muie5: So this is the "unofficial" sequel to A Trip to Japan. I say unofficial because I never intended for there to be a sequel. Yet, I have had a lot of request for a sequel so here it is. Let's call this story a...spin off.
Inuyasha: Yeah, the abuse continues.
muie5: Enough of you. Go fight with a wolf or something.
Muie5 does not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha, but she does own Shine and Yume.
A TRIP TO JAPAN (2016)
~~~~ 4 Years Later ~~~~
"Stupid game!" I roared while gripping onto the controller; an attempt not to throw it in defeat.
I no longer sported my long hair. About two years back, I chopped it all off and never let it grow pass my shoulders again. Of course, I grew some in the past four years. I was now about six inches taller. School has been going great as I enter into my senior year of high school. Surprisingly enough I even made some new friends as my time in Feudal Japan faded into memory.
All of that time spent in the past seems like a long forgotten dream. But whether it was all a dream or reality, I had to move on or be crushed by the depression caused by the whole experience. In order to do so I convinced myself it was all a dream.
I leaned over and pressed the restart button on the gaming console in front of me on the floor, "Let's see if I can get through this level."
Just as the startup logo was coming onto the screen, there was a knock on the front door.
I tripped over the baggy pants I was wearing, to get to the door that was to the right of my spot on the floor. As I straightened the old, stained shirt I wore, I opened the door. There was nowhere to go today and I was not expecting company, so I was in the most comfortable clothes I owned. After I got my shirt pulled down, I looked up to my guests. Dropping the book of cheats I held in my left hand, I brought my hands up to cup my mouth. Tears started to freely stream down my cheeks almost immediately.
"Yo! Does Shine Hidito live here?" requested a teen boy wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. He wore his short, almost shaggy, black hair slicked back. The wide smile he bore was slightly goofy.
"Of course she does. That's why I took you here," snapped a girl in her teens as well. She spun on her heels causing her tea length pink dress to twirl around her. Her mid-back long black hair fell to frame her face as the sun glistened off of the silver streaks that graced her hair.
The girls' attention was taken away from the man, who looked to be in his 20's, she was having a small quarrel with. The man wore his hair in an unusual style, his black hair was spiked straight up with a starburst of white in the middle of it and blue around the tips. He was wearing a black cloak that reached his ankles.
"Are...Oh my...Is..." not a single sentence could form as I stared at them in pure shock.
"This odd group was wandering around town looking for you," the girl explained.
"Shine?" asked another teen girl with mid back black hair, as she concentrated on my face.
"None of you have changed," I exclaimed, as I gazed into the eyes of each and every one of them.
But as I continued to glance through the small group, my happiness started to diminish. Standing at my door was Hiei, Yusuke, Kagome, Inuyasha, and Yume.
"Umm...did anyone else come?" I inquired with forlorn hope.
Kagome gave a cheerful smile and a playful wink before gesturing to the end of the drive. There, walking towards us, was Sesshomaru, Kurama, and a young teenage girl with long, beautiful black hair - who came up to Sesshomaru's waist. She dawned a bright pink kimono with flowers that appeared to be falling across it.
"Sess...Sesshomaru?" was the only word my brain could form, and the only word my lips would say.
"You've cut your hair, Sister Shine," chirped the young women as she ran up to me.
I had no time to brace myself before she reached me. She almost took me down seeing as she came up to my chest. I could not help but look down at her a little puzzled.
"Long time, Shine," Kurama greeted as himself and Sesshomaru stopped in front of everyone.
"Hey, Kurama," I squeaked, giving him a big, warm hug.
"Glad to see you are doing well. Your new hair style suits you well," Kurama smiled as he hugged me back.
"Excuse me! I'm glad we are all happy and everything, but who are all of you people?" Yume burst out, getting the attention back onto her.
"Oh! Sorry. Yume, they are my friends."
I looked down at the young girl who was still at my side. All of the sudden it dawned on me, this young lady was Rin. With a huge smile, I gave her a loving hug.
"Look at you, Rin. You have grown so much."
"Fox, we are gathering attention," Hiei brought to our realization.
"Oh, yeah! Umm...come on in," I invited them in as I stopped to the side.
Yume stood at my side as everyone filled into the house. As the last person came inside, I turned off the game I was playing. Everyone took a seat. On the love-seat across the room from the door sat Yusuke and Kurama. Hiei stood next to Kurama as he leaned against the wall. Sitting on the couch on the right wall was Rin and Kagome. Sesshomaru stood next to Rin while Inuyasha sat on the floor next to Kagome. Yume made herself at home on the beanbag chair by the front door.
I took an extra moment or two in order to look over them a few more times. My mind was in pieces as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that they were here. It look years to convince myself that they were all a dream; that nothing actually happened. Yet, here they were, throwing my mind into turmoil.
"Shine?" Yume's voice brought me back to the present.
"Sorry. So...Umm...Why are all of you here? After all this time, I mean."
No one spoke up. After a moment of silence, Yume got to her feet and made her way over to me.
"I'm sorry, Shine, but are you sure you know these strange people? Half of them don't even look like they are from this century. Or even the previous one," Yume pointed out in a whisper.
"We came to bring you back," Kurama was the first to speak of the group.
"But why? Why now? It's been almost five years," I looked at Kurama while trying to keep my composure.
Sesshomaru strolled over to me, causing Yume to back away, forcing me to give my full attention to him and him alone. Tears glossed over my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. After all, this could all be a dream trying to unravel all the hard work I did to put my life back together.
"For now," Sesshomaru started as I immediately closed my eyes and turned my head, "all you need to know is that we need you to come back with us."
Closing my eyes did not help, since that forced me to focus on the waves of body heat I felt coming off of him. Yume placed her hands on my shoulders and pulled me back a few steps. She continued to hold onto my shoulders as I kept my eyes closed.
"Well, no matter what you need with her, she cannot go anywhere right now. We have school tomorrow. If she does wish to go, it will have to wait," Yume concluded the subject the best way she knew how.
This brought me back. That statement and Yume's hands on me kept me grounded. Without her there, I felt like I would just fall apart.
"We can't put this off," Inuyasha scuffed.
"Yes we can," Kagome butted in as she saw how distraught I was.
"We will just leave when you get back tomorrow," Kurama agreed.
"I'm sorry, Shine," Yume broke in causing me to look at her, "but where are all of them going to stay?"
"Well...I have a spare room and some can sleep on the couches," I answered meekly.
"And when your mom sees all of these people?"
"You're right. Well, Rin can stay in my room. Sesshomaru can have the spare room. Plus, I have a cot if someone else would like to stay."
"I will stay," Kurama volunteered.
"My house has two spare rooms that can sleep four people a little tightly. That is, if you trust them, Shine," Yume confessed, looking to me for clarification.
I nodded my head before taking one of her hands, "If this is alright, give me a few minutes to get the room ready."
I did not even wait for an answer before I walked out of the room with Yume. Sesshomaru watched us leave before turning back to the group.
"We agreed that it was best to give her the details when we go to the castle," Kurama reminded him.
Sesshomaru looked at him very cross, but before he could say anything Hiei chimed in, "No, Kurama is right. We cannot afford for anything to go wrong."
"All of this will just cause unneeded stress right now. We will tell her, just not now," Kagome added, "This all seems very hard on her."
As everyone went quiet, Yume and I came into the room. I had control once more as we stopped in the doorway. Kurama and Kagome met us with a smile while everyone else wore a grimace.
"Umm...well...it is still early," I noted with a forced smile as I made my way to the TV.
~~~~ Half Hour Later ~~~~
"No!" Inuyasha howled, throwing the gaming controller down.
"That makes Shine-3 and Inuyasha-0," Rin giggled.
I got to my feet from where I was sitting on the floor next to Inuyasha. I ran over to Sesshomaru, whom was in the corner between the two couches. I put my right arm around his neck as I knelt down beside him. After doing so, I put my left elbow on his leg. A true smile was all he saw as I looked up at him with my left cheek resting on my left palm. Sesshomaru just started at me through questioning eyes. At this point, I gave into this dream situation where I had them all back.
"Want to play against me?" I asked sweetly.
"No," Sesshomaru declined sharply.
"Please," I begged, bringing my left hand up to cup my right around his neck.
Sesshomaru kept his unamused expression so I let go of his neck to lay across his lap.
"We can play teams."
Sesshomaru lightened his expression and gave a slight nod. I immediately sat up and looked at everyone. Hiei was sitting on the love-seat beside Kurama with Rin sitting on Kurama's lap. Yusuke was sitting in the rocking chair close to the TV. Inuyasha was sitting on the floor where I left him while Kagome sat on the couch next to a sleeping Yume.
"Pick teams!" I ordered, getting off of Sesshomaru's lap.
Nobody moved a muscle as I made my way back over to the TV.
"Very well. Yusuke, Rin, and Inuyasha are team one. Kurama, Sesshomaru, and I are team two," I declared as I plugged in controllers and expansion slots.
Rin ran over and sat beside Inuyasha, as did Kurama. I sat beside Kurama while Yusuke took his seat beside Rin. Sesshomaru made his was to an open spot next to me.
"Well, the name of the game is to kill the other team. Now go!" I smiled, pressing the start button.
After a while Sesshomaru was able to get the hammer, but immediately ran off the edge.
"Good job, Sesshomaru! You killed yourself!" Inuyasha mocked.
Sesshomaru was about to get up, but I placed my hand on his shoulder. Just then, Yusuke got the hammer and killed Kurama's player. Sesshomaru went after Inuyasha's player relentlessly.
Everyone got into the swing of the game, and had a blast going after each other. Hours passed as we played. Rin started to yawn and rub her eyes. A smile crept onto my face as I placed my controller down.
"Okay, guys. We better call it a night."
"But I'm winning!" Inuyasha objected.
I walked over to the sleeping Yume, and shook her a little. She sprung up as if she was ready for a fight. It did not take her long to realize where she was and relax.
"It's time to go," I explained.
She yawned with a, "Yeah, okay," as she sat up, "Those staying at my place get ready."
I walked over to Rin, "You are staying in my room tonight. There is enough room for the both of us."
Yume said her good-byes before leaving with Yusuke, Kagome, Inuyasha, and Hiei.
As the group made their way to Yume's home, questions were being asked among them all.
"So what is your story, Yume? A group of strangers show up, and you don't even bat an eyelash," Yusuke pointed out.
"Well, I have always wanted an adventure," she looked up at the sky with a smile, "But honestly...Shine says you are her friends. She trusts you, so therefore I can have some trust in you as well. I am not sure what happened between you guys and Shine, but I am here to keep her together. Thus, I am watching you," Yume's tone turned harsh, "Also, I have heard stories from her a couple years back...about you guys I guess. You fit the descriptions at least. But I will not let you guys bring her back to that despair she went through. She nor I can survive that."
"I do understand. She is lucky to have a friend like you watching over her," Kagome answered with.
~~~~ In the Morning ~~~~
As the sun rose in the sky, I began to stir. Slowly my eyes opened to the brightening room, yet the only thing my sight could focus on was Rin - fast asleep beside me. Seeing her there - how she had grown into a beautiful young women - made me beam. As the morning glow swept over her delicate features, it all seemed like a fading dream. It took a few more moments to will myself out of bed, but when I did finally get up I made sure to carefully slide out of the blankets.
After swiftly getting ready, I made my way to the living room. Just as I got to the shoe rack beside the door, there was a knock. Yume came walking in with a smile before I could even answer.
"How was your night?" Yume asked as I slipped on my shoes.
I reflected on all that happened last night as I grabbed my backpack, "It was..." a smile danced across my face, "magical."
With that we both headed out the door.
~~~~ After School at My House ~~~~
I exhaustively opened the front door, and immediately dropped my book bag off to the side of the door. And, without thinking, I kicked my shoes off next to my bag. That was when I heard a familiar sound, which jarred my attention to the actual room. There, sitting in the middle of the floor, was Inuyasha and Rin playing a game on the TV.
Tears welled up in my eyes as pure joy washed over my entire being. It was true. They were really here! For the first time in years, I knew they were not but a dream. After all of this time, I had them all back.
"Welcome home, Sister Shine," Rin greeted as she ran Inuyasha's car off the road and into a tar pit.
"Thank...you," I stuttered.
I took a quick glance around the room, until my gaze fell upon Sesshomaru who was sitting on the couch. My feet just started to move, and - before I knew it - I was laying beside him with my head resting in his lap on the fur.
Kurama came walking into the room, "Did you have a nice day?"
"It was just another day," I snuggled even more into Sesshomaru's fur, "but I am wiped."
Just as I shut my eyes, there was a knock on the door. Yet, nothing was going to get me to open my eyes for fear this would all disappear and I would be left alone again. Rin got to her feet and made her way to the door. The door swung open before she even got there.
"It's your favorite person in the world," Yume trilled as she jumped onto my chest.
This popped my eyes open, "Get off of me, you horse."
"Well, don't you two look cute. He must be the reason you haven't dated much," Yume winked, "And I can understand why."
My face flushed complete red, "Yume!" I squealed, "Just get off of me. I can't breathe."
Yume slid off of me as I sat up.
"So how did you all make it over here," Yume asked the room, but more directed to her group.
"Inuyasha has a really good sense of smell," Kagome answered with a wink.
"So what? You are actually part dog?" Yume scoffed in disbelief.
"Anyways, are we ready to go?" Yusuke spoke up from where he sat on the beanbag chair.
I got to my feet a little reluctantly, "Yeah. Let me write a not for my mother," I explained as I made my way out of the room.
Soon after, I came walking back into the room with a pop-tart in my mouth and clothes in my arms. Yume pick up her own overnight bag she dropped next to the door.
"Yume, you're coming?" I asked, after stuffing my clothes into a bag.
"Why not? I have to make sure to keep you safe."
"It is not such a great idea for you to come," Kurama butted in.
"Why not? We are just going back for a visit, right? Naraku is gone, so it should be relatively safe," I retorted back.
"There is a rumor that someone is causing trouble in the nearby territories," Rin confessed.
"I don't understand."
"A dem..." Inuyasha was cut off.
"We need your help in this new situation," Kurama added in the best way he could without giving too much information.
"How can I help? With Naraku, all I did was get in the way. Not to mention I almost get myself killed, and all of you," I started to get a little unhinged.
Yume grabbed my hand and held on tight, which caused me to calm back down.
"I am sorry, but I will not allow Shine to go alone. If there is someone causing trouble where you are taking her, then she would be in danger. We either both stay or we both go," Yume maintained, with a glare to Kurama.
Sesshomaru stepped up to me as Yume tightened her grip on my hand.
"Your companion..." Sesshomaru was interrupted.
"Needs to come with me. Sesshomaru, no offense, but you do not understand what I have been through these past four years. Yume has been my rock and kept me grounded. So if I am to go back to that, I need her by my side," I choked out.
"This is going nowhere," Hiei growled.
"The short one is right. Let her come if that is the only way," Inuyasha agreed.
"I'm sorry, but she is just a human. So, no, she cannot come," Yusuke declared.
"No, she is to come," Sesshomaru looked in my eyes before turning to the others, "Now let us proceed."
All of the others backed down. Yume opened the door to allow everyone to file outside. She then turned to me and held my shoulders at arm's length.
"Are you sure you want to go? I feel like they are hiding something. You may be in danger, and I am not sure how I can help you. Maybe you should just stay here. Finally you are at a good place in your life. In a couple of months you will be graduating. Please, just stay here with me. We can go back to how we were. We had dreams after high school. I just...I can't lose you," Yume pleaded with all of her heart.
"Yume, I understand. I really do, but they came here for a reason. It must be important for them to go through the trouble of getting to me. If you do not wish to go, then I understand that as well. But, I do need you at my side. Even knowing they are real and I wasn't crazy...I still feel like I could fall apart," I finished with a hug.
Yume grabbed my hand, "I will not leave your side," and led me outside with the others.
After about thirty minutes of walking, it came to everyone's attention that they should have put on normal clothing. The attention they were drawing was making it hard to move quickly.
~~~~ At the Field of Time ~~~~
Yume fell to her knees, out of breath. The hike there wore out herself and me. After all, we have not been here in four years.
"There should be a portal around here somewhere," Yusuke griped as he looked around.
"So no silly spell?" I asked, finally getting my breath back.
"No, this one was created by Spirit World," Kurama explained.
And, as if waiting for her que, Botan appeared out of thin air, "What took you guys so long? It doesn't matter. Lord Koenma is waiting for you guys."
I turned to Yume who, in turn, took my arm. We watched as Botan turned to the empty space she came from. Suddenly, a black hole appeared before the group. Botan, Yusuke, Hiei, Inuyasha, and Kagome walked right into the portal.
Tears weld up as I remembered all the horrible things that happened the last time I passed through that portal, "Sesshomaru? Kurama?" I whimpered.
"All will be well, Shine. Let us go," Kurama said reassuring as he walked up to me.
Rin grabbed my free hand. With a deep breath, I walked through the portal with Yume and Rin. Sesshomaru and Kurama followed.
~~~~ In Spirit World ~~~~
I landed hard on my rump. Yume looked down at me with a sigh before offering me a hand. Sesshomaru and Kurama came through the portal as Yume got me to my feet.
"We can't keep Lord Koenma waiting," Botan expressed, as she walked down the corridor we now found ourselves in.
Everyone followed her quietly.
"Who is Koenma?" I asked no one particularly.
"He is the prince of Spirit World," Kurama answered from where he was walking in front of me and beside Hiei.
"It's okay! Pacifier-breath won't hurt you," Yusuke reassured me, noticing how uncertain I was about this whole thing.
"We are here," Botan announced as she stopped in front of a huge door.
Botan pushed open the double doors to reveal a fairly good size room. There was a huge TV on a wall. But what really caught my attention was the rather large desk in the middle of the room with stakes and stakes of papers.
Stepping into the office, Botan announced to the empty room, "Lord Koenma, I have brought the ones you have requested."
Yume, Rin, and I looked around the empty room as we walked in.
"Good!" came a child-like voice.
Our eyes fell onto the stakes of paper as they started to move. A toddler wearing a big blue hat, and blue pacifier in his mouth, sat at the desk.
"So what do you have for us, Koenma?" Yusuke yawned, acting bored.
"Is that really him?" I asked quietly.
"He's a baby! What a..." Yume was cut off.
"About the demon. We do not have much information on it," Koenma chimed in, trying to get off the subject.
"Demon?" Yume interjected with a laugh, "Come on, guys. There is no such thing."
"Really? After seeing all of us and going through a portal, demons are where you draw the line?" Kagome asked.
"Well, I just can't believe that they exist. And if they do, why bring humans right to them?"
"Yume," I whispered, taking her arm, "Let us hear them out."
"So, Koenma, what do we know?" Kurama asked, getting back to the subject at hand.
"Well, we know that he has appeared as if out of nowhere. Yet, his power seems to be of S class rank. None of our spies have been able to come up with where such a demon has been hiding," Koenma answered, folding his hands onto the desk.
"That's it? No name? No description? Nothing?" Yusuke objected getting annoyed.
"Nothing, Yusuke. The last place he was rumored to be was near the western territory."
Sesshomaru glared at the prince. I looked back at him, concerned.
"I will have Botan take you there," Koenma added, nodding to Botan.
Everyone followed Botan back out of the room.
"Hiei. Kurama," Koenma called to the two demons before they got outside of the office, "This demon will be difficult to capture. If you insist on taking those two girls with you, I would keep them out of sight. But I would suggest leaving them behind."
"Understood," Kurama answered, running out of the office.
"And Hiei," Koenma grabbed Hiei's attention before he followed his friend, "keep an eye on her. You know what to do."
Hiei turned around and took off after Kurama without a word. It did not take long for Kurama and Hiei to catch up to the group. Yusuke threw a suspicious glance their way.
"Where have you guys been?" Yusuke asked skeptically.
"Koenma needed a word with us," Kurama explained.
Sesshomaru stopped at the edge of the forest in front of his castle. He scanned the area over as everyone else joined him. Sango and Miroku were waiting in front of the castle with Shippo sitting on a boulder next to them. Kuwabara was leaned up against the castle wall.
"Sango? Miroku?" I asked as I took a few steps into the open field.
"Shine!" Shippo squealed as he ran to me.
"Well look who it is. How are you?" Kuwabara greeted.
Everyone congregated in the middle of the field while we spent some time catching up. This is when I found out that Sango and Miroku were married and had three children. They left them in the care of a priestess name Kaede from their village. Kagome and Inuyasha were considered to be engaged. Rin had been living in the same village without Sesshomaru. Yusuke found out he was a demon and had been staying with an ancestor of his. Kurama was going back and forth between his human life and his demon's. Hiei would not say much on what he had been up to. Also, come to find out, Naraku was not killed when I left. He was just hiding away, but luckily Inuyasha and the gang had killed him later on.
"She seems happy to be back," Yusuke stated to Hiei and Sesshomaru who were near him on the outskirts of the group.
"Yes...She does," Sesshomaru mumbled to himself.
As the sky grew a brilliant red/orange, the group made their way into the castle. When the last person made their way in, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared at the edge of the darken forest.
"So is there any food?" Yume asked as she looked around the darkened entrance hall.
"No," Sesshomaru answered coldly.
As I looked around, it was obvious that no one had been in the castle for a while. Everything had a layer of dust, even the floor. As I made my way to the candles around the entrance hall, I left foot prints behind.
"That is okay. Inuyasha and Miroku, can you please get some food?" Kagome asked.
It took a little convincing but Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kurama went out to go hunting. Kagome and Shippo went to find some fruit or vegetables. I made my way to the kitchen with Rin, to see what there was.
"Rin appears to have missed Shine. She has not left her side," Sango observed with a smile.
"So, how close are all of you to Shine?" Yume asked suspiciously.
There was no time to answer as this was when Kurama came walking in with quite a bit of fish. Rin, Sango, Kurama, and I started on preparing the fish to be cooked. Several minutes later Miroku and Inuyasha came in with some sort of wild boar, and joined us in the kitchen. Sometime after those two returned, Shippo and Kagome returned with a basket of various vegetation.
After a good bit of time, the table was set and everyone was ready to eat. The group started on the meal without as much as a word. The silence was so deafening that when Kuwabara spoke up it caused some of the group to jump.
"I bet I can eat more then you, Urameshi!"
"You're on!" Yusuke accepted the challenge.
While they were eating, Kuwabara accidentally threw some sauce across the table and hit Inuyasha. Inuyasha started to rise before Kagome stopped him.
"No fighting," Kagome warned.
With that, Inuyasha sat back down before shooting some berries towards Kuwabara. Sadly, the ammunition missed its intended target and, instead, hit Yusuke. So, Yusuke stopped eating and threw something at Inuyasha. This, of course, missed and hit Hiei right in the face.
Once everyone was done eating/fighting, Yusuke and Kuwabara were the first ones to disappear. Inuyasha and Miroku were not far behind.
"I'll help you, Shine," Rin volunteered, picking up some dishes.
"Thank you," I smiled.
Sango and Shippo helped out as well. As we got all of the dishes into the kitchen, I smiled and shooed everyone out.
"I got it from here. Please go keep Yume company," I suggested.
With the few buckets I had brought up from the river for the time being, I started on washing the dishes. It was not long after starting that Sesshomaru came up behind me. He reached over my head and took the clean dish from my hands.
"Oh!" I squeaked as I spun on my heels, "Hello, Sesshomaru."
He took the cloth from my shoulder and dried the dish as I did with the previous one. I watched him with a softened closed mouth smile. As I watched him, it dawned on me that he had two arms.
"So...Sesshomaru," I purred his name as I grabbed his left arm, "when did this happen? I'm pretty sure you were missing this body part the last time I was here."
"It is a bit of a long story..."
"Either way it's great," I interrupted with a mischievous smile.
It took another moment or so before I realized that I was still holding onto his arm. When I finally realized this, I dropped it rather suddenly. As I did, I spun around so he could not see my face go completely red. In an attempt to distract myself from the situation, I picked up another dish to wash.
"I missed you," Sesshomaru whispered, taking the now clean dish from me.
I twirled around, only to find that Sesshomaru had moved to the kitchen entrance. His expression was the same serious one he always wore, which made me question whether I was hearing things. He continued out of the kitchen, but before he was completely gone, he turned slightly to me.
"Shine, do you still have the white rose I gave you?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, it appeared to crystallize soon after I returned home."
"Please remember to keep it safe," Sesshomaru replied as he left me alone once more.
Soon after, I made my way into the dining area to get started on the floor. Kurama came in as I started.
"Would you like some help?" Kurama asked as he walked up to where I was kneeling on the floor.
I looked up at him with a friendly smile, "Thanks. That would be a big help."
So he knelt down beside me as he rolled up the sleeves of his long white button up shirt. I went to grab him a rag from the bucket beside me just as he went to do the same thing. My hand wrapped around the rag as Kurama's hand grabbed onto mine. We looked at each other for a moment before I snatched my hand away.
"Oh, sorry," I apologized with a blush as I lowered my head and held my hand to my chest.
"It is fine," Kurama grabbed the rag out of the water, "Shall we?"
I nodded as the 'thanks' I was going to say got caught in my throat.
Before we could begin, Hiei walked in with Yusuke and Kuwabara following.
"Hey, love birds!" Yusuke greeted.
I lowered my head even more.
"Do you need some help?" Yusuke continued without a pause.
"That...That would be great," I stumbled over the words, "Thanks."
Just as we got to cleaning, Kagome and Sango came in to help as well. I stole a few glances at Kurama with a slight blush each time. Soon everyone but Sesshomaru and Hiei were helping to clean. It did not take long before the whole thing turned into a water fight. Even Rin and I joined in this time.
"Watch it!" Yusuke grinned as he dumped his bucket over Kuwabara's head.
"Urameshi!" Kuwabara squawked as he went after his friend.
"Fox-boy!" Yusuke hollered.
Kurama turned just in time for Yusuke to dodge Kuwabara, resulting in Kurama getting a bucket of water to the face. Without thinking, Kurama got his bucket and went after Yusuke.
Sesshomaru watched everyone from the top of the stairs. "Childish," he thought as he made his way down the hall.
The night finally came to an end as everyone said their good-nights. Yusuke and Kuwabara went to their room with Sango and Miroku soon after them. Shippo went with Inuyasha and Kagome. Rin went to her old room as well.
Kurama walked up to me with a welcoming smile, "Please have a good night's rest. I am happy to have you back."
He walked up the stairs as Yume came to my side.
"He's cute," Yume said, grabbing my arm.
"Let's go, you," I grimaced as I led her to my old room.
That night was silent. Everyone settled in and the castle was dark. No one heart the footsteps of an unknown guest creep through the halls. The red eyes searched the dark, empty halls without as much as a breath of noise. A toothy smile shinned in the moonlight before both it and the red eyes disappeared.