{Disclaimer: See chapter one}

Chapter Four: Thank You

"What's this?" Sango asked out loud. She was leaving her room when she tripped on something in the doorway. A thud beside told her that Kagome was having the same trouble.

"Who left that there?" Kagome asked. She then noticed Sango, and smiled. "Good morning, Sango. I was coming to wake you up when I tripped."

Sango giggled and helped Kagome to her feet. They turned around and searched their doors for whatever sent them to the floor. In each door sat a little brown package, tied with rope. Sango picked up hers and Kagome's and followed Kagome back to her room. Kagome set to work fixing breakfast as Sango opened her package. She nearly dropped the little portable kettle when Sango gasped. She looked over her shoulder and stopped, stunned.

"I can't believe he gave it to me," Sango breathed. In her hands was the kimono she'd seen in the northern part of the castle. It was in a long forgotten room, surrounded by many kimonos of different fabrics and colors. The kimono was a deep golden, almost the color of the setting sun, with little silver flowers embroidered in the front of the fabric. The inside was a jet black, with little white pinpoints of thread in it to resemble stars. Sango smiled at Kagome, who couldn't take her eyes off it.

"There's a note on the front," Kagome said as she set the kettle on the Bunsen burner. She reached for it and read it to Sango, who was still to awestruck by the gift to notice.

"Sango,

This kimono once belonged to my mother.

Now I give it to you.

If your blood has rejected me, then it will serve as a way for you to remember me.

If not, then it will serve as an engagement present, since Kagome said something about that to me earlier.

Wear it with my thoughts of you in mind.

Sesshoumaru"

"Aww…how sweet," Kagome cooed. Sango tied on the kimono over her battle armor and looked at herself in one of the mirrors in Kagome's room.

"It's beautiful. I can't wait to show him."

Kagome grabbed her wrist before she could sprint out the door.

"Wait a minute. There were two presents, remember?"

Sango nodded, blushing. Kagome smiled and dragged her package into her lap. Inside was another

kimono, the same silky fabric as Sango's. As she lifted it out, a rose fell out of its inner folds. Kagome picked it up. It was stripped of its thorns. Kagome tried to remember where she'd seen this rose before. Her eyes widened as she remembered the night before Sango and Sesshoumaru's engagement, as she was walking through the garden on the southern part of the castle.

*******

"Such beautiful roses," Kagome whispered as the wind blew the scents of them to her. It seemed like this garden was enchanted. Little fireflies danced above every bush, and the stars overhead lit her way across the garden path. Each new twist and turn brought a new color of rose for her eyes to feast upon. At the beginning of the path were white roses, but when she turned to the right of the path, they faded into a deep blue, then at the next corner a pale peach. And so it went along her path, each bush fading into a new color at every corner until she came to the center of the garden. In its center was a small courtyard, with only one bush in the middle. On it was every color rose in the entire garden. Some were solid shades, like a single blue rose or the two peach ones near her feet, but the one that caught her attention was directly in the center of the bush. It's center was a pale pink, with it darkening to a blood red along the outer petal tips. Under the red was pure white. Kagome stared at it for a long time, entranced by its beauty to the point where she didn't notice anyone was with her until they grasped her hand.

"Eeee!"

Inuyasha jumped a good foot, holding his ears in offense. "Ow! What was that for, you stupid bitch?"

Kagome huffed and turned her back to him, her attention again on the flower. When Inuyasha finally gathered his sensed (and his hearing) he stood beside her, watching her face as she raised her hand gently to

touch it.

"Isn't it beautiful," she breathed. Inuyasha could only stare for a moment, enthralled with the "flower" beside him, before rolling his eyes.

"Its just a stupid flower."

Kagome sighed and turned to leave the clearing, leaving Inuyasha to wonder what he did this time. She turned to him, a sad smile creeping on her face.

"I didn't expect you to understand."

As she turned to leave, she turned to him again, this time with her eyes glowing with the same ki that killed the enemy the day before.

"Oh yeah. If you ever call me a bitch again, Inuyasha, you'll regret it for you very short life." With that said, she turned and walked back to the castle, leaving Inuyasha to wonder if she would make good on her threat.

***********

"So he remembered," Kagome whispered. She followed Sango out the door and to the study in the center of the castle. Jakken stood in front of it, trying to keep Rin from getting past him.

"But Rin wants to see Sesshoumaru," Rin pleaded to the little toad.

Jakken shook his head, shoving the child to the side. "Lord Sesshoumaru said no one is to enter here today. That includes you and the two filthy human females."

Kagome bopped the little toad with her fist, leaving him sprawled on the ground with a knot slowly rising on his head.

"Shame on you for pushing Rin like that," Sango scolded.

Jakken sneered at her. "So what if I pushed her? I'll push you too."

"You'll do no such thing, Jakken," came a voice from inside the study. Jakken froze as the three girls smirked at him.

"Jakken's gonna get it," Rin sang, dancing around the nervous servant. Kagome shook her finger gently at her. "Rin, it is not polite to make fun of other people's misfortunes, even if they do deserve it."

Jakken shuddered as he turned to the door. "My lord, those filthy humans want to come in and disturb you."

A sigh could be heard from the other side of the door.

"Jakken, Rin is not to be treated in such a way. Neither is Kagome. As for Sango, take a good look at her neck."

Three pairs of eyes focused on Sango, who turned a deep crimson under their intense stare. Jakken scowled, then gasped as his eyes fell on the small crescent on the side of her neck. Kagome saw it too and smiled.

"That's right, Jakken," called Inuyasha from behind the door. "You'll be in deep shit if you bother her."

A smack could be heard from the other side, then low arguing. Sango and Rin looked at each other in confusion, then at Kagome as she burst into laughter.

"What is it, Kagome?" Sango asked.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't want that kind of language to be repeated in front of Rin."

Sango raised an eyebrow at her. "So? Why is that so funny?"

Kagome grabbed her sides, gasping as she spoke. "Its not (giggle) but he doesn't want it to be used (giggle) in front of (gasp) his mate (snort) either."

With that, she burst into fresh giggles as Sango turned red. Sesshoumaru's voice piped up from the closed room.

"As I was saying, they are not to come in, but you are not to be cruel to them, either. You won't like it if you disobey."

Jakken winced, but stood back to the door. Seeing that they weren't going to get anywhere, Sango and Rin turned to find something else to do. Kagome stood a moment before raising her hands to her mouth.

"When are you two coming out of there?" she asked.

"Tomorrow, when we go home."

Kagome sighed and turned away from the door. "Oh well," she whispered, walking down the hallway. "I guess I'll just have to wait to tell Inuyasha how happy I am with his little gift." As she walked away, a pair of ears poked out the study, twitched, and were gone.

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Shorin: I'm the only one here today. The others left to get prop supplies. Oh yeah, and push the purple button please!