Chapter 12: Girl Quality
The next morning, down in Kaede's village, Sango and Miroku wake up due to their children cheery giggling. "Morning, mama. Morning papa." One of the twin girls greets them. Sango smiles warmly as she sits up and picks her in her arms. "Morning. Sweetie." She kisses her daughter onto her forehead with much affection. Miroku does the same to the other one. "I wonder if Inuyasha and Kagome made it to the Western Lands?" He asks Sango with concern. Sango puts down her daughter and goes over to their infant son to make sure he's okay. "I'm sure they made it there safe and sound." Sango assures him as she begins feeding the infant. Miroku smiles and goes outside with the twins.
Rin and Kaede come back into the village. "I wonder what Inuyasha and Kagome are up to?" Rin asks the elderly priestess. Kaede looks up ahead, 'I don't sense them here.' She thought to herself. "I'm not sure. Maybe Sango and Miroku might know where they are." She answers the little girl's question quite casually. Rin smiles up to her. "Then may I go over to Sango and Miroku's?" She asks her brightly. Kaede nods to her. "I don't mind going. Let's just hope they're awake when we arrive." They both make their way to Sango and Miroku's house. Rin spots the twin girls playing. "Look it's Rin!" One of the girls squeal as she runs up to the older girl. Rin smiles more and goes play with the girls. "It's so good to see you two." She said to them as Miroku who came up to them. "I see your visit to the neighboring village was successful?" He asks the older woman.
Kaede nods and sits down. "Yes the headman's children was very sick and I was the only one who able to heal him." She responds as she can see something hidden in Miroku's eyes. "What ails you Miroku?" She asks him. Miroku sits down by her. "Inuyasha and Kagome left about 3 days ago." He answers her with a frown. Kaede knows there's more to it. "I can sense something is troubling you. Why may I ask." She said to him. Miroku turns his head towards Rin. "What I'm going to say may involve Rin. And I'm not one to keep a secret from her because it's for her own good."
Sango comes outside. "Hello, Kaede, I see you made it back safe and sound." She greets her with a gentle smile. "Yes, Rin and I had a nice time there. Rin was able to play with the other kids her age." Kaede smiles as Sango sits by her. Kaede obliges to hold Sango and Miroku's infant son. Sango carefully hands over the baby to Kaede. "I see your son will be more like Sango and less of Miroku." She comments for their son's future. Sango and Miroku couldn't help but chuckle to that. "We'll be ready for that." Miroku smiles for respond. "Sango, I'm assuming that your eyes are holding the same thing that your husband is holding." Kaede gets to the subject. Sango frowns a little. "Afraid so. Kagome was telling me why she and Inuyasha left to the Western Lands." She looks out towards the girls. 'Rin is like a big sister to them.' She smiles in her mind. "But their reason is not to be told in Rin's presence." She brings back her frown of concern. Kaede nods. "I see. If she were to here about this, she'll be on our tails until we really tell her. I'll wait till they go down for their nap." She suggests to the parents. Sango and Miroku look at each other and turn back to the old priestess. They give a firm nod.
Back at the sky castle, Inuyasha wakes up first to see it's late in the morning. He looks down to see Kagome still asleep. 'Kagome…' He caresses her face with the back of his clawed hand. Within contact, Kagome moans with a smile. Inuyasha then combs her hair out with the claws as if they were bristles of a hair brush. "Inuyasha, please I wanna brush my own hair." She opens her eyes to stare into his golden pair. Inuyasha hmms and looks around their guest room. Looking around he doesn't see any hair brushes. "Well they don't have them Kagome. You're stuck with my claws to get that done." He calmly protests and continues on combing Kagome's hair. A knock on their door gets them out of their fantasy. "Who is it?" Kagome calls out to the visitor. "It's me. Inukimi." The female dog demoness opens the door. "Oh good morning, my lady." Kagome bows to her. Inukimi giggles, "Please, just Kimi will do. I don't want you to speak my formal name because the part of it is the same as Inuyasha's." She waves her hand to her. "Inuyasha, would you mind leave me with your mate. I think it'd be nice for the two of us to spend some time together." Inukimi smiles to him.
Inuyasha wanted to protest but somehow deep inside, he can really see that she's scary. "Yes of course." He grabs his robe of the Fire rat and puts it on. "Inuyasha, if you want, there's a training course at the south side of the castle. A servant is waiting by the door I came in with." Inukimi suggested for the half-dog demon to spend some time alone. On the other hand, Inuyasha wanted to stay, but somehow he can see that this would be a nice time for Kagome and Inukimi to have some quality time together. "Sure." He leaves the girls alone and closes the door behind him.
After Inuyasha closes the door behind him, Inukimi smiles brightly to Kagome. "You know you're a ravishing beauty." She compliments Kagome as she goes into a closet on one side of the bedroom. Kagome blushes, "Thank you. But I'm not as beautiful as you?" She kindly protests her. Inukimi chuckles, "You know that's exactly what Izayoi said to me when she and I met." Kagome tilts her head to get a better look to see what the female Inu Demoness is doing. Inukimi comes out of with a hot pink kimono coat with green floral hakama pants and a silver kosode for Kagome. "I think you'll look absolutely stunning in these." She offers as she gestures Kagome to come up to her. Kagome takes a second to cooperate, but she would like to try something new. She walks up to the demoness. "Try this one." Inukimi said as she helps Kagome change out of her own kosode. Inukimi doesn't turn away from Kagome while she was putting out a new kosode on.
Kagome on the other was blushing like a tomato, but it fades away, knowing that she had her times bathing with Sango and Shippo, and she was modest about being naked in front of them and not in front of Inuyasha and Miroku. Soon after she put on the new kosode, Inukimi helped her with the green floral hakama pants on over her bottom half. Easy enough the kosode was short enough not to get caught in the middle part of the pants. Last but not least, Inukimi drapes the hot pink kimono coat. Kagome slips her arms until the reach the end just above the wrist. "You look amazing, Kagome." Inukimi smiles to her. Kagome twirls around a little to take a good look at herself in the mirror. Obvious enough, Inukimi is right. "You know your sense of style, Lady Kimi." Kagome smiles up to her with a grateful look.
Inukimi smiles as gestures Kagome to follow to one part of the room that Kagome and Inuyasha might've missed when they first arrived. "Take a seat." Inukimi gestures a chair for Kagome. "So how do you want your hair done?" Kagome holds her chin after she sits down in the chair. "Before Inuyasha and I came, I had my hair in an elegant bun with this clips that I got from my friend Sango." Kagome said as she pulls out the golden clips from inside her kimono and gave them to Inukimi.
Inukimi is intrigued with the golden clips, "These are beautiful, Kagome." She compliments the items. Kagome blushes, "Thank you." She smiles up to her. Inukimi chuckles, "You're welcome. Now tell me this Kagome." She said as she takes a brush and begins to groom Kagome's long raven-black hair. "What is it?" Kagome asks the lady without moving her head. "How was it that you met Sesshomaru?" Inukimi said. That alone was something that Kagome didn't see it coming. Knowing that, Inuyasha would hardly say anything nice about his half-brother. Kagome closes her eyes and breathes in deeply. "It was when Sesshomaru came to me and Inuyasha to know where the Tetsusaiga is." Kagome begins her story. Inukimi giggles. "I'll tell you this. My son is down right stubborn when it comes to get something he wants." She comments. "And he's really good at hiding that expression." Kagome agrees with her.
