, frowning up at her friend.

 

“Fine,” Kirara lied. “Just a little tired.”

 

“You'll feel much better once you've had some food,” Sango said to her. “I kept back your favourite bag of potato chips. I had to hide them down my kimono to stop Inuyasha eating them first, but it worked!”

 

Kirara laughed softly at the thought of Sango hiding items inside her clothes, but stopped quickly as her laughter only made her already painful head throb even more. As soon as they were close to the fire Inuyasha and Shippo were still sat at, Kirara slid from Sango's side, gladly dropping into a sitting position, her shoulders slouched forwards.

 

“You really do miss those catnaps, don't you Kirara?” Miroku joked.

 

Kirara chose not to answer him, but mainly because she beginning to find it too sore and tiring to breathe, let alone talk.

 

“Here you go,” Sango said gently, sitting down next to Kirara and handing her the potato chips.

 

“Here you go, Kirara!” Shippo said brightly, offering her a half-eaten bowl of ramen.

 

“Shippo!” Sango snapped. “Did you start eating Kirara's dinner?”

 

“I was hungry,” Shippo replied, trying to make his watery green eyes as big and adorable as possible, in the hope that Sango would not get angry at him if he looked too cute; after all, it was a technique he had successfully used on Kagome time and time again.

 

“And here I was worrying about Inuyasha…” Sango muttered.

 

“Sorry, Kirara,” Shippo said, edging closer to her to put the bowl near her hand.

 

“No thanks,” Kirara said hoarsely. “I'm not hungry. You finish it, Shippo.”

 

“Really?” Shippo squealed, grinning in delight.

 

“No, not really!” Inuyasha barked, snatching the bowl from him and greedily finishing it himself.

 

“Hey!” Shippo wailed, grabbing at Inuyasha's leg. “That was mine!”

 

Sango shook her head and rolled her eyes as Inuyasha tried to shake Shippo off his leg, whilst Shippo tenaciously held on.

 

“We thought it would be best to stop here for the night, the path ends just ahead of here,” Sango explained to Kirara, pointing onwards beyond the crest of the hill.

 

Kirara turned her head in the direction her friend pointed, finding that, oddly enough, the path did seem to simply vanish a short distance ahead of them. The grassy hill clearly had a bare earth path leading up to the summit that continued a short way along the top before suddenly stopping, a short stretch of longer grass lying beyond it, and a rather dense looking forest lying beyond that. Although the sun had already set, and Kirara's eyesight was failing her due to her dizziness, something about the appearance of the forest did not sit well in her mind. It seemed almost unreal somehow, and as she watched it, Kirara could see occasional sparks of green flicker through the trees.

 

“Lights,” she said dumbly, pointing at the forest.

 

“Yes, the fireflies are out,” Sango replied calmly.

 

Kirara blinked repeatedly, once more questioning her condition; she was certain what had seen was not a mere firefly.

 

“I'm glad you caught up with us at last, I was getting bored being alone with two men,” Sango joked, nudging Kirara with her shoulder.

 

She frowned as Kirara almost lost her balance from the gentle touch.

 

“Yes,” Kirara said hurriedly, forcing a smile as she attempted once more to hide her condition from the others.

 

“I missed not having you to talk to, Kirara,” Sango added. “Do you remember how we would sometimes go for walks when I couldn't sleep at nights? It never crossed my mind that you were maybe too tired to go with me, I just always took it for granted that would come.”

 

“I enjoyed those times,” Kirara replied.

 

“Oh good!” Sango said, her relief evident in her tone. “I would hate to think that I took you against your will.”

 

“No,” Kirara assured her. “I enjoyed those times, and I can still remember all of the things that you confided in me.”

 

“All of the things that I confided in you?”

 

“Especially the things that you confided in me more recently…”

 

“Oh…?”

 

Sango began to blush, casting a glance at the others. She was mildly relieved to see that Inuyasha and Shippo were still wrestling with each other, with Miroku trying his best to separate them.

 

“You know I was happy the day you met Lord Kuranosuke,” Kirara continued, focussing what little energy she had left on talking to Sango. “He was a good man, and I knew that he would take good care of you. And when we met him again recently, part of me hoped that you would choose to stay with him. But a bigger part of me is glad that you didn't. Although I didn't like Miroku at first, I've grown to like him, seeing him through your eyes, Sango.”

 

“Through my eyes?” Sango asked nervously.

 

“Yes,” Kirara confirmed. “On many of our late night walks, you have told me how you secretly like him very much, and you wish that he didn't flirt with others.”

 

“You remember me saying that?” Sango muttered, her face turning a deep shade of red.

 

“Yes,” Kirara replied with a small smile. “More importantly perhaps, very recently I remember you telling me that you actually like it that he constantly touches you the way he does.”

 

Sango yelped, turning away from Kirara as her embarrassment become unbearable.

 

“It's alright, I haven't told anyone your little secret, Sango,” Kirara assured her. “But Miroku and I did speak about you today.”

 

“You did?” Sango echoed, turning back to face Kirara. “What did he say about me?”

 

Kirara quirked an eyebrow at Sango, and her face promptly turned a darker shade of red.

 

“Not that I really care…” Sango quickly added.

 

“He feels the same way about you, Sango,” Kirara said softly. “And I told him that I was glad that he cared for you.”

 

“Oh. Did you mean it? Are you glad?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Sango smiled, wrapping an arm around Kirara's shoulders and pulling her closer.

 

“Thank you, Kirara,” she whispered. “I'm very glad I made that wish.”

 

“Me too, Sango,” Kirara replied weakly. “Now go to Miroku.”

 

Sango nodded, slipping her arm from Kirara and rising to her feet. Without Sango's support at her side, Kirara slumped to the ground her body splaying out in an ungraceful position across the ground. Sango failed to noticed Kirara's condition however, as she walked over to the others by the fire.

 

“Damn it, Shippo!” Inuyasha cursed as Shippo leapt up onto the slender branch of a sapling.

 

Whilst the tree was not strong enough to support Inuyasha's weight, it was easily tall enough to keep Shippo out of his reach.

 

“You little…” Inuyasha growled, waving a fist up at the little fox cub.

 

“Calm down, Inuyasha!” Miroku said to him.

 

Inuyasha grumbled indecipherable complaints under his breath, sitting down hard onto a nearby rock, glowering up at Shippo from the corner of his eye.

 

“Looks like Shippo got the better of Inuyasha even without Kagome here to tell him to sit,” Sango said softly, sliding her arm around Miroku's elbow.

 

Miroku turned to her at the action, startled by the contact. Sango felt her cheeks burn, but she held his gaze, smiling softly up at him. Miroku smiled back at her, touching a hand to hers at it rested on his forearm.

 

“I missed you today,” he said softly.

 

“I missed you too,” Sango replied.

 

Both Miroku and Sango smiled nervously, their eyes dropping to their feet.

 

“And thank you again,” Sango said quietly. “For talking to Kirara. That meant a lot to me, Miroku.”

 

“No problem,” Miroku replied.

 

Sango slowly lifted her eyes to Miroku, smiling shyly as their eyes locked once more. Miroku smiled back at her again, turning to face her fully and taking both her hands in his.

 

“Ah, knock it off you two!” Inuyasha barked. “You're really starting to bug me now, and Kirara's fallen asleep, she's so damn bored with you both!”

 

Sango looked back over her shoulder, laughing light-heartedly as she saw Kirara lying spread-eagled on the ground, dead to the world.

 

“Poor Kirara!” she chuckled. “She's had a tough day, she really must be tired!”

 

“Yeah, and I'm tired of you two yapping so much, so shut-up and go to sleep already,” Inuyasha grumbled, before shuffling around on the rock to turn his back to Sango and Miroku.

 

Sango arched her eyebrows, but Miroku merely smiled and shook his head.

 

“He's right, it has been a long day,” Miroku said softly. “Let's get some sleep.”

 

Sango nodded and the two set about settling down by the fire for the night.

 

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“Kirara, come on, you have to get up!” Sango called over to Kirara.

 

“She hasn't moved all night!” Shippo pointed out, frowning over at Kirara's limp form.

 

“She was very tired,” Miroku said.

 

Inuyasha sniffed at the air, a small frown appearing on his face.

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?” Miroku asked him.

 

“Kirara isn't well,” he quietly replied.

 

“What?” Sango yelped. “Kirara!”

 

Sango ran over to Kirara's side, dropping to her knees and paling in alarm as she saw that Kirara was lying perfectly still, her skin unnaturally pale and her lips almost blue.

 

“Kirara, no!” she wailed.

 

The others hurried over to Kirara's side, Miroku getting to her first. He hurriedly dropped down opposite Sango, touching a hand to Kirara's neck.

 

“She's still alive, but she's very ill,” he said, looking across at Sango.

 

“I don't understand!” Sango sobbed, tears bubbling up in her eyes. “She was fine last night, what could have happened to her?”

 

“Wait a minute…” Inuyasha muttered, touching a hand to Kirara's right foot.

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?” Miroku asked.

 

Inuyasha did not answer the monk, instead hurriedly removing Kirara's boot, recoiling at what he found. Sango quickly shuffled over to look for herself, gasping in alarm at what she saw.

 

“She's been bitten by something!” Sango said.

 

“Yeah, something poisonous by the looks of it,” Inuyasha added.

 

Miroku crawled down to Kirara's feet, leaning over her legs to study the wound.

 

“Hm,” he mumbled, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “That's not a new wound, it can't have happened through the night.”

 

“You mean she was poisoned a long time ago?” Sango echoed.

 

“It's just lucky that she's a demon,” Inuyasha mused. “Otherwise she'd be dead for sure by now.”

 

“What?” Sango yelped.

 

“Unfortunately, it may be too late to help her,” Miroku said slowly, wincing at the pain that crossed Sango's face with his words. “Without any antidotes, we're at the mercy of Kagome arriving back.”

 

“Kagome won't be back for days!” Shippo pointed out. “Kirara might die before then!”

 

“No,” Sango whispered.

 

“Days?” Inuyasha snorted. “She'll be lucky if she lives through the next few hours.”

 

“No!” Sango cried, standing up.

 

“And where do you think you're going?” Inuyasha asked her.

 

“To get help, of course!” Sango retorted impatiently.

 

“Let Inuyasha go for help, he can travel much faster than you can, Sango,” Miroku advised.

 

“Inuyasha needs to stay here with Kirara,” Sango argued. “He's the only one strong enough to carry her to the next village for help.”

 

“But there aren't any villages anywhere near here!” Shippo wailed. “Kirara's going to die!”

 

“Shut-up, Shippo!” Inuyasha snapped. “You're not helping!”

 

“What about the forest?” Miroku suggested, rising to his feet, nodding his head in the direction of the dense forest that lay ahead of them.

 

“The forest?” Sango echoed, turning to look over her shoulder at it.

 

“There may be some herbs in there that can help Kirara stay stable until we can get an antidote for the poison,” Miroku continued, stepping over Kirara and walking along the path.

 

“Should we split up?” Sango asked Inuyasha.

 

“No,” Inuyasha replied. “Help me get Kirara onto my back.”

 

“Right.”

 

As Shippo sobbed by Kirara's feet, Sango and Inuyasha carefully lifted her onto Inuyasha's back. Shippo grabbed up Kirara's boot, hugging onto it as he got to his feet. Sango and Inuyasha started after Miroku, with Shippo dragging his feet behind them, his head hanging low.

 

Ahead of them, Miroku reached the abrupt end of the path, lifting a foot to step onto the stretch of longer grass that preceded the forest.

 

“Ah!” he cried.

 

“Huh?” Sango muttered, frowning as Miroku was thrown through the air, landing by her feet.

 

“What happened?” Inuyasha asked him.

 

“It's a barrier,” Miroku replied.

 

“A barrier?” Sango repeated, offering a hand to Miroku.

 

As Sango helped Miroku to his feet, Inuyasha and Shippo approached the end of the path, stopping before the reached the apparent edge of the barrier. Inuyasha frowned, looking upwards.

 

“I don't see any barrier!” Shippo said.

 

“Would you like me to throw you over there and we can see what happens?” Inuyasha growled down at him.

 

Shippo yelped, leaping back a step in fear.

 

“There!” Inuyasha said as Miroku and Sango joined him. “Can you see that?”

 

“The green lights…” Sango said slowly, concentrating her attention on the small green sparks of light that sporadically shot across the trees. “They're not fireflies…”

 

“It's the energy of the barrier,” Miroku mused. “It must be a very powerful barrier.”

 

“Nothing's too powerful for my Tetsusaiga,” Inuyasha said confidently. “Take Kirara for me.”

 

Miroku carefully lifted Kirara from Inuyasha's back, holding her in his arms. Together with Sango and Shippo, Miroku took a few steps back, allowing Inuyasha sufficient space to aim a blow at the barrier.

 

“A barrier this powerful has gotta belong to Naraku!” Inuyasha declared as he pulled the Tetsusaiga from its sheath. “And this time, he won't get away!”

 

Inuyasha swung his sword downwards a wave of energy blasting forth from the blade and crashing into the barrier. Inuyasha held his sword tightly in place, his face faltering at what he saw. The barrier appeared to be weakening, but it was not dissolving as he had expected it to.

 

“What's going on?” he yelled.

 

“The barrier's too strong, Inuyasha!” Miroku yelled back to him.

 

“No way!” Inuyasha snarled, raising his sword up and slashing forwards to deliver another blow to the barrier.

 

Inuyasha began to smirk smugly as the barrier bent from the force of his second shot, curving and distorting before his eyes.

 

“It's breaking up, Inuyasha!” Miroku called to him.

 

“You did it, Inuyasha!” Sango cried in delight.

 

“Way to go, Inuyasha!” Shippo cheered.

 

Inuyasha's smirk widened into a grin as the barrier burst into a myriad of glowing green blobs, each of which popped out of existence in a matter of seconds. Inuyasha hoisted the Tetsusaiga up to rest it on one shoulder to allow him the opportunity to admire his handiwork; however Inuyasha's confident grin vanished at what he saw.

 

“Wow!” Shippo gasped.

 

“What is this place?” Sango whispered.

 

“It's like nothing I've ever seen before,” Miroku said.

 

“It's huge!” Shippo said.

 

“It's a castle of some sorts,” Sango said.

 

“Yes, but it's not one of Naraku's castles,” Miroku said.

 

“Look at all the pretty trees and flowers and fields!” Shippo said.

 

“It's like something from a fairy tale,” Sango said.

 

“I wonder if I could convince the servants to let us stay for a night…” Miroku said.

 

“This place is so big, I bet even the servants have servants, and even they have huge rooms!” Shippo said.

 

“It's so beautiful,” Sango said.

 

“It's so immense,” Miroku said.

 

“It's so amazing!” Shippo said.

 

“It's unbelievable,” Sango said.

 

“It's unusual,” Miroku said.

 

“It's perfect!” Shippo said.

 

“It's Sesshomaru's castle,” Inuyasha grunted, dropping the Tetsusaiga back into its scabbard.

 

“What?” Sango and Miroku echoed, turning sharply to face him.

 

“I thought I knew that path we were walking on,” Inuyasha grumbled. “And only a jackass like Sesshomaru would put up such a strong barrier around his castle. He was always so damn scared someone would steal his treasures. Jackass.”

 

“This is where your brother lives?” Sango asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. “But it's so beautiful!”

 

“Sesshomaru owns all of this?” Miroku asked. “Didn't your father leave you anything, Inuyasha?”

 

“I didn't want anything, anyway,” Inuyasha growled. “And I hate it here, I swore I would never come back. But I guess I've got no other choice right now.”

 

Inuyasha sighed, lifting Kirara out of Miroku's arms.

 

“What are you doing, Inuyasha?” Sango asked nervously.

 

“Think about it, stupid,” Inuyasha replied. “What's my brother's most deadly attack?”

 

“His poison claws and fangs?” Miroku offered.

 

“Exactly,” Inuyasha said with a nod of his head. “If there are any good poison antidotes in this area, this will be the best place to find them.”

 

“But…” Sango began, glancing back and forth between the castle and Kirara limp form in Inuyasha's arms.

 

“I don't think we have much choice, Sango,” Miroku said gently.

 

“Damn right we don't!” Inuyasha snapped. “I don't wanna be here any more than you do, but if we don't do something quickly, Kirara's gonna die!”

 

“We have to save Kirara!” Shippo cried.

 

“You're right,” Sango agreed. “I only hope your brother is feeling in a charitable mood today, Inuyasha.”

 

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Next Chapter: With nowhere else to go, the gang enter Sesshomaru's home and Sango pleads for assistance. What will become of Kirara? Chapter 16 - Sesshomaru's Castle.