Useless

Theme: #20- The Road Home

AN: As it is based completely on it, I have to warn you for spoilers for chapter 484, by far both the saddest chapter ever and one that left me feeling all squealy. Although I guess 465 was pretty similar, but I didn't think it was that sad...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or the fact that no one knows what Rumiko is thinking right now. Hopefully the story will get good again for the first time in like four years XD.

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"Now," he said, standing in front of the door, "becoming a demon slayer is a very serious job. I know you have been training very hard for this, but from this point on there is no turning back. Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "I know I can do this, Father."

"All right," he replied, trying his hardest not to grin. "Then, if you're completely sure you're ready for this, and because you have successfully completed all of your training at an exceptional level, I will now officially bestow upon you your armor, and, in this particular situation, your weapon in order to show that you are now a professional demon slayer."

The little girl bounced in excitement. Most trainees not only moved on to being a professional slayer at a much older age than she was, but they also trained with their weapons the entire time. She had used several different ones during her training, and she wasn't sure which, if any, would be given to her for her career. She knew she was guaranteed a sword, as her father had mentioned it, but she had a feeling something much bigger was in store for her.

He opened the door and reached behind it, seeming to grab something large as he used both hands to reach for it. "I think this one will suit you quite well," he continued, now unable to hide his smile. "It'll take you some time to get used to it, but I only use it on serious missions, so I have no problem passing it on to you."

He then produced a large boomerang, almost as big as he was, and held it before her. The girl looked at it in awe. "This is the Hiraikotsu, a one-of-a-kind bone boomerang made from the compacted bones of demons. If thrown correctly, it can cut through practically anything and is great as both a weapon and a tool. Once you're strong enough to wield it, I think you will able to handle it with ease."

"Oh, yes, Father!" she cried with excitement, rushing toward him and kissing him on the cheek. "I'll make sure to start training with it right away!"

"Now, Sango," he said with a laugh, "you're only eight. I doubt you'll be able to handle it with complete skill until you're thirteen at the earliest."

"I'll be able to use it by the time I'm ten!" she exclaimed. "Just you watch, I'll be the best demon slayer ever and I'll take good care of the Hiraikotsu!"

"I hope so," he replied, smiling, and trying to hand the girl the weapon without her falling over. "This is a proud heirloom of our family and the village and it shows a very strong fighter."

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to it!"

---

She had put the dissolving poison into the weapon and thrown it at the demon. It had successfully destroyed it, but it had also rendered the Hiraikotsu useless.

---

Sango sat dejectedly under a tree. None of the others had been talking to her much, as Kagome had been tending to Miroku's poisoning with Shippou and Inuyasha wasn't one for talking. They had pulled what remained of Hiraikotsu out of what was left of the building. As much as the others had pried, she had insisted that nothing could be done for it; it was ruined. All it was now was a melted mess of bone, or as Kagome had said strangely, it looked like "a work of modern art."

She wasn't sure of what she should do now. Her weapon was destroyed by her own doing. She had rendered herself practically useless within the group.

---

The bone demon had her cornered, with nowhere else to turn or no one else to help her. It was a life or death situation, and no matter how much she bargained with the demon, he would not accept life as an option for her.

She had put the dissolving poison into the weapon and thrown it at the demon. It had successfully destroyed it, but it had also rendered the Hiraikotsu useless.

---

Kagome and Shippou had emerged from the hut a few moments earlier, stating that Miroku was fine now; he just needed to rest. Sango remained where she was for a few seconds, quietly thinking, before standing up and heading inside. The others watched her go in, not saying anything as entered. Their eyes all drifted over to the melted mess of bone that was what remained of Sango's powerful weapon.

She silently kneeled by the monk, whose eyes were closed as though he was sleeping. She didn't say anything. She couldn't think of anything to say. All she could think of was how she had once again gotten him into trouble due to her uselessness.

The silence was suddenly broken. "Sango..." Miroku said quietly, slowly opening his eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Houshi-sama," she replied. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's okay. I wasn't asleep. Kagome-sama's medicines are very potent. I should be fine soon."

Sango nodded, frowning slightly. He had taken in some poison, but it wasn't nearly as much as he usually took in before it made him sick. Something was definitely wrong with him, but she didn't have the heart to bring up the subject at the moment. A more pressing subject was on her mind.

"Sango, forgive me for asking, but is there any way you can repair your weapon?"

She let out a little laugh. "No, Houshi-sama, I'm afraid not. The poison I used completely destroyed most of it. There's no way I can reforge it."

"So what are you going to do?"

She thought for a few moments.

"I don't know."

"We can't move on until you've decided," he replied. "If you need to go back to your village to do anything or if... if you have other plans, we'll need to know."

She looked at the ground sadly. "I know that," she said. "I'm just not sure what I should do now. I can't leave all of you after we've come so far. I may not be able to fight as well as I used to anymore, but I still want to help defeat Naraku."

Miroku smiled a little. "You know I wouldn't have let you go by yourself even if you did."

"Yes, I know that, too," she said with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble, Sango," he suddenly said, looking toward his right hand.

"N-no, Houshi-sama. Don't apologize. This is all my fault. I should have responded to the situation faster. What happened to Hiraikotsu was completely my fault."

"Still, I can't help but feel that this was partly my fault."

She smiled again. "You don't need to."

---

They had finally managed to escape from the demon's prison before he devoured them. Miroku had reached his limit, though. With too much poison in his system, he collapsed at Sango's feet.

The bone demon had her cornered, with nowhere else to turn or no one else to help her. It was a life or death situation, and no matter how much she bargained with the demon, he would not accept life as an option for her.

She had put the dissolving poison into the weapon and thrown it at the demon. It had successfully destroyed it, but it had also rendered the Hiraikotsu useless.

Still, she had managed to save him.

---

AN: So, there you go. My little "in memoriam" fic for Hiraikotsu as well as pretty much my analysis of what really happened in that chapter. Regardless of what other people may be saying, this was a big one, folks. And who knows, maybe some exchange similar to my story will happen next week! XD I doubt it, but still. I'm a little annoyed, though, cause this totally messes with the chapter fic I've been working on. I may have to set the first part before all of this.

I do need to give credit where credit is due now. I did have these thoughts about this chapter as I read it, but I don't think I would have been able to put them into words like this without the help of the people at the sangomiroku LJ community, especially Aamalie. And now that I've mentioned her, I feel very humbled and self-conscious about this story.