A/n: Hello and welcome to my first joint fic with my best friend (claps) whose username is Moonglow gal. Yay! Anyway, enjoy! This is a chapter fic, so read only if you're willing to stay a while.

"I sense a shard in that village over there," said Kagome. She, Inu-Yasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Myoga were on the outskirts of a forest and quite close to a rather large village. There was nothing particularly strange about it as they passed through; no demons or people with a shard-induced madness. The citizens would just look at the band strangely for a moment, then hustle off to do their own work. Everybody was moving so quickly and so single-mindedly that nobody even bothered to question them.

The group followed Kagome's sharp senses until they reached a large building. "There," she whispered. The building was two stories tall and made entirely of bamboo, as were all the houses in this particular village. They walked up to the door and knocked. A short, chubby, middle-aged man answered.

"Ah, welcome, strangers. I am the leader of this city. Welcome to our humble village."

Kagome was slightly flustered. She was so used to the shard being embedded in something or someone, but there seemed to be nothing wrong here. The group had never asked somebody for a shard; they had always won it in battle. How could they ask for it without sounding aggressive?

Kagome fumbled her words. "Um...look, we-"

"I know who you all are and why you're here. The God of Music has told me. He speaks to me often in this season, during the Festival of Music."

"The Festival of Music?" asked Miroku.

"Yes," smiled the village leader, "This is the time of year after the harvest that we honor the God of Music, the patron god of this city. Everyone of this city and all who enter it are beautiful singers and musicians. It is because He protects this village. This goes even for you all. Now that you have entered this village, you all have gorgeous voices." He motioned to Sango. "You, lady. Sing for us a little. Repeat after me." He hummed a scale in perfect pitch.

Everybody peered at the demon slayer. Sango hesitated, then began to sing the scale. Her soft alto voice began to sound in a beautiful, sweet tone like honey. She clamped her hands over her mouth, unused to such lovely sounds coming her body.

"You see my point, good people." The group gaped at Sango, then at the strange man. "Now, back to business," he chirped, like nothing had just happened, "You are here for the shard." The village leader waddled inside his home and took a bamboo box from a table just inside his home. He opened it in front of the gang, and sure enough, there was the shard. It was rather large, placed unceremoniously inside the small container. "You may have it. We are constantly worried about being attacked because of this little thing."

Inu-Yasha reached for the box, but the village leader quickly snatched it away. "On one condition," he said, "In order to earn the shard, you all must perform in the Festival of Music as a sacrifice to our god." He beamed like that would be the greatest honor.

Miroku and Myoga nodded their heads in agreement. Sango was still a little dazed, but did likewise. Shippo looked excited. Kagome was too; because she was always in the Feudal Era, she could never participate in something like this.

Inu-Yasha, in a word, flipped. "WHAT? No way! Sorry, old man, but great voice or not, there is no way you will hear a note from THIS haynou. I am NOT going to perform in your little festival! You can just take that box and shove it up your -"

"Inu-Yasha!" interrupted Kagome, "This man has been very kind to us! Plus, we need to get that shard before somebody else does. Think if Naraku tried to get it. He'd kill the whole city."

"Thank Kami. I wouldn't have to sing," sniffed Inu-Yasha.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Just agree to sing."

"No way."

"Inu-Yasha, don't make me..."

"Just try me, wench."

Kagome closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She began to sing a scale, but with every note, she sang instead, "SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT!"

She opened her eyes and crossed her arms on her chest. "Now, Inu-Yasha, will you sing in the festival?"

All she got from the subterranean half-demon was a groan.

She wheeled on the village leader. "We would love to perform for you!"

The village leader started to clap. "Brava, soprano!"

A/n: Sorry about boring prologue. It will get better, I promise!