Me: Whew, I have overcome writer's block for this chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: "InuYasha" is property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sunrise, Viz, and all those other people who bring this series to us!


Chapter 7: A Matter for Discussion

At first what Kagome said didn't quite sink in with Sango. Then it clicked; in a flurry she sat up, allowing the sheets to fall around her and reveal her feminine chest. Kagome flushed at the sight, and Sango's unabashed attitude continued when she lifted the blankets to check underneath.

"S-Sango-chan, what are you doing?" Kagome's voice came out as a scolding laugh, not sure which method to take.

"I'm… back to normal. But how…" Sango looked at Kagome. The shocking recollection of what had transpired was conveyed in her expression. "Last night…"

Unable to respond, Kagome turned away, embarrassed and ashamed. Instead she said, "Come on, we need to hurry before the others are up," and began gathering her clothes. Sango did the same, pulling on the hakama and haori.

They walked to the river silently, the tension between them weighing them down, pushing them apart. As they undressed they faced away from one another, determined to keep their gazes on anything except their company even when they stepped into the water. The only sounds during that time were the splashes of water against their bodies and the chirping of morning birds.

Kagome came out of the water first with Sango following soon after, taking up a towel to dry off. She looked at the crumpled haori and hakama, left on the grass. No longer would she be able to wear that; the same logic went with the taiji-ya uniform. Something brushed against her arm, and Sango turned to see her kimono, neatly folded and being held out to her in Kagome's hands. The younger girl didn't say anything, nor looked at her. Wrapped in a towel, she only blushed as she waited for a response.

Sango picked it up and said her thanks.

Kagome turned her back to her. "You're welcome."

It was growing apparent that things were going to be awkward. Sango slipped it on and noticed something about it as she folded it over. "It… smells nice…"

'It smelt nice before…' Kagome shook her head. "I washed it for you when I went home."

She thought Kagome had been mad at her, so why did she wash her clothes? The idea of Kagome consciously taking care of her kimono and taiji-ya garb caused a constricting effect in her chest. "Wait, what are you going to wear?"

"I'll just change into my pajamas; they're in my bag."

"Oh… You didn't change into them last night." It wasn't until the words were out of her mouth that Sango realized what a stupid slip-up she had made.

As if there was any reason for Kagome to have changed the night before. "N-No…" She rifled though her bag attempting to keep her composure. "Um… can you…?"

Sango got the message and turned away while Kagome pulled her clothes on. It was a bit peculiar since she had already seen Kagome naked before, but then this was all before unheeded feelings crept up. She swiped at her mind to remove the images of Kagome she was having, unwillingly recalling how the girl looked nude.

Opening her eyes Sango stilled at the sight of a shadow crossed before her. Straightening, her gaze flew up to see the colour of red, then amber orbs looking back at her with wonder.

In a grainy voice he said, "Sango… you changed back."

Behind her she heard rustling and clumsy footsteps, figuring it was Kagome becoming startled at Inuyasha's sudden appearance.

"I-Inuyasha!" Kagome stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"You still hadn't returned this morning so I came looking for you," he answered, though still distracted by Sango's reversion. "When did this happen?"

"I found myself like this when I woke up."

"But… how? The youkai said someone else had to undo the curse – someone we know." Neither of the girls answered right away; they were each trying to compose an excuse that Inuyasha would find believable. As he looked between the two however, realization dawned on him. "Kagome… was it you?"

She blushed and stuttered; even though she felt sure in the fact that Inuyasha wouldn't be able to figure out on his own what had happened that night.

He strode towards her so that he stood only a couple of feet away. "Hey, so it was? How did you do it?" His tone honestly sounded curious, not suspicious as it would otherwise have been.

"What does it matter, Inuyasha?" interjected Sango. She had been watching the two and felt oddly irritated to be apparently forgotten. "I'm female again, isn't that what counts?"

The hanyou looked round at her, a bit perplexed. "Well… sure I guess, but…"

"Then that's that. Besides…" Sango turned her gaze away and muttered, "Even we're not sure how it happened." This part was at least truthful, as Sango felt that she and Kagome had a vaguely good idea of what the cause was, but couldn't be absolutely sure.

"Oh… I see…" His attention returned to Kagome. "So, you stayed with Sango?"

Kagome gave a slight nod, though his words gave off another meaning to her fretting mind. "Well, it was already so late; I didn't think it'd be a bad idea if I just stayed with Sango-chan."

He nodded, and his eyes traveled to the clothing lying in the water. "You're washing your clothes?"

Very thankful that they had dropped their garments in the water, Sango answered, "Yes, because we thought it'd be a good idea to wash dirty clothes. Did you want something?" Inuyasha's consent stream of questions was beginning to annoy her to the point that she was considering smacking him.

Again his eyes were on her at the sound of her voice. Sango could see a fraction of her expression being reflected in his own. "I came looking for Kagome, but now that I know she's here," he looked back at the younger girl, "do you have your bag with you? I want one of those noodle bowls."

"Oh, sure! I'll go get – um…" Kagome glanced at Sango and the taiji-ya understood.

"It's okay, Kagome-chan. I can manage the washing. You and Inuyasha can go take care of the food."

Though somehow uneasy about her answer, Kagome nodded and left with Inuyasha to retrieve her bag.

Sango watched them go until a burning sensation within her made her turn away and attend to the laundry. She was thankful that now she had time alone to think things through, but another part of her wished that Inuyasha hadn't come across them. Picking up a length of fabric she tied it around herself to hold back her sleeves and plunged her arms into the water grabbing at the haori. She dunked it into the water and rubbed it furiously against the washing board, her rough procedure a result of the swirling thoughts in her head. Finished with that piece, she tossed it over the line that hung between two trees by the bank and returned to snatch up the hakama, scrubbing it in a similar manner.

If Inuyasha hadn't come looking for Kagome, the girl might still have been there with her to talk to. They would have to talk about what happened, right? Sango had a feeling the longer it was put off the more difficult it would be to bring the subject up. She was no longer a male, and in a thought that made her face warm, she believed it was because of what transpired between herself and Kagome that night. It made her uncomfortable to look at what she was washing, as it drudged up lingering memories of the occurrence. She snapped the hakama in frustration before hanging it next to the haori. No longer would she have to wear those garments, and she actually felt relieved to be shed of those representations of her change.

Being back in her old clothes was comforting, something familiar. She was glad Kagome had kept them for her, taken care of them. Sango looked down at Kagome's school uniform, floating in the water. It was her turn to do what Kagome had done for her, and she gingerly picked up the blouse to clean it in considerably more docile movements than before.

It was as though handling Kagome's clothing was making Sango see visions. Her mind was wandering to thoughts of the owner, from the way she smiled, to the way she spoke, to the way Sango's hands had been roaming her body the night before. Suddenly it felt as though a claw had grabbed hold of Sango's front and shaken her and she nearly dropped Kagome's uniform back in the water. She shook it off as simply having left a strong impression on her, especially when it had only happened hours ago. Therefore she allowed herself to drift through her memories, even as she placed Kagome's uniform on the line. As far as Sango was concerned, there was no harm as it would all disappear soon enough.

She looked back at what remained to be washed and saw Kagome's undergarments bobbing the water. A deep crimson appeared her face and she found another reason she wished Kagome was still there with her. Sango knelt by the water and steeled herself. She shot her hands in the water and scrubbed as efficiently and effectively as possible, while suppressing emotions she'd rather not have while handling Kagome's delicates.

A gentle mewing caught her attention, and Sango hastened to hang Kagome's things at a far end of the line from sight. She turned to see Kirara bounding toward her, happy for her partner as Sango caught the neko-youkai in her arms.

"I heard from Inuyasha and Kagome-sama that you had changed back." Miroku seemingly appeared out of no where as he approached her.

She stared at him with an inkling of worry. The last conversation the two had together wasn't exactly cheery, and she wondered how it would affect the tone of this one. "Yeah… it's good to be me again."

He gave her a modest smile. "It's good to see you." She was a sight for sore eyes – the same girlish but strong Sango he fell for, right before him like something of a ghost from the past. This was really her though; she was back. The same old feelings rose to the surface, but the monk kept them in check. He shouldn't be expecting anything, especially when he had given her those sincere words just the day before.

Miroku's gaze traveled from Sango to the wet clothing on the line. For a terrifying second Sango thought Miroku was about to make the connection. However, he merely asked, "Are you done here?"

"Uh… Yes."

"Alright; let's go eat then, shall we? I'm sure Shippo will be delighted with you getting your original form back as well." He turned and began to lead the way.

The words came unbidden to her lips. "Wait, aren't you going to ask how it happened?"

Miroku stopped and looked back at her over his shoulder. "… Do you want me to?"

To prevent blurting something out again, Sango bit the inside of her lip, the fear from before returning.

"Kagome-sama didn't mention it, so I assume it's something you don't want known."

His expression disconcerted her… She couldn't tell if he was upset or being sensitive; maybe it was a combination of both.

"Let's go, Sango," he said gently, breaking away from their conversation.

She nodded her head and followed silently, carrying Kirara in her arms. It was more than a little awkward to be walking with Miroku now. Sango looked up at him walking ahead, and she felt as if he was holding some kind of power over her. It was like the time when he had been the jealous one, after another man had expressed his interest in her. When you're the one who's jealous, it's as if you're free to criticize the actions of the other. Sango didn't like this one bit.

When they reached the others inside, Inuyasha was slurping instant ramen, while Kagome was fixing separate dishes of rice and vegetables for everyone else. As soon as Shippo saw her he scampered up and exclaimed celebratory praises, not even once questioning as to why she was female again. Bless his child-like nature.

They sat across from their friends while Kagome dished out portions of food. She briefly glanced at Sango and asked about the laundry, using it as an excuse to break whatever tension had come between them and establish a normal pace. Sango answered much in the same way and wondered if the boys could sense the contrived nature of their exchange. If they did, they showed no outward indication.

Miroku and Inuyasha were making plans for when they would leave the taiji-ya village. Their discussion was barely reaching the girls, only coming out as disconnected words punctuated by the occasional raise of pitch; which was Shippo adding his own two cents. Kagome appeared determined to eat her food as slowly as possible, and Sango was making mechanical eating motions with her chopsticks. They would be leaving soon to pick up from where they left off in their journey. There wasn't time to mull around…

"Actually…" Sango interrupted. "If it's okay with the rest of you… I'd like to stay here one more day."

The boys looked across at her questioningly. Kagome peered up from her bowl, and Kirara twitched an ear.

"What?" Inuyasha's tone sounded a little annoyed. "Why?"

Shippo innocently raised, "Didn't you and Kagome make up?"

The two in question faltered and Kagome returned to showing an unusual interest in her food.

Sango did her best to smooth things out. "Yes, but… I just got back to being this way, so…"

Inuyasha glanced at Miroku, searching for silent counsel on what to do. The monk nodded, and Inuyasha sighed.

"Okay, we'll stay another night; but we're leaving the next morning, got it?"

She understood. Sango thanked them for their consideration.

The problem thereafter came with what to do. She wanted another day to stay, she really did. Yet Sango soon found she was back in the same situation as she was before her friends had arrived yesterday. Her thoughts were plaguing her, and she knew there would have to be a time when she spoke to Kagome about what happened. That was going to be a bit of a challenge however; not simply because of the nature of the discussion, but because Kagome had chosen to stick to Inuyasha since morning. It was irksome in the way it resembled the advice Kagome had given to Sango before concerning Miroku – advice that she didn't find helpful at all. With Kagome occupied, Sango sought after the next person she could confide in.

"You seem rather relaxed." She found Miroku sitting in the shade of one of the many vacant homes which were scattered throughout the village.

He didn't need to open his eyes to see who it was. "Yes, well there's not much to entertain myself with here. Of course, the rest of you are here as well, but that's a different matter."

"Allow me to be in your company then."

Miroku's eyelids flicked open as she eased herself to the ground to sit next to him. "Where's Kirara?"

"She's hunting for food with Shippo." Sango brought her knees up to her chest, placing her hands upon them.

"Really…?"

"Shippo wanted to help out and Kirara is a neko-youkai after all; it's only natural that she would want to hunt."

"Animal instincts, eh?" Miroku gazed up at the sky, watching the white clouds glide across the gentle blue. He turned to Sango and saw that she too had her eyes on the sky. His own eyes took the sight of her in. On the surface she was the same beautiful Sango, but inside he knew she had changed if just a little. He peered back at the sky and said, "Do you think a human personality is something one is born with, or shaped by our experiences?"

Sango looked at him, wondering what brought this on; but she seriously thought it over all the same and gave him an answer. "Isn't it both?"

He smirked. Sango was a clever girl. "Yes, you're likely correct; but I also think our experiences have the biggest impact on our life. What happens to us and how we handle such a situation is integral. We're presented with options and what we choose can affect our future in different ways. That's the risk we take when we make a decision – sometimes we don't know if it was the best one until much later."

Her hands felt clammy, Miroku's words pulling at anxiety she had set aside. She went back to thinking about everything… about Kagome. Sango lowered her head. "… Houshi-sama… do you think I've made a bad decision?"

It was never easy for Miroku to see Sango this way. Her life had become so twisted since Naraku, and recent events made things more complicated. Sympathetically he replied, "I'm not sure what you're referring to Sango… but who knows."

Kagome was inside the room the others had slept in the night before, going over her own tribulations. She was quite aware of what she was doing by hanging around Inuyasha. This is why she was also aware of what kind of feelings it must have been causing Sango. She didn't want to hurt her; that was out of the question. Kagome simply required… some enlightenment.

She stepped outside to find Inuyasha lying on the roof. Taking in a steady breath she said, "Inuyasha? What would you do if I became Kouga-kun's wife?"

"What!?" His limbs flailed out as he rolled off the roof to land on his face. He made a quick recovery and in a bluster retorted, "What the heck are you doing marrying that idiot wolf!?"

Keeping her composure, Kagome replied, "I'm only asking what you would do if I did."

Even as a hypothetical question it was enough to make Inuyasha gnash his teeth. "I'd be pissed of course!"

"Why?"

"'Why?' He's just some loser wolf who hangs all over you and –"

"But that's how he shows his affection." She lowered her eyes. "Besides, he really does care about me…"

"I – !" Inuyasha's throat clogged. He didn't know what to say to that… or was unable to say what he needed to. The tension in his muscles dissipated and his expression relaxed. It was akin to the look he would have when he spoke about Kikyou in front of Kagome. His voice was the same way as well. "If that's what you wanted to do… I couldn't really stop you."

"… I see…" She wondered if he had taken Kikyou into account before he said this. The way she allowed him to chase after her even though there were her own feelings to consider.

"Hey," Inuyasha moved close to look her in the eyes. "You're not really thinking about marrying him, are you?" There he was asking stupid questions again.

Kagome feigned an incredulous reaction. "Are you kidding? I don't have time for that right now."

"What!? You mean you'd consider it?"

She turned on her heel and began walking off. Inuyasha could be so tiresome sometimes. "I'm joking, so stop overreacting."

Afternoon was approaching and the thought of the morning laundry crossed Kagome's mind. She headed down to the river and fleetingly considered the possibility that Sango might be there as well. Her stomach did a small flip and she blushed. Did she want Sango to be there?

The sight which Kagome was met with did not include Sango. In fact, it didn't include the morning laundry either. The clothes which had been on the line were now replaced by sheets, albeit familiar sheets… Kagome's eyes widened. She spun around and trotted to the place she had seen them before.

Slightly out of breath, she knocked on the door and it slid open.

The taiji-ya blinked at the girl standing just outside her doorway. "Kagome-chan…"

"Hi." Kagome smiled softly for her, strands of hair awry from her run. "I guess you fetched the laundry?"

"Oh… yes, just a moment." Sango disappeared into her room before returning with Kagome's school uniform. After she handed it to her, the girls stood staring at one another.

"… May I come in to change?"

"Oh, of course!" Sango shuffled aside to let Kagome in.

It wasn't until Kagome had stepped inside that it struck her where she was. She was in Sango's room again, though now she could see it more clearly in the daylight. Everything looked the same as far as she could tell, except that the futon lay stripped on the floor.

Behind her Sango was fidgeting. Of course she had anticipated a confrontation with Kagome sooner or later, but these particular circumstances were unexpected. She glanced outside in a passing state of paranoia to check that no one else was near. By the time she turned around Kagome was in her underwear and now working on unfolding her uniform. Sango had to resist the impulse to stumble backwards, but the colour on her face was unavoidable. Why didn't Kagome wait for her to leave before changing? … Was she somehow comfortable with changing in front of Sango? What had happened between that time in the morning and now? Sango didn't give herself time to think about it; she slipped away before Kagome could notice.

She ended up not speaking to Kagome for the rest of the day, aside from what was necessary to get by and avoid the others' suspicions. Sango disliked herself for it, but was still too shaken from seeing Kagome half-naked to make a move. It wasn't fair to Kagome; she knew that. She would make it up to her somehow.

At night Sango retired to her room again and unrolled a different futon to rest upon. This time she allowed Kirara to stay with her, the neko-youkai curling up next to her headrest. She wondered if Kirara could sense what had happened in her room. If she did, she didn't show it… and if she could, she wouldn't tell. Kirara was a loyal companion. Who was Sango loyal to? As she tossed in bed Sango's worries continued to pursue one another in circles. The whole day had not produced any improvements. Frustrated, she left Kirara in the middle of the night clear her head. Even if a midnight stroll didn't work, it was better than being cooped in her room with her misgivings.

The night seemed to create a different world from the day. There was a surreal tranquility to the darkness, and the moon dictated what it was one could see. As she approached the resting place of her fellow villagers from a distance, Sango could distinguish those clothes of red and length of silver hair. "Inuyasha? What are you doing here?"

He looked over at her and she could see his amber eyes reflecting in the moonlight. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to check how they were."

"I see…" She stood next to him and watched over the graves. Shadows from the memorials cast over the packed dirt mounds.

Inuyasha spoke somberly. "It's been a while since then, huh?"

"Yes… Time has dulled the pain, but it isn't completely gone."

"Yeah…" Inuyasha looked back at the fallen taiji-ya village. "I know what you mean."

He could empathize with her. Inuyasha had lost someone close to him before. Who was that again? Ah, of course… "Inuyasha, may I ask you something personal?"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow but braced himself. "What is it?"

Her mouth was dry. She had to be careful about this topic. "If Kikyou wasn't clay… that is to say, if she were alive again as flesh, blood, and bone… Would you choose her over Kagome-chan?"

This clearly took Inuyasha for a whirl. "W-What is this all of a sudden?"

Now Sango faced him. "Well would you? Kagome-chan is convenient for you, but whenever Kikyou shows up you always go to her." She couldn't stop herself. The source of her words was unknown to her, and her tone was growing demanding. "Which do you care about more?"

Inuyasha stepped back and stared at her. "What are you saying!? Both of them are… are…" He abandoned the sentence and chose a different defensive measure. "Anyway, how is this of any concern of yours? It has nothing to do with you!"

That was a blow which rung deep in her soul. Sango couldn't rebuttal. "Nothing to do with me… huh?" She left him and didn't look back, but could feel his gaze still on her as she strode away.

Sango kept her mind blank until she had shut the door to her room behind her. She leant against the wood, pressing the tips of her fingers into it and tilting her head forward with closed eyes. Why did she feel desperate as she spoke to Inuyasha? She was trying to find something out… trying to get him to finally choose between them. Yes, she felt badly for Kagome when Inuyasha left her for Kikyou, yet Sango had never pushed this far in expressing how she felt about it herself. Why was she so insistent now?

Inuyasha saying, "It has nothing to do with you!" resonated in her mind.

Flashes of the past infiltrated her being, all of them with Kagome. Everything from the time she held her after facing Naraku, to when they held each other the night before. Her heart ached, and she slipped to the floor crying.

'I'm a terrible person… this is the second time I've betrayed Inuyasha.'

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Me: Well, that was sure something. Until next time!