Manipulated – Part Eleven:  The One Thing

Corisu: Ok, this time, it’s not my fault! This chappie was ready a while ago, but my computer crashed (you’d know if you’d read my livejournal... or my bio) and I lost it completely! ;_; Fortunately, Aamalie still had it and re-sent it. I got lucky! ^___^ Once more, I must leave out the crazy disclaimer, for fear that I’ll never get this posted...

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"Hey!"

Sango shifted in her injury-induced slumber. As she slowly regained consciousness, she became aware that she was leaning against a wall, her arms bound and anchored over her head. Her legs were bent under her, and she sat on her feet. Also, someone was calling to her.

"Hey, you!"

A female someone...

"HEY!"

Sango jerked her head up and opened her eyes, glaring across the room at the source of the voice. She could see nothing; the room was pitch black. The walls were earthen, leading her to believe that she was underground. ‘Why am I still alive?’ she wondered vaguely, then shook her head. There would be a better time for contemplation; now was the time to answer the girl that was still trying to get her attention.

"I heard you wake up! I know y-"

"What?" Sango gritted out. She began to twist her wrists in small circles and found that they were bound with nothing more substantial than rope.

The other girl stirred a little before sighing. "He got you too, huh?"

Sango stopped her efforts and snorted. "No. I merely though that this was an admirable place to spend my free time." Her hands resumed their movement.

"Oh." The other girl sighed again. "I’m Genmei Reika."

Sango ignored her. ‘Come on, give!’ The more she moved, the more the rope bit into her skin. The beginnings of pain began to thrum down her hands, but she continued to move.

Reika didn’t seem to get the hint. "And you are...?"

The taijiya sighed, then let her hands relax and turned toward the direction of the girl’s voice. "Sango."

Reika grinned, obviously thinking that she’d gained a friend. "So... any plans on how to get out of here?"

Sango looked up. "Here? Where’s here?"

"Oh! You were out cold when he brought you in-"

From that moment on, Sango fell out of the conversation. She recalled her capture, and how much the abductor still looked exactly like her Houshi-sama, except for the eyes. They were no longer warm, kind, and slightly lecherous. They were cold, cruel, calculating. Her body tensed slightly, then relaxed, and her chin dropped to her chest. ‘I was a fool to go after him... a fool to think that I could save him alone.’ The prickle of impending tears began in her eyes, but she blinked the sensation away. She could cry after she was free... after...

After what?

After she had accepted that she would never reclaim Houshi-sama from the spirit that had overtaken him? After Reika bled to death to feed the thing’s insatiable hunger? After the taijiya felt the cold touch of metal at her throat?

"No..." Sango whispered, starting her efforts anew. She could feel the ropes biting into her wrists more than they had before, but they were moving a touch more freely. She realized that the ropes must have made lacerations in her hands, and the blood from the cuts was lubricating the ropes.

"What will he do?" Reika’s voice was suddenly somber. The taijiya realized that the girl’s earlier demonstration of optimism in a grave situation was nothing but a defense mechanism. The younger girl was afraid; it was clear in the slight vibration of her voice. "Will he... rape us?"

Sango stopped her efforts again, resting for a short while. The cuts were beginning to burn badly, but at least she could offer the girl a semblance of comfort. "No. He won’t."

Reika made no more attempts at conversation, but she was anything but silent. She curled against the wall, tears rolling down her face and muffled sobs escaping her throat.

Just as Sango began to try the ropes again, there was a low creak. Dim light spread through the chamber, and she flinched. ‘Light? That means that I was out cold for the entire night, then...’

"He approaches," Reika whispered, and Sango turned to her, able to see the girl for the first time. Her hair was mussed; she had obviously gone down with a fight. Her eyes were defiant, but at the same time, a bit of that stubbornness had eroded. She didn’t look hopeless, by all means, but it seemed as if she was beginning to understand that she would never escape if left to her own devices.

There was a clatter from the area of the trapdoor. Sango turned her gaze back toward it; a rope ladder had fallen through the square hole. As she watched, a foot stepped onto the topmost rung, closely followed by Phoenix’s entire form.

"Reika. So nice to see that your beauty has not waned in my absense." Reika just glared at the spirit, her mouth firmly closed. "Ah, and Sango... the newest member of our little family. How do you like my accomodations?"

Sango’s expression mirrored that of the other girl, although her face was softened somewhat with the grief of loss. This was the first time that she had gotten a chance to look closely at the Phoenix when she wasn’t concentrating more on his battle prowess than his appearance. Now, she could fully take it in. His hair-tie had been removed, letting the short black hair float around his shoulders, barely touching his the fabric of his black robes. Again, her gaze was drawn to his eyes, robbed of their vibrance by the depraved spirit.

When neither of the girls returned his greetings, Phoenix chuckled and stepped forward. "Well, I see that my hospitality has been less than well-received." He paused, then glanced toward Sango. "You are bleeding." In what seemed like an instant, he was in front of her, his eyes fixed on her bound hands.

At that moment, Sango attempted to sweep her legs forward and trip him, but she quickly made notice of one little oversight. The way she was positioned, with her legs folded under her, made it impossible for her to attack in any way. ‘Damn. He’s thorough.’

As she met Phoenix’s close stare, she saw something like disquiet in them. His hand was halfway extended as if to touch her bloodied hands, but he seemed unable. A nagging thought pulled at Sango’s mind, but she supposed that she had more pressing matters to deal with.

"You must explain something to me," he said finally.

Sango just stared. ‘What could he possibly want me to explain to him? And once more, why am I not dead?’

"My first kill - the betrothed of Sakai Hiro - held no pangs for me. Her blood was nourishing, plentiful. I fed without pretense."

Reika gasped. She had obviously figured out Phoenix’s plan for them both. He wasn’t quite finished with his little interrogation of Sango, however.

"The small girl from that village was also very easy to wound. I felt no need to kill her, but if I had, it would have been easy. Easy."

Sango just looked at him. She couldn’t figure out where the conversation was going. What could his point possibly be?

"Young Koharu was fairly simple to slay, but some sort of force seemed to repulse my malice temporarily. I ignored it, and she met her end almost as easily as the others. However.." He fixed Sango with a piercing gaze. "What I felt from her is only a fraction of what I feel radiating from your pores. What I wish to ask is..." Phoenix tipped the taijiya’s head upward and brought his face within inches of hers. "Why am I unable to slay you, wench?"

Sango’s eyes widened. ‘He... can’t kill me? But-’ Her memory ground into motion, and she remembered all of the times that she had been alone with Phoenix since he had possessed Miroku’s body. ‘He could have killed me several times... but why didn’t he?’

"I know a portion of the reason," Phoenix continued. "The monk stays my hand each time. But why? What force binds you two so strongly?"

And Sango knew.

To destroy the dark,

Her mind conjured up memories of the monk before his possession. His very presence was charming... his eyes windows to every emotion that he ever felt. He had been quite the hentai, true, but when it counted, he would never hestitate to lay his life on the line for his friends.

Show him the one thing that he

Sango looked up into the cool eyes of the Phoenix. There was only a flicker, but she was sure that for an instant, just a split second, she saw her Houshi-sama hidden within. There was just a spark, then it was gone... but it was enough. An unnoticed tear slipped from one eye.

Cannot understand.

"I love you, Houshi-sama," she whispered, too low for her to even hear herself.

Phoenix leered and leaned closer. "What was that, my flower?"

Sango seized her chance. The tears were flowing freely as she concentrated on the one spot of monk in all of the hatred and evil. "I love you, Miroku!" she shouted, then leaned forward and pressed her lips to the hovering entity’s.

It was as if a shock had passed from her into the Phoenix; their mouths sealed together as if with magnetic force. The body before her began to shake violently, and she could have sworn that she could hear him screaming, even though the mouth against hers was not moving. As she watched, alarmed, a vapor began to pour from Phoenix’s eyes, rising above both of their heads and forming a thick cloud.

The screaming increased in intensity until Sango wished her hands were free so that she could cover her ears. Then, with a final howl, the cloud seemed to catch fire and dissipated.

It was gone.

When Sango found that she could move, she pulled back slowly... and found herself looking up into the soft violet eyes of a dazed monk.

"Dear Lady Sango," he began, his voice starting off hoarse but gradually regaining its normal tone, "please tell me that that kiss was reality and not just an amorous dream."

"Houshi..." Her eyes still brimming, she pulled her hands rather roughly from the slackened ropes behind her and threw her upper body into the monk’s arms, sobbing. "You’re back... you’re really back!"

Miroku blinked, then put a comforting arm around the girl’s shoulder. "Back from where, exactly?"

Sango looked up, stunned. "You don’t remember?"

"What is there t-" His eyes suddenly widened. Sango could see the expressions flit across his face, and she could tell exactly what was happening. All of the memories that had been surpressed by the Phoenix were returning, and Miroku was reliving all of the killings...

"Houshi-sama?" She watched in alarm as his eyes glazed over, then fluttered closed. His body suddenly sagged against her, a dead weight.

Leaning over one of her bent legs to brace herself, she gently lay the monk on the ground, then proceeded to try to rouse his unresponsive body.

"Houshi-sama? Houshi-sama! MIROKU!"

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Corisu Li: Either the next chapter or the chapter after that will be the last! Almost... there... *collapses*

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Review Responses:

Maniac3: ^______^ I’m so glad you like! I guess they’ll find his ears in the next chapter, since I keep foregoing writing the crazy disclaimer... *whistles sheepishly* Thanks for reviewing!

Lily Thorne: *laughs* I now have the gloating rights to say that my fic is better than pocky! ^_^ Thanks!

Kin103: ^^;;; Eheh. I don’t think this was what you meant by soon... but I tried! Hopefully, the next one will come faster. Thank you!

SM Together: I hope this chapter stopped you from biting your nails... and then started you right back up! ^____^ I’m so glad you like!

LishaVilla: Hey! I’ve never seen you before! ^_^ Hiya! I’m glad you liked the chapter... but I’m sort of known for cliffies... *stares at above chapter* I am the Mistress of the Evil Cliffies of DOOOOM!!!! *evil laugh, cough cough* Eheh. Glad you liked!

GinHasa: O.O; Ooh, I hope it went well! *laughs* You have no tech class, huh? Kinda sounds like me a couple of weeks ago. It was junior skip day, and I (like a geek -.-;;) went to school. I had no class with more than 5 people... ^_^ Which means I did nothing all day! Oh, and you’ll get your disclaimer cameo in the next chapter, okay? ^___^

Xenia: *laughs* I like the way you think! I’m also very glad that you are enjoying my story! *gets engrossed in thinking of an analogy* Hmm... cigarettes are bad for you too... Chocolate?

Kyoko: @.@ Always with the mallets, Kyoko-chan? Neeee... Tests are over! Phweee! Spring break! Phweeee! Gigantic lump on my head from update mallet! Oww... *thud*

Lyra Pelgina: O.O;;; You wouldn’t wish that fate on a poor authoress like me, would you? *cringes* Thanks for the reivews! I’m glad to know that I can get new readers even if I’m already deep into a fic!

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Review, please! *pokes Aamalie*