~Disclaimer=(trips over a body laying on the front step) O_O InuYasha!? Oh, nope. Just a bum... Still don't own him.
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Sango was nearly bowled over by Rin, darting into the kitchen chanting, "Snacks, snacks, snacks!"
She managed to stablize herself, however it was by franically flailing an arm and catching the first thing she could. Which happened to be Miroku's robes. Realizing what she had done, she blushed fiercly and pulled her hand back. While she was clearly embarassed, he was grinning like a fox.
Speaking of foxes, it was Shippo's turn to rush the kitchen. Speeding to catch up with the hyper-active Rin, he didn't even notice Sango standing in his way. As he hurried past, he knocked the blushing demon slayer face-first into the grinning monk. He, of course, being the 'kind and gentle' man he was, put his arms around her to steady her. She felt her body heat up and her face turn an even brighter shade of red.
Miroku, of course, knew why she was blushing, but instead he put on his best 'concerned monk' face and asked, "Sango-sama, are you feeling ill?"
She ducked her head and said, "No, houshi-sama, um, it's...just a little warm in here. That's all." She smiled at his concern for a moment, then realized his hands were no longer on her back. "HENTAI!!" she shrieked and smacked him across the face, leaving a huge red handprint.
He just had a goofy grin and said, "Alas, it is a habit I cannot break."
Shippo laughed at the two adults and was about to say something he thought was quite funny, but instead Rin, who was dancing around chanting for snacks, stepped on his tail and they almost hit the floor. However, Lady Higashikawa was pretty fast and caught them both, setting them upright and saying with a smile, "Now, what is it I can do for you two?"
Rin grinned widely and said, "Suzuka-sama said you would give us snacks 'cause Rin is hungry and dinner's not done yet and Sesshoumaru-sama is still outside talking with Suzuka-sama and Rin doesn't know where she is so she can't find any berries and Rin hasn't seen any bushes yet anyway so Rin asked Suzuka-sama and she sent Rin and Shippo-chan inside to ask Suzuka-sama's okaa-san for snacks!" Rin continued bobbing up and down looking up with wide eyes at the stunned neko-hanyou who had only understood half of what the girl said.
Finally she pieced it all together and said, "Well, let's find you something if you're that hungry." Then she turned to the cabinets and searched for something that wouldn't spoil their appetites.
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Upstairs Kagome had finally liberated Kouga's face from the mace and they were all three heading downstairs. InuYasha was pouting a bit. He had hoped she wouldn't be able to get it all off and the wolf's pain would be prolonged. Kagome hadn't a clue where she was headed, but as she reached the bottom of the stairs the front door opened.
Sesshoumaru and the girl from before walked in side by side. She thought absently that it should have seemed a strange sight; A demon wearing strange armor with a huge fluffy tail wrapped around one shoulder and long silver hair walking beside a young woman with cat ears wearing a long black robe. But then she remembered the two demons at her side and decided that strange was no longer a part of her vocabulary.
The girl saw Kagome and smiled, approaching her.
"So, I see you were successful." she said with a warm grin.
"Yes. I'm sorry about what Kouga-kun did to your room." Kagome replied with a polite bow.
Suzuka just waved it off and said, "No big deal! It's already been cleaned up anyway."
Kagome was wondering, just as most others, what was going on and asked, "Um, I'm really sorry, but I'm kinda confused. Where are we?"
"Valhavene." Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly. (A/N=thankies to my imouto, Jodea, for coming up with that name! ^_^)
Kagome just gave him a weird look, but Kouga burst out, "Valhavene!!? Is this really Valhavene!?"
Kagome could have sworn she saw Sesshoumaru sneer at Kouga, but she was even more confused than ever. "What's Valhavene?" she asked.
InuYasha started to open his mouth to explain, but Kouga beat him to it. "Valhavene is a legendary land that is ruled by youkai! It was cut off from the rest of the world over 3,000 years ago. In it live some of the most powerful taiyoukai ever to exist!" Stars danced in Kouga's eyes at the prospect of where they were.
"It's kind of like a fairy tale for youkai, only it's true." InuYasha said, not the slightest bit excited. "It's also like paradise, for youkai. A place where humans are nothing but servants and they can indulge their bloodlust to it's full extent. Supposedly, the inhabitants of Valhavene can come and go as they please and sometimes they take youkai from the outside world back with them. But only youkai are allowed any status. Hanyou's are killed at birth or banished to the other world. Humans die on a daily basis, victims to youkai bloodlust."
Kagome gasped. "It sounds like a horrible place!" she said.
Suzuka nodded. "Yes, it's much like he says. That's why none of you must leave this estate. Not without me at your side." Then he looked up at her companion's still face and said, "Except Sesshoumaru-sama. He is the only one who's safety is assured. None would dare to lay a hand on him."
"Why?" Kagome asked.
Sesshoumaru's only response was to raise a finger to his forehead and point to the indigo cresent moon there.
"He's of royal blood." Suzuka explained. "A great lord. Normally this would assure safety for any of his companions as well, but I'm afraid he doesn't know the laws of this land. So, it would be foolish to risk it."
"So, you know the laws, and could keep us safe?" Kagome asked, still slightly confused, but beginning to understand. "But, if someone realized we don't belong here, wouldn't that be dangerous, even with you there?"
Suzuka shook her head. "No. No one could touch you if I ordered them not to." She raised a clawed hand to her forehead and pushed back her thick bangs, revealing a silver starburst. "No one's authority surpasses my own, save my father's"
Sesshoumaru smiled at the look on his brother's face. It was a mixture of shock and terror. He knew the hanyou had just realized he was standing before one of the most dangerous people in the land. If she wanted, she could have him executed immediatly mearly for being a half breed. However, due to her mother's human blood, and her outburst earlier, he doubted she would do such. But he wasn't about to tell him that. He was enjoying the hanyou's fear.
When InuYasha saw the smile gracing his elder, and more vicious, brother's lips, his fear esclated. Surely he wouldn't have convinced her to have him killed!? She was the one who brought them here afterall! But the only time he ever saw his brother smile like that was when someone was about to die.
Sesshoumaru decided that he could up the fear radiating from InuYasha by letting him continue along his present line of thoughts. But making one move. He wrapped his one arm around Suzuka's waist and said, "Come, let us seek out your mother. For that is surely where Rin is." Then he led the blushing girl away, toward the smell of food he had deemed the kitchen.
InuYasha watched them go with his mouth hanging wide open. No way! If he was as close as that with her, he certainly could have convinced her to kil him!
Kagome's expression mirrored InuYasha's, though for different reasons. "What is your brother on!?" she demanded.
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As they were about to enter the kitchen Sesshoumaru removed his arm from the girl, though for some reason he was hesitant to do so.
The second they entered, Lady Higashikawa flew at them. "Please!" she begged. "Make it stop!!"
Suzuka looked past her mother to see Rin and Shippo dancing wildly on top of the table, covered from head to toe in chocolate frosting!
Jodea and Yuki were cowering under the table, clutching to each other and trying to avoid the chocolate flying from the children's hands. Miroku was valiantly shielding Sango from the brunt of the mess.
Kagome came in behind them and took one look at the two before burying her head in her hands and groaning, "Chocolate. You gave them chocolate."
"Is that a problem?" the woman asked while ducking an oncoming chocolate grenade that hit the ground amoung them, splattering all but Sesshoumaru, who had retreated behind the door, with warm gooey chocolate.
They all groaned at the extreme nastyness and Kagome said, "I don't know about Rin, but Shippo can't handle more than a little chocolate at one time."
Rin then let out a "whee!!" and jumped off the table, landing in a huge puddle of melted chocolate, sending it flying up all over the room.
Once again everyone was nastyfied.
"Looks like she can't either." mumbled InuYasha while trying to disloged drying chocolate from one of his ears.
Kouga took the iniative, darting across the room before Shippo could mimic Rin in her play. He snatched the fox out of the air mid-leap by his tail and held him in front of his face. "Cut it out, pup." he said sternly.
Shippo just gave a bright grin and asked innocently, "What?"
Kagome crossed cautiously through the room and took Shippo from Kouga, but also holding him by his chocolate covered tail. "Shippo," she said, "How much chocolate did you have?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "Ummm...about...three boxes!!"
Kagome's eyes flew open wide. "Boxes!?" she questioned.
"Yeah," Shippo replied, "She told us we could have anything we wanted out of that huge cabinet. It was full of great things! But there were these huge boxes with lots of chocolate in it! So we got that!"
Lady Higashikawa came up behind Kagome and said, "I think he means the chocolate icing we were going to use for Yuki's birthday cakes. There was enough for thirty cakes in there."
"That's a lot of chocolate." Sango said from behind Miroku, who was continuing to protect her from the still-free and hyper Rin.
Just as Rin made for the door with a cry of, "Sesshoumaru-sama!!", Suzuka whipped off her black cloak and threw it around the chocolate coated girl. She lifted her off her feet and held her fast, just her gooey head poking out.
Everyone sighed loudly as the last sugar-high kid was trapped.
Sesshoumaru's eyes nearly popped out when he saw the girl take off the robe. His first thought was that she was naked! Then he thought it was her undergarments that were visible. But the more he looked at her, the more he realized they must be some kind of strange clothes.
She wore a pair of tight jean shorts with a hole cut in the back to allow her long white tail to poke out. Her shirt was dark red with the outline of a black heart on the front. Sesshoumaru thought her clothes were obscenly tight, but all-in-all it wasn't a bad look.
Rin squirmed, desperate to get free and cause more chaos, but Suzuka held her tight. "Kagome, let's take these two upstairs and clean them up!"
Kagome nodded, still holding a now squirming Shippo by his tail.
"Hold it!" Lady Higashikawa cried. "Someone's gotta clean up this mess!"
She gave all assembled a patented mother-glare, but Suzuka just said, "Mother, please! You're the one who caused this!"
Her mother then blanched, realizing her daughter was right. "I suppose that's true." she said. "Well, since it doesn't look like dinner's gonna happen anytime soon, why don't you go into town and get something? Yuki, Jodea, InuYasha and the kids can stay here with me and help me clean up."
Suzuka looked at the two struggling kids and back to her mother. "Okaa-san, I don't think these two will be much help."
Her mother nodded and said, "Yeah, better lock them in the playroom while you're gone."
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Back in the upstairs bathroom Kagome and Suzuka were scrubbing the two kids with soap, while they splashed each other in the tub.
In the downstairs bathroom Miroku and Kouga were trying to clean themselves, without really knowing what they were doing.
Sango had been sent to Lady Higashikawa's private bathroom to take a bath, after being shown by Jodea how to work the water.
Jodea, Yuki and Lady Higashikawa were beginning clean-up on the kitchen, along with InuYasha who was anything but helpful.
InuYasha: "Does this go here?" *CRASH!!*
Lady Higashikawa: "Not my mother's plates!!"
InuYasha: "Sorry..." *CRASH! SMASH!!*
Lady Higashikawa: -_-
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After everyone was clean, Suzuka had tossed Shippo and Rin into a huge room filled with toys and locked the door. They didn't seem to mind and were running around the room jumping on everything.
Suzuka took Kagome to her room and took a long white silk dress embroidered with delicate red flowers out of her closet, followed by a knee length black skirt and white shirt. She handed the second emsemble to Kagome and said, "Here, can't let you be seen in a school uniform from Japan. People might get suspicious."
Kagome gave her a strange look and said, "How did you know it was my school uniform?"
Suzuka just shruged her shoulders. "Isn't that what they make you wear over there?"
Kagome nodded, but still looked confused. Suddenly Suzuka realized what she was getting at. "You think we're still in the Sengoku Jidai, don't you?"
Kagome shook her head, but wasn't too convincing. "I don't think that." she explained. "It's obvious we're not. But, where, or exactly when are we?"
Suzuka laughed as she pulled off her shirt and said, "We're in the 21st century! Just after your time, in fact!"
"You mean we're in the future!?" Kagome gasped.
Suzuka shruged again and said, "Not really. Well, not that far anyway. Only a couple years." She pulled the dress over her head and turned around. "Zip me up, would you?"
Kagome complied, then set about dressing herself. She was zipping up her skirt when she stopped. Suzuka was standing in front of a mirror with her eyes closed, chanting strange words. Then, to Kagome's amazement, she began to change. Her ears slid down her head to rest in the normal place, but remained pointed. Her hair turned silver and grew to reach her knees, her bangs receeding to leave her starburst prominent to all. She grew slightly taller and when she finally opened her eyes, they were no longer green, but gold.
She turned to Kagome, who was staring at her wide eyed. "What happened to you?" she breathed. "You look like...a full youkai."
"You know how InuYasha turns human?" she explained. Kagome nodded. "And how Sesshoumaru turns into the giant demon dog?" Another nod. "Well, I also have two forms. The one you saw before is like my human form...like InuYasha's. And this one is my true form...like Sesshoumaru's. They're both me, just different. I tend to get a bit of hostility if I go out in public in my other form, even if it does feel more comfortable. So, I always make sure to change before leaving the house. Just like I wouldn't go out in those clothes, I wouldn't go out in that form. It's just easier."
Kagome just nodded. It was disconcerning seeing her like that. Like a demon who would normally just rip her head off. Like Sesshoumaru.
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Kouga and Miroku had managed to clean themselves and were waiting by the front door when Kagome and Suzuka arrived, followed by Sango who was dressed in the clothes Suzuka had given her; a black skirt with a purple shirt.
Sesshoumaru joined them from parts unknown and nearly drooled when he saw Suzuka. She looked like a proper taiyoukai hime! And that dress accentuated every curve and dip of her body. Not least on his mind was her newly inu-youkai appearence. Previously, he had thought her beautiful, but too feline for his tastes. He was a dog demon after all. But now! He found he couldn't take his eyes off of her, and she noticed this.
While blushing she explained as she had to Kagome about her appearance. Everyone nodded, except the spellbound Sesshoumaru, and she began giving orders.
"Alright. We need to make sure everyone knows what to say if spoken to." she began. "Kagome, Sango, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to pretend to be my servants. Just say that you are both ladys-in-waiting to Suzuka Kurashima and you shouldn't have any problems. Miroku, you will say that you are the new priest of Higashikawa Family Shrine. Kouga, you can be yourself since you've been here once before. But it's been so long that no one will know you."
"Hold it!" Kouga shouted, "I haven't been here before! What are you talking about!?"
"Oh, yeah." she responded. "Well, I can't really tell you anything about it, but sometime in your future and my past you'll be invited here. You won't stay, and you won't really mingle with anyone. In fact, the only one you really spoke to was my father. So, baring some freak encounter with him, no one should realize you're from the past." She quickly got off that subject and turned to Sesshoumaru, who had managed to stop staring at her as if she were a goddess. "Sesshoumaru, you can be yourself too, because you've never been here before. In fact, no one knows where you are and you've become a bit of a legend. Most people will recognize you when they see you, but no one should approach you. They'll be too scared. And besides, if anyone really asks you anything, you can just brush them off. Remember, no one has power over you here except my father."
"That shouldn't be a problem for him." Kagome said. "He acts like that all the time."
Sesshoumaru was instantly in motion, moving to strike her down for that comment. But when he had nearly reached her, he found Suzuka standing between them, calm and calculating. Completely still, as if she had never moved. And, in fact, he hadn't seen or felt her move. She was fast, perhaps faster than him.
"No." Suzuka said coldly, staring into his eyes, daring him to try. "You will not kill anyone under my roof. Do you understand?"
Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment, trying to understand the almost inperceptable change in her. She was no longer the light-hearted young girl. He could see in her eyes a cold fire, and though she looked calm he knew her body was tensed for battle. He lowered his raised hand and stepped back. "Very well." he said simply. "I will abide by your rules."
Kagome let out her breath she had been holding. She had just known she was going to die! But when Suzuka challenged Sesshoumaru like that, it was amazing! And he was the one to back down!
"Alright." Suzuka said, turning to the door and opening it. "Let's get going."
She led them outside and to their amazement they found a carriage with four white horses harnessed to it, along with four other horses saddled up for riding.
"We have to keep up appearances." Suzuka said while walking to the carriage. "Sesshoumaru, as one of royal blood, you'll ride with me. Sango, Kagome, Miroku and Kouga will ride behind us. Sango and Kagome should ride side-saddle, directly to the back of the carriage. Kouga, you'll lead the carriage and Miroku, you ride behind Sango and Kagome." Everyone nodded and mounted their horses. Sesshoumaru followed at Suzuka's side and a servant opened the door for them. Once everyone was ready, the servant got in the driver's seat and they all took off.
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(A/N) Well, let's see... Will Miroku grope Sango in town? Will InuYasha destroy the kitchen, even more than it was before? Will Shippo and Rin destroy the playroom? Will they escape and wreak havoc across the land as only two sugar-high little kids can? Or just the house? Will Suzuka decide Sesshoumaru shouldn't breath and rip his throat out? Or will he learn from his mistake and be a little nicer? -_- Probably not...
And here's a bit of foreshadowing for you... What happened to that book of magic Rin and Shippo had? Did they abandon it in Suzuka's room when the mace...*ahem* exploded? Or perhaps, did they keep it? You won't find out if I don't get reviews!
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Reviews! Reviews! (skips merrily through the wildflowers) I love reviews! (trips over something ugly, green and unfortunatly breathing) AHHH!!! JAKEN!!! (picks up Jaken and punts him like a football, sending him hurtling miles away) Jaken: O_O AHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......!
bluefuzzyelf: Um, actually, there's a little problem with you visiting. See, you're a hanyou, so you wouldn't be allowed on the island. But maybe I can have you granted special permission for Yuki's birthday party or something. Oh! I know! I'll put you in the next chapter! In a scene with me where I play punch-a-peasant!! Sound like fun?
lilhillbillie: Sure you can be a servant! I actually don't have plans for the servants, and that's a big gaping hole in the wastral that is my fic. And there's more than three servants, just three houses. Like with different rooms. Several servants bunk down in the same house. They just have their own rooms! Like one big happy family! ^_^ Well, like a family that are servants and aren't related... -_-
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Sango was nearly bowled over by Rin, darting into the kitchen chanting, "Snacks, snacks, snacks!"
She managed to stablize herself, however it was by franically flailing an arm and catching the first thing she could. Which happened to be Miroku's robes. Realizing what she had done, she blushed fiercly and pulled her hand back. While she was clearly embarassed, he was grinning like a fox.
Speaking of foxes, it was Shippo's turn to rush the kitchen. Speeding to catch up with the hyper-active Rin, he didn't even notice Sango standing in his way. As he hurried past, he knocked the blushing demon slayer face-first into the grinning monk. He, of course, being the 'kind and gentle' man he was, put his arms around her to steady her. She felt her body heat up and her face turn an even brighter shade of red.
Miroku, of course, knew why she was blushing, but instead he put on his best 'concerned monk' face and asked, "Sango-sama, are you feeling ill?"
She ducked her head and said, "No, houshi-sama, um, it's...just a little warm in here. That's all." She smiled at his concern for a moment, then realized his hands were no longer on her back. "HENTAI!!" she shrieked and smacked him across the face, leaving a huge red handprint.
He just had a goofy grin and said, "Alas, it is a habit I cannot break."
Shippo laughed at the two adults and was about to say something he thought was quite funny, but instead Rin, who was dancing around chanting for snacks, stepped on his tail and they almost hit the floor. However, Lady Higashikawa was pretty fast and caught them both, setting them upright and saying with a smile, "Now, what is it I can do for you two?"
Rin grinned widely and said, "Suzuka-sama said you would give us snacks 'cause Rin is hungry and dinner's not done yet and Sesshoumaru-sama is still outside talking with Suzuka-sama and Rin doesn't know where she is so she can't find any berries and Rin hasn't seen any bushes yet anyway so Rin asked Suzuka-sama and she sent Rin and Shippo-chan inside to ask Suzuka-sama's okaa-san for snacks!" Rin continued bobbing up and down looking up with wide eyes at the stunned neko-hanyou who had only understood half of what the girl said.
Finally she pieced it all together and said, "Well, let's find you something if you're that hungry." Then she turned to the cabinets and searched for something that wouldn't spoil their appetites.
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Upstairs Kagome had finally liberated Kouga's face from the mace and they were all three heading downstairs. InuYasha was pouting a bit. He had hoped she wouldn't be able to get it all off and the wolf's pain would be prolonged. Kagome hadn't a clue where she was headed, but as she reached the bottom of the stairs the front door opened.
Sesshoumaru and the girl from before walked in side by side. She thought absently that it should have seemed a strange sight; A demon wearing strange armor with a huge fluffy tail wrapped around one shoulder and long silver hair walking beside a young woman with cat ears wearing a long black robe. But then she remembered the two demons at her side and decided that strange was no longer a part of her vocabulary.
The girl saw Kagome and smiled, approaching her.
"So, I see you were successful." she said with a warm grin.
"Yes. I'm sorry about what Kouga-kun did to your room." Kagome replied with a polite bow.
Suzuka just waved it off and said, "No big deal! It's already been cleaned up anyway."
Kagome was wondering, just as most others, what was going on and asked, "Um, I'm really sorry, but I'm kinda confused. Where are we?"
"Valhavene." Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly. (A/N=thankies to my imouto, Jodea, for coming up with that name! ^_^)
Kagome just gave him a weird look, but Kouga burst out, "Valhavene!!? Is this really Valhavene!?"
Kagome could have sworn she saw Sesshoumaru sneer at Kouga, but she was even more confused than ever. "What's Valhavene?" she asked.
InuYasha started to open his mouth to explain, but Kouga beat him to it. "Valhavene is a legendary land that is ruled by youkai! It was cut off from the rest of the world over 3,000 years ago. In it live some of the most powerful taiyoukai ever to exist!" Stars danced in Kouga's eyes at the prospect of where they were.
"It's kind of like a fairy tale for youkai, only it's true." InuYasha said, not the slightest bit excited. "It's also like paradise, for youkai. A place where humans are nothing but servants and they can indulge their bloodlust to it's full extent. Supposedly, the inhabitants of Valhavene can come and go as they please and sometimes they take youkai from the outside world back with them. But only youkai are allowed any status. Hanyou's are killed at birth or banished to the other world. Humans die on a daily basis, victims to youkai bloodlust."
Kagome gasped. "It sounds like a horrible place!" she said.
Suzuka nodded. "Yes, it's much like he says. That's why none of you must leave this estate. Not without me at your side." Then he looked up at her companion's still face and said, "Except Sesshoumaru-sama. He is the only one who's safety is assured. None would dare to lay a hand on him."
"Why?" Kagome asked.
Sesshoumaru's only response was to raise a finger to his forehead and point to the indigo cresent moon there.
"He's of royal blood." Suzuka explained. "A great lord. Normally this would assure safety for any of his companions as well, but I'm afraid he doesn't know the laws of this land. So, it would be foolish to risk it."
"So, you know the laws, and could keep us safe?" Kagome asked, still slightly confused, but beginning to understand. "But, if someone realized we don't belong here, wouldn't that be dangerous, even with you there?"
Suzuka shook her head. "No. No one could touch you if I ordered them not to." She raised a clawed hand to her forehead and pushed back her thick bangs, revealing a silver starburst. "No one's authority surpasses my own, save my father's"
Sesshoumaru smiled at the look on his brother's face. It was a mixture of shock and terror. He knew the hanyou had just realized he was standing before one of the most dangerous people in the land. If she wanted, she could have him executed immediatly mearly for being a half breed. However, due to her mother's human blood, and her outburst earlier, he doubted she would do such. But he wasn't about to tell him that. He was enjoying the hanyou's fear.
When InuYasha saw the smile gracing his elder, and more vicious, brother's lips, his fear esclated. Surely he wouldn't have convinced her to have him killed!? She was the one who brought them here afterall! But the only time he ever saw his brother smile like that was when someone was about to die.
Sesshoumaru decided that he could up the fear radiating from InuYasha by letting him continue along his present line of thoughts. But making one move. He wrapped his one arm around Suzuka's waist and said, "Come, let us seek out your mother. For that is surely where Rin is." Then he led the blushing girl away, toward the smell of food he had deemed the kitchen.
InuYasha watched them go with his mouth hanging wide open. No way! If he was as close as that with her, he certainly could have convinced her to kil him!
Kagome's expression mirrored InuYasha's, though for different reasons. "What is your brother on!?" she demanded.
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As they were about to enter the kitchen Sesshoumaru removed his arm from the girl, though for some reason he was hesitant to do so.
The second they entered, Lady Higashikawa flew at them. "Please!" she begged. "Make it stop!!"
Suzuka looked past her mother to see Rin and Shippo dancing wildly on top of the table, covered from head to toe in chocolate frosting!
Jodea and Yuki were cowering under the table, clutching to each other and trying to avoid the chocolate flying from the children's hands. Miroku was valiantly shielding Sango from the brunt of the mess.
Kagome came in behind them and took one look at the two before burying her head in her hands and groaning, "Chocolate. You gave them chocolate."
"Is that a problem?" the woman asked while ducking an oncoming chocolate grenade that hit the ground amoung them, splattering all but Sesshoumaru, who had retreated behind the door, with warm gooey chocolate.
They all groaned at the extreme nastyness and Kagome said, "I don't know about Rin, but Shippo can't handle more than a little chocolate at one time."
Rin then let out a "whee!!" and jumped off the table, landing in a huge puddle of melted chocolate, sending it flying up all over the room.
Once again everyone was nastyfied.
"Looks like she can't either." mumbled InuYasha while trying to disloged drying chocolate from one of his ears.
Kouga took the iniative, darting across the room before Shippo could mimic Rin in her play. He snatched the fox out of the air mid-leap by his tail and held him in front of his face. "Cut it out, pup." he said sternly.
Shippo just gave a bright grin and asked innocently, "What?"
Kagome crossed cautiously through the room and took Shippo from Kouga, but also holding him by his chocolate covered tail. "Shippo," she said, "How much chocolate did you have?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "Ummm...about...three boxes!!"
Kagome's eyes flew open wide. "Boxes!?" she questioned.
"Yeah," Shippo replied, "She told us we could have anything we wanted out of that huge cabinet. It was full of great things! But there were these huge boxes with lots of chocolate in it! So we got that!"
Lady Higashikawa came up behind Kagome and said, "I think he means the chocolate icing we were going to use for Yuki's birthday cakes. There was enough for thirty cakes in there."
"That's a lot of chocolate." Sango said from behind Miroku, who was continuing to protect her from the still-free and hyper Rin.
Just as Rin made for the door with a cry of, "Sesshoumaru-sama!!", Suzuka whipped off her black cloak and threw it around the chocolate coated girl. She lifted her off her feet and held her fast, just her gooey head poking out.
Everyone sighed loudly as the last sugar-high kid was trapped.
Sesshoumaru's eyes nearly popped out when he saw the girl take off the robe. His first thought was that she was naked! Then he thought it was her undergarments that were visible. But the more he looked at her, the more he realized they must be some kind of strange clothes.
She wore a pair of tight jean shorts with a hole cut in the back to allow her long white tail to poke out. Her shirt was dark red with the outline of a black heart on the front. Sesshoumaru thought her clothes were obscenly tight, but all-in-all it wasn't a bad look.
Rin squirmed, desperate to get free and cause more chaos, but Suzuka held her tight. "Kagome, let's take these two upstairs and clean them up!"
Kagome nodded, still holding a now squirming Shippo by his tail.
"Hold it!" Lady Higashikawa cried. "Someone's gotta clean up this mess!"
She gave all assembled a patented mother-glare, but Suzuka just said, "Mother, please! You're the one who caused this!"
Her mother then blanched, realizing her daughter was right. "I suppose that's true." she said. "Well, since it doesn't look like dinner's gonna happen anytime soon, why don't you go into town and get something? Yuki, Jodea, InuYasha and the kids can stay here with me and help me clean up."
Suzuka looked at the two struggling kids and back to her mother. "Okaa-san, I don't think these two will be much help."
Her mother nodded and said, "Yeah, better lock them in the playroom while you're gone."
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Back in the upstairs bathroom Kagome and Suzuka were scrubbing the two kids with soap, while they splashed each other in the tub.
In the downstairs bathroom Miroku and Kouga were trying to clean themselves, without really knowing what they were doing.
Sango had been sent to Lady Higashikawa's private bathroom to take a bath, after being shown by Jodea how to work the water.
Jodea, Yuki and Lady Higashikawa were beginning clean-up on the kitchen, along with InuYasha who was anything but helpful.
InuYasha: "Does this go here?" *CRASH!!*
Lady Higashikawa: "Not my mother's plates!!"
InuYasha: "Sorry..." *CRASH! SMASH!!*
Lady Higashikawa: -_-
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After everyone was clean, Suzuka had tossed Shippo and Rin into a huge room filled with toys and locked the door. They didn't seem to mind and were running around the room jumping on everything.
Suzuka took Kagome to her room and took a long white silk dress embroidered with delicate red flowers out of her closet, followed by a knee length black skirt and white shirt. She handed the second emsemble to Kagome and said, "Here, can't let you be seen in a school uniform from Japan. People might get suspicious."
Kagome gave her a strange look and said, "How did you know it was my school uniform?"
Suzuka just shruged her shoulders. "Isn't that what they make you wear over there?"
Kagome nodded, but still looked confused. Suddenly Suzuka realized what she was getting at. "You think we're still in the Sengoku Jidai, don't you?"
Kagome shook her head, but wasn't too convincing. "I don't think that." she explained. "It's obvious we're not. But, where, or exactly when are we?"
Suzuka laughed as she pulled off her shirt and said, "We're in the 21st century! Just after your time, in fact!"
"You mean we're in the future!?" Kagome gasped.
Suzuka shruged again and said, "Not really. Well, not that far anyway. Only a couple years." She pulled the dress over her head and turned around. "Zip me up, would you?"
Kagome complied, then set about dressing herself. She was zipping up her skirt when she stopped. Suzuka was standing in front of a mirror with her eyes closed, chanting strange words. Then, to Kagome's amazement, she began to change. Her ears slid down her head to rest in the normal place, but remained pointed. Her hair turned silver and grew to reach her knees, her bangs receeding to leave her starburst prominent to all. She grew slightly taller and when she finally opened her eyes, they were no longer green, but gold.
She turned to Kagome, who was staring at her wide eyed. "What happened to you?" she breathed. "You look like...a full youkai."
"You know how InuYasha turns human?" she explained. Kagome nodded. "And how Sesshoumaru turns into the giant demon dog?" Another nod. "Well, I also have two forms. The one you saw before is like my human form...like InuYasha's. And this one is my true form...like Sesshoumaru's. They're both me, just different. I tend to get a bit of hostility if I go out in public in my other form, even if it does feel more comfortable. So, I always make sure to change before leaving the house. Just like I wouldn't go out in those clothes, I wouldn't go out in that form. It's just easier."
Kagome just nodded. It was disconcerning seeing her like that. Like a demon who would normally just rip her head off. Like Sesshoumaru.
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Kouga and Miroku had managed to clean themselves and were waiting by the front door when Kagome and Suzuka arrived, followed by Sango who was dressed in the clothes Suzuka had given her; a black skirt with a purple shirt.
Sesshoumaru joined them from parts unknown and nearly drooled when he saw Suzuka. She looked like a proper taiyoukai hime! And that dress accentuated every curve and dip of her body. Not least on his mind was her newly inu-youkai appearence. Previously, he had thought her beautiful, but too feline for his tastes. He was a dog demon after all. But now! He found he couldn't take his eyes off of her, and she noticed this.
While blushing she explained as she had to Kagome about her appearance. Everyone nodded, except the spellbound Sesshoumaru, and she began giving orders.
"Alright. We need to make sure everyone knows what to say if spoken to." she began. "Kagome, Sango, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to pretend to be my servants. Just say that you are both ladys-in-waiting to Suzuka Kurashima and you shouldn't have any problems. Miroku, you will say that you are the new priest of Higashikawa Family Shrine. Kouga, you can be yourself since you've been here once before. But it's been so long that no one will know you."
"Hold it!" Kouga shouted, "I haven't been here before! What are you talking about!?"
"Oh, yeah." she responded. "Well, I can't really tell you anything about it, but sometime in your future and my past you'll be invited here. You won't stay, and you won't really mingle with anyone. In fact, the only one you really spoke to was my father. So, baring some freak encounter with him, no one should realize you're from the past." She quickly got off that subject and turned to Sesshoumaru, who had managed to stop staring at her as if she were a goddess. "Sesshoumaru, you can be yourself too, because you've never been here before. In fact, no one knows where you are and you've become a bit of a legend. Most people will recognize you when they see you, but no one should approach you. They'll be too scared. And besides, if anyone really asks you anything, you can just brush them off. Remember, no one has power over you here except my father."
"That shouldn't be a problem for him." Kagome said. "He acts like that all the time."
Sesshoumaru was instantly in motion, moving to strike her down for that comment. But when he had nearly reached her, he found Suzuka standing between them, calm and calculating. Completely still, as if she had never moved. And, in fact, he hadn't seen or felt her move. She was fast, perhaps faster than him.
"No." Suzuka said coldly, staring into his eyes, daring him to try. "You will not kill anyone under my roof. Do you understand?"
Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment, trying to understand the almost inperceptable change in her. She was no longer the light-hearted young girl. He could see in her eyes a cold fire, and though she looked calm he knew her body was tensed for battle. He lowered his raised hand and stepped back. "Very well." he said simply. "I will abide by your rules."
Kagome let out her breath she had been holding. She had just known she was going to die! But when Suzuka challenged Sesshoumaru like that, it was amazing! And he was the one to back down!
"Alright." Suzuka said, turning to the door and opening it. "Let's get going."
She led them outside and to their amazement they found a carriage with four white horses harnessed to it, along with four other horses saddled up for riding.
"We have to keep up appearances." Suzuka said while walking to the carriage. "Sesshoumaru, as one of royal blood, you'll ride with me. Sango, Kagome, Miroku and Kouga will ride behind us. Sango and Kagome should ride side-saddle, directly to the back of the carriage. Kouga, you'll lead the carriage and Miroku, you ride behind Sango and Kagome." Everyone nodded and mounted their horses. Sesshoumaru followed at Suzuka's side and a servant opened the door for them. Once everyone was ready, the servant got in the driver's seat and they all took off.
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(A/N) Well, let's see... Will Miroku grope Sango in town? Will InuYasha destroy the kitchen, even more than it was before? Will Shippo and Rin destroy the playroom? Will they escape and wreak havoc across the land as only two sugar-high little kids can? Or just the house? Will Suzuka decide Sesshoumaru shouldn't breath and rip his throat out? Or will he learn from his mistake and be a little nicer? -_- Probably not...
And here's a bit of foreshadowing for you... What happened to that book of magic Rin and Shippo had? Did they abandon it in Suzuka's room when the mace...*ahem* exploded? Or perhaps, did they keep it? You won't find out if I don't get reviews!
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Reviews! Reviews! (skips merrily through the wildflowers) I love reviews! (trips over something ugly, green and unfortunatly breathing) AHHH!!! JAKEN!!! (picks up Jaken and punts him like a football, sending him hurtling miles away) Jaken: O_O AHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......!
bluefuzzyelf: Um, actually, there's a little problem with you visiting. See, you're a hanyou, so you wouldn't be allowed on the island. But maybe I can have you granted special permission for Yuki's birthday party or something. Oh! I know! I'll put you in the next chapter! In a scene with me where I play punch-a-peasant!! Sound like fun?
lilhillbillie: Sure you can be a servant! I actually don't have plans for the servants, and that's a big gaping hole in the wastral that is my fic. And there's more than three servants, just three houses. Like with different rooms. Several servants bunk down in the same house. They just have their own rooms! Like one big happy family! ^_^ Well, like a family that are servants and aren't related... -_-