/CLA runs after XCori with big pointy sticks/

CLA: get back here! You have to say it every chapter!

Me: eeeeeeeeeeeeek! I know I do! You don't have to chase me!

CLA: say it then – we'll stop chasing you. We promise /puts hand over heart/

Me: I do not own Inuyasha!

/CLA continues chasing/

Me: Hey!

CLA: it's fun. You need the exercise…

Me: You sayin' I'm FAT?

/Chase reverses as XCori chases after the CLA/

CLA: YLAAAAAH!

There. I do not own Inuyasha.

Little Friends

Chapter 3

            "Hey Kaggie, remember when you fell into your cake? That was too funny!" Miroku reminisced as he ate breakfast next to his best friend, Kagome.

            As Kagome sliced a piece off of the carrot cake her mother had made for breakfast, she made a face at Miroku. "Miroku, that was forever ago! Why can't you let me forget about that incident in peace? Why is it every time we have cake, you have to bring that up?"

            "Well, Kaggie—"

            "And quit calling me Kaggie, Mirokee!"

            "Ugh, never call me that again, only Grandpa's allowed to call me that. Fine, MeMe, that whole thing was just too funny. Even when Grandpa smothered me in demon wards. Well. It was just a really really fun time. You know, before things got bad…" Miroku stared down into his piece of cake.

            "Oh, Roku, I'm sorry… but you know you're always family here. You practically live here!" Kagome drifted into silence.

            It was about 8 years ago that Kagome had turned 5. [a/n: yes, there is an 8 year diff between this chapter and the last one.] Mr. Mushin, Miroku's uncle, had been Miroku's caretaker until his parents had come back from their anthropology dig. Unfortunately, they never came back. There was a bad cave-in at the site they were working on shortly after Kagome's party and unfortunately both Dr. and Mrs. Mushin had perished. Miroku's uncle was Dr. Mushin's brother and had taken to heavy drinking afterwards.  Even though Mr. Mushin was officially Miroku's guardian, he let Miroku stay with the Higurashis as he was no longer capable of good childcare. Mrs. Higurashi had taken Miroku under her wing because she knew how close Kagome and Miroku were. The two children grew up together, along with Kagome's baby brat (uh, brother!), Sota. Sota was born when Kagome was 8 and Miroku, 9. The three children grew up together, as close as any siblings could get.

            "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Sota's anguished wail came from upstairs.

            "Sota! How many times do I have to tell you? You'll be fine at school. MeMe and Roku will take you there," Mrs. Higurashi explained patiently.

            Kagome and Miroku were jolted out of their thoughts as they exchanged a knowing glance across the cake. "Hey Sota, you'll be fine at kindergarten!" Miroku encouraged.

            "Will I really, Roku? I don't wanna be away from you and Mama and MeMe!" Sota sniffled as he reached for a slice of cake.

            "Sota, Miroku and I will walk you there. If you're worried about bullies, I don't think there will be any. Besides, Miss Tohyama is an excellent teacher! She was our teacher way back when. Remember Roku?"

            "Ah yes, Miss Tohyama. Excellent times. Art projects, nature walks… and she makes everything fun!" [a/n: My kindergarten was more like first grade… not like this…so I don't really know what I'm talking about – yeah, I'm sure that makes everyone feel tons better =P] Miroku agreed, "Besides, your school is on the way to our school. So we can walk you there every day!"

            "Roku…" Sota started out shakily, "Are you and MeMe gonna walk me home too?"

            "Sota, of course we will. We can't forget our favorite brat—"

            "Kagome! Be nice!" [Mrs. Higurashi]

            "C'mon Sota, eat up. You don't want to be late for your first day of school!" Kagome said.

            Sota, Kagome, and Miroku were walking down the street [a/n: great first line, I know!] when Sota spied a big truck in front of one of the houses. Men were moving boxes under the careful supervision of a commanding black haired woman. A silver-haired boy was alternately running circles around a taller silver haired guy and crouching next to a tank, tapping the glass. A silver haired man was helping the other men move boxes. "MeMe! Look! Someone new is moving in!"

            Sota dashed off to the newcomers before either Kagome or Miroku could stop him. When the two older children caught up to Sota, they saw he was admiring the older boy's pet toad.

            The older boy spoke up, "Is he yours?"

            Miroku leaned down near Sota. "Sota, don't you think you're being a bit nosy?" Up to the older male, "Yes, he's ours. Sorry for busting in on you like this… But you're new to the neighborhood? What's your name?"

            "I am Sesshomaru. My family and I have just moved here, like you've already figured out. What your little friend has just met is my pet toad, Jaken. This blur that won't quit moving is my little brother, Inuyasha, and those are our parents. Who might you three be?"

            Miroku replied, "I am Miroku Mushin. This is Sota Higurashi and over there is Sota's sister, Kagome. We live a few blocks down that way," Miroku gestured behind him.

            Inuyasha kept running around and didn't stop till he collided with Kagome. "Hey! Sess! Who are you calling little? OOF!"

            "What's the big idea?" Kagome grunted as she tried to roll Inuyasha off of her.

            "Miss Kagome, my apologies for Inuyasha's utter lack of manners," Sesshomaru offered a hand to Kagome at the same time hauling up Inuyasha's fallen body with the other, "And you," speaking to Inuyasha, "don't you have to get ready for school or something?"

            Inuyasha bolted upright and ran into the house yelling something about not being able to find his books if they just moved in.

            "Ummm… Thank you… uhh…"

            "Sesshomaru, but you may call me Sessho."

            "Right, thank you Sessho. Where will Inuyasha be going to school? We were just heading that way now. It's Sota's first day of kindergarten. And then Ro—, er Miroku and I were heading to the Junior High School."

            "Ah, then perhaps you can show my idiot brother where to go?"

            Kagome was about to open her mouth to protest, but Miroku smoothly interjected, "We'd be glad to."

Notes: Yep, that'd be Sesshie and Inu… along with Inu's human mother, and their father! And yes, Jaken became nothing more than a pet for Sesshie. Awwwww! Which he pretty much is anyway, doncha think?

Okie doke… I have been the victim of such writer's block tonight (I was supposed to get this and chapter 4 up tonight!) but my papers are starting to pile up. Let us all say EW to summer school. Anyway.  yes, I know, Miroku is still OOC. He's gonna change. I promise.  Chapter 4 (hopefully) will be some choice moments from school… and Kagome develops a crush!!! oooOOOooo!! ^_-'

And if you couldn't guess:

Kagome = Kaggie, Kags, MeMe

Miroku = Mirokee, Roku

Honestly, they make the cutest best friends!!! Sango will make her appearance later, along with Shippo and *possibly* Kikyo. What else? Like I said before: Inu+Kag and San+Mir…

As always: Read and Review! I'll try to put in more plot soon… but this is basically just the fleshing out of characters…