(Lucky chapter 13. Well, lucky for Miroku and Sango fans, at least, since this chapter marks the point where those two actually become involved in the story. -GreyAncient)

CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE:
Chapter Thirteen

Sota rifled through Kagome's desk drawers with his heart racing like crazy. Bad guys were after the jewel even on his sister's vacation. Poor Kagome couldn't relax in her own time at a beach! And this was her big chance to have some quality date time with Inu Yasha, too! (Of course, Sota was sure Kagome didn't see it that way but he wasn't blind: Those two were crazy about each other.) Where was that stupid jewel? Nothing in the pencil drawer, on to the first of a set of three smaller drawers on the right hand side of the desk. Top drawer: No jewel. Middle: No jewel. Bottom: No jewel. Huh?! Sota was ready to pull his hair out. She said it was in her desk drawer. So he went through all of the drawers again, but still no jewel. Ok, maybe Kagome had been mistaken. Maybe it wasn't in a drawer, but in one of the containers on top of the desk. He upended the pencil cup and was rewarded with pens, pencils and dust. Letter box! Letter from pen pal in England, letter from Aunt Himiko in Kobe, love letter from Hojo—eh? Sota started to read that one, then tossed it aside. He had more important things to do than be nosy. Shuffle-shuffle. Crud. Where was it? On the shelf over the desk? Sota climbed onto the desktop and moved around the cutesy little knick-knacks his sister collected, lifting up statuettes of Sailor Scouts and Magic Knights and moving books—and finding nothing.

With a frustrated sigh, he flopped onto the chair to think. "If I was Kagome, where would I hide the Shikon Jewel?" He thought for a few seconds, then thumped himself on the forehead for being so stupid. "In a box in a drawer!" He opened the small top drawer and took out a little ceramic box he'd merely pushed aside before and set it on top of the desk. He gulped and opened it. "Yes!" Tossing the chain over his head, Sota tucked the jewel under his collar and tore out of the house, headed for the well shrine.

He honestly didn't expect anyone to be waiting for him in the courtyard, or if he did, he didn't expect them to have tails and furry ears. One of them wore shorts and a Hawaiian print shirt, the other was much more conservative in khakis and a white polo. Sota decided not to wait around to find out whose side they were on. They spotted him as he dashed for the shrine containing the Bone Eater's Well and disappeared. That freaked Sota out but he heard Kagome's voice in his head telling him not to stop for anybody and just kept running. They were waiting for him on the platform above the well, one at either side of the door. Sota slipped through their clawed hands and jumped straight off the platform, into the well, and the two kitsune jumped after him. Sota had only the briefest thought that if he didn't go into the past, he'd probably break every bone in his body, then he went through.

"Shit."

Shinai and Tsurai just hit dirt.

As soon as he appeared in the past, Sota clamored up the stone insides of the well, over the lip and tumbled onto the grass where he panted on his hands and knees to catch his breath. It took him a second to notice the sandaled feet and the blue hem of a robe that came into view. When he did, Sota yelped and tried to crawl away, only to find that the owner of the feet and robe was holding him by the back of his shirt.

"Let go!" Sota shrieked and struggled but to no avail. So he turned his frightened eyes upwards to look into his captor's face. He expected to find another kitsune, though when he thought about it the idea was absurd: What kitsune wore the robes of a Buddhist priest? (Or khakis or Hawaiian shirt for that matter.) Not that he was any authority on kitsune, or anything, but none of Gramps' stories had included Buddhist kitsune priests. (Actually, most of the kitsune in Gramps' tales were female and incredibly seductive, but Sota wouldn't understand that trend for at least ten more years.) "Let me go!"

The priest looked him over with lazy eyes and gave him a kind, if puzzled, smile. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

Sota realized he couldn't get away, so he quit struggling. The priest interpreted that as trust. "I couldn't help but notice you came from Kagome's well. I'm a friend of hers, you know."

Sota gave him a suspicious look. "Yeah, right. You're probably with those kitsune guys." He started struggling again. "Let me go!"

"'Kitsune guys'?" He frowned. "The only kitsune I know is Shippo, and he went into the well with Inu Yasha four days ago. Obviously, I am not with him."

Sota abruptly stopped struggling. "You—you're Shippo's friend? And Inu Yasha's?" Then he narrowed his eyes. "Or are you their enemy?"

"I'm Miroku," the priest introduced himself proudly, but the expected instant recognition was nowhere to be found in the little boy's face. "Hasn't Kagome mentioned me? I travel with her and Inu Yasha."

Blank look.

"The priest?"

Blank look.

Miroku patted his right wrist, the hand of which was holding onto Sota's shirt. "Air Rip?"

Blank look.

The priest rolled his eyes to the heavens and sighed. "Lecher?"

Sota's face lit up. "Oh! You're that guy! Kagome sent me here! She's in trouble and told me to take the jewel to Kaede! Do you know where Kaede lives, Lecher?"

"That's 'Miroku'," the priest corrected him pointedly, then the rest of what Sota had said sank in and his heart skipped. "Kagome's in trouble?! What kind of trouble? With who?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What did Inu Yasha do this time?"

"It's not Inu Yasha's fault!" Sota protested as Miroku took him into his arms and ran from the well. "Hey!"

"I'm taking you to Kaede," the priest explained. "Now tell me what kind of trouble Kagome is in. You said something about kitsune before. Are there kitsune involved?"

Sota nodded. "They work for the son of the Great Demon of the Northern Lands," he frowned thoughtfully, trying to remember exactly what Kagome had told him to say, "or was it the Southern Lands? Something about a Jade Wolf…"

Miroku hissed: "Not Hisui Oukami?!"

"That's it!" Sota exclaimed. "Do you know her?"

"I've heard of her," Miroku replied grimly. "She got to be the Great Demon of the Northern Lands by killing off the rest of her family. I didn't know she had any children, though. Hm. Must be from the future, then."

Sota shrugged. "I guess. Kagome said her son had two jewel shards, but Inu Yasha took them. A couple of kitsune chased me into the well. I think they were after the jewel." He pulled it out of his shirt and held it in front of Miroku's face. Miroku's eyes went wide, but since his arms were occupied with Sota, he couldn't do anything else. Sota continued: "She told me to take the jewel and go to the past and find Kaede."

"What did she think Kaede would do?" Miroku asked in irritation. Kaede would just hide the jewel until Kagome came for it, but what if something happened to Kagome and she never came for it? What if Kagome never came to the past again? Unthinkable! There was nothing for it but to go to the future and rescue her. Certainly if he told Sango there were demons involved, she'd accompany him. What was Kagome thinking, entrusting the Shikon Jewel to this helpless little boy? She must really be in trouble to be that desperate.

"I don't know," Sota answered and put the jewel around his neck again. "She just said 'Kaede will know what to do'. So I guess we have to ask Kaede what to do."

"I know what to do," Miroku told him in a determined voice. "Kagome's in danger, so I must return with you to the future and rescue her," he paused then added self-consciously: "With help from Sango—"

"The demon hunter!" Sota finished for him excitedly.

Miroku's heart sank. Oh sure, Kagome told the kid everyone's name but his. After all the times he'd fought by her side, saved her life, treated her like a real woman (unlike that cretin Inu Yasha, who wouldn't know how to treat a woman if someone gave him an instruction book)...and she didn't even tell—who was this kid, anyway? "Hey, kid. You never told me your name."

"Sota Higurashi. I'm Kagome's little brother."

Oh ho! Her brother, was he? Here was a golden opportunity to make a great impression on Kagome: Suck up to her brother, and the boy might see fit to convince his sister that Miroku the handsome priest was a much better catch than Inu Yasha the socially inept dog demon. Never mind that Kagome and Inu Yasha genuinely seemed to have a crush on each other, Inu Yasha never treated her right. He put her down and wasn't very affectionate with her. Women liked affection and to be treated nicely, spoken to with kind, flattering words, not "bitch" or "wench" or "idiot". Kagome deserved better, and if Inu Yasha didn't get a clue anytime soon, Miroku would be there to show her how pleasant a relationship could be. Step number one: Make nice with her brother. Step number two: Rescue her from that evil, homicidal bitch Hisui Oukami and her (probably) equally nasty offspring and his minions. He would definitely need Sango for this one (not a bad thing, since she was beautiful when she was fighting demons, swinging that giant boomerang thing around, slender muscles rippling beneath her snug clothing). Yes indeed. Definitely needed to bring Sango along.

Inu Yasha and Kagome sat with Shippo and Rei and had a lovely breakfast as long as nobody at the next table tried to converse with them. They couldn't discuss their fears about the kitsune twins' disappearance and Sota's mission, so they commented on how fast things had gotten back to normal at the hotel, and how the other guests seemed oblivious to the fact that Hisui, Sesshomaru and Mikoto didn't look entirely human. Kagome hoped Shinai and Tsurai had been sent on some other mission, and didn't know anything about Sota taking the jewel into the past at all. Then all of a sudden she saw Shunusuke looking at her and remembered his telepathic powers. Had he heard her thinking about Sota? Could he actually hear thoughts, or just pick up on people's feelings and guess what they were thinking from those? Well, if that was case, Shunusuke knew on no uncertain terms that she was scared out of her mind. Hisui gave her the creeps, especially when she was being "nice", (Hisui's brand of nice was about as pleasant as fingernails on a chalk board) which was how she was acting now. Just the happy, bubble-headed socialite in the company of her peers and four people who were way beneath her station that she had to be polite to anyway.

After having endured almost an hour of his grandmother's "deep" conversation so far that morning, Shunusuke made a disgusted noise and got up to leave. His father stopped him. "Where are you going, Shunusuke?"

Shunusuke gave his father a withering look over his shoulder and kept walking. "Back to the condo to watch TV. I crave intelligent communication, so maybe I'll watch a soap opera. I'd invite you along, grandmother, but it sounds like you live that life, and would be horribly bored."

Hisui's eyes burned holes into his back as he slunk down the beach, but Shunusuke forced himself to keep walking. He also kept thoughts of watching TV or taking a nap firmly in his mind, so Hisui wouldn't detect his real reason for leaving the breakfast party: Returning to Tokyo and Kagome's family shrine to make sure that wasn't where Tsurai and Shinai had gone. He wasn't as good at hearing thoughts as his grandmother, but Kagome and Inu Yasha had been very strongly worried about something involving Kagome's home. No doubt, Hisui had picked it up, too, and, knowing what was up, had ordered the twins to investigate. Shunusuke didn't know the details but was sure he'd find out if he went to the Higurashi shrine. Meanwhile, he turned over TV schedules in his mind, as if deciding what to watch when he got to the condo, then tried to remember what videos and DVDs were there if there was nothing good on TV at that hour. He kept those thoughts in his head as he collected the keys to his truck, then turned on the television, blanked his mind, got into the truck, started it and drove off in the direction of Tokyo. Hidden in the utility box in the truck bed were his weapons: Two katana, a dozen shuriken and a naginata in two pieces that screwed together at the middle. There was also a revolver in a hidden compartment under the passenger seat. The gun had been a gift from his father when he graduated from high school…it was also very illegal. He just hoped he wouldn't have to use any of his arsenal.

Back at the breakfast table, Hisui smiled a secretive smile. "Not bad, boy," she thought slyly, "you almost fooled me." She decided to let Shinai deal with her grandson when he arrived at the shrine and said nothing about Shunusuke's activities to her companions.

Sota sat by the fire in Kaede's house. Beside him was the old priestess Kaede on his left with the Tetsusaiga in its black sheath across her knees and Myouga the flea on her shoulder. The priest Miroku sat on Sota's right. Across the fire was Sango the demon hunter. All but Kaede were itching to get to the future and save Kagome from the evil Hisui Oukami and her lackeys.

"Inu Yasha will need his sword to fight the demons," Sota insisted.

Kaede was reluctant to surrender the weapon without a direct request from Inu Yasha. There was also the matter of Sesshomaru. "If Sesshomaru is there, boy, he'll try to take the blade from Inu Yasha—and with Hisui Oukami's help, he might succeed this time and kill Inu Yasha, as well. Anyway, Inu Yasha didn't say to send it to him."

"He didn't know Sesshomaru was gonna show up!" Sota protested. "I'll bet he wants it with him and didn't have time to tell Kagome to tell me 'cause he was making sure the bad guys didn't hear Kagome's plans!"

"But you said they did hear," Miroku pointed out. "You told me you were chased by two kitsune whom you suspected work for Hisui Oukami."

Sango frowned. "I find it hard to believe kitsune would allow themselves to be employed by anyone, particularly as bodyguards or ninja. They're not the most violent of demons. However, many things can change in four hundred years."

Sota could only shrug. He wasn't one hundred percent sure the kitsune worked for the people who were after the shard, all he knew is they'd tried to stop him from getting to the well. "They might not be working for her. They didn't say anything when they were chasing me, so maybe they just felt the jewel and were going after it on their own."

Myouga didn't buy that. "That would be too great a coincidence. It seems more likely that they were sent by Hisui Oukami, or possibly this son of hers that you mentioned."

Nods of agreement all around. Sota said: "I still think Inu Yasha will want his sword."

"I agree," Miroku said, and Sango nodded: "So do I. We should take it with us to Kagome's time."

Kaede sighed. "I'm against this," she told them in a weary voice. "Kagome sent the jewel shard to me for safe keeping, just as Inu Yasha left the Tetsusaiga with me for the same reason. The shard, at least, should remain here, out of Hisui Oukami's reach."

"But it's not out of her reach!" Sota protested. "Kagome said Hisui Oukami was looking for the jewel in this time and even looked for it in Kikyo's village but she didn't find it. If it's here, she'll find it, right? So we have to take it back with us!" He pointed at Miroku, then Sango. "They can protect me if those guys are still out there when I get back."

"Excellent reasoning, Sota!" Miroku agreed with a polite nod. Anyway, the boy still wore the jewel about his neck, so no matter what Kaede thought should be done, surely she wouldn't take the jewel from Kagome's little brother by force. If Sota decided it was best to take the shard back to the future, then that's where it would go, and he and Sango would protect it and him. He imagined the look on Inu Yasha's face when he saw him and Sango appear to save his ass. Even better would be the priceless look Inu Yasha would give him when he handed him the Tetsusaiga.

"Give me the Tetsusaiga, Kaede," Sango said, holding out her hand. "I'll place it in Inu Yasha's hands myself."

It took another half hour of pleading and arguing, but Kaede was finally convinced to surrender the Tetsusaiga and give her blessing to the little rescue party's journey to the future. As they gathered around the well in the forest, Kaede and Myouga wished them luck.

"Staying as far from the danger as possible, flea?" Sango accused with a stern look for Myouga.

The tiny demon hung his head and wrung his hands. "Well, we can't all go, can we?"

"But Inu Yasha may need your sage advice," Miroku told him.

Myouga suspected he was being mocked, but at last, he hopped onto Sota's shoulder and declared in a quavering voice that the priest was quite right, so he would accompany them to the future to make sure Inu Yasha didn't do anything stupid while fighting one of the most ruthless demon lords in all of Japan (and possibly China, as well).

They sat on the lip of the well, and Sota held out his hands. "I think we all have to be touching."

Sango took the boy's hand, and Miroku grabbed Sango's arm. That earned him a snarl from the demon hunter. "He means, touch him, you lecher!"

"Ah." Miroku got up, went to sit on Sota's other side and took the boy's hand. "Right. Ready now, Sota?"

Sota nodded. "Let's go!"

They jumped into the well and out into the future to find Tsurai and Shinai were still there but were a little preoccupied. A handsome young man swinging a pair of katana held the kitsune brothers at bay in the courtyard, while Sota's grandfather chanted curses in a vain attempt to banish the demons from the shrine. Tsurai had Sota's mother pinned against him by the throat and was holding a gun to her head. That appeared to be the only thing keeping the man with the swords from pressing his attack.

"Mom!" Sota screamed, spoiling any element of surprise Sango and Miroku might have had. Miroku scooped Sota onto his back with orders not to let go no matter what, then took up a defensive posture with his staff before him and the well shrine wall behind. Sango launched a flight of shuriken at Tsurai, but the kitsune dropped to his knees, and they flew harmlessly over his head. That gave the demon hunter the distraction she needed to pull out a sword and charge. Shinai jumped between her and his brother and pointed his pistol at her chest. Not recognizing the weapon, Sango kept coming. Fortunately for her, Shunusuke knew exactly what that weapon was. He threw one of his katana with a shout to Sango to dive. She dove, and the katana hit the barrel of the gun, knocking it out of Shinai's hand. Meanwhile, Shunusuke kicked Tsurai in the face and slashed down with his other sword, meaning to cut off the kitsune's hand, but Tsurai was fast enough to get his hand out of the way, leaving Sota's mother in the sword's path. She screamed and dodged, but Shunusuke had checked his stroke and pursued Tsurai, who was on his ass but had his gun up and pointed at his boss' son. However, he knew it would be his life for Shunusuke's, so he didn't fire. Instead, with a glance to his brother, he disappeared. A half second later, Shinai was gone, as well, leaving Sango's blade to hiss through air.

Mrs. Higurashi made a tiny, fearful squeak when the brothers disappeared. "Who—what were—"

Sota and Gramps threw themselves on her and wept. "Mom, are you alright?" Sota sobbed. "I was so scared!"

Shunusuke knelt in front of her and asked the same question without the drama. "Mrs. Higurashi? Were you hurt?"

She shook her head and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Who were those creatures? And what did they want with me?"

Shunsuke planted his hands in front of his knees and bowed his face to the dirt. "I'm sorry your family became involved in this matter. My name is Shunusuke Asano, Kei and Yuki's older brother, and to my shame the son of the man who sent one of those kitsune after the Shikon Jewel, which my father seems to believe is in this shrine somewhere. My father sent the kitsune in the white shirt, his mother, Hisui Oukami, my grandmother, sent the one in the Hawaiian shirt. She, too, is after the jewel."

Everybody was astonished by all of that, especially that bit about the Great Demon of the Northern Lands being grandmother to one of Sota's own playmates, Kei Asano. "Th-that means," Sota sputtered, "Kei is…part demon? A-And so's Yuki? And you?"

Shunusuke sat up and nodded. "I'm afraid so." He glanced at the well shrine and asked: "Is that the portal to the past? The way Kagome and Inu Yasha get back and forth?" When all he got were suspicious looks and no answer, Shunusuke sighed. "I can understand why you don't trust me. That's alright, I don't need to know." He looked at Miroku, then Sango, where his gaze lingered. "Who are you?"

Miroku put himself into Shunusuke's line of sight, forcing him to look at him instead of the demon hunter. He bowed. "My name is Miroku," he gestured to Sango, "and this is Sango, the demon hunter." From Sota's shoulder, Myouga cleared his throat, and Miroku added with a smile: "That's Myouga the flea, Inu Yasha's retainer."

Mrs. Higurashi blinked puzzlement. "Inu Yasha's…'retainer'? Is he some kind of nobleman in his time?" And here all along she'd thought he was just some ruffian her poor Kagome was forced to associate with to recover the pieces of the Jewel of Four Souls. A rather jealous, demonic ruffian to be more specific.
Myouga was delighted to explain. "Lord Inu Yasha is the second son of the Great Demon of the Western Lands and a human woman of noble birth, the Princess Shinju."

"He's a prince…" Mrs. Higurashi mused wonderingly. "I always thought princes were cleaner, somehow."

Miroku and Sango chuckled, but Myouga looked even more embarrassed. "Well, M'Lord has had a difficult life, what with his parents dying when he was so young, and his brother banishing him," he wrung his hands, "not to mention the jewel."

"Speaking of which," Shunusuke interjected, "I hope for your sake that it isn't in this house. I know my father, and he won't give up until he's found it, no matter what it takes." He sent out his mental feelers, but found no sign of any of his father's people. Yet. "Is it here?"

No one spoke.

Shunusuke sighed. "Look: I'm totally against what my father is doing. I just saved your life, and yesterday my sister saved Kagome's at great risk to her own. In fact, Yuki almost died using her power to protect Kagome from magical attacks and bullets. I'm not asking you to give me the jewel—I don't want it—I just want to know if it's here, so I can give you good advice about what to do next!"

"Magical attacks and bullets?!" All three Higurashi's gasped at once, then Mrs. Higurashi asked meekly: "Yuki has powers that can do that?"

Shunusuke nodded, then he smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. When I left the hotel, Kagome and Yuki were having a nice breakfast on the veranda with Inu Yasha and Shippo and that friend of Kagome's, Rei." He ducked his head and added: "My family's there, too: Hisui and my Dad and Hisui's latest boy toy Sesshomaru."

"Inu Yasha's eating breakfast with Sesshomaru?!" Sango exclaimed, at the same time as Miroku asked: "What's a 'boy toy'?"

Shunusuke got up and went to collect the sword he'd thrown at Shinai. The kitsune had somehow managed to reclaim his gun before disappearing, which didn't really surprise Shunusuke. The brothers were too experienced to leave behind any physical evidence of their presence. "A boy toy is a trophy boyfriend, someone who looks good hanging around with a rich and powerful woman like Hisui."

"That's so…shallow…" Sango said with a frown.

"Quite," Miroku agreed.

Myouga said thoughtfully: "I can't imagine Lord Sesshomaru would allow himself to be treated in that way by a female. Even a female as powerful as Hisui Oukami."

Shunusuke shrugged. "Actually, I think they genuinely feel something for each other. I know I wouldn't put up with her unless I was in love with her, 'cause I know it's not her money that interests him. He's certainly got enough of his own from what I've heard." Then he abruptly shifted gears. Grinning at Miroku and Sango, he asked: "So. Do you people need a ride to the beach?"

"Beach?" Sango queried. "Is that where Kagome is?"

Sota nodded. "Right. Shunusuke knows how to get there." He took the jewel from around his neck and pressed it into Sango's hand. "Take this to Kagome. Inu Yasha can protect it a lot better than we can," he touched the Tetsusaiga's hilt and added: "As long as he has his sword."

Sango smiled at him and hid the jewel in her shirt. "Don't worry," she reassured him and looked around to take in his mother and grandfather, too, "we're here now. We won't let anything happen to Kagome or the jewel. Right, boys?"

Miroku and Myouga nodded: "Right!"

Sango turned a severe look on Shunusuke. "And if you try anything, Asano, you're dead where you stand. Understood?"

Shunusuke looked her over, noting her armor and especially the giant boomerang strapped to her back. That would definitely have to go in the back of the truck. What was that thing, anyway? Some bizarre demon-slaying weapon? He had to admit, though: She sure was cute when she was threatening a man. He grinned his most winning grin at her. "Yes, ma'am. I understand completely."