Chapter? : Is this your idea of Irony?
-
~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
-
Inuyasha's eyes drifted open as his nose caught a new scent on the wind. He hadn't really ever fallen asleep, how could he? He never had been one to just let things be. And here he was, just sitting here, doing nothing, attempting in vain to go to have the wanders of sleep take hold of him.
*
Shippo poked Inuyasha's cheek, "Inuyasha do you smell that?". The kitsune had been having just as much trouble with insomnia as Inuyasha.
*
The hanyou sniffed the air again, just to make sure he wasn't mistaken. "Yeah, it's Kagome alright."
*
Shippo hopped off of Inuyasha's shoulder, smiling brightly. He was quite relieved that Kagome wasn't dead, after all, if she was, it was all his fault. But there was still something about the scent he had picked up that puzzled him.
*
"Who's that with her?"
*
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "That, is Kirara, and a very , very different from what we're used to, demon exterminator."
*
Shippo raised an eyebrow. Did Inuyasha mean Sango? Surely that couldn't be Sango. Cause, Sango, smelt like Sango, not like a demon. Therefore, it couldn't be Sango. See, it was perfect reasoning.
*
"Umm, Sango doesn't smell like a demon Inuyasha."
*
Inuyasha shook his head as if he were talking to the biggest idiot in the world, how he longed for the days when this conversation could just be ended by a simple fling into a wall. Knowing full well that his days of flinging Shippo were over, he pointed at the still unconscious monk.
*
"A few hours ago, Miroku didn't smell like one either."
*
Shippo nodded, understanding now. He then giggled again at Miroku's Fuzzy, fluffy, dog ears.
*
"Hey Inuyasha, Miroku still has fluffy dog ears."
*
"I can see that.", Inuyasha quickly turned his head, hiding the smirk on his face and choking back a laugh. He wasn't quite sure he would ever be able to look at the monk again without laughing.
*
He really wasn't quite sure how he felt about this, if he even felt anything at all. So, Sango and Miroku had became hanyou's like himself and Kagome. Big deal. They were still the same old pervert and demon exterminator. If anything, the only thing he felt about the change was relief, relief that Sango's baby would heal itself now, and relief that they now had a life span equivalent to his own. No.. the feeling wasn't relief exactly.. it was gratitude. Gratitude that the god's had bestowed him such fortune.. he really didn't deserve any of it.
*
"Inuyasha? How much longer do ya think it'll be till' they get back?"
*
The hanyou sniffed at the air, attempting to judge the distance. The girls were still a good ways away, apparently they were making no haste to return. More than likely Sango was dreading it, after all, as far as he knew, Miroku had had no knowledge of this whatsoever, the demon exterminator was probably just worried about how he would take it.
*
"They'll be back by morning."
*
Before Shippo could make any form of reply to that, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Miroku was stirring. It wouldn't be much longer until he woke up. Judging by the fact that Inuyasha had used himself to knock him unconscious, that probably wasn't something to look forward to.
*
"Um.. Inuyasha, he's waking up."
*
Inuyasha leapt from the floor, landing on his feet. He grabbed Shippo by the tail hastily and ran out the flap of Kaede's hut.
*
"Hey! Stop it! Kagome's gonna be mad at you! She doesn't like it when you hold me like this! She'll sit you!"
*
Inuyasha stopped long enough to rearrange shippo so that the kitsune was now residing on his shoulder.
Having arrived at a tree, he looked up it, trying to decide if it was big enough or not.
*
"Um.. what are you doing? Should we really be leaving him alone?"
*
Inuyasha sunk his claws into the tree, tearing it loose from the earth. It really was a very large tree.
*
Shippo closed his eyes, hoping to whatever was good and holy that Inuyasha didn't drop the tree he was carrying, thus squishing them both. The hanyou was used to being slammed into the ground, sometimes even with large heavy objects falling on top of him, Shippo however, had little experience in this area. Being flung into things was more his line of business, and he really wasn't wanting to try out anything new.
*
Inuyasha stumbled his way back to the entrance of Kaede's hut, occasionally loosing his footing and almost dropping the tree on top of his head. This experience completely terrified Shippo.
*
Now where he had wanted to be, Inuyasha dropped the tree, right beside the door of Kaede's hut, forming a barricade. If someone wanted in or out of that hut, they would have to either be a youkai, or pretty damn strong. Just in case Kaede had some secret strengths she had gotten from some herbs that she hadn't told them about, or Miroku learned to master his new strengths at a rate beyond the power of human and youkai alike, Inuyasha pushed the tree a good five foot into the ground. Just in case.
*
He took a step back, Shippo still gaping on his shoulder, to admire his um.. 'craftsmanship'. The tree that had previously been in a whole other yard, had found a brand new home right in Kaede's door step. A mound of dirt encircled it, having broken from the ground in the process of Inuyasha's rough transplanting.
It was highly unlikely that the tree would survive this, not that that had been Inuyasha's intention. He certainly hadn't done it just because he had gotten into the gardening spirit.
*
Kaede's door was completely obstructed now, and some of the wood around the top of the door frame had been broken. A few stray limbs poked inside. The old miko was sure to regret not having had a second exit put into her hut, soon enough she would regret it more than anything in her life.
*
Inuyasha rubbed his hands against his shirt, wiping off the dirt, or, at least transferring it.
*
"Um.. why did you do that?"
*
Inuyasha walked away from the tree, heading in the direction of another one. "Do ya really won't to be there when he wakes up? Do ya really want him to be able to get out of there when he wakes up? I say we leave it up to the old hag."
*
Shippo nodded, as his mind filled with visions of Miroku screaming his head off, he'd probably start chanting again like he did earlier, too. That had just been scary. "Good idea. So where are we going now."
*
The hanyou leapt into a tree, climbing hastily to one of the top branches, letting his actions answer Shippo's questions.
*
~*~
*
Miroku groaned. For some reason, he had an immense pain on the back of his head. Actually, that immense pain was inside his head too. Part of this pain could probably be accounted for by the large bump on the top of his head he felt when he reached his hand up there. The other pain, could probably be accounted for by the fact that everything was so damn loud.
*
And why was everything so mind breakingly loud? So loud that, if he wasn't mistaken, he was actually.. whimpering?
*
Whimpering? Now there was something new. Of course, everything being so loud it hurt bad enough to whimper was something new in its self.
*
Of course, more than likely, the reason everything was so loud, was probably because of the two floppy, fuzzy, furry , curly, dog ears now adorning his head. These he also found in the course of feeling the top of his head to check for bumps.
*
Funny, he couldn't remember ever having floppy, fuzzy, furry, curly dog ears before.
*
Groaning again, he lifted his back up until he was sitting up. It seemed that he was on a futon. And for some reason that he could not begin to fathom anymore than why he had dog ears, there were tree limbs sticking into the door. Tree limbs, attached to a tree, which in turn was blocking his only exit. This tree was also accompanied by a large quantity of dirt.
*
He scratched his chin in what he thought to be a wise and thoughtful manner. After the first scratch, he realized that was far from being a good idea. For, to his knowledge, when you scratched your chin and blood began to ooze out of the newly acquired wounds there you had made yourself, that wasn't a good thing.
*
He brought his hand out in front of his face. Hmm.. how odd, he had claws. That certainly wasn't normal.
*
And what were those sharp things impaling his lips?
*
Tentatively, as if he were afraid of what he might find there, Miroku brought a single clawed finger up to his mouth, touching it to his teeth. He ran it over each one of them.
*
Normal.
~
Normal.
~
Normal.
~
DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL!
~
No, sharp, pointy fangs were definitely not his idea of normal.
*
Hmm.. So, he had floppy, fuzzy, furry, curly (not to mention horribly embarrassing) dog ears, claws, fangs and for some reason, he could distinctly smell the ink from when Sango had written the letter. Hadn't that been hours ago? And even then, right after it had happened, he hadn't smelt anything. And of course, there was the fact that he could actually see his clawed hands in front of his face, despite the fact that the candles had burned out long ago.
*
Come to think of it, just why had he been knocked out in the first place? What had he been doing again? What was the last thing he remembered?
*
Oh yes, he had been griping at Shippo and sulking. And then, out of nowhere, a bright beam of purple light shot out and enveloped him. It had been a strange light too, obviously, it had been some kind of energy. However, he had been unable to tell if it were evil, or pure. It had felt like it was neither. A neutral energy. But regardless of whatever the hell the purple thing was, it brought him up into the air, and then dropped him. Which really hurt his head by the way. Oh, and just as he had been recovering from the last blow to his head, something else had come down hard on it again. Yes, that was what had happened, and then he had blacked out.
*
Alright, so what did all of these facts lead him with? What conclusion could he draw? Of course, it was now blatantly obvious. Somehow, a weird purple light had turned him into a hanyou.
*
He smiled, quite proud of himself that he had actually been able to remain calm and reasonable in this situation, going over the facts until he came to a conclusion. The smile caused his fangs to bite into his lips.
*
His smile immediately disappeared as he proceeded to the next logical course of action.
*
Screaming his head off until *something* happened, surely that would make everything all better.
*
~*~
*
Kaede had been having a perfectly lovely dream about the herbs gathering around, dancing in song, and proclaiming her as their wonderful, talented, princess, when she heard it...
*
Someone screaming bloody murder.
*
Now Kaede was an old miko. And the elderly did enjoy their sleep. Especially old people like Kaede, for, it was only in her sleep that she could feel true happiness. In her sleep, her beloved herbs could talk and dance, could sing and love her! Her precious, beloved herbs could express their gratitude for her years of dedication to them, only in her dreams. And so, in her dreams, she felt at home amongst the herbs. The herbs that had arms, legs, eyes, and big smiles.
*
There were a few repercussions of these dreams of course, after a few of them, she had to think twice before grinding up her herbs. Was she murdering a friend? Was she hurting them? Would they be mad at her? But that problem had been solved when the herbs in her dreams had assured her that it was perfectly alright, in fact, they enjoyed it, because it tickled, and how they loved being tickled.
*
But that is beside the point, what matters here is this, Kaede enjoyed sleeping for her own very , very disturbingly strange reasons. Thus, she really did not like being awoken in the middle of the night. Nope, that really wasn't something she enjoyed.. and it had been such a delightful dream.
*
But now she had been rudely awaken by someone screaming like an idiot. Now who would be screaming at this hour? Then again, she did live in a village where the Shikon No Tama was still thought to be, there fore it was often attacked by demons, which, more often than not, killed at least one random villager… never anyone important however, because that would be inconvenient… So it really wasn't that strange that someone was screaming, but that didn't change the fact that it was annoying.
*
Muttering some words miko's really shouldn't say, Kaede groggily got out of bed and put on her miko attire. Never mind the fact that her haori was on backwards, however she managed to do that, at least she wasn't naked… kami only knew what that might lead to, actually, walking out naked, might just scare the youkai or whatever was making someone scream, away..
*
They probably wouldn't just run away either, their running would probably be accompanied by tortured screams of, 'My eyes! My eyes! How could such horror exist! My eyes! Oh my poor eyes!', and more than likely, the victim/intruder would pull out his eyeballs in a desperate attempt to rid themselves of the nasty mental images.
*
Kaede actually considered taking off her clothes and just trying that approach. It would be so much easier than just having Inuyasha battle it. However, she refrained from doing so, because there was a chance an angry mob might form, yelling at the demons but doing nothing in the way to stop them, as they usually did. And she really didn't want to be the cause of masses of people ripping out their eyeballs.
*
So, instead of taking off her clothes, she left them on as they were, her haori still on backwards, as she made her way into the main room.
*
Upon entrance to this room, the noise grew to a deafening roar. She clapped her hands over her ears to block out the sound.
*
The weird old miko glared at the futon, where the source of the scream resided.
*
This glare, was by far one of the scariest Miroku had ever received, it rivaled even Sango's 'You are such an unbelievable pervert that someday I will chop you up into little bity pieces and feed you to Kirara' glare of death. Upon receiving this glare, he immediately clamped his mouth shut, taking note of the fact that Kaede's haori was on backwards, well, at least she wasn't naked. He shuddered at the thought.
*
Her glare soon turned into a squint as she tried to make out the form in the dark. Whatever it was, at least it had stopped screaming.
*
"Who are you?"
*
Miroku faltered for a moment, apparently, he had forgotten his name. In actuality, he had just been so shocked that someone was here to talk to him, and that he no longer had to scream alone, he was speechless.
*
But soon, he regained the power of speech, as it was quite inevitable that he would.
*
"It's only me Kaede-sama, Miroku."
*
Kaede breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she wouldn't have to use her nudity to scare away the intruder.
It was then that she noticed something. There was a tree in her house. It was terribly dark inside, but enough moonlight streamed in to make the trees branches unmistakable.
*
"Why is there a tree in my house?"
*
Miroku shrugged his shoulders, but then, realizing she couldn't see him, he voiced his lack of an answer.
*
"I'm not sure, that's actually not my biggest concern right now. If you would be so kind as to light a candle?", Miroku tossed the elderly woman one of the lighter's Kagome had provided him with. Such nifty inventions they were, so very useful.
*
"Of course.", She fumbled with the switch on the lighter a few times before finally figuring it out and lighting a candle. She turned back around to face Miroku, curious as to what this problem was that he was having that she had to see. Surely it could be solved with the help of her dear friends, the herbs.
*
What she saw though, definitely could *not* be solved with herbs.
*
"Why! You're a.. a.."
*
Miroku finished her sentence for her, "A youkai?"
*
"How did this happen?"
*
"I have no idea."
*
"Where is Inuyasha?"
*
"I don't know that either."
*
"Do you know anything?"
*
"I know someone has a lot of explaining to do."
*
Kaede sighed, why was it that she always ended up befriending such strange people?
*
"Well, if you have no need for me, I am going to return to bed, and please, no more screaming."
*
Miroku nodded his head, and so, Kaede returned to her sleep, as well as her precious dreams of herbs.
*
~*~
*
Miroku let out another sigh. He had sighed a lot since Kaede had went to bed. He had lost count after thirty.
*
He wasn't quite sure how he felt about his.
*
No, that wasn't it, he would probably know how he felt about it if that were what he were thinking about, instead, he was trying to figure out just why it had happened.
*
Obviously, Inuyasha and Shippo knew what was going on. Otherwise, they would not be conveniently absent. There also wouldn't be a tree blocking the doorway.
*
This probably had something to do with Sango and that strange note she had left. Yes, that must be it. And that meant Kagome probably knew too. Why was it that he had to be the only one left out? He might could understand being left out if the matter didn't concern him. Then it wouldn't be any of his business. But it *did* concern him, in fact, judging by his currant appearance, it concerned him a *lot*!
*
What was it that Sango had said in the note? That she was going to fix things? Some way? Some how?
*
Was.. was this it?
*
Was this what she had meant?
*
He thought about that for a minute before finally figuring it all out.
*
Of course! That *was* it! Sango had gone out to become a youkai. If she were youkai, her body would heal the baby, and their child would survive. And of course, if she got herself turned into a youkai, then she would no doubt make him come along for the ride, whether he wanted to or not. So somehow, in order to save the life of their child, Sango had got them turned into hanyou's.
*
Now, he wasn't sure how she had planned to do that, but apparently she had succeeded.
*
Now for the other question. How did he feel about this? Being a demon? If.. if it was for the life of their child.. then it was definitely worth it.. yes.. he would have done anything to save it.
*
For the first time he realized what he was saying. His child was alive! His baby was going to live! All thoughts and worries immediately vanished from his mind with that revelation. His baby was alive, and that, that was all that really mattered.
*
He laid back down on the futon, his new found ears twitching with the occasional sounds. A smile resided on his face. His baby was alive… how.. wonderful.
*
He just lay there a while, taking in all the new things he could hear and smell with his enhanced senses.
It was amazing.
*
He could hear Kaede's breathing in the next room. He could hear the limbs of trees crunching, more than likely the result of Inuyasha readjusting his weight in one of them outside.
*
His nose was overwhelmed by the pungent odor of herbs. Kaede really did have too many of them.. sometimes he wandered about her.. she was really strange.
*
A whisper of another scent broke through the herb scent. Now this was a scent that he had grown to love, even as a human he could recognize this scent. He had memorized it long ago, just in case the scent might one day leave him forever, he had wanted to keep this scent in mind always.. just in case things hadn't turned out the way they actually did.
*
It was pleasing to his nose that the smell had been intensified dramatically with his stronger nose.
*
It was really a wonderful scent. The smell of 'raspberry shampoo' brought from Kagome's time, intermixed with the unmistakable scent of a forest right after a spring rain, and then that crispness too it, that crispness that was akin to a windy day in autumn. Yes, that was how he thought of the scent. The analogies he had made just to remember it. Sango.
*
She was coming back. The scent was still faint though, so, more than likely, she was still a ways off.
*
He smiled as he noticed another smell with Sango's usual one, this smell one that he had been unable to detect with his human nose. This scent was not so easily explained.. it almost smelt like Sango.. but.. newer.. his child. It was the scent of his child.
*
Sango would soon return, by morning at the latest, and with her would be his little child growing inside her.
*
Yes, the sacrifice of becoming a hanyou.. it was definitely worth it.
*
For this, anything would be worth it.
*
~*~
*
"Why don't you slow down a little more Kirara? We really aren't in any hurry at all!", Sango laughed nervously. She really was terrified of what Miroku was going to say.
*
"Would you rather me just not walk at all? Then we can live happily ever after in this spot right there.", Kirara meowed, observing their currant surroundings, which was pretty much just a cold, dank, nasty part the forest.
*
Sango frowned, there were definitely going to be some disadvantages of Kirara talking. "Oh shut up."
*
"But I didn't say anything.", Kagome maintained innocently, genuinely perplexed.
*
"Oh not you, Kirara."
*
"Oh.", Kagome debated on whether or not it was nosy to inquire as to what Kirara had said. Oh to hell with it, Sango had drug her off unwillingly to go meet up with one of their enemies. Politeness was no longer an issue, "What'd she say?"
*
"You don't want to know."
*
"Your right, she probably doesn't."
*
Sango switched over to cat language, so as not to confuse Kagome anymore, "You know, it feels like I'm hearing voices in my head. Your causing me to question my sanity."
*
"I've had to talk to a kitsune pup for about a year now. Do you really have any room to complain?"
*
Sango shuddered at the idea of being left in a room alone with Shippo for even an hour. Kami, that would just be horrifying. How could anyone still be sane after enduring so much of it.
*
"Alright, you win."
*
Kagome grinned happily, "I smell Inuyasha, that means we're almost home."
*
Sango didn't welcome this news with as much gratitude as Kagome. "Damnit. Already?"
*
"Remember, I could just stop walking If you want."
*
"Shut up!"
*
"Erm.. Sango? Are you talking to Kirara again?"
*
"Oh, yes, sorry about that Kagome."
*
"It's alright it's just confusing. Are you really *that* worried about what Miroku will think?"
*
Sango hung her head slightly lower, "y..yes.. It's just that.. what if he's mad? What if he gets really mad? And he disowns the baby or something?"
*
"Sango, do you really think Miroku would really do that? Can you honestly say that you think he would ever do anything like that? Miroku may be a pervert Sango, and maybe even a thief, but certainly not a bad person. Despite what he feels about becoming youkai, he loves you Sango, and he loves your child. I think that is all that will matter."
*
Sango brightened up a bit, hit by a wave of courage, "You.. you think so? Really?"
*
"Of course."
*
"Kirara.. I guess you can go a little faster then.."
*
"You mean I can walk again?"
*
"Shut up."
*
~*~
*
The scent came strong, all at once with a shift of the wind. It immediately awoke both Inuyasha and Shippo.
*
"She's almost here.", Shippo stated, as if it weren't the obvious.
*
"Ya think?", Inuyasha could already see Kagome coming up the path, atop Kirara.
*
The sun had just began to rise, making their forms clearly visible even to the *human* eye.
*
He leapt down from his branch to go meet them, toting Shippo with him.
*
~*~
*
Kagome sighed as she watched Inuyasha approach them. He was going to be so mad at her. This was going miserable. She hopped off of Kirara.
*
"Sango, why don't you go find Miroku, I'll explain things to Inuyasha so he doesn't disturb you."
*
Sango nodded, jumping off Kirara as well and making her way to the hut. Kirara transformed into a little kitty and attempted to follow her.
*
"Oh no , no , no! *You* stay here! I don't need Miroku to think I've taken up talking to myself!"
*
"Oh come on, it's *Miroku*."
*
"Go play with Shippo."
*
"Hey!"
*
Sango ignored her, leaving to find Miroku.
*
~*~
*
"Inuyasha.. I'm sorry for.."
*
Before Kagome could finish, Inuyasha pulled her into a hug. However, just as soon as it had began, he grabbed hold of her shoulders and pushed her away.
*
"You worried me. Don't leave without telling me again. Never. I don't like being worried. Besides, it's hard to put up with Shippo without you here."
*
Kagome stood there a minute longer, awaiting the rest of the lecture that was sure to come.
When nothing happened, she assumed that Inuyasha had forgot what he was doing.
*
"Well..?"
~
"Well what?"
~
"That's not it is it?"
~
"It? What the fuck are you babbling about?"
~
"You mean.. that really is all you were going to say?"
~
"Yeah. What else would I say?"
~
"Well.. its just.. usually..", Instead of finishing her sentence, she decided it was best to just leave it at that. " I missed you."
*
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, not giving him time to ruin the moment with one of his rude responses.
*
This probably would have proven to be a rather nice kiss if it weren't for a certain Kitsune.
*
"Oh jeez, you aren't gonna do the adult thing again are you?"
*
Kagome immediately broke apart from Inuyasha, "Shippo-Chan! Was Inuyasha nice to you while I was gone?"
*
Shippo glanced at the male hanyou seemingly trying to control the urge to fling a certain kitsune into something. "Yep, Inuyasha was nice."
*
"He.. he was?"
*
"Yep!"
*
"Oh."
*
"Kagome?", Sango had reappeared, a look of sheer puzzlement residing on her face, "There's a tree in my way."
*
"Um.. can't you just walk around it?"
*
"No. There is a tree, in the doorway."
*
"Inuyasha??!"
*
A flash of recognition came over Inuyasha, as if he had just remembered something, "Oh yeah, I blocked the door so he couldn't escape."
*
"Escape?!!"
*
"Yeah, I locked him in there with Kaede.", he crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive posture at the glares he was receiving from both the girls. For once, Shippo stayed on his side, looking just as defensive as Inuyasha.
*
And, low and behold, Shippo actually argued against Kagome! "What?! You would have too! You should have heard him screaming!"
*
Inuyasha was at first taken aback that Shippo had actually sided with him, but that certainly didn't stop him from taking advantage of his new comrade, "Yeah!"
*
Sango glanced around nervously, "Screaming?"
*
"Yeah, he screamed for like ten minutes before the old hag shut him up."
*
"Inuyasha!", Kagome scolded.
*
"What? He did."
*
Kagome threw her hands up in the air, giving up, "Could you just remove the tree Inuyasha?"
*
"Feh. Whatever."
*
"Hey! Did you notice Sango's new look?"
*
Shippo cut in with a giggle, "Just wait till' ya see Miroku."
*
And so, Inuyasha went to retrieve the tree, and replant it yet again, or maybe just toss it over his shoulder. Whichever was easiest.
*
~*~
*
Sango heaved a sigh, hoping it would release some of her anxiety. It didn't.
*
Inuyasha had just removed the tree, and here she stood, faltering, unsure of what to do.
Finally, she gave in to the logical side of her mind and entered the hut.
*
"Miroku?"
*
"Sango, I have one thing to ask you.", he glanced at her cat ears, and then to her demon exterminator suit. "Is this your idea of irony?"
*
Sango looked to where his voice was coming from, over on the futon. What she saw, automatically caused her to laugh hysterically.
*
She collapsed to the ground, still unable to control her laughter.
*
Miroku just stood there, remaining as calm as ever. "Are you done yet?"
*
She looked up, about to say 'yes', but stopped short as another bout of giggles hit her.
*
"you.."
~
giggle
~
"Have.."
~
giggle
~
"Fluffy.."
~
giggle
~
"Dog ears!"
*
Miroku sighed, "I am very aware of that. Can you stop laughing now?"
*
Sango tried her best to stop laughing. After all, this probably wasn't the best way to apologize for running off and turning him into a hanyou. Her laughter immediately vanished at the idea of him being mad at her.
*
"I'm.. sorry.."
*
Miroku gave up trying to act mad. It just wasn't worth that frown on her face. And as hard as he tried, it was almost impossible not to smile. Of course.. he really wasn't to happy about having fluffy dog ears. That really was very degrading.. but.. if it was for their baby..
*
"I'm not mad Sango.. really. What matters is that the baby is okay… that's all that matters.."
*
Sango went over and hugged Miroku, "Thank you so much for understanding Miroku, I was so afraid you would be mad.."
*
"You've got a tail."
*
"I can talk to Kirara too, though that isn't exactly a pleasantry."
*
"What?"
*
"Why don't I just start from the beginning?"
*
"Sounds like a good idea to me."
*
~*~
*
Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kirara, all sat up in a tree.
*
"Inuyasha? What's Sango's child gonna be? A cat hanyou? Or a dog hanyou?"
*
Inuyasha considered this for a moment. "It won't be a hanyou, it'll only be quarter demon."
*
"What? Why?"
*
"Because, Sango and the monk mated back when they were still human. The pup's growing in Sango, and she's a cat youkai, so it will grow as a cat hanyou's pup with a human father. So it'll be a cat quarter youkai."
*
Kagome nodded, not at all understanding. "Oh."
*
"Hey Kagome! Kirara says Sango cat talk to her now! Is that true? Or is Kirara lying.. again?"
*
Kagome glanced up at the kitsune sitting with Kirara a few branches above her.
*
"Yeah. She can…", she turned back to Inuyasha, "Inuyasha.. I was wandering.. now that Sango is going to have a .. pup, wouldn't that mean she now needs a home for it? What about us?"
*
"I told you Kagome, we don't need a home unless your fucking pregnant!", he sniffed her, once again, over dramatically, "Whatda'ya know, your still not pregnant."
*
She pushed his nose away, "I *know* that. But.. remember.. you said.. that.. pregnancy usually takes on the second heat.. that's not too very long away Inuyasha… do you.. do you want me pregnant? Are you ready for that?"
*
"Eh.. erm.. um.. feh."
*
"Oh, nice answer Inuyasha.", Shippo called from above.
*
He shook a fist at the kitsune, "Shut up ya little runt!"
*
Kagome clasped hold of his shaking fist and brought it back down, "You can't do that with our pups Inuyasha, whether they're adopted or not… I really would appreciate an answer Inuyasha, clearly, its not *only* up to you. Actually, it's my decision. I just want your input."
*
"Your decision?! They're *my* pups too!"
*
"Inuyasha, look down there, that's a long way to fall isn't it…?"
*
Inuyasha glanced down and got the point.
*
"So.. what do you think?"
*
Inuyasha thought about this. Pups? Was he really ready for that? Of course, if he could handle Shippo, he could handle anything.. and the thought of his pups, his and Kagome's pups, running around.. he liked it.. and.. if Kagome did take this time, then her pup would be born about the same time as Sango's, that way it'd have a friend. Though.. just what Sango and Miroku's pup would be like.. the possibilities were frightening. But still..
*
"Alright Kagome, it's up to you. I'd be perfectly okay with it. Whatever you decide."
*
Kagome smiled, Inuyasha was actually being reasonable! Of course, she had had to threaten him with a 'sit', but hey! It was better than nothing.
*
"Alright then, If I do decide to have a pup this time, where are we gonna live Inuyasha? My pup is *not* going to be homeless!"
*
Inuyasha went over various places they could live. Kagome probably wouldn't take to well to living In a tree, so he ruled that out. And more than likely, Kagome wouldn't consider a small clearing in the middle of the forest to be a home. But then.. there was his cave.. maybe.. if they, fixed it up nice? Kagome could bring some of that shit from her time, all the shit she wanted in fact, whatever made her happy. Would that do? And hell, it was a big cave, Kagome had only saw the main chamber, but there were plenty of passageways, and at least five rooms that he knew of, If Kagome wanted, the lech and his family could even live with them.
*
"What about the cave, there's enough room even for Sango and Miroku to live there too."
*
"The cave?", Kagome looked at him dubiously, "But.. it's a cave."
*
"Yeah, but ya' could fix it up all nice and shit. Fill it up with some of that weird stuff from your old time, then maybe you'd feel more comfortable."
*
Visions of a luxurious cave, filled with modern conveniences (battery powered of course), nice furniture, painted walls, beautiful patterned rugs, and a never ending stock of ramen took over her mind. Maybe Inuyasha was right. The cave *was* a perfect place!
*
"Alright then! We start fixing it up tomorrow!"
*
"What?! Tomorrow?! Your not even pregnant! Hell, ya don't even know if you wanna be pregnant or not!"
*
"Yeah, but Sango is, and you said it yourself, she could live there too!"
*
"Damnit! You tricked me!"
*
"Inuyasha!"
*
"Fine, whatever, we'll start work on it tomorrow."
*
"Then that means we are going back to visit my family too! Maybe we can even bring Sango and Miroku."
*
"Don't count on it, they probably still got fucking forest fires to look after."
*
"Oh Inuyasha!? Can't you *ever* be optimistic?"
Now Inuyasha wasn't quite sure what that word meant. But if Kagome was saying that he wasn't it, then it was probably a good thing to be that he was lacking in. As he always did in such situations, he responded with a word he had grown to love, for it could almost be used for anything.
*
"Feh"
*
*************A/N*****************
Alright, first of all THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

At the time I started this, I had 60 reviews for the last chapter, which is why this has 6,000 words, which is really NOT fun to write. believe me guys, that's a LOT!

Vold: I'll have you know that you accounted for about 600 of those words, thanks (yet again) for reviewing!

Teardrop crystal: I read every single one of my reviews, because I have an unhealthy obsession with them. So anyway, thanks SSOOOOOOOOOO much for reading/reviewing, and, just for that, I'll advertise the story.

Okay, and, here is a word of explanation for those of you who wandered what's up with my chapters now. Well, I used to have a whole page dedicated to my disclaimer, but recently, I took it out, which made me back one chapter than I used to be.

Alright, Teardrop crystal thinks you should read, A Thin Line by MoonBunny #1255256.
I didn't read it, since AU and I don't like AU, so you'll just have to take her word for it.

Thanks you guys, especially for all of you who've stuck with me. It means a lot to me.

Alright 10 reviews=1000 words and so on, so REVIEW!!

Sorry for posting this so late, mainly it was just because I got into a new anime and have been busy downloading/watching the episodes. Fruits Basket! VERY good anime, once you get past the first few episodes, very funny too.. although.. *some* peope *points at Kaylana* think its disgusting.

The main character *is* an idiot…

But anyways, r&r!
-Heather-