Back to the Present

After the confrontation with the villagers at Minamo, the others boarded Hachi and made their way back. Miroku had taken a really large assault of rotten eggs, dung, and had to take a really long bath. Unfortunately, Minamo Village refused to accomodate and the others were forced to find a body of water on the way back to Kaede's Village.

Kagome, Kaname, Miroku, Michigo, Sanru, and Shippo were all flying on Hachi, but Sango, InuYasha, and Michiru flew on Kirara. Because of Miroku's horrendous stench, InuYasha and Michiru needed to be as far away from him as possible since they both had an incredible sense of smell. Although it didn't help much fo InuYasha.

"Ugh! Whoever would've thought that I'D be the one suffering for Miroku's past sins?" InuYasha asked with a disgusted moan.

"Yeah, maybe we should invest in some gas masks while we're back in the present." Michiru agreed. "Something tells me that Miroku's gonna smell much worse in towns like Kasasagi, and Tsuzumi."

InuYasha turned green at the idea of villages with large populations doint to Miroku what the people of Minamo did. More eggs, more rotten vegetables, and probably a whole lot more dung.

"Please!" InuYasha nearly vomited. "Please can we find a bathing area soon?"

"Yeah Sango." Michiru complained. "I'm starting to smell it too, and it's gradually getting worse!"

Sango looked at InuYasha and her husband with concern seeing them turning green. She remembered the head injury Michiru had so many years ago that spiked his senses and also of InuYasha's natural sense of smell and was worried for them.

"Wait." Michiru spoke. "Hey InuYasha! The scent is getting faint!"

"What?" InuYasha asked then he nervously sniffed. "Yeah, you're right! But why?"

"Maybe we're near water." Michiru replied. "Remember the swamp near Koga's domain?"

"Don't remind me." InuYasha grumbled. "I try not to remember falling in the mud."

Sango laughed and said, "Alright let's check it out!"

Kirara then decended downwards and Hachi seeing her followed. The landed and to their dissapointment saw no water.

"Aw damn!" InuYasha griped. "Just when I thought I was going to be free of that stench!"

"You're not the only one who suffering here InuYasha!" Kagome yelped. "Even though we were on Hachi's tail, we could still smell Miroku."

"Yeah." Kaname groaned. "And imagine how Hachi feels?"

The others looked to Hachi also turning green and vomiting profusely. He then turned torwards the others.

"Okay, I can't take it anymore!" He griped. "I'm sorry master, but I can't handle your stench and trek long distances at the same time!"

Miroku looked at Hachi and then nodded sympathetically. "It's alright Hachi. You just take it easy for now. We'll find a way back in time."

"Yeah, but why did the smell get faint?" InuYasha asked. "There's no visable water here."

"You're right InuYasha." Michiru nodded. "So why?"

"Hey guys, look over here!" Shippo called out.

The others looked and ran to where Shippo was to see him looking at an empty field.

"What did you call us out here for?" InuYasha growled angrilly clenching his fist and raising it above his head. "You wasted my time you little..."

"InuYasha, sit!" Kagome and Kaname called out.

"Huh?" InuYasha asked as the Beads pulled him down to the emply ground and sent a massive splash of mud all around.

"Huh?" Kaname stated. "Oh, so THAT'S why the stench disappeared! The ground is filled with mud!"

"It must've rained here recently." Kagome observed thoughtfully. "Hey wait that's it!"

"That's what?" Kaname asked.

"Rain! You and Michiru could make it rain on Miroku with your Monsoon Blessing water spell and give Miroku a shower!" Kagome answered.

"What?" Miroku yelped knowing that particular spell. "But, but, but that would drown me! Why not use Bubbling Great River?"

"Because in this situation, it probably wouldn't be potent enough!" Kagome grumbled.

"And besides, you won't be in any danger if we put you at the top of a big hill first!" Michiru replied. "Great idea Kagome! Now why didn't I think of it?"

Sango laughed. "My guess is you were too distracted dealing with Miroku's smell."

Everyone but Miroku all laughed at this. After a few minutes, the set out on foot to find a large hill. Soon enough they found one.

"Well, time to get out of my clothes." Miroku spoke.

Sango flared, "If you didn't stink so bad Miroku, I'd slap you silly!"

Kaname then grumbled, "Your clothes reek Miroku! That's why you'll be doing this wearing them!"

"Yeah!" Kagome replied. "There's no way any of us are touching your clothes to wash them, so your march your little butt up that hill and get ready!

Miroku sighed Miroku walked to the top of the hill. Kaname then turned towards the heavens and began twirling her staff. All of a sudden, the sky turned charcoal gray and then a massive cloudburst descended on the hill where Miroku stood. it didn't fall on the others though, because Michiru was using his powers to concentrate the rain to fall on Miroku alone.

"Hey wait a minute!" Shippo piped up.

"What is it Shippo?" Sango asked.

Shippo then held up a white bar. "Miroku forgot the soap!"

"Don't worry Shippo." Kaname answered. "Just give the soap to InuYasha so he can throw it to the sky."

Shippo then tossed InuYasha the soap who hurled it to the cloud. Afterwards, soapy water began falling on Miroku. After Miroku thoroughly scrubbed his body, Kaname made it rain pure water to rinse the soap off. After the soap was gone, she conjured her Wind Shikigami and dried Miroku off.

"Ah! Much better!" InuYasha sighed sniffing Miroku. "You still smell a little Miroku, but not enough to annoy me!"

"Then let's get back on track!" Sango cried. "The sooner we get Michigo and Sanru to my mother-in-law and father-in-law and away from Naraku, the better!"

With that, Hachi transformed again and all ascended him. In a short while, they arrived in Kaede's Village around nightfall. They saw villagers building new bulidings with supplies they got from Tsuzumi Village and Kasasagi Town. They asked a villager where Kaede was so they could get a progress report, she told them where she was and they went to find her.

"Oh, you all are back!" Kaede exclaimed. "Any luck?"

Michiru smiled and said, "Yes, we got them back Kaede!" InuYasha then came in with Michigo and Sanru sleeping on his shoulders. Kaede smiled.

"They really do look just like their mother." She stated. Sango frowned at this a little knowing that even if there was a way to exorcise Naraku's presense from them and restore them to their infant selves, she still knew what they'd look like in adolescence and that saddened her.

"But they're still in danger here!" Miroku spoke up breaking Sango from her thoughts. "We have to get them to Mr. Kururugi's house!"

The others nodded and Michiru, Sango, and Kaname donned their charms and put Miroku's and Shippo's on Michigo and Sanru. Miroku and Shippo agreed to remain behind in case of an attack.

"Let's go over to the Bone Eater's Well now!" Kagome spoke.

"Right!" The others agreed and thet went to the Well and jumped in. After the whole display of light and everything, the looked up to see the modern roof at the top of the well. InuYasha then hoisted Michigo and Sanru and climbed to the top. The others then followed.

"Well, it's been awhile since I've been home!" Kagome laughed. "I'll go drop in on my family!"

"You do that Kagome." Kaname nodded. "Tell them we're here."

Kagome nodded and went inside. After a few minutes, she came back out with Sota and her mother. Mrs. Higurashi looked at her guests.

"You came at a good time!" She spoke. "I just finished making dinner!"

"Thank you." Sango replied.

"Food?" InuYasha exclaimed.

"Food?" Michiru repeated.

"Oh, no..." Kagome grumbled.

"Last one to the dinner table's a stinky, peverted, old monk InuYasha!" Michiru teased running on ahead.

"Hey, come back here!" InuYasha cried out.

The girls then looked at each other and sighed.

"Boys." Kaname grumbled.