Comes With the Territory

Summary: For any genius mechanic, a Gundam is a playground waiting to be explored. For Kagome, growing up in Japan during a time of unstable peace, often finding herself sneaking on and off military bases for some late night tinkering...she jumps at the opportunity to play with a Gundam when she finds it laying out in the open for anyone to see.

Anime: InuYasha/Gundam Wing

Couple: Kagome/?

Rated: M

Genre: Romance/Adventure

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'This looks important,' a small cylinder rolled off a bit to the side as a young girl of fifteen continued to pull pieces from the engine of the near ancient car that was in front of her. "Oh, here we go...your hydraulic lifters are what's making that noise. Dirt and debris in the check valve next to the hydraulic lifters seem to be the cause. I can have this fixed up in the next hour, hour and a half."

"Really?!" An old man laughed, "that's wonderful. The noise was worrying me. I guess, I will be back in two hours then. Is that alright?"

"That will be fine." Black hair was pulled tightly into a ponytail as the girl swiped a bank from her forehead, leaving a trail of grease to follow. A screwdriver fell from her hands to the ground as she started messing with a nut and bolt, a cord was in her way and she was becoming quickly lost in the project before her. Not noticing the old man when he left her garage. Blue eyes trained on her wrench, she kept her attention on the task at hand.

"Kagome?"

"...hn?"

"Mama wants to know if you plan to go with us to grandpa's."

"Mmn...not this time. You guys go." The girl, Kagome, pulled her head from the hood of the car and turned a smile onto the little boy standing behind her. "There is a base not far from here, I thought I could go and check it out tomorrow, it'd be easier if mom wasn't around."

"I don't really think that is something you should be telling your kid brother..."

Kagome laughed, "So," she pulled a towel from the toolbox on the ground beside her and started cleaning her hands, "Souta...how was soccer?"

"Okay, I guess." Souta bent forward and picked up the greasy metal cylinder and flipped it over, "half the team was sick, so no one was really taking practice serious today."

"Sick?"

"Yeah..."sick"...as in, a new game that everyone has been raving about came out today and they skipped practice to go get it."

"Oh, that kind of sick." Kagome laughed, leaning back over the engine as she used the towel to clean off some of the excess grease. "This guy should take better care of this car, it's too good for him."

"Kagome, your dweeb is showing."

"Tch," Kagome waved him off with the towel, "whatever. Anyways, you got my answer, tell mom I'm staying this time around. I'll be here when you both get back...what, in a week?"

"Well, four days, but basically, yes."

Kagome's head snapped out of the car as she found her mother standing beside Souta, "Mama!"

"Kagome!" mocking her daughter with her a false tone of surprise, she gave her daughter a look at the smudges of grease on her face and marring her clothes. "...goodness...well, if you do stay, you better do the laundry too. I'm not cleaning up after four days of your sweat and grease stains."

Laughing, Kagome put a hand to her head only for her mother to swat it away. "Ow!"

"Keep your hands out of your hair while you're messing with this junk."

Sighing, she gave a nod, "Yes, Mama."

"...mmhm. Souta, go grab your bags and anything else your takings to Grandpas, the car is ready."

"Yes ma'am! See ya, sis!"

Kagome watched her brother run out of the garage and locked eyes with her mother.

"You know, once upon a time, you used to be my princess, what happened to the little girl who'd let me dress her up in bows, tiaras, and flowy dresses?"

"She learned to dress herself."

"...yes...and I fine job she does too."

Kagome looked down at her clothes, so she wasn't dressed in the uniform of the catholic school she attended, so what? Shorts and a shirt were perfectly fine for working with mechanics! "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

The woman, her mother, Kun Loon, was a respected member of the School Board where Kagome attended, and she already knew her mistake when she asked that stupid question.

"...oh, where do I start..." sighing, Kun Loon shook her head, "just...stay out of trouble until we get back." She turned and left, a goofy grin played on Kagome's lips as she turned and finished up her latest project.

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THE DATE: After Colony 195, April 6th

Kagome watched the car leave as she waved the old man off her property. Stretching her arms over her head, she sighed blissfully before running inside to eat and shower. "Tomorrow is going to be awesome. So much fun...I just know it."

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Me: Yes, short chapter. For right now, I'm just trying to get myself motivated to write again, so please bear with me~!