25 - Like riding a bike
"I can't believe it!" I squealed as I ran out of the house. Kagome turned around as I came down the hill, "Oh my gosh Sango!" She squealed back as she threw her hands up to her head.
"I know! I know!" I sounded like a giddy teenager, but I couldn't help it. I raced down the hill with my Hirikotsu slung over my shoulder and my tight black uniform clinging to me in every place imaginable. "It FITS!" I yelled as I collided into Kagome and sent us both flying onto the grass.
"Oww." She groaned as I stood and helped her up.
"Sorry," I said. "Why didn't you move?"
"Would have it mattered?"
"Probably not."
I turned to Inuyasha and Miroku who were standing at a safe distance away. Miroku gawked while Inuyasha looked pissed off at me for clobbering his girlfriend.
"You guys can leave now," I said happily. "What's girl bonding time with you two breathing down our necks?"
Inuyasha folded his arms defiantly. "I don't really trust you anymore." He grumbled.
"Oh, shut up. I'll take care of her." I wrapped my arm around Kagome's waist and guided her away, smiling at the boys over my shoulder.
We headed for a large field behind the village that would be perfect for practicing. "I hope I can still do this…" Kagome murmured nervously as he handled her bow in her hands.
"Don't be ridiculous, Kagome. You can't forget the things you learned."
We stopped across the field from a large tree that was rotting away. It would be our target.
I noticed Kagome watching me expectantly.
"I'll observe first." I said with a smile.
She nodded, turned to an angle and readied her arrow. I watched her eyes lock on her target and then focus intently. Her elbow eased back and her fingers released, sending a stream of purplish light from her bow. The force of it was amazing, it felt like I got smacked with a wave of pure energy. The arrow shot through the air with lightning speed until it pierced the thick trunk of the tree, thousands of purple sparks exploding from it.
"I did it!" She squeaked.
"See? What I tell ya! There's no way you'd forget how to shoot!"
Kagome smiled brightly as she lowered her bow. "Like riding a bike!" She exclaimed.
"Sure…" I vaguely remembered that contraption called a bicycle that Kagome used to ride around on. I did, however, remember the many times Inuyasha broke it, causing all hell to break loose.
"I wonder if I can still…" Kagome's voice trailed off.
"Still what?"
"Well…" She lifted another arrow to the bow and concentrated once again. After a few moments, she looked confused. I got the feeling something was supposed to be happening. She furrowed her brow and closed her eyes. I watched her curiously as I leaned on my Hirikotsu. Then, the arrow took off again. This time, the arrow vanished right before it hit the tree, seemed to phase through it, and materialized on the other side.
"Nice!" I yelled.
She seemed to sigh with relief. "Thanks." She smiled.
We stayed out in that field for at least another hour. Kagome shot the rest of her arrows, making them phase through the tree and shoot out on the other side. I threw my Hirikotsu several times, realizing how heavy it felt after three years of neglecting my arm muscles. We both got tired at about the same time, so we started walking across the field to retrieve the arrows.
After a few minutes of walking quietly, Kagome started up a conversation. "Hey Sango?" She chirped.
"Hmm?" I said watching a hawk circle over the nearby trees.
"What's it like to be married?" She asked.
The question was a little unexpected. A little meaning 'where the heck did that come from', but I thought I'd try to give her a good answer.
"Well, it's not really too different from just being really close to someone. But it's a commitment, you know? It takes your relationship to the ultimate level, or the ultimate level that's after the ultimate level."
"So… it's epic?" Kagome teased in a stoic tone.
I laughed. "I guess you could say that." I paused for a moment and tried to think of a better way to say what I was maybe trying to say. "It feels like you're standing on solid ground all the time. I guess it depends on the guy, but for Miroku and I, that's how it feels. It just clicks into place and…things make sense. That's the way love is."
She didn't answer, and I could imagine why. Things never seemed to make sense with her and Inuyasha. The back and forth made me dizzy sometimes. I would be surprised if she wasn't confused, or at least used to be.
Though I could see it in the way he looked at her, he loved her from the start. Of-course I had an advantage, you notice more when you have a birds-eye view of the situation. Kagome was practically blinded by his indecisiveness and his feelings for Kikyou.
Kagome didn't even realize Inuyasha loved her, I'm not sure he realized it either. It's hard for things to 'click' when your future husband is a womanizing monk, but I suppose it would be even more difficult if your future husband was holding the proverbial blindfold over your face.
When I look at them now, I never would have guessed they were the same people. There's just too much compassion and respect. Sure there have already been a few skirmishes. But Kagome still loves him and I still see that same loving look in Inuyasha's eyes that was always there. So maybe fate did something right.
"Inuyasha loves you a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a proposal on the horizon." I peeked over my shoulder and smiled.
"Really?" She said dreamily, her cheeks stained a light scarlet.
"Mmhmm." I nodded.
The hawk suddenly swooped down into the trees. I cringed thinking about what poor creature was about to get plucked.
A loud squish suddenly sounded from underneath my feet. I looked down to find my feet slowly sinking into the grass. "Ew. Swampy." I kicked my feet out and backed up. "Here, we'll walk across this." There was a large tree trunk partially swallowed by the mud that lay across the field just enough for us to clear the swampy area.
When we were about half way across, I got a somewhat random thought of my own.
"Hey Kagome? You'd tell me if you and Inuyasha, you know…go to the ultimate level?"
"I think you'd know Sango, you'll be invited." She said.
I nearly choked on my own spit. Then I realized she didn't know what I was talking about. "No Kagome, after that." I paused and turned around to face her. "After marriage but before baby in the baby carriage." I clarified. Her expression remained unresponsive, then her eyes suddenly widened and she nearly choked too.
"Ohhhhhh…" She said. "Y-yeah! Of-course! I'll need your advice!"
"Oh no! I didn't mean it like that- I just want to make sure it's what you want- that he's not rushing it. You don't have to do it as soon as me and Miroku did." I realized this conversation was probably a speeding arrow heading nowhere.
Kagome walked a few steps closer, her arms stretched out for balance. "Wait, when did you two-do it?" She whispered.
"The night after we got married." I said matter-of-factly.
I watched as Kagome swayed to the side, her face drawing total blank. I realized that speeding arrow had just hit a stone wall. It was one of those 'here's your card' moments, as they call them. Smooth Sango, real smooth.
She wobbled precariously on the log, swinging her arms around as she tried to regain her balance. I rushed back to her and grabbed her by the arm, but it was too late. She stumbled and fell, dragging me with her. We landed flat on our stomachs in at least three-foot-deep mud.
After the initial shock of falling in, the mayhem began. Kagome yelped and pried herself out of it. She managed to stand but then staggered backward, landing back in the mud.
"Graceful." I said sarcastically.
"Look who's talking." She mumbled.
"You dragged me in! What was with the sudden fit of un-coordination?" I said.
"Well you're the one who brought it up! Why'd we have to talk about that of all things? When you said ultimate level, I thought you meant marriage!" She shouted.
"I did! But then I wanted to ask you about…that- but I didn't think it would stun you!"
"Well- it did! Night after? Really? I'm not ready- I'm 19 for krypes sakes!"
"I didn't say you had to, it's just what me and Miroku did! We were in the moment and-"
"Ahh! I don't wanna hear it! I'm not listening - ala la la-!"
I shut my mouth and just sat there smugly, a very bad idea churning in my head. I picked up a handful of mud in my hand and chucked it right at her face, she dodged it by an inch. She narrowed her eyes at me and picked up a fist a mud and chucked it back at me. I didn't even bother to move, it hit my arm and melted down until it plopped back down into the mud.
I hesitated a moment, then attacked, sending two blobs hurling at her. She screamed and did the same. We dodged as much as we could, but there was too much mud. Trying to avoid getting dirty was pretty much futile at this point. We tried to keep our mouths closed, though it was practically impossible we were laughing so uncontrollably. The last throw she made at me hit me square in the stomach, and the last I threw at her smacked into the back of her head. After that, we just started lunging at each other; wrestling the other down until they were pinned in the sludge. It was probably one of the weirdest things I'd done in a while, but whatever. It happens.
Eventually, we stopped abruptly, sat up and looked at each other like 'what the hell are we doing?' It was strangely funny, but confusing at the same time.
I'm not sure who won the battle, but if anyone asked, I won the war.
Hey readers! I thought I would go ahead and put a note right on here cause I've got some splaining to do! I realize this chapter and the ones following it are fluff, fluff, filler fluff, but you won't have to wait much longer to get more action. So just sit tight, relax, enjoy reading, and I'll get out more chapters as fast as I can!