Kiyomisa: They want more, they really want more! *wipes away tear* Thanx to everyone who reviewed, especially those who've reviewed more than once. This chapter will include more fluff (yeay! ^-^) and bring in some more characters…I hope. I'm at school right now, so this should go faster…
A/N: If Shampoo's talking fluently, that means she's speaking in Mandarin and only Mousse can understand her. I'll try to make that more obvious from now on ^-^
* * *
Kagome was sitting at her desk, staring at a long list of English verbs and trying not to fall asleep.
"What rubbish are you staring at now?" a voice demanded in mild interest from behind her.
Kagome jumped in surprise before rounding on Inu-Yasha in fury. "It is *not* rubbish! And just what are you doing here anyway? You know it takes more time for humans to heal!"
Inu-Yasha snorted and sat down on her bed. "Fine, don't act happy to see me or anything."
Kagome sighed and sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I *am* happy to see you. You just surprised me. And you never come here except to yell at me to go back."
Inu-Yasha didn't say anything, but tentatively took her hand in his. Kagome smiled and gave him a reassuring squeeze; he relaxed and let himself look around the room. He noticed that her pack was already bursting with provisions and ready to go back through the well. "So…when are you coming back?"
"Tomorrow, I think. That's when the others are coming over supposedly."
"Supposedly? You don't know?"
"Well when I called today, Ranma was taking Akane to Dr. Tofu's. I don't know why, so we may be a little delayed."
Inu-Yasha snorted. "Humans, you're always getting hurt."
"Look who's talking, Mr. I'll Just Distract him by Letting him Punch Through my Chest," Kagome replied, poking his side.
"Hey that healed within two days," Inu-Yasha defended himself.
"You shouldn't do it even if it healed in one," Kagome grumbled and stood up.
Inu-Yasha frowned at her. "What's wrong with you?"
"I don't like it when you get hurt."
"Kagome, we're fighting youkai here. People get hurt," Inu-Yasha explained with more patience than he normally had.
"I know that," Kagome replied, staring at the floor, "But you get hurt a lot. And…usually for me…"
Inu-Yasha was really confused now. He stood up as well and tried to console her. "But Kagome, I was protecting you."
"And that just makes me feel worse! That you have to get hurt because of me. I wish you'd stop." She ended in a whisper, head bowed and toe drawing circles on the floor.
Inu-Yasha tilted her chin up with a finger. "I couldn't stop it even if I tried, Kagome. It's instinct. I move to protect you before I even think about it. And I wouldn't change that for the world."
"Inu-Yasha…"
"I don't want you to get hurt, when I can take so much more."
"Hmph, just like a man to think he has to protect his woman," Kagome sniffed, but it contained no rancor.
Inu-Yasha let a smile appear, one fang hanging slightly over his lower lip. "I'm not being chauvinistic, it's a fact that as a half-youkai I can take the most out of the group. Let me protect you while I can."
Kagome smiled and hugged him tightly about the waist, pressing close to his chest. "See, you can say the right thing sometimes."
"Whaddya mean sometimes?" Inu-Yasha growled playfully.
"Well sometimes you can be a real jerk."
"Hey!"
"Kagome!" Her mother's voice called up, "Lights out, it's time for bed!"
Kagome let go of Inu-Yasha. "You'd better go. Mom wouldn't be too happy to find you in here."
"You're coming back tomorrow?"
"We'll try," Kagome said, pushing him towards the window.
"All right, but you'd better," he grumbled. Then, flashing a quick grin, he leaned in and kissed her swiftly before jumping out the window.
"Inu-Yasha, you-you-!" Kagome yelled after him before giving up and letting a smile appear on her lips. "Baka," she murmured fondly and turned in for the night.
* * *
Being broke, as always, Ryoga, Ranma and Akane voted to walk to Kagome's rather than take a taxi. Akane's foot was bandaged tightly, but felt as good as ever, and she was able to walk without help or complaint.
Ranma and Ryoga waited impatiently in the courtyard as Akane waited for someone to answer the door at the Higurashi household. Soon they were sparring lightly, the ground shaking from their efforts.
"What in the world-?" Akane's aunt murmured with a frown as she opened the door. "Oh, Akane! It's been a long time, what can I do for you? Are those your…friends?" She looked at the two martial artists dubiously.
Akane sighed and turned to the two. "Ranma, Ryoga, knock it off! Can't you two sit still for once?"
They stopped and blinked at her for a moment. Then Ranma snapped off a cheeky salute and Ryoga merely bowed politely to her aunt. Mrs. Higurashi was immediately impressed with Ryoga's manners and quickly drew him inside to offer him lots of breakfast.
Akane tried to glare at Ranma, but he winked at her as he followed them in and to her disgust, her anger melted into mere irritation.
"Ranma no baka," she muttered under her breath before smiling for her aunt as a hearty breakfast was placed in front of her as well.
"Kagome will be down shortly. I'm afraid she may have stayed up all night studying again."
"I didn't. I went to bed when you told me too Mom," Kagome said through a yawn as she sat down at the table with them. She looked at the others and said, "We can go after breakfast."
Mrs. Higurashi blinked and glanced at Ranma who was shoveling more rice into his bowl. "They know?"
"Yep!" Akane replied brightly as she pinched Ranma warningly.
"Ow! Kawaii-kune."
"Hentai."
"I'm done, shall we go?" Kagome asked quickly, standing up.
"Domo arigatou, Mrs. Higurashi," Ryoga said before picking Kagome's heavy pack up easily and following them out of the house.
"Bye Mom! Tell Sota not to touch any of my things while I'm gone!"
"Bye Kagome, be careful!"
"We will!"
* * *
"It's about time!" Inu-Yasha huffed as they climbed out of the well.
"Oh hush, I told you last night that we'd be coming today," Kagome replied as she got a helping hand from Sango.
"Ryoga, that pack is enormous," Ukyo said as he set it down.
Ryoga pointed at Kagome. "It's hers."
"So why are you carrying it?" Miroku inquired.
"Because some men are polite, Houshi-sama," Sango said, arms crossed elegantly in front of her.
"Ah but Sango-sama, I am the pinnacle of etiquette," replied Miroku, shaking his finger condescendingly at her.
Ukyo snorted and Shampoo laughed.
"Houshi is big fat liar," Shampoo said, shaking her finger back at him.
Miroku spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders. "The truth is in the believer."
"Anyone who'd believe you is touched in the head," Shippo retorted.
"So were there any new leads while we were gone?" Akane asked before someone broke through the monk's calm shell.
"There's been reports from travelers of a youkai to the east. But that's it," Mousse replied.
"There's no indication of whether the youkai is good or bad though," Miroku added.
"I say we go and find out. If anything, it has to be doing something to make people talk of it," Sango asserted, her eyes cold and her fingers itching towards her boomerang.
"How far is it?" Ryoga asked as he set Kagome's pack down inside Kaede's house.
Mousse shrugged. "Who knows? All we know is 'to the east'."
Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha and Miroku. "Set out tomorrow then?"
"It's not much of a lead," Ukyo warned.
"Still lead though," Shampoo replied.
Ranma nodded. "Tomorrow then."
* * *
"Mou, mou! It's been two weeks and nothing! Just how far away is this youkai!?" Ranma whined as she trudged along. "And why does it rain so much!?"
"Mewrp!" Shampoo agreed from within Mousse's shirt.
"Bwee!" Ryoga complained from Ukyo's grasp, glaring at Mousse.
Mousse shook his head. "It's not my fault that I was still inside the house when it started."
Shampoo purred reassuringly at him and snuggled closer to his warm chest. Mousse smiled down at her, then glanced back at Sango who was trudging along tiredly.
The exterminator had stayed up late the night before, smoking out a small demon from the house they were staying at. Miroku had stayed up as well, but he looked as fresh and happy as ever. Sango was currently trying to glare a hole through his back. She yawned suddenly, closing her eyes and she bumped right into the back she'd been glaring at.
"Whoa!" Miroku said, reaching out to steady her with a hand on her arm. She blinked and blushed.
"Gomen nasai, Houshi-sama. I wasn't watching where I was going."
"You look tired. You should get some more sleep, Sango."
"I got just as much sleep as you did, Houshi," she grumbled, stepping away from him.
Miroku was frowning. "But I got a full night's sleep the night before. You've stayed up both nights. You need to get sleep tonight."
Sango shot him a look, but it softened at the sight of his concerned expression. "I will." She grinned. "Tonight, you can stay up all night 'exorcising' the demons."
Ukyo stepped closer to Mousse, who'd watched the entire exchange. "Ne, Mousse-kun, is it just me, or is there something between those two?"
Mousse shook his head. "If there is something, it hasn't started out very well. They fight all the time. Well, actually, Miroku teases, Sango fights."
"Well Inu-Yasha and Kagome argue a lot," Ukyo pointed out. Ryoga made a small little sound that sounded like a chuckle.
"And so do Ranma and Akane," Mousse replied with a pointed look.
Ukyo's face darkened a moment, then she sighed. "You're right, I suppose. Maybe I was just destined to be alone."
There was a small protesting mrow from Shampoo and a squeal from Ryoga. Ryoga nuzzled her hand with his snout, making her laugh a little. "Arigatou." She hugged Ryoga a little closer, and he did his best to hug her back.
"Oi, there's a house over there!" Ranma called out, bouncing excitedly.
"Maybe we could stop there for the night," Miroku suggested.
Inu-Yasha looked at him as if he were nuts. "There's still a half day of light left."
Miroku glanced at Sango, whose mouth was set determinedly. "Because I'm sure Kagome and Akane would appreciate the rest," he replied, glancing at the cousins. Akane frowned and opened her mouth to protest, but Kagome nudged her and nodded her head towards Sango.
Akane's eyes widened in understanding and she nodded too. "Thanks Miroku, I could use a rest. My foot's beginning to hurt a bit."
"I think a rest would be a good idea for everyone, Inu-Yasha," Kagome added.
Inu-Yasha snorted in disgust but began walking towards the house any way. When they got to the door, Mousse pushed Miroku forward. "C'mon Houshi, time to charm 'em."
Miroku shot the martial artist a look over his shoulder, but rang the small gong by the door to announce their arrival.
They waited for a moment or two before a young woman with caramel hair and sad blue eyes finally opened the door.
Inu-Yasha took a discreet sniff, as he always did when encountering strangers. His eyes widened in alarm. "She's youkai!"
* * *
Kiyomisa: Well, chapter 6 is short again. I think this is the length they're going to stay from now on *frowns slightly*. Well, we almost got to the new character ^-^. No idea when chapter 7'll be up. Probably within a week or two. If you've got ideas, send 'em! I'm going to use a suggestion made by ember_fang (I was going to use Inu-Yasha, but I think Kouga'll work out better ^_~) within the next two chapters, so just because it might take a while doesn't mean I won't use it! Thanx again to my reviewers, I promise I will get more written DemonBlade and Totally-wicked. See ya next time ^-^.
