The Other Side of Kazaana

A/N Again, someday I’ll edit this better. Oh, thank you all for reviews. I probably wouldn’t have gotten this out this quickly without them. So much junk going on, but if I know lots are reading, I gotta work on it, right?

EDITED FOR REVIEWING PURPOSES: for anyone who wishes to review and doesn't have an account, feel free to email me at writetalk@gmail.com! Thanks for the suggestion, slategray!


Chapter 10 – Miroku and the Ronin


Inuyasha sat in camp, his face resting in his hands as Kouga patted his shoulder awkwardly.

“Hey, the little guy will get over it. You made him cum, right?”

“Kouga!” Kagome smacked her mate in the back of the head hard enough to rock him forward.

“What? That shit matters to guys, okay!” he muttered under his breath a moment before turning back to Inuyasha. “Really, I bet he gets over it before the sun sets, eh?”

“You didn’t see his face.” Inuyasha said into his hands. “He was so upset…I should have just kept my damn dick in my pants.” He sighed deeply.

Everyone looked up as the wolves started howling. Kouga paused as he listened, his face paling.

“What? What did they say??” Inuyasha demanded, “Are they the ones we sent to watch him? What’s wrong??”

“He’s…they can’t find him.” Kouga said faintly.

“What?! I thought you said they could keep an eye on him until he came back! Dammit, Kouga, if your fucking wolves can’t track for shit, you shoulda…”

Kouga punched him in the face, growling. “They can track fine, dumbass! He’s just…they’re saying the trail disappears. We need to get over there.” Inuyasha started running and Kouga cursed as he leapt after him.

“You have to follow me, you moron, you don’t know where they are!!”

“So pass me, asshole!” Inuyasha shot back, fighting off the panic that was settling deep in his gut. He shouldn’t have left Miroku alone. He had to be a fucking idiot, to leave him alone when he knew how dangerous this world was. And Miroku was so helpless…

They came to a section of the woods where most of the wolves had gathered and were searchng frantically through the brush for signs of Miroku. Inuyasha jumped into the fray, his nose twitching as he hunted for Miroku’s scent. He could smell the young man clearly in a straight path from where they’d made love and then there was a strong oily scent that overpowered Miroku’s and…nothing. A complete and total lack of Miroku’s smell leading anywhere from that one spot.

“This is fucking ridiculous! He didn’t just disappear into thin air, dammit!” Inuyasha growled, punching the nearest tree furiously. “Where the hell did he go!?” He heard an excited yipping and whipped around, running past the wolves to see what they’d found. On seeing one of Kouga’s wolves drag Miroku’s staff out from underneath a thick bush, his heart fell to his knees.

“Gods no.” Inuyasha stared at it. Miroku would never leave his staff. He’d worked so hard to get himself a new one, going on and on about the sound being off and needing a different top to it. He’d never leave the stupid thing just laying on the ground. Not voluntarily.

He held onto the stick in his hands as his knees gave out.

“Inyuyasha?” Kouga came over, hovering over the kneeling hanyou. “We’ll find him, Inuyasha.” He promised quietly. “Hell, I’ve only known the man for a little while, but you know I’ll help you find your mate, right? The pack will do what we can to help. You just tell us what you need, okay?”

Inuyasha didn’t seem to hear him as he stared at Miroku’s staff and clutched it close to his chest. His perfect little monk was gone. He fought desperately not to simply let his youkai take over and howl out his pain until his voice was hoarse and his brain lacked the energy to think.

“How am I going to find him?” he whispered brokenly.

He was still kneeling on the ground as Kagome and Sango caught up with them, Sesshoumaru brining up the rear along with most of the wolf youkai.

“What happened?” Sesshoumaru demanded, looking around at the wolves still searching futilely for a scent.

“Miroku’s disappeared.” Inuyasha said, staring down at the staff. “His staff’s still here, but his scent’s just fucking gone. I don’t even know what’s happened to him.”

Sesshoumaru looked at him cautiously. “Have you tried to see if you can locate him?”

“I just said we can’t find his scent!” Inuyasha yelled, glaring up at his brother.

“I know.” Sesshoumaru said calmly, “but you are mates now. You…entered his body this afternoon, yes?”

“Yes, “ Inuyasha choked out, “So what? What fucking good does that do?”

“Some mates can at least tell in what direction the other resides.”

“I know that! You think I didn’t fucking try that! I don’t get anything! Whatever we gained as mates, that wasn’t it, dammit!” Inuyasha bowed his head and breathed in and out in shaky near-sobs. “I have to find him!”

Sesshoumaru looked around and found the end of Miroku’s trail, sniffing around it carefully. His body stiffened suddenly and he leapt halfway up one of the trees, his face close to the bark.

“Inuyasha! A tanuki has been here recently.”

Inuyasha put Miroku’s staff down carefully and leapt from limb to limb until he was even with his brother, searching the same tree. “I smell it. Tanuki. Those fuckers can fly…” He leapt further up the tree until he stood balanced on the pinnacle, looking around. When Inuyasha howled triumphantly, everyone looked up.

“It’s here! Miroku’s scent is here! There’s a trail along the top of the trees! You are dead when I find you, you fucker!” he shouted, leaping to the top of another tree before anyone could speak.

Sesshoumaru looked down. “Can you and the pack follow, Kouga?” he asked quickly, “ We need to know if it lands anywhere along the way.”

“Just lead the way, Dog, and we’ll keep up.”

Sesshoumaru nodded once and flew after Inuyasha, Kouga and the pack sprinting after him. Sango and Kagome discussed the situation for a moment and Sango followed the pack on Kirara while Kagome went back to watch Shippou and make sure she had the medical supplies ready for whatever condition they found Miroku in.



Miroku woke groggily, the late afternoon sun stinging his eyes. Blinking, he tried to focus.

Where am I?

Shifting, laying on his side, he groaned slightly as his head swam. He looked around him in a daze. Bushes, trees, a few rays of sun seeping in to illuminate the shadows…where was he? He tried to force his brain to push through the fog. He was cold, the leaves and twigs underneath him scratching his bare skin. He couldn’t move his arms and his shoulders ached as they were pulled, his hands trapped behind his back. What was going on? What had happened? He’d been walking, and then…

He shivered violently. The ronin. Someone had grabbed him and he’d heard the ronin’s voice. He held his breath, listening in terrified silence for the other Miroku and sighing slightly as silence greeted him. He had to stay calm, he chanted to himself. He had to stay calm if he was going to figure out how to get out of…wherever it was he’d ended up. Yanking at his arms, he cursed frantically as they didn’t budge. Ankles stinging, he looked down his nude body and realized that they were tied so tightly together that the thin leather straps had cut into his skin.

Damn.

Ignoring the terror stricken voice in his head screaming for him to get away NOW, he started to roll over onto his stomach. Maybe there was something behind him that he might be able to use… He froze as he felt a hand run along his naked back.

“Awake now?”

The ronin!!

Miroku’s breathing sped up as he fought off panic. Oh Gods, the ronin…where was Inuyasha? Was he anywhere nearby? Could he hear him if he screamed? He opened his mouth to yell, trying to roll away at the same time, and choked as something dry and foul tasting was shoved into his mouth, tied tightly around his head.

“Now now, we don’t want to be making too much noise just yet, sweetheart. That’s for later.” The ronin chuckled, low and deep. “You wake up quickly. Poor little monk, a few minutes earlier and you might have actually gotten free before I finished restraining you.” Miroku felt the man lean in closer to his head. “And we most certainly don’t want that, do we?” A warm tongue slowly traced the outline of Miroku’s ear before pain spiked through his earlobe as teeth clamped down until he was sure they’d drawn blood.

He ground his teeth against the gag to keep from yelling out, staring at the rotting leaves under his face as he tried desperately to figure out if there was any give in his arms or legs. How could he get out of this? Was he still going to rape him??

“Mmmmmm. You don’t start screaming right off, do you, pretty? So very good to know…”

Miroku shuddered as the man sucked against the tear he’d made in his skin, making it burn with small, hot pain. The ronin’s hand left his back and he immediately started to roll away, stopping as teeth clamped back on his earlobe. If he thought this would stop him…

The bastard could rip his earlobe off, but he wasn’t going to lay there and let him do this to him.

A hand slammed onto his wrists and lower back, pinning him to the ground as he started to roll again, and he squirmed wildly.

“Now doesn’t this look familiar.” The ronin said softly as he released Miroku’s ear. “I’m impressed you were going to try and keep moving with part of you still in my teeth, sweetheart. Although I suppose I shouldn’t be. All that softness still throws me off.” He rolled Miroku over until the monk was laying back, his body arched over his hands trapped beneath him. The monk glared up at him, forcing himself not to whimper with the fear that swamped him on seeing the familiar face with lustful eyes staring down at him.

“I keep forgetting what a strong will you must have….being another me and all.”

Miroku’s eyes widened before he could stop them. He knew! He knew who he was!

“You shouldn’t be so surprised, pretty. You knew another Naraku; surely you’re aware of how much information he can ferret out if he really tries.”

Trying to compose his face, Miroku glared at him again from behind his gag, and the ronin smiled.

“Oh please, do try and intimidate me. I could use a good laugh.” He reached down and cupped Miroku’s chin in his hand, holding his head still as he inspected his face.

“Such pretty smooth skin.” He murmured, shaking his head. “I don’t know how you managed that, but I’m certainly going to enjoy it.” He ran his thumb across Miroku’s jawline before Miroku felt the hand drift down and caress across his chest. He jerked to the side suddenly, trying to surprise the man, and was rewarded with a series of vicious backhanded slaps across his face.

His jaw was grasped again, held painfully tight as the ronin waved a finger back and forth in front of his pain-dazed eyes. “Ah ah ah, lovely, none of that now. When I touch you, you stay still unless I tell you to move. Understand?” Miroku tried to glare at him and as he felt rough fingers run along his belly he bucked against it. He grunted against his gag as the ronin backhanded him again.

The hand returned to his belly, fingers trailing towards his groin, and he jerked and pulled at his restraints, pulling his knees up as he tried to kick out at the man. The ronin smiled, backhanded him casually as he shoved down his legs, and stood up. Miroku used the opportunity to try and roll over, going faster than he wished as the ronin kicked him in the ribs, rolling him until he ended up on his back again with the ronin’s foot placed over his throat.

“Do you know, you’re in a much better position than you realize, pretty.” He said, and something snapped against the ronin’s leg as he jerked his arm. “I find that skin of yours very, very appealing. I’m rather surprised, but I don’t believe I want to damage it just yet.” Snap.

“I do look forward to hearing you scream, though, sweetheart, even if it’s only from behind the gag at the moment. You need to learn a little more about what your place is going to be from now on, I believe.”

He smiled, moved his hand forward and down with a little crack, and Miroku grunted as something whipped against his stomach. “Hurts, precious?” The pain erupted over his stomach again as the ronin lashed something over him.

“It’s amazing what a little damp cloth can do, if you wrap it tightly enough. Hurts like fire, but it won’t break that delicate skin of yours.” He snapped out again and Miroku tried not to react at the new stripe of pain over his stomach and dangerously close to his groin. “Shall we see how much it takes before you can learn to be a good boy and hold still for me, pretty?” Pain slashed out again and Miroku bit back a small scream through his choked throat, realizing he hadn’t done a good enough job when the ronin smiled brightly.

“That’s right, hold it in, lovely. It’ll be much more fun when we can take the gag off and you’ve got it all saved up.”

Miroku bit down harder on the gag as the next stripe reddened his skin, and he stared up at the leaves above his head, struggling to breath through the gag and the foot pressing tightly against his throat. He tried to prepare himself for what was coming. He could take a beating. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t received more than his fair share. But the ronin had obviously done his fair share of dealing them out, as well. He kept the rhythm and force randomly changing, leaving Miroku with a much harder time of preparing for the pain. Sharp stings; slow, heavy strokes filled with dragging pain; quick flicks that ended in snapping pops, he never knew what was coming next, and it all started to blur into one, long stream of shocking, scalding agony. Miroku had started to sob quietly through his gag as the ronin finally stopped.

The ronin’s foot was taken off and a cool hand laid on his belly a moment. He sobbed quietly again, desperately happy that it wasn’t more pain.

“There, see how well you’re learning? It feels much better when you hold still, now doesn’t it?” The ronin crooned as he moved his hand in slow, gentle circles.

Miroku realized he had just lain quietly as the man stroked him and he started to roll, whimpering at the pain it caused, but determined. The ronin sighed and backhanded him again.

“How disappointing. Now we’ll have to start all over again. I think maybe your ass this time, hmmm?” he kicked Miroku in the hip and turned him over. Miroku felt a large foot slip underneath his bound hands and press on his lower back, shoving his abused stomach and chest into the ground as he grit his teeth at the increased pain. He bucked as the first sting landed on his buttocks, and he tensed, fighting the pain already coursing through his body, praying to himself that he could withstand what was coming, and nothing happened.

He listened, unable to hear anything but his own harsh, sucking gasps through the gag, and then the ronin sighed and rolled him back over. Looking up, he saw a small group of saimyosho hovering near the ronin’s head as the larger man rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“A short reprieve, pretty. Naraku was a little concerned that I might get a little… overenthusiastic while we played.”

Miroku looked up at him, confused and fearing some sort of trick. He had stopped beating him?

The ronin smiled and knelt down next to him, cupping his chin again. “So uncertain and confused, little monk. Such a soft, fragile little thing you are. A little pain and your face is totally open.” He leaned forward and ran his tongue along Miroku’s jaw, drawing back smiling as Miroku tried unsuccessfully to free his head from the ronin’s grip.

“Shall I relieve your mind, precious? Naraku doesn’t want you to suffer unduly. Not yet, anyway. He wants to ensure your mind stays intact until he has the opportunity to converse with you, little monk from another world.”

Miroku’s eyes grew fierce and the ronin laughed. “Oh, now I feel threatened. You are going to be SO fun to break, precious. A pity I’ll have to wait a few days to do it, but I definitely think you’ll be worth the wait.” He turned Miroku back onto his stomach, ran a string through the ties on his hands and anchored it quickly to the ground on either side of the monk. After doing the same to his feet, he stood up and Miroku could feel him looking at his naked body with his eyes.

“Definitely worth the wait.” He said, and Miroku shivered at the tone in the man’s voice and the brief caress he felt along his ass before the ronin turned away.

Gods, how was he going to get out of this?