Just for the night

Miroku knocked on the hut
and he heard a soft sound, giving him permission to enter. He walked inside and
saw Kagura sit against the far end of the wall, her sister Kanna slept in her
lap.

-         
Can I come inside Kagura-san? he
asked.

-         
Yes Houshi-sama, I want to thank
you for saving our lives, said Kagura. She felt a bit agitated about her
blushing face.

-         
Please, call me Miroku. I hope
you are feeling better; you were in very bad shape yesterday.

-         
Yes, thanks to the one-eyed miko
and the other two girls. They are very skilled healers.

-         
Would you like to talk about
what happened? Miroku’s voice held a tint of sadness. The wind youkai’s
sorrowful eyes were breaking down his defences.

-         
There is not much to tell, Kanna
and I fought Naraku and we got our hearts back. But he was able to hurt us
greatly. But now we are ok. We will forever be in your debt Miroku-sama.

-         
I am glad you finally got your
hearts back. Now you are free to do as you will.

-         
Yes, we are.

Kagura smiled for the
first time a very genuine and warm smile. The gentle monk was making her feel
very feminine and she took her fan and covered her smiling face with it. A small
movement in her lap made her change her attention to her sister instead.

-         
Kanna-chan, are you awake? she
asked the girl in her lap.

-         
Mmm, oneesan, who are you
talking to? mumbled Kanna.

-         
The man who saved us from a
certain death, his name Miroku.

Kanna moved to sit next
to her sister and looked with black eyes upon the handsome young man and she
bowed her head to pay her respect to him.

-         
Miroku-sama, I thank you for
saving me and my little sisters life, said Kanna with her monotone voice.

-         
Your little sister? But I
thought… Miroku was a bit confused.

-         
Kanna is my older sister, she
was created first. But we often behave like I am the older one, said Kagura and
covered her face again with her fan.

-         
Oh I understand… Are you hungry?
Miroku changed the odd subject to a more familiar one.

Both Kanna and Kagura
nodded and Miroku rose to his feet.

-         
I will see to your need, he said
and disappeared from the hut.

Kagura felt her heart
flutter a bit; it was a very strange feeling – to be the one to be cared for.

-         
Oneesan, we are truly safe here?

-         
Yes we are Kanna-chan, we are
truly safe here. We are surrounded by both demons and humans that will protect
us against our so called father’s evil. All we have to do now is rest and regain
all our strength back.

-         
They are our friends?

-         
Yes, I believe you can call them
friends Kanna-chan.

-         
I have never had any friends,
except for you oneesan.

A knock on the hut got
them out of their little talk and Kagura said come in.

-         
May we come inside? asked a
small voice.

-         
Yes, come in please.

They saw a red blur and a
young human girl step inside the hut. Kagura watched them and felt a jolt of
something inside her chest. “Damn this female body.” she cursed.

-         
H-how have you.. have you had a
good night sleep? asked the girl.

-         
Yes, you are the girl that
travels with Sesshoumaru, right? wondered Kagura. And you are the little fox
that travels with Inuyasha and the strange miko? Shippou am I right?

Shippou nodded.

-         
Y-yes, you were the one who took
me away once, said Rin after a moment of silence.

-         
I am sorry about that Rin-chan;
I hope you can forgive me, said Kagura blushing.

-         
Of course Kagura-san, my father
said you was forced to do it, smiled Rin and hugged the wind witch.

-         
Umm, thank you Rin-chan,
stammered Kagura. Have you met my sister Kanna?

-         
Hello Kanna-chan, nice to meet
you, said the little red furry thing known as Shippou and held out his little
hand to shake the pale hand of Kanna.

-         
Yes, it is very nice to meet
you, said Rin and repeated the kitsune’s actions.

-         
Rin-chan, Shippou-chan I am glad
to meet you too, said Kanna and for the first time she smiled.

Kagura was glad; perhaps
Naraku’s evil punishment of her sister would be healed by these two children?
Perhaps her ghostly sister would be able to act as the child she really was?

-         
Would Kanna-chan like to come
with us after you have had your breakfast? asked Shippou with a shy voice.

-         
Yes, I would love that, can we
play a game?

-         
Of course Kanna-chan. Shippou
has learned many games from his mama. We can play many games if you want too,
smiled Rin.

The little eerie child’s
face lit up and almost changed colours in an instant. Her cheeks blossomed with
health and Rin and Shippou felt like they had done a very good thing, a very
good thing indeed.

**