Chapter Text
“Kohaku,” Sango gasped, praying that is wasn’t true – that her brother wasn’t gone again, that he hadn’t been lost to her once more. “Kohaku, please-”
He lifted his weapon above his head, his eyes blank and dull, expression pinched. She crouched slightly, lowering her center of gravity as one hand instinctively reached for Hiraikotsu before stopping. She knew that she could never fight against her little brother, even if the figure in front of her was barely her brother any longer. She should have known! How could she be so stupid? Naraku would have never let Kohaku escape, not when he was such a valuable weapon against them. This had to be a trap – or had Naraku simply not bothered with Kohaku until now? The change had been so sudden! Was her brother still in there?
“Kohaku,” she said again, firmly, gently. “Kohaku, can you hear me?”
She wanted desperately to believe that she saw a flicker of recognition in those eyes. That his hesitation was because he was fighting inside, struggling against Naraku’s control. That he was coming back to her. Instead, he took a halting step towards her. He was breathing hard through his mouth, his brows furrowed ever so slightly.
“Kohaku?”
He staggered back, blinking rapidly. Then he turned. And ran. Sango barely had time to register what was going on before she was chasing after him for all she was worth. He was coming back! Her brother was returning, she was sure of it! He was frightened – he had to be, with Naraku still looming in his mind – but she would catch up to him and tell him that it was alright, that he was safe and she was with him! But she couldn’t let him get away. If those demons saw him, if Naraku got his claws into Kohaku once more… She didn’t know how much of her brother would be left next time.
~*~
“Kagura,” Miroku called out, feeling Inuyasha’s eyes on him. “You have to have expected that we can’t trust you, and we both know that we can’t stand against your army. We’ve all seen what Kohaku is capable of, and we cannot allow him to keep killing as he has been. If you want his Jewel shard, then so be it. I will retrieve it from his back myself. You can be on your way with no effort spent, and my companions and I will go on with our lives.”
Kagura smirked slightly. “You won’t trust me, but you expect me to trust you? How do I know that you’re going to keep your word?”
“You said yourself that Kohaku will die once the shard is removed,” he said calmly. “Allow Sango the dignity of mourning her brother’s death in private. You and your army can stay right where you are while I retrieve the shard, and I will personally bring it to you. If I do not, we both know that you can take it by force. But you must realize that we will fight you if we must. Are you willing to risk the damage we could do?”
Kagura pursed her lips, pondering. Inuyasha glanced between her and Miroku, a faint glimmer of hope in his chest. Was she really falling for it? Could they really get out of it that easily? Then Kagura started laughing, and his heart sank.
“What kind of fool do you take me for, monk?” she asked, wiping a mirthful tear away from her eye. “You think I don’t know about your own Jewel shards? Do you really think I would fall for your little ploy?”
Miroku swallowed lightly. “It’s not-”
“Shut up!” she snapped, good humour gone. “I won’t be satisfied until I see that little bastard’s lifeless corpse with my own eyes!”
She lifted her fan, and the demons shifted forward in one giant mass, grumbling and shrieking with anticipation. Inuyasha reached for Tessaiga, but caught the quelling look that Miroku sent him. They had to keep Kagura believing that Kohaku was still in the storehouse for as long as possible. If they could buy enough time for Sango to track the kid down and haul him back, then maybe they could put up a proper fight. Or, if Kohaku was still under Naraku’s control, they could give Kagura exactly what she’d asked for.
“You need a whole army just to capture one puny kid?” Inuyasha taunted. “It’s a disgrace!”
“Oh, don’t you worry,” Kagura purred. “They’re not only for him. I plan on slaughtering you all while I’m here – but don’t feel insulted, Inuyasha. I plan on cutting off your head personally. Dance of Blades!”
Inuyasha and Miroku darted in opposite directions, avoiding the first volley. And then the first wave of demons charged. Inuyasha rushed forward to meet them, claws flashing as he sliced through one after another. Miroku fell back, protecting the storehouse. He watched with grim satisfaction as the demons all converged on him, trying to break through. At least the deception was working. Whether or not they could hold off the massive horde of demons was another matter entirely. Miroku cut through demon after demon with his staff, occasionally stopping to throw a sutra at them in the hopes of slowing them down.
As the thought struck him, he turned and threw another sutra at the door of the storehouse, hopefully sealing it against any demon trying to get inside. He caught sight of Shippo, still hiding under the base of the house, and moved slightly closer to the fox. He could put up a spiritual barrier if he absolutely had to, but then he wouldn’t be able to fight, and he couldn’t leave Inuyasha on his own! Perhaps if they needed to fall back. For the time being, he caught every demon that came close, keeping an eye on the battle raging further away.
Inuyasha ran headlong through a cluster of demons, tearing through them with his claws, before Kagura’s blades shot at him again. He swore and dodged, but was pushed right into another wave of demons. There was no end to them, one striking forward as soon as he dropped the one before it. Sooner or later he would need to use Tessaiga, but if he took out too many demons at once, then Kagura might stop toying with them and send the entire army to the storehouse at once. He knew that there was no way that he and Miroku could keep up with even a quarter of the army altogether.
And there was another reason holding him back – Tessaiga, despite all his training, was still a lead weight more often than not. If he revealed that kind of weakness in front of Kagura, he’d be dead. No, they needed to draw this out, keep them sending out their forces bit by bit until they were depleted. It would also help if Kagura would quit it with the blades! He barely landed before another volley was flying at him. He growled and jumped back, but he could hear Miroku grunting as he battled several demons at once. He couldn’t let them overwhelm him – especially not with all the Saimyosho around! If that idiot got it into his head to use the wind tunnel…
A group of flying demons soared overhead, making a coordinated attack at the storehouse. Inuyasha leapt into the air and cut through several of them with his claws.
“No you don’t!” Kagura called up to him. “Dance of Blades!”
Inuyasha swore, pulling on his youki. He was able to change course enough to miss the brunt of the attack as he fell, but one blade caught his arm while another sliced through his cheek. He locked eyes with Kagura as he landed and snarled.
“What’s the matter?” she cooed with false sympathy. “Why don’t you draw your sword, Inuyasha?”
“Ha!” Inuyasha sneered, curling is fingers into fists. “It’d be a waste, using the Tessaiga to kill the likes of you.”
A snake demon struck and he tore off its head. A couple of worm demons dove at him from above, and he sliced through them easily. Mantis demons, frog demons, centipede demons, all of them were charging at him, and he cut through them all. His youki was bubbling up inside him and instead of pushing it down, he tried to channel it into his claws. The amber light that emerged when he used his aura began glowing brighter than ever, his claws painting streaks through the air.
“Enough of this,” Kagura snapped, waving back the next round of demons that were going to attack. “You!” she called, pointing into the army. The demons shifted to allow a giant horned bull demon to emerge, holding a sword in each of its four arms. “After him!” Kagura instructed, and the bull charged.
Inuyasha swore and leapt out of the way, considering his options. It was very rare that he’d had to encounter a sword-wielding demon back before he’d gotten Tessaiga, and most of the time it hadn’t gone well for him. A bull demon on its own wasn’t a very powerful adversary, but give one four swords, and the odds were slightly skewed. Inuyasha jumped back, avoiding each swing of each sword, trying to draw the bull off to the side and hopefully away from Miroku. He could feel Kagura’s eyes on him, knew that she was trying to bait him into using Tessaiga. Well, tough. He could defeat this demon with his own two hands and he’d take his time doing it!
And then Kagura lifted her fan, and the next wave of demons attacked. They didn’t even bother with him, just headed straight for the storehouse and Miroku. The monk met them unflinchingly, blocking one’s jaws with his staff before striking through another, using his spiritual power to enhance his blows. But Inuyasha knew that he was tiring, could smell it in his scent and see it in his increasingly restricted movements. Meanwhile, he continued in his own deathdance with the bull demon, getting absolutely nowhere.
“You’re looking the fool, Inuyasha,” Kagura called out mockingly. “I’m starting to think you can’t even use that sword of yours.”
“Oh yeah?” he hissed. His youki was churning in his gut. Miroku grunted as he was knocked to the ground, rolling to escape the barbed forelimbs of a demon. Inuyasha pulled out Tessaiga and turned to Kagura. “I’m going to silence you, once and for all!”
He lifted the sword, grimacing at the weight, and focused on the bull demon’s youki as it rushed towards him. He swung Tessaiga in a wide arc, sending six lines of energy shooting out in broad formation, catching both the bull demon and all the demons behind it. He knew that he couldn’t have gotten more than a couple dozen, but it was enough to wipe that smug smile off Kagura’s face. Until it wasn’t.
“What’s this?” she cooed. “Seems you’re having an awkward time of it with your sword.”
He leapt for her and she easily jumped out of the way, leaving his blade to crash into the ground. Damn it!
Miroku pushed back a group of demons with his staff, pulling on more and more of his spiritual power. He could feel it draining him, but with Inuyasha now using Tessaiga, there was no doubt that the battle was growing more intense. More and more demons were pouring from the army, and he was being forced back to the walls of the storehouse. He reached into his robes and pulled out the last of his sutras. He stuck one on the head of his staff and then threw the others at the approaching horde. Some of the weakest demons dissolved from the sutras alone, while most were killed off by a single strike of his staff. But then he was out, and there were plenty more demons to go.
A cluster of five or so lunged for him in a synchronized dive. He blocked their jaws with the length of his staff, and energy crackled through the air as their youki clashed with his spiritual power. He pushed them back as much as he could, but there was nothing that he could do about the centipede demon which shot past on his left. Inuyasha must have heard his frustrated cry because he whipped around, and his eyes went wide.
“Pay attention!” Kagura snapped, sending another volley of blades at him. Inuyasha turned Tessaiga broadside along the ground to deflect them, but there was no hiding how heavy the sword had become.
The centipede circled round the storehouse several times, coiling its body around the structure. Miroku ripped his staff back and cut through the demons in front of him. He spun around, but it was too late. The centipede was crushing the storehouse to pieces, and as it fell apart, Kohaku was nowhere to be found.
“So the hut was empty all along?” Kagura said mildly. “Very clever. You had me fooled.”
“You’re not going anywhere, Kagura!” Inuyasha growled, hauling Tessaiga over his shoulder and preparing to rush at her. “This fight is far from over.”
Kagura smiled obligingly and lifted her fan. A few demons obediently came between her and Inuyasha, where he met them with his claws. The rest stayed put. Miroku frowned. If they were really after Kohaku…
“Inuyasha, watch out!” he shouted, ducking as several Saimyosho flew for his head. “It’s a trap!”
“What?” Inuyasha asked, taking an instinctive step closer to the monk.
“Why are none of them going after Kohaku?” Miroku pointed out. “This whole battle was staged from the beginning. Naraku was never after Kohaku!”
“He’s still under Naraku’s control!” Inuyasha snarled, finishing the thought. “Miroku, go find Sango and Kirara! They’re not going to be able to handle Kohaku on their own.”
Miroku spared a moment from cutting a lizard demon in two to shoot Inuyasha an incredulous look. “And leave you alone with this?”
“There’s no time to argue!” Inuyasha snapped. “I can hold these guys off until you bring Sango and Kirara back!”
“Why bother?” Kagura smiled sweetly, passing her fan over her face. “It’s probably too late.”
“Miroku, go!” Inuyasha shouted.
Miroku went. He glanced behind him just long enough to see Inuyasha lift Tessaiga above his head, the blade glowing with the power of the Wind Scar. He would have to hurry. Even if Inuyasha could hold off the swarm of demons, he wouldn't be able to get a hit on Kagura with the Wind Scar, and she'd be able to overwhelm him. And if Sango and Kirara had been attacked by Kohaku... They might have to find a way to escape if the odds turned further against them. But that brought with it its own challenges. Miroku ran faster. As burst through the edge of the forest, the endless shrieking of the demons faded away, and was replaced by another, even more horrible sound.
“Kohaku!”
Sango’s scream rang through the trees. She was somewhere nearby, but he couldn’t see her! And she sounded afraid – she sounded like her world was ending. And he knew with ice-cold certainty that her brother was behind it.
A rustling came from his right and Miroku rushed in that direction, only to run headlong into Kohaku. He barely had time to react before the boy’s weapon was flying towards him. He ducked on instinct alone, and the blade of the kama imbedded itself in the trunk of the tree behind him. Kohaku didn’t so much as blink, simply pulling the chain of his kusarigama to swing the weapon forth once more. Miroku scrambled back.
“Kohaku?” he asked. He knocked the kama away with his staff as it shot at him. “Kohaku, please listen to me-”
The boy shook his head, a look of pain flashing across his face before it was wiped away. Before something else took over. Kohaku lifted the kusarigama above his head and held it there for a moment. Miroku carefully backed away, keeping his movements calm and controlled. Why wasn’t Kohaku attacking? Surely he couldn’t be searching for an opening. Miroku knew that he was more than competent with his staff, but it was nothing against a slayer’s training. Was it something else? Was this Naraku’s doing? Or was Kohaku himself holding back?
“Kohaku…” Miroku said slowly, holding up one hand calmly.
Kohaku heaved his arm back and flung the kusarigama at Miroku. He blocked the weapon with his staff, deflecting it away from his chest. The wicked blade of the kama struck his leg instead, deep into his thigh, glancing off the bone. The impact knocked him back a step. Miroku fell hard, no longer able to put any weight on the leg. Kohaku pulled the kama back by the chain, forcing muscle and flesh to release the blade with a wave of fiery pain and a sickly sucking sound. Miroku positioned his staff in front of himself but he was stuck. Kohaku raised the kama again.
Miroku braced himself.
Nothing happened.
There was something in Kohaku’s eyes, behind the blank expression. He was trembling ever so slightly, sweat dripping from his brow. He was hesitating. Miroku’s heart pounded. He was hesitating! He was resisting Naraku’s orders! If Miroku's throat wasn't sealed shut with panic and pain, he would have said something. Tried to get through.
“Kohaku!”
The call came from behind him, deeper into the forest. Sango burst through the trees and froze, her eyes wide as she took in Miroku on the ground, his torn robes, and the trail of blood leading from him to Kohaku’s weapon.
“Sango-” he started, pleadingly, but she stumbled back, one hand covering her mouth. “Sango, listen-”
“No!” she screamed, and it sounded like her heart was breaking. “Kohaku, no!”
Kohaku ran, back into the forest. Away from her. Away from his targets.
“Miroku, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, and there was horror in her voice.
“Sango!” Miroku cried after her, but it was too late – Sango was already chasing him down.
He swore, tried his hardest to stand, but his leg collapsed under him. No! He had to get to them, to tell Sango what had truly happened. But his leg wasn’t cooperating, he was shaking hard, and there was no way that he could walk properly, let alone run! He glanced wildly over at Inuyasha, who struggled to pull the Tessaiga in front of himself to block Kagura’s attacks. Even if his leg wasn’t injured, Inuyasha couldn’t face down the entire horde of demons alone! Kagura was just waiting for a chance, he knew it. Miroku swallowed grimly, a horrible path opening up ahead.
He couldn’t let Sango face her brother alone. Because Kohaku was still dangerous – but more than that, there had been a twisted, horrific kind of resignation in Sango’s face as she left. Something told him that, by injuring one of her own, Kohaku had crossed a line in Sango’s eyes. She couldn’t let him be a threat to her family. And Miroku dreaded what she might do.
~*~
Inuyasha landed back in front of the ruined storehouse, keenly aware of Shippo still hiding underneath. He lifted Tessaiga, preparing to charge again, when a cry of pain sliced through his mind. He whipped around, and his frantic gaze snapped to Miroku's bone-pale face. He was on the ground, Kohaku standing above him, and Inuyasha’s blood froze.
“Don’t look away!” Kagura shouted, and a wave of blades flew at him.
He ducked, shielding himself with Tessaiga in an instinctual motion, but his limbs were hollow and mind blank. He needed to move now, get to Miroku- Then Sango was there. Normally, she would be the one person in the entire world that he would trust to protect Miroku. But that was her brother standing over him. Inuyasha slashed through the demons that Kagura sent for him, but he barely even saw them. His pack was in danger, and Kagura was standing in his way! In an instant, Kohaku was running again and Sango was chasing after him. Miroku was shouting, desperately pleading for Sango to come back. Then the monk’s eyes met his.
“Inuyasha, please!” he screamed, and that was it.
Inuyasha ran for him, Tessaiga strangely weightless, feeling Kagura’s eyes following him. He skidded to a stop on his knees. His hands sought to cradle Miroku's face of their own accord. Miroku’s iron grip clutched his arms with bruising strength, but he was pushing him away.
“You have to go after her!” he begged, real fear in his voice. “Inuyasha, she’s going to kill Kohaku!”
Inuyasha froze. “What?”
“She saw him fight me, but he didn’t kill me! He ignored Naraku’s orders!”
He didn’t kill Miroku. Kohaku was still a danger to everyone, he’d hurt Miroku, but he hadn’t killed him…
“But Sango doesn’t know – she only saw him attack. She’s going to kill him and it’s going to destroy her! Yash, she might-” Miroku’s voice failed, but the horrified look in his eyes spoke volumes.
Inuyasha swore loudly, glancing desperately between Kagura and the direction Sango and Kohaku had gone. What the hell were they going to do? He would be able to catch up to the slayers with Miroku on his back, but there was no way that Kagura would let them go, and Shippo was still underneath the hut, and what were they going to do?
Sensing his hesitation, Miroku pushed to his feet, leaning heavily against his staff. “I've got this! Go!”
He sounded so harrowed, so sure that Inuyasha went. He made it less than a dozen steps before he realized what Miroku was planning. He spun around, icy terror in his veins, just in time to see the wind tunnel open. To see the reckless abandon in the monk's movements as he started a fight he couldn't win. Miroku was on one knee, the other leg trailing behind him at an awkward angle. From his position, he was sucking in the main horde of demons, but Kagura was still out of reach, too close to the storehouse and Shippo. As the first Saimyosho disappeared into his hand, Inuyasha began running back.
“Don’t!” Miroku shouted, not even turning to look. “Save Kohaku! Save Sango!”
Inuyasha stopped but didn’t turn, indecision keeping him rooted to the ground. Miroku was killing himself so that Sango wouldn’t die, and what the hell was he supposed to do? He knew that Sango wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she killed Kohaku. There was no doubt in his mind that she was in danger. Miroku told him to go, and he had to trust him. Inuyasha took a hesitant step away. Kagura lifted her fan, muttering “No you don’t.”
“Don’t move, Kagura!” Miroku shouted, and he’d never sounded so convincing, so utterly out of options that they all knew he wouldn’t hesitate. “All I have to do is turn and I’ll suck you in, too!”
And Kagura could sense it, Inuyasha saw it in her eyes. She plucked the feather from her hear and lifted into the air. As soon as she was gone, Miroku closed the wind tunnel, gasping in agony. The sound drew Inuyasha like a moth to a flame. He caught Miroku as he fell forward, his muscles tensed to breaking from the insects’ venom. The pain in his scent cut through Inuyasha’s mind, and his vision flashed red. His instincts were overwhelmingly screaming at him to stay, to protect his injured partner, but Miroku said otherwise.
“Go!” he gasped, and it was almost a sob.
Inuyasha looked around frantically, but no other options presented themselves. The few demons that had escaped the wind tunnel had disappeared into the forest. Shippo was darting towards them, fear etched in his face. Distantly, he could hear Sango’s footfalls and ragged breathing, sparking a new kind of urgency in his blood.
“Please.”
He went. Whatever Miroku had done was over. He was safe for the time being – from demons at least. Now, the only thing Inuyasha could do was to keep his sacrifice from being in vain. To keep another member of his pack from dying. And he didn't dare look back.
Heart-wrenching fear lent speed to his legs as he burst through the forest, the trees a dark blur around him. His senses heightened to the point of pain, every sound and smell slicing into his mind. The demons were scattering around him. The danger was still too real. Fuck, if one of them came back to the clearing- Shippo wouldn't be able to- And Miroku-
When he heard something crashing through the canopy above him, he almost reacted with his claws before her scent hit him.
“Kirara!” he gasped, surprised by how wrecked his own voice sounded. “You have to get back to Miroku. He used the wind tunnel and he-” Kirara’s eyes widened and she looked anxiously in the direction that Inuyasha was heading. “I’ve gotta stop Sango, but you have to protect Miroku and Shippo. Please!”
She took off without question. He tore after Sango's scent. Her anguish lingered in each footfall, each branch she snapped and leaf which had grabbed at her form. The path blazed in his mind, pocked with Miroku's blood dropped carelessly from Kohaku's blade. If he stopped to focus on them, they would blind him. He could feel his youki rumbling beneath his skin. Damn that kid for pretending like he wouldn’t even hurt a fly! Damn Naraku for manipulating them all again! Damn Sango for being so stupid! Damn Miroku! Damn himself! But Miroku had said that Kohaku had resisted Naraku’s orders. There was a chance, a small, frail chance, that the kid still had a will of his own. He wasn’t a goner, and they couldn’t give up on him! Inuyasha still had a chance to save two lives. He could still save his pack. And once they were safe, he would never leave Miroku’s side again.
~*~
Sango’s breathing was ragged in her ears as she ran, vision blurred by sweat and stress and tears. It was too late. She had allowed her brother to kill before, had looked the other way, and it had almost taken the life of her closest friend to force her to see the truth. It was some small mercy that Miroku hadn’t paid for her mistake more dearly. She wouldn’t allow him or anyone else to die because of Kohaku, because of her. She should have known that Kohaku would never be free from Naraku. She had promised him, promised herself, that she wouldn’t let that monster take her brother away again.
She should have known. Kohaku was her weakness, and Naraku knew it. He assumed that she would be too weak to do what needed to be done, and thus far he’d been right. But no longer. This puppet of Naraku’s was no longer her brother. He was a mindless drone, with nothing left… Except that wasn’t true. She could see him struggling. Her brother still existed somewhere, trapped within his own mind. And she couldn’t allow it.
Sango threw Hiraikotsu through the trees, cutting them all down. As they crashed to the ground, they revealed Kohaku, crouched to avoid the weapon’s path. He rose slowly and turned to look at her, his kusarigama held loosely in his hand. It was still coated in blood. Sango caught Hiraikotsu as it returned to her and stared down this shell of her brother. His eyes were blank. There was no hint of expression on his face.
“Kohaku, don’t move,” she ordered. She shifted Hiraikosu behind her shoulder and pulled out her sword. “Let me free you from that demon.”
She ran for him. Kohaku faced her unflinchingly, lifting his weapon. He swung the heavy weighted chain around in his hand, faster and faster, and leapt as he released it. The end wrapped around Sango’s sword, and she used it to pull at the kama attached on the other end, to tug Kohaku off balance. He righted himself quickly and then launched himself at her, the blade aimed for her chest. She heaved Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and the tip of Kohaku’s kama buried itself into the weapon. He landed on the broad side of Hiraikotsu and pushed off, causing Sango to stumble back from the impact.
She charged, striking at the kama with her sword, trying to dislodge it from his hand. He was barely moving to defend himself. She could have cut off his arm or stabbed him in the gut if she’d wanted to. But she couldn’t. She knew that she had to free him in the only way left to her, but she couldn’t do so with an opportunistic strike. He deserved better than that.
They were still connected by the chain, bound together as they should be. Sango swung her sword back, pulling Kohaku off balance once more, and when he stumbled, she used Hiraikotsu to knock the kama from his hand. She used her forward momentum to push him to the ground and pinned him there. She cast aside both weapons – now she only needed her sword. It would be quick. She would make it painless for him. And once he was gone… Silently, she promised whatever part of her brother was left that he wouldn’t die alone. She wouldn’t leave him again. She would be right behind. She just needed to end it.
The sword shook in her hand, rattling the chain. She could feel herself trembling. It was the only thing she could feel anymore. With each gasping breath, she let her anger and despair and hopelessness and pain slide away. It would be alright. It was for the best. It was the only way.
“Forgive me, Kohaku,” she whispered.
Through the hand on his chest, she could feel his heart pounding. She swallowed with grim determination, and angled the tip of her sword down to gently rest on the skin of his throat. It would only be a moment. Her tears fell on his face, his kind little face. He was looking up at her blankly, empty. She wasn’t killing her brother. She was saving him. She was freeing him.
Sango lifted her sword.
“Sango, stop!”
The cry came from behind her, too close. It was now or never.
A hand knocked the sword from her hand and pushed her back roughly. Kohaku sprang to his feet and leapt back, out of reach. No, she couldn’t let him get away! But Inuyasha’s hands were on her shoulders, shoving her away. She fought weakly, but all the strength seemed to have left her body. She sank to her knees.
“Inuyasha,” she gasped, barely looking at him, her eyes fixed on Kohaku. “Why did you stop me?”
“Listen here, you idiot!” Inuyasha growled, anger clear in his voice. “Killing Kohaku will only make Naraku happy. Don’t you get it? He’s just trying to get you to kill each other again!”
“But Miroku…” Fresh tears spilled from her eyes. Inuyasha looked like he was in pain.
“He’s alive. Kohaku didn’t kill him even though Naraku told him to. And you’re not killing him! Got it?”
Kohaku snatched his weapon from the ground and began to run away through the forest. Inuyasha wasn’t having it. He caught up the boy in a single leap. His claws dug deep gouges into the ground as Kohaku dodged. Inuyasha landed hard and crouched to throw himself at the kid. A strong gust of wind pushed him back. Kagura touched down gently behind Kohaku.
“Kagura…” Inuyasha growled.
“As commanded,” she smiled. “At least I was able to follow Naraku’s plan, unlike Kohaku.”
“Oh yeah?” Inuyasha said, challenging, hatred and rage bubbling in his gut. He knew it. And it hadn't mattered.
Kagura sighed as though she was disappointed in him. “Inuyasha, why do you think Kohaku has lost his memory?”
“That’s obvious,” he spat. “Naraku’s controlling his mind!”
“That’s part of it,” Kagura admitted lightly. “But Kohaku himself doesn’t wish to remember.”
Sango sobbed. Inuyasha growled. If Kohaku was avoiding his own memories, then maybe…
Inuyasha darted forward before any of the others could react and snatched the front of Kohaku’s robes, dragging him forward. “Kohaku, you gotta remember! Bring your memories back! Remember Sango and the demon slayers. Come on!”
“I’d be careful if I were you, Inuyasha,” Kagura warned mockingly. “It might be quite a shock for him to get back such…unpleasant memories.”
Inuyasha growled and dragged Kohaku to his feet, giving him a small shake, his eyes fixed on Kagura. Instead, it was Sango’s voice that rang through the clearing “Inuyasha, stop!”
He froze and stared at her, saw the horror on her face.
All the things that Kohaku had done while under Naraku’s control… Sango knew that it would destroy him. She couldn’t put her brother through that. She couldn’t force him to remember their father, Eiji and Yasuo, the countless villagers… If those were the memories that Kohaku was resisting, then she didn’t want him to remember.
“If you want the kid, you gotta take the whole kid,” Kagura smiled. “Naraku did him a favour. He’s much better as a blank slate.”
“Damnit!” Inuyasha snarled, and his vision flashed red.
Kagura chuckled. Inuyasha’s youki sprang for her, the wave of pure power sending her stumbling back with a gasp. Inuyasha felt Sango stiffen behind him.
“Remember!” he snapped at Kohaku, shaking him again. “Do it now if you want to live!”
“Inuyasha, stop it!”
He rounded on her, eyes blazing. “The only way to free him from Naraku’s control is to get him to remember!”
“He can’t-”
“He’s going to kill Kohaku either way!” Inuyasha shouted, cutting her off. “He wants the Jewel shard in his back, and sooner or later he’s going to take it! Naraku’s only keeping him around because he’s useful!”
Kagura laughed. “You always see the worst in people, Inuyasha.”
She snapped her fan open and threw a volley of blades at him. Inuyasha swore and dodged to the side, dragging Kohaku along with him. The boy wrenched himself out of his grasp and ran, picking his weapon up from where he’d dropped it before he darted to Kagura’s side. She sent a powerful gust of wind at Inuyasha as he tried to follow, and he had to drop to his knees to avoid being blown off his feet. Kohaku followed Kagura onto her feather and they floated up into the sky. Inuyasha leapt, and his claws passed through the air just underneath them.
“Come back here!” he shouted.
“Kohaku!” Sango called out frantically.
“Let the poor boy die in bliss, Inuyasha,” Kagura said, and she sounded oddly sincere. “His past really would destroy him.”
They disappeared from view. Sango fell to her knees, a sob ripping from her chest. “Damn!” she swore, and struck the ground with her fist. “Not again…”
She was shaking, crumpling under the weight on her shoulders. Inuyasha dropped to one knee in front of her. “Sango…”
“I can’t,” she gasped. “It’s the same thing all over again.”
Inuyasha couldn’t stop the growl that rumbled in his throat. “Damn, you really need to quit it.” She glanced up at him, startled for a moment from her grief. “Maybe this will make you do things a little differently next time. Kohaku’s not entirely under Naraku’s control! He resisted Naraku’s orders! He still has a human heart. Naraku’s trying to manipulate you both to cause as much misery as possible, to taint the Jewel shard in Kohaku's back, and that’s not gonna happen. We can’t kill Kohaku – we gotta take him alive!”
She shook her head, rejecting the words. “But Miroku…”
And Inuyasha snapped. “Miroku almost killed himself to stop you from killing your brother!” He was practically screaming, and he knew it, but he couldn’t seem to stop. “He sucked in all the demons and those fucking insects so that I could come after you, and I’m not going to let it be in vain. You got that?”
Sango’s eyes widened in horror. “He what?”
“Now pull yourself together so we can make sure he’s not dead!”
Sango rocked to her feet and numbly gathered her weapons. Inuyasha didn’t wait for her to say anything, just swung her onto his back and took off. With the threat gone and nothing else to distract him, the fear that had been clawing its way to through his chest was threatening to overwhelm him. Sending his youki after Kagura had helped some, but he could still feel it churning within him. He strained his hearing, trying desperately to find that precious heartbeat.
They were nearly at the edge of the forest when a roar came from overhead. Inuyasha snarled, panic fueling his anger as he thought of anything else trying to come between him and Miroku. But then a voice called down to them, shrill with fear. “Inuyasha! Sango!”
Kirara dove down through the trees, Shippo on her head and Miroku splayed across her back. The monk was sliding off Kirara before she even touched down. Inuyasha leapt forward and caught him as he fell. He clutched Miroku to his chest, but his breathing was ragged and shallow and he was barely conscious. His skin was ashy grey and terrifyingly pale. His fingers curled loosely against Inuyasha’s arms, lacking the strength to hold on.
“No…” Sango whispered behind him, horror in her voice.
Inuyasha couldn’t find the will to speak, every last speck of his focus honed in on the rapid heartbeat, the struggle for breath.
“We need to find the herbs to help him!” Shippo was saying, his voice ringing hollow in Inuyasha’s ears.
“You know which ones?” Sango asked brokenly.
“Yeah! I helped Kaede gather them before!”
“We need to get him somewhere safe,” Inuyasha rasped, still curled around his monk.
With Sango’s help, they maneuvered him onto Kirara’s back. Sango climbed on in front of him and Inuyasha was behind, his arms wrapped around Miroku’s chest with the monk’s head leaning back on his shoulder. Inuyasha could feel him shaking. Kirara took off and he squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the fact that everyone was still alive. Trying not to think about what he might have done.
~*~
Kohaku knelt in front of Naraku, eyes downcast, avoiding the demon’s piercing gaze. Saimyosho buzzed around him like guards.
“Kohaku,” Naraku said in a low, dangerous voice. “Remember that I spared your life and erased your terrible memories for you.”
“Yes, master,” he murmured, the words tasting like poison on his tongue.
“And yet you have failed me once again,” Naraku sighed, hard-edged with anger. “Why is that, Kohaku? Do you deliberately disobey me? Do you want to regain your humanity?” His eyes narrowed, a predatory smile on his lips. “Then, do you want your memories returned? All of your memories?”
He reached out a hand, and pain shot through Kohaku’s mind. No! His father’s scream- The villagers screaming- Sango crying, begging- No! “No! No, please!” He clutched his head and curled into himself, the memories searing into his mind, burning with fire.
“Good,” Naraku said. His hand reached out again and pulled, drawing out the memories, the pain, and the Kohaku that resided within them. “I’ll let you live, for now. I have bigger problems to deal with than your little insubordinate act. Know that if you disobey me again, I won’t be so lenient. Do you understand?”
The boy nodded numbly. “Yes.”
He knew that he had lost something, he just didn’t know what. He couldn’t find it in himself to care. The mild curiosity, the spark of fear, everything was smothered and crushed until nothing remained. Still, something was ringing through his mind. A woman’s face, twisted in agony as she stared down at him. He didn’t know who she was, but she knew that he was important. For some reason, he couldn’t seem to forget.
~*~
Kirara landed in front of a small village, surrounded by the faint bustle of early morning. Inuyasha stayed on her back, clinging to Miroku, as Sango marched towards one of the houses with a threat written in every muscle of her body. She burst into the hut, causing the woman inside to let out a cry of surprise as she darted to her child’s side.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” Sango ground out. “We need help. My friend is dying, and we need a place to stay.”
“There’s an empty house,” the woman said hesitantly. “At the edge of the village…”
“Show me.”
Sango motioned for Kirara to follow her as the woman directed her to a small, shabby hut, somewhat separated from the others. Several other villagers had emerged to watch them warily, looking none too pleased. Sango shot each and every one of them a glare, the warning clear.
Inuyasha brushed off Sango’s attempt to help them down and simply lifted Miroku into his arms. The outside world was strangely distorted, merely a blur of colours and faces and smells surrounding a rapid heartbeat. He fell to his knees inside the hut, squeezing Miroku fractionally closer.
“Keep him warm and try to get him to drink some water,” Shippo was advising Sango. “He’ll be getting a fever soon. Make sure he doesn’t stop breathing!”
A rustling outside the hut announced the kit’s departure on Kirara. Sango knelt in front of Inuyasha, pulling the blankets from her carrying cloth. She draped them all over the monk, her frown deepening as he shuddered.
“This has happened before?” she asked Inuyasha.
He nodded numbly. “Naraku gave a hive of Saimyosho to Sesshomaru. Miroku almost died.”
“But he pulled through,” she reminded him firmly. She’d heard the stories from all their encounters with Sesshomaru, and from what she could remember, timing had been crucial the first time Miroku was poisoned. She tossed Hiraikotsu and her carrying cloth off to the side and stalked out of the house, intent on finding someone who would be able to help.
Inuyasha curled himself around Miroku, one arm supporting his shoulders and back, the other cradling the monk’s head to his chest. He could hear the raspy quality of Miroku’s breath, the struggle to take in air. He maneuvered his head so that it was tipped back slightly, opening his airway. It sounded like it helped a little, but not enough. Nothing was enough. Miroku was dying and he couldn’t stop it! And he’d left him-
Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut, shoving the guilt down as it threatened to choke him. That could wait until later, until Miroku was awake and recovering and could tell him that it was okay. His fingers grasped at Miroku’s hair, somewhere between soothing strokes and desperate clinging. He hated every rasp, every tremor that passed through Miroku even as he cherished them as proof that he was still alive. He hated every moment that passed even though he knew that he would rather be nowhere else. He hated Sango for letting this happen even though he knew it wasn’t her fault – and he knew that she couldn’t let go of Kohaku. Her brother was her whole world, the reason that she was facing Naraku, and Inuyasha knew what that felt like. If he was in her position, he would have done the same. He probably would have done much worse.
Sango returned an indeterminate amount of time later with an old man following her. The man glanced between Inuyasha and Miroku uneasily before turning to Sango.
“There’s your patient,” Sango prompted roughly, jabbing her sword in Miroku’s direction.
“You didn’t tell me that there were demons here,” the man said, eyeing Inuyasha warily. The hanyou growled softly.
“It doesn’t matter!” Sango snapped. “That monk is dying because he fought off an entire demon army and was poisoned because of it!”
The man obediently shuffled over and knelt down by Miroku’s side. Inuyasha couldn’t help but shrink back slightly, pulling Miroku closer to his chest.
“Inuyasha,” Sango warned, low and firm.
With her help, he shifted Miroku so that his back was flush to his chest, his arms wrapped around the monk’s torso, but the man could still examine the monk. The combination of a stranger beside the injured Miroku and the barely concealed hostility seeping from the man made Inuyasha’s already strained youki rumble warningly beneath his skin. The sword that Sango had refused to sheathe, which lay on her lap as she knelt beside the man, helped a little.
“I don’t see any bite marks or stings,” the man muttered as he looked over Miroku’s body. “Was the weapon that struck his leg poisoned?”
“No, it wasn’t,” Sango answered when it was obvious that Inuyasha wasn’t going to. “He has a curse in his hand through which he can fight off demons, but their poison still affects him.”
The man’s lips pursed. “He’s cursed?”
Sango’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “He’s injured, and you’re supposed to be a healer. Why don’t we focus on that?”
“I will bind his leg, but there is nothing I can do to help him against a curse,” the man said, reaching for his bandages. “Perhaps you should try a priest.”
“That’s it,” Sango ground out, dragging the man up by the robes and shoving him towards the door. “I can handle his wounds. I’ll call you back if we need further assistance. Thank you for your time.”
She snatched the medical supplies left behind and began carefully cleaning and stitching Miroku’s leg.
“Who was that guy?” Inuyasha asked hoarsely.
“The closest thing this village has to a physician, apparently,” Sango grumbled, not looking up from her task. “I thought he might be able to do something.”
“Where are Shippo and Kirara?” Inuyasha asked, readjusting his grip on Miroku.
“They should be back soon,” Sango said, her voice clipped and tight. “Shippo said that he knew where the medicinal herbs should be growing.”
“Good thing he was paying attention to Kaede,” Inuyasha muttered.
“Lucky we brought him with us this time,” Sango sighed. “As much as I hate to admit it.”
Sango tied off the bandage around Miroku’s leg and leaned back on her heels, looking unsatisfied. The monk’s face was slick with sweat and ashy white. His limbs were shaking from exertion and pain, interspersed with more violent shudders which caused him to jerk in Inuyasha’s arms. Even in his unconscious state, his face was twisted in pain.
“I’m sorry!” Sango gasped, everything suddenly too much. “Gods, Inuyasha, I’m so, so sorry-”
“Don’t,” Inuyasha growled. “This shit isn’t your fault. Naraku did this to him, and Miroku made his own choices. If you have to, you can apologize to him, once he’s better.”
Because he would be. There was no doubt in either of their minds that Miroku would recover. He had to. The alternative was simply out of the question.
“I can’t believe I fell for it,” Sango muttered, hugging her legs against her chest.
“He’s your brother,” Inuyasha huffed. “What else were you gonna do? And it’s not like I was right, either. Yeah, it was a trick, but I was wrong about Kohaku.”
“Naraku used me to let Kohaku get to Miroku,” she said quietly.
“Maybe,” Inuyasha grumbled. “Kohaku could have been sent after the Jewel shards, but I don’t think that was it. How the hell could Naraku have known how today was going to play out? I think he just sent Kohaku to try and destroy us from the inside, however he could.” He swallowed hard. “But he didn’t.”
Sango pushed herself over to Inuyasha’s side, brushed her fingers down his arm before stroking Miroku’s face gently. “No, he didn’t,” she agreed in a whisper.
“Sango,” Inuyasha said, voice strained. “We’re gonna try to get Kohaku back. You’re not alone in this, okay?” She nodded silently, but he wasn’t done. “We’re gonna do everything we can to save him, but I’m not letting any of my pack die for him. Understand?”
She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the tears which threatened to fall. It almost hurt more to know that he wasn’t just talking about Miroku. They were pack. They were family. And even Naraku couldn’t tear them apart.