Atonement
Title: Atonement
Author: Nikki Kiraga
Rating: PG-13
Genre: General, Introspective, Angst
Warnings: Yeah, uh, death?
AU/Canon: Canon
Pairing: Miroku/Sango [Implied]
Words: 769
Summary: This was his atonement...
Note: Around the time of manga chapters 531-537. Written for
inuyashaquotes Week 6. Quote included.
"The only devils in this world are those running around in our own hearts, and that is where all our battles should be fought."
-Mahatma Gandhi
"The life you received from Kikyou... don't throw it away." Like the fool I am, I listened to my sister. She felt that if I assisted in the battle against Naraku, I would die and waste the gift Lady Kikyou had given me.
But she was wrong. Ane-ue was wrong. Lady Kikyou did give me life, but dying in the battle against Naraku wouldn't be a waste. If I could assist in anyway... in killing him, in saving Sango or her friends, in helping her houshi-sama... then it'd all be worth it. I would die with honor, and I would help them.
Sighing, I rested my chin on my hand. Lady Kaede was kind, but I wanted to be there, with Sango! I wanted to be fighting beside her... like I would have if this whole mess didn't happen. But I was taught to respect my elders, and Sango was one of them. Sighing once more, I thought of everything that happened.
Ten. That was how old I was when they sent me into battle, after a short lifetime of learning how to exterminate demons. Admittedly, because I've been more or less a walking corpse--much like Lady Kikyou was, come to think of it--this whole time, my body hasn't aged, though I've grown much more mature through everything. My first mission was my last... when father, Sango, some of the other taijiya villagers, and I went into an eerie castle. Our mission was to kill a giant spider that attacked the castle. But the real demon was Naraku... next thing I knew, I was killing them. My mind was in a fog... I could see everything, hear everything... but my body wouldn't move as I wished. Then... I attacked her.
She pleaded with me to wake up. I tried to reach her... no, not physically. My body wasn't my own anymore. I couldn't reach the forefront of my mind... I was locked up, chained down. Just as my weapon went into Ane-ue's back, the chains vanished. I was allowed control of my body once more. I tried to run for her... I wanted so bad to apologize, but I was stopped by arrows in my chest. I remember telling her I was scared... and she comforted me, despite what I did. There, among our comrade's bodies, we both died.
When I saw her again, I was in the fog once more. This time, unable to return. Naraku had full control of my body and mind... he probably did all along, but allowed me a few moments with her in our dying moments. I could only stand there was Naraku used my life to bargain with my sister. When he said that she had to steal Inuyasha's Tessaiga, she attacked him... and I was forced to block her. He took me off, and I didn't see her again until I had to attack their hut. I distinctly remember how Naraku made me try to take out the shard in my back, the only thing that let me cling to life. Sango stopped it, but sometimes I wonder if it would have been better...
Just then, I was interrupted by the sound of Shippou yelling at Jaken. Curiosity got the better of me as I stood, and walked out of Lady Kaede's hut in silence. I watched as the kit transformed into his big, pink bubble, and Jaken angrily threw the Staff of Two Heads at him, which made the kit transform back. Watching them, I strangled a laugh, and stepped up.
They both looked at me. "Um..."
Soon, we were in front of the large orb that was Naraku's body, riding Ah and Un. Jaken was squawking about having to ride alone, and I mostly shook it off. "Aren't you kind of missing the point? Shippou is just a kid, after all..."
I could hear his nearly-incoherent remark, but looked at him as he spoke to me. "But Kohaku, you were the only one Sango told not to come..."
I looked at the unnerving dark ball, and lowered my head. I couldn't be scared. I had to go... for my father, my comrades, and most importantly, my sister and her betrothed. This was it. This was the most important battle. The one that will allow me to completely let go of my past, and move on. "But... it's too late to go back now." This... was my atonement.
Author: Nikki Kiraga
Rating: PG-13
Genre: General, Introspective, Angst
Warnings: Yeah, uh, death?
AU/Canon: Canon
Pairing: Miroku/Sango [Implied]
Words: 769
Summary: This was his atonement...
Note: Around the time of manga chapters 531-537. Written for
inuyashaquotes Week 6. Quote included.
"The only devils in this world are those running around in our own hearts, and that is where all our battles should be fought."
-Mahatma Gandhi
"The life you received from Kikyou... don't throw it away." Like the fool I am, I listened to my sister. She felt that if I assisted in the battle against Naraku, I would die and waste the gift Lady Kikyou had given me.
But she was wrong. Ane-ue was wrong. Lady Kikyou did give me life, but dying in the battle against Naraku wouldn't be a waste. If I could assist in anyway... in killing him, in saving Sango or her friends, in helping her houshi-sama... then it'd all be worth it. I would die with honor, and I would help them.
Sighing, I rested my chin on my hand. Lady Kaede was kind, but I wanted to be there, with Sango! I wanted to be fighting beside her... like I would have if this whole mess didn't happen. But I was taught to respect my elders, and Sango was one of them. Sighing once more, I thought of everything that happened.
Ten. That was how old I was when they sent me into battle, after a short lifetime of learning how to exterminate demons. Admittedly, because I've been more or less a walking corpse--much like Lady Kikyou was, come to think of it--this whole time, my body hasn't aged, though I've grown much more mature through everything. My first mission was my last... when father, Sango, some of the other taijiya villagers, and I went into an eerie castle. Our mission was to kill a giant spider that attacked the castle. But the real demon was Naraku... next thing I knew, I was killing them. My mind was in a fog... I could see everything, hear everything... but my body wouldn't move as I wished. Then... I attacked her.
She pleaded with me to wake up. I tried to reach her... no, not physically. My body wasn't my own anymore. I couldn't reach the forefront of my mind... I was locked up, chained down. Just as my weapon went into Ane-ue's back, the chains vanished. I was allowed control of my body once more. I tried to run for her... I wanted so bad to apologize, but I was stopped by arrows in my chest. I remember telling her I was scared... and she comforted me, despite what I did. There, among our comrade's bodies, we both died.
When I saw her again, I was in the fog once more. This time, unable to return. Naraku had full control of my body and mind... he probably did all along, but allowed me a few moments with her in our dying moments. I could only stand there was Naraku used my life to bargain with my sister. When he said that she had to steal Inuyasha's Tessaiga, she attacked him... and I was forced to block her. He took me off, and I didn't see her again until I had to attack their hut. I distinctly remember how Naraku made me try to take out the shard in my back, the only thing that let me cling to life. Sango stopped it, but sometimes I wonder if it would have been better...
Just then, I was interrupted by the sound of Shippou yelling at Jaken. Curiosity got the better of me as I stood, and walked out of Lady Kaede's hut in silence. I watched as the kit transformed into his big, pink bubble, and Jaken angrily threw the Staff of Two Heads at him, which made the kit transform back. Watching them, I strangled a laugh, and stepped up.
They both looked at me. "Um..."
Soon, we were in front of the large orb that was Naraku's body, riding Ah and Un. Jaken was squawking about having to ride alone, and I mostly shook it off. "Aren't you kind of missing the point? Shippou is just a kid, after all..."
I could hear his nearly-incoherent remark, but looked at him as he spoke to me. "But Kohaku, you were the only one Sango told not to come..."
I looked at the unnerving dark ball, and lowered my head. I couldn't be scared. I had to go... for my father, my comrades, and most importantly, my sister and her betrothed. This was it. This was the most important battle. The one that will allow me to completely let go of my past, and move on. "But... it's too late to go back now." This... was my atonement.