I plopped down on the ground, arms resolutely crossed. I knew she was up to something, and I wasn't bending until she told me what the heck she thought she was doing.

"But, Inuyasha," she pleaded, eyes all puppy-like, "It'll make Souta so happy, and I know you'll have fun, too!"

I snorted. "Keh. Listen, wench," I told her, making sure she was listening, "I am not doing this until you give me one good reason why I should." She bent over and whispered in my ear, making sure no one watching, including Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kirara and Kaede, could hear her. I knew my eyes lit up at the mention of my reward, but I didn't care. All this just for one lousy night spent across the well?

&&&

I knew I won him when I straightened up, noticing the unusual glow to his golden eyes. Mom promised to help me when I told her what I wanted, and that was my winning ticket in this case. It might not work again, but at least Souta could be very happy this time around.

I hummed, twirling, and waved to my crowd. They seemed to be expecting a "sit" sometime soon, but it wasn't coming. "Well," I said brightly, overjoyed that Inuyasha bent to my plan, "I'll be off! Don't forget, Inuyasha," I said, wagging my finger, "No show, no pay! Three days, now!"

He grumbled as I skipped off to the well, but I knew he would come. How could he refuse? I knew he had a soft spot for Souta, anyway. He would feel really bad if he skipped on him after he promised.

"Whoever said I would come, wench?" he shouted, but I knew he was coming, so I just ignored him. I'll save that sit for another day.

&&&

Three days later

&&&

I jumped through the well, feeling the familiar slide and endless fall of traveling through time. I eventually landed in the future, jumping out of the well with one leap, checking to make sure no one was there. I came earlier than she expected, but she did say this was all about surprises, right?

I jumped up into the Sacred tree, from there going to the tree beside her window and then the ledge there. The window was closed as well as the funny cloth coverings, and I remember that meant "Don't come in". I sighed and slipped down a couple of branches so I couldn't be seen from Kagome's room or any room below it. I settled myself, ready to wait for a while.

&&&

I hummed a little, fixing my cute little kitty ears, ready to surprise Inuyasha. I giggled at a little image, Inuyasha barking at me, ears and nose twitching, while I hissed back, my "tail" waving. Souta had inspired that one, when he said we were going to be even more like the dog and cat we sometimes seemed to be. I couldn't wait to see the look on his face!

Still humming, I opened my curtains and window, sure that Inuyasha would appear soon. Suddenly, he jumped up, almost crushing my hands. He opened his mouth to say something, and it stayed that way when he saw me. His eyes bugged out, and his nose started twitching. I almost lost it when that image came back to me.

He finally tumbled into my room, looking more suprised than I had ever seen him before. He finally came to his senses and demanded, "What the hell happened to you, wench?" I tried to stifle my laughter, but eventually it broke out. I all but rolled on the floor, tears pouring down my face, poor Inuyasha was looking so confused; he must wonder if I was crying or laughing? Eventually I quelled my flow of tears and gales of laughter, to his great relief.

&&&

I really feared Kagome lost her marbles when, dressed as a panther demon, of all things! - started laughing and crying at the same time. I didn't do anything, just waited until she got control of herself.

Eventually, she stopped, and I was afraid that a "sit" might follow for what I said three days ago. What I didn't expect was Kagome coming forward and giving my ears a gentle rub.

"Sorry, Inuyasha," she whispered, "But you just looked so funny!" She smiled, and I realized she looked pretty good with little black ears...I mentally shook myself, clearing my head but not moving it, so her fingers could keep rubbing...

&&&

I smiled a little when Inuyasha's eyes misted over as I rubbed his ears, a purring growl rumbling in his chest. He was going to be "mad" at me later, but I knew he was enjoying it, and so was I.

We both jumped up nearly a foot when my mom called, "Dinner!" We both blushed and picked ourselves up from the floor, where we had fallen. "Oh, and Souta wanted to ask you, has Inuyasha arrived yet?"

"He's here," I yelled down quickly before he could say anything potentially dangerous. "He popped in my window a couple of minuets ago."

I motioned for him to follow me as I pranced down the stairs. Being a black panther for Halloween was going to be fun!

&&&

I followed Kagome down their stairs, wondering what I had gotten myself into now. We made it to their "dining room", as they called it, and Souta jumped up, obviously excited that his hero from the Sengoku Jedai was here.

"Hey, kid," I said, successfully warding of the impending greeting of loud talking and incessant jumping by sitting down at the groaning table. This was part of my deal, of course. Good food, lots of it, from ramen to steak and everything in between, all of it made by Mrs. Higurashi, just for me. I liked my lips and picked up my chopsticks just as The Cook walked in. She smiled happily at the obvious look on my face and offered up a quick prayer to Kami so I could start.

Everyone dug in, but no one as eagerly as me. Kagome's mom was a great cook, and she outdid herself making lots of excellent food. Souta stared at me, probably wondering how the heck I was downing so much food.

&&&

I stared at Inuyasha in amazement, partly from wonder at eating so much, and partly wondering why he was eating so much. Everyone knows you have to eat next to nothing before you go trick-or-treating so you can eat your candy on the way! I mentally shrugged, carefully picking at my food, so it looked like I was eating.

Tonight was going to be great!

&&&

I finally finished eating, every bit of food completely demolished. Mrs. Higurashi and the old man disappeared, leaving Souta, Kagome, and I still at the table. Kagome smiled and stood, motioning for me to follow. I gulped and followed her, knowing that it was time for me to do what I came for.

&&&

Thirty Minutes later

&&&

I sighed and adjusted the "cap" that I had to wear as part of my "costume". Souta skipped along beside Kagome and I, and I shot him a look as I reminded him for the millionth time, "Don't even think about drawing Tessuiga!" He ignored me and Kagome gave me a look that said, I think you've said it enough times....

Souta suddenly caught sight of some of his friends at the top of the temple steps. He ran forward to meet them as they shouted about his costume.

"That's so cool!"

"Where'd you get that?!"

"What are you, anyway?"

"That's my stuff," I muttered, gaining an amused look from Kagome. I almost twitched my ears but remembered that I wasn't allowed to. My costume, as an "American skater", successfully hid my ears and covered the spots where I would have human ears. It was perfect, as Kagome had gleefully told me.

This whole thing was prefect for her. Her yippy friends got to meet me without seeing that I was the hanyou that Souta was dressed up as, Souta got to "be" his hero for a bit, and Kagome got to see me fidget all night long. OK, so maybe not the last one. But it sure feels like it!

My ears had never been so cramped in my life, and it was sheer torture to have to wear "shoes". Kagome chose that exact moment to shriek as loud as she possibly could and I cringed, my ears ringing. I gave a casual glance around and saw what I assumed were her three favorite friends on this side of the well.

I gave her a hard poke in the side for screeching so loudly and let her get on with her introductions. I paid no attention, giving a casual "Yo." to each introduction. I didn't care that they were all but swooning by my feet. All I saw was the blush on Kagome's face from their sticky-sweet ministrations on me. I grinned evilly, knowing that this was the payback for at least half the "sits" she had ever given me.

Maybe this wasn't so bad after all!

&&&

I had told Arimi, Eri, and Yuka about Inuyasha many times before (without them knowing) and I figured they would like him, but I hadn't expected this! I guess he looked better than I thought he did...

I finally got the troublesome three to be quiet, and I grabbed Inuyasha by the hand and dragged him, noticing the evil smile on his face. He knew how embarrassed I was, and I didn't want to know how. He grumbled about moving, and I told him this is where the candy part of the payment comes in.

Eri, Arimi, and Yuka were whispering about something, so our conversation went unnoticed. I explained to him how when you went up to a door, you said "Trick-or-Treat!"

"Why do you have to say that?" He asked.

"Truthfully? I have no idea. Just say it, OK? And you take ONE piece of candy, not a handful. Just ONE. Got it? Oh, and say 'thank you' afterward." He nodded, noticing that Eri and the others had finished their conversation.

I had a feeling this was going to be a long night between fending off their question and keeping Inuyasha in line.

&&&

Two Hours Later

&&&

I dumped out my bag, amazed at just how much candy I got. "And you do this every year?" I asked, stunned. Why would humans just give out so much candy to people they don't know?

Kagome laughed at the look on my face. "Yup," she said brightly, dumping out her own bag of treasure, "Every year on the same day. Little kids love it for the dressing up, older kids like us love it for the food, and parents love it cause the little ones look so cute, and older ones are more creative."

I could care less. "Can I do this next year?"

She laughed again: she must've had fun. "Maybe you should hire Shippou to come next year so we can be his 'escorts'!"

"And let that little runt steal all my candy? I don't think so, wench," I said, saying it but not meaning it. She shot me a look, but realized that I was just using for the sake of my pride.

Kagome grinned back, her smile tinged with evil. "Inuyasha?"

I cringed. I knew what was coming.

"Thanks for coming with me. I don't know about you, but I had fun, even with the Terrible Three bugging me and you the entire time." I blinked. That wasn't what I was expecting. Usually a "sit" followed that.

My pride would not let me give her a straight answer- so I threw my pride down the drain. "Me too," I said, sincere for once. "But don't think you can go around smooching me, or anything." I just had to ruin it.

But all she did was smile. She realized the answer for what it was, and left me alone. Suddenly, my ears itched, and I ripped of the horrid hat and let my poor, abused appendages twitch to their hearts desire. She gave a little giggle, and, for the second time that day, she rubbed them.

This time it was sheer bliss. Her fingers were as gentle as always, and my ears needed this more than I realized. To my great embarrassment, I started "purring" for the second time to day. It just felt so good. Then, for the second time, we were interrupted, but this time by Souta slamming the door.

We jumped and blushed, sitting on the opposite sides of our candy piles. I busied myself looking at all the different types of candy. Souta banged into the living room, where we were spread out, and was completely oblivious to the creeping red stains on both our faces.

I glared at him, noting that he did, at least, take good care of my haori and Tessuiga. "If you even thought about touching Tessuiga I'll know, and then..." I trailed off.

"No, I didn't touch it! Jeez, stop worrying! People just thought it was a katana passed down through my family like I told them!" I snorted. Like I'd believe the little runt. He was a little too much like Shippou sometimes...

I suddenly yawned, surprising myself and the other occupants of the room, now including Jii-chan and Kagome's mom, who had just come in.

"Well," said Mrs. Higurashi, with a look at me, "look's like it's time to give up Inuyasha's stuff, Souta. I think he needs a little hanyou beauty sleep."

I sat up at that. "I don't need 'beauty sleep'," I told her indignantly. "If anyone, it's Sesshomaru and Jaken! Sesshomaru just can't get pretty enough, and that ugly mug of a demon could make anything break by just looking at it!"

Kagome choked on her current piece of candy at that, and everyone else looked confused. "Inuyasha," she finally got out, "You do know he is your brother and his most trusted servant,"

I sniffed. "How could I not? Sesshomaru is a disgrace to my name, and Jaken is a disgrace to everything, the little worshipping toad!"

She giggled again, but Tessuiga stopped her retort by giving off a little throb. "See?" I said plaintively, "My sword misses me." Everyone cracked up at that, but Kagome, when she could breathe, got Souta to change so I could have my haori and sword back.

&&&

The Next Day, in the Sengoku Jedai

&&&

Shippou sat, staring at my incredibly large bag. "What's in there?"

I shot him a look that said, Come near this, and I can't guarantee you'll walk away with your skin intact. "My payment," I growled through gritted teeth. "Don't lay a finger on it."

He cringed away and ran to Kagome's shoulder. "Oh, come on, Inuyasha," she said, teasing, "I know you can give him just one little piece! You have so much..."

I glared. "Not a chance, wench. Not. A. Chance." I then jumped out of the hut, intent on hiding my payment.

"Not so fast, Inuyasha," she said. Uh-oh. Maybe she wasn't teasing. "Remember our deal?"

"Yeah, I remember it. I get food from your mom, I give Souta my haori and Tessuiga for a night, I dress how you want me too, I get lots of candy, I get my stuff back, I come back. Nothing about Shippou in there, now is there?" I said, quoting the deal as best I could.

"And you be nice to Shippou for a day." What? What was she trying to pull on me?

"That wasn't in the agreement, wench! What're you trying to do, get my payment stolen off me?"

And then I realized that this must be payback for saying something or other I shouldn't have. I decided to push the line now that Sango and Miroku were out. Hopefully, she would realize I was kidding.

"Oh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't like my fan club from last night, now did you?" She turned really red, and I smirked. She realized what I was doing, and decided my fate.

"Inuyasha?" She asked sweetly, "Sit!" I crashed down right on my candy.

Shippou groaned. "Inuyasha, you weren't supposed to land on the bag! It was for me to get!"

I twitched. "WHAT?" And chaos ensured. But, all in all, it was a pretty good Halloween.