Disclaimer: "When in doubt, do without."

I have started making 'rant fics', which are basically short one-shots on a canon couple accompanied by a long rant about why certain alternate couplings concerning the respective characters should never be. Right now I only have one out, and as you could guess it's Mir/San. The next one will be Inu/Kag, though, so be watching for it. They will be out randomly, so you'll have to keep looking.

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Reviews

Aamalie: Yep. Well, I was too lazy to have Kouga react like he did with Kagome there, so... Sorry about the Japanese penname, but I think I'm gonna keep it. I have already begun yelling at my 'other personality' living in my mind which I have dubbed 'Taishoku Kurayami'. It's who I blame stuff on when I get into trouble. 'Kurayami did it!' Nobody knows what I'm talking about, so they just shake their heads and call me weird.

Raniatlw: Yep. I'm glad you like it. It's a little hard for me to write Inu/Kag, though, because I'm naturally inclined as a Miroku fangirl... I plan to write a one-shot of Inu/Kag, though, along with a number of other canon couples. I've already made one of Miroku/Sango, as I am very spiteful of all the alternate pairings concerning them I've been seeing so often lately... I'm obsessed... --. A lot of my upcoming stories will probably have Inu/Kag as a sideline couple, though most will be AUs.

Heart of Friendship: Thanx, Amber. PLUSHIES! Lol, sorry... had to do something stupid there for a second... Also, Shinichi is Inu's reincarnation's name. It's from the Japanese version of Detective Conan (though in the English version - Case Closed - they call him 'Jimmy').

ninalee-chan: As I told Aamalie, I do plan to keep this name... I plan to keep it for at least as long as I am obsessed with anime, which will be a long, long while.

KaT aka Mistress Shinigami: Same here. I plan to write oodles of Mir/San, though - ones much longer than this. Besides, it was no coincidence that the Miroku/Sango chappy was the longest. I know it was probably lame (and slightly typical) of me to push Miroku and Sango into a chapter which was originally not even going to be related to them... but, ya know, I wanted to make it longer and wanted Rin to have a little companionship. Yay for Kohaku/Rin! I plan to write one someday...

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Kagome sighed, sitting with her group at a lunch table. She remembered hearing something about a new student, but she didn't really pay much attention - at least until she heard some oddly familiar remarks about him.

"He's so rude, and he threatened to beat up some poor defenseless student just for bumping into him," Eri remarked. "Extremely arrogant, that's for sure."

"If it weren't for his attitude he was be slightly attractive," Yuka told them. Kagome sighed, knowing there was no way it could be Inuyasha - the chances were slim of it being his reincarnation.

"Hey, that's him right now, Kagome!" Ayumi gasped, elbowing her friend. Kagome looked up, gaping. He was almost identical to Inuyasha - in his human form, anyway. Okay, so he had shorter hair, but it still resembled him greatly.

He eyed Kagome, studying her. There was something vaguely familiar about her, he was sure of it. He couldn't put his finger on it, though. He walked by her, snorting and sticking his nose up in the air.

"Hey, if you've got something to say to me, out with it!" she demanded, jumping up. He smirked, ignoring her. "Hnn..." she huffed, dropping back into her seat. "What a jerk..." Well, she had to admit, there was definately a possibility it was his reincarnation.

"I bet he's an American," Eri told her friends. Ayumi and Yuka nodded, while Kagome simply looked off after him. Maybe it was Inuyasha's reincarnation, and if so maybe the woman she had talked to was right about Kikyou and Inuyasha being eternally destined to be with each other, even through reincarnation.

"So what's Mr. Attitude's name, anyway?" Kagome asked, glaring off after him. He sat alone, acting too high-and-mighty to be seen with anyone around there.

"Shinichi," Ayumi remembered, "Shinichi Odayashi." Kagome nodded, submitting it to her memory. In the event that this was Inuyasha reincarnated wasn't about to forget his name.

===

Through the next week Kagome kept a close eye on Shinichi, observing him. The more she was around him, the more she realized his trait were similar to - but not the same as - Inuyasha's, much like Kikyou and herself. She noticed the Shinichi did seem to have a strong liking to ramen, much like Inuyasha did. Shinichi, though, was more secretive while Inuyasha had always felt he had nothing to hide. Kagome assumed it was all in his upbringing - nature verses nurture. Finally she had decided to do what no one else would: she would attempt to befriend him.

"Hi," Kagome began, standing behind him, "mind if I sit with you?" He gestured to the surrounding seats.

"It's a free country, sit wherever the heck you want," he grumbled, consumed in his lunch. Kagome could see her friends - along with almost everyone in the school - watching her. She swallowed hard and sat across from him.

"So, um... where did you move here from?" she asked him, smiling genuinely.

"Keh," he responded. She cleared her throat, picking at her food. "I honestly didn't think you cared," he admitted.

"Well, everyone needs a friend, no matter who they are," she told him. He exhaled, leaning back.

"I moved from here in Tokyo when I was four to live in New York City," he told her, "I moved back to live with some relatives after my parents got killed in a subway crash." Her eyes softened, looking up at him.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "I'm sure it's probably a tough subject for you."

"You get used to it after a while," he told her, "the pain doesn't really ever go away, but after a while the pain becomes a part of you." Kagome sighed, closing her eyes.

"So... um... what type of music do you listen to?" she asked him, desperate to change the subject.

"Mostly just American stuff," he told her, plastering his overly-confident smile back across his face, "ya know, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Avril Lavigne, Evanecense, Linkin Park, Alien Ant Farm, Sum 41 - American rock." Kagome nodded.

"I've never heard of Alien Ant Farm, but I like the others," she told him, "but my favorites are Ayumi Yamasaki, Dream, and Do as Infinity."

"So, what was your name, girl?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Kagome," she told him, "Kagome Higurashi. I live at the Higurashi shrine." Shinichi nodded.

"I think I remember where that's at," he told her.

Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka watched the two from a distance, completely dazed. "I think they make a cute couple," Ayumi told her two companions. The other two simply gawked, unable to speak.

===

Souta grinned as his sister ran passed him, a huge grin across her face as she quickly gobbled her breakfast. She was back to her old self - whatever force that had been weighing her down lately had lifted and let her free. "Sorry to leave in such a hurry, I'm supposed to meet a friend before school!" she shouted, rushing out the door.

Kagome panted, putting her hands to her knees as she came to the street. She looked around and smiled upon seeing the raven haired boy waiting for her, looked thoroughly annoyed. "Inuyasha..." she whispered.

"Look, I don't know who the hell Inuyasha is, but my name is Shinichi," he growled at her, "SHI-NI-CHI! Remember?" Kagome nodded, giggled slightly as fond memories came to her.

"My name is Kagome, NOT Kikyou! KA-GO-ME!"

"Just what do you find so funny?!" he demanded. She shook her head.

"It's nothing," she assured him, "I'm just half asleep. I know who you are, Shinichi." He snorted.

"Feh."

Kagome ran her hands up and down her arms, attempting to warm herself - when she'd rushed out the door she'd forgotten to grab her jacket, and it was very chilly outside. He shot her an annoyed look right before he draped his coat over her shoulders.

"Thanks, Shinichi," she told him. He snorted.

"Yeah, well..." He quickly tried to think up an excuse. "You were annoying me shivering like that." She smiled, pulling it tight around her neck. It really did sound like an excuse Inuyasha would make up, when she thought about it.

===

"So when are you and Shinichi gonna go out on a date?" Yuka asked Kagome. Kagome's eyes grew wide as saucers upon hearing her friends' question. "C'mon, Kagome, don't play innocent," she told her, "You've been inseparable for months now. Isn't it about time you actually went on a date?"

"Well, he... he hasn't really asked me," Kagome admitted. Yuka rolled her eyes agitatedly.

"So? Ask him!" she argued, "it's the twenty-first century, Kagome - sometimes a girl asks a guy out!" Kagome blushed and looked away.

"I don't want to take a chance on ruining out friendship," Kagome told her. Yuka sighed, shaking her head.

"Look, how about you and Shinichi go on a double date with Houjo and me," Yuka suggested. Kagome gawked, wondering how that came about. "And I asked HIM out," Yuka explained, "and he said yes. You and Shinichi should come."

"No, no, I wouldn't want to impose," Kagome explained quickly. Yuka shook her head in determination.

"You're coming, Kagome," he ordered, "you and Shinichi both."

"What about Shinichi?" a voice rang, a shadow falling over them.

"You and Kagome are coming on a double date with Houjo and me and that's final," Yuka demanded, looking back at him. Shinichi winced.

"I had nothing to do with this," Kagome assured him. He nodded.

"Fine, whatever," he told them, "but I'm not paying for anything."

"I figured you'd say that," Yuka sighed, "so Houjo agreed to pay if you didn't buy out everything on the menu."

"I take it we're going to WacDonalds, right?" Kagome questioned. Yuka nodded.

"Yup," Yuka confirmed.

===

Shinichi snorted, crossing his arms and walking beside Kagome. "Yuka and Houjo were starting to make me sick," he grumbled, "I hate PDA..." Kagome snickered as he continued to ramble on about how sickening it was to watch them together. Who would have known that Yuka and Houjo would be such a perfect couple? She leaned on Shinichi's shoulder, sighing happily. "Uh... Kagome? What're you doing...?" he questioned, blushing. She didn't answer him, just slid her hand into his. He suddenly understood - she wanted them to be a couple. He didn't say anything, letting the comforting silence speak for itself.

It had been months since he'd met her, and he knew now that he was in love with her. Very few girls had ever even been around them, and of all of the girls he knew, she meant the most. She was the only girl he could ever see himself with as an adult, or even as an old man. He wanted to be with her forever, no matter what. He gently squeezed her hand and walked her to the front of the shrine. "Goodnight, Kagome Higurashi," he told her. She smiled, looking up at him.

"Goodnight, Shinichi Odayashi," she told him. He looked deep into her warm, chocolate eyes, caught in her gaze. He decided there was no better time than the present, leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. At first she seemed dazed, but then locked her arms around his neck and blissfully returning the kiss. Once the two broke apart she traced her hand down the side of his face, smiling bashfully. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yeah, tomorrow," he told her. She brushed her lips against his cheek and rushed off inside, stopping and turning to wave goodbye. Upon shutting the door she squealed and rushed up into her room, dropping onto her bed and sighing contently.

"Kagome has a boyfriend!" taunted a voice.

"Souta!" she shouted chasing him out. "You were spying on me, weren't you!?"

===

So our story concludes here, with things being (almost) back to normal. Inuyasha and Kikyou lived together until the end of their days, and through reincarnation returned to each other in the modern era through Kagome and Shinichi. The two married and took care of Higurashi Shrine, living happily ever after... or, at least, as happily as could be expect of them. Yuka and Houjo became quite the couple, and moved into an apartment not far from Kagome and Shinichi, and eventually through the two girls Shinichi and Houjo learned to get along.

Miroku and Sango, of course, stayed in the business of exorcising demons. Their relationship had hit the rocks many a time, but they had always found a way to work it out. As for Kohaku, he and Rin had taken a strong liking to each other, and about ten or so years after meeting her she had ventured to the taijiya village in search of him after she had lost her parents to a famine. She had grown much since he last remembered, and after a year or so he had finally sought out her hand in marriage, and she had accepted. She herself never managed to learn the ways of a taijiya, but with the help from Sango her children managed to grown to be some of the finest in the village. To this very day there is said to be a town in the mountains which descends from a line of the line of the taijiyas, built on the foundation of that very village, but no one is sure how true the legends are.

Ayame and Kouga had become the living image of the clan, and had what many would call the perfect relationship - It's amazing what a difference one person's life can make. Their line lasted a long time, and it's still uncertain if it is still around. Kyoko traveled with Sesshoumaru for a while, and through their similar qualities had somehow managed to work their way into each other's hearts. Jaken, who had felt somewhat left behind, had left in search of a higher purpose, though he had only found the inside of an ogre's stomach.

Onigumo died quick and painless, and Naraku died from the memory of all - all, that is, except Kikyou and Kagome. For the longest Kagome held the secrets, bottled inside, until she could no longer. She sought out the greatest manga artist she knew of to spin her thread into a tale of greatest - Rumiko Takahashi. From that day the manga began, and even now Rumiko continues to write her adaptation of one girl's adventures in the Warring States Era of Japan.

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Well, that last part was a bit strange, but I couldn't just leave it hanging. All in all, I think I did a good job. I dunno, maybe I've just had a little too much cappuccino, but I really think this is my best yet.