AN: Big one here. First, I found out there was another mermaid story that appeared a month before mine by Goddess of Death. I swear I didn't know about it, and the titles are coincidental. I hope you don't think I copied her, because our stories are really different (and it's so cool—Inu-Yasha's a merman) Anyway, it turns out I've made some things a bit blurry. Okay, very blurry. I'll answer your questions either in the chapter or here. Sunfreak, I read all the things you mentioned, and I'd written the chapter so fast I hadn't stopped to think about the strength differences. *sheepish grin* I'll have to think of an excuse for that. And that comment about everyone moving around in three-dimensions, I'm dumb on that *puts on dunce cap* But about that flying thing, well, I'm going to blame it on the merworld power source (it's a great scapegoat!). I'll try not to make them walk, though it is possible (Inu-Yasha in Chapter 2). As for aia22ra's comment on the food, eewwww! If that happened, the ocean would be filled with gross unmentionables! But I see your point. Uhm, just think of it as the Little Mermaid, where the food stays on the plates, and when Inu-Yasha spits out his food, it lands where it's supposed to. ^_^ Demon-heiress' (and a lot of others') question on what Kagome's secrets are, the answer is…read the next chapters and find out, mwa ha ha! Oh yes, the "perfect breasts" remark comes from The Princess Bride. *Reads the chapter* I just noticed that I make fun of myself here…interesting…oh! And this chapter is for the people who wanted more S/M since I have yet to fulfill that…I know Naraku isn't really fair, but he's still mean here, so it counts somewhat.
Night and the Miasma
"No kidding, Inu-Yasha beat Kouga?" Sango asked with some surprise. "Well, he always did have his thugs fight for him…"
It was the end of the day, and the four of them had met up again in front of the library. Inu-Yasha looked around, and it seemed like the sea had darkened somewhat. He could've thought it was night, but there wasn't any way to make sure.
"Well, you know what they say," Miroku said brightly, clapping a hand on Inu-Yasha's shoulder. "Love conquers all."
Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. "Actually it was more of a 'Don't touch me, I'll kill you' feeling. Sorry to break your romantic spirit."
"Anyway, before you guys start fighting again, we should be getting home," Kagome said. "I'm sure my mother is back, she usually comes home at around nighttime."
"Huh? How do you know it's nighttime?" Miroku asked. "The sea is already pretty dark, aside from the merworld lights."
"When there are shipwrecks, a group of us salvage a lot of human stuff. There are often a ton of watches or clocks on board, and the goldsmiths revive it with the power source. Also, you can feel the currents, how they rise toward the moon," Sango replied.
Miroku whistled. "That's impressive."
"It's one of the few things we can explain," Kagome shrugged, swimming ahead. The rest of them followed her.
They were greeted by a small human child zipping around the mermaid home, her black hair swirling behind her. She was wearing a pink dress that looked so fancy Inu-Yasha had to step on Miroku's tingling fingers. When she caught sight of Kagome, the child's face burst into a grin. "Kagome! Sango! You're home!" she shouted, swimming towards them with the speed of a harpoon.
"Rin! Did you have a good time?" Kagome smiled, folding the little girl in her arms to absorb some of the crash. "Where's Mother?"
"She's making dinner." Rin's eyes traveled past the two mermaids to their two mortal companions. "Hey, you guys must be human," she said, pointing at their legs.
Miroku nodded. "Uh huh. And you must be worth a chest of gold," he replied eagerly. "Pleased—really, I am—to see you." Inu-Yasha slapped a palm to his face.
"They were sent to look for you, Rin-chan," Sango explained, shooting Miroku a dirty look. "Your father's really getting worried."
Rin looked happy. "Does that mean I can go home now?"
"Well, the king wants you to stay just a few more days. I'm sure all he wants to do is ask a few questions about life on the surface. Curiosity about mortals really seems to run in the family, eh?" Sango asked slyly with a sideways look at Kagome.
She scowled. "Oh come on, Sango, that wasn't even funny."
Sango turned to Inu-Yasha and Miroku. "It is if you get it. Which…" she added as Kagome glowered, "…is never going to happen if you still want to live. Uhm, shall we greet your mother, Kagome?"
"What was up with that?" Miroku wondered as they followed the girls into Kagome's home.
Inu-Yasha shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe it has something to do with the power source."
A woman with brown hair and a warm smile was stirring something in a pan as she emerged from the kitchen. "Welcome back, Kagome, Sango, I was wondering when you'd get home." Her eyes fell on the two humans and she nearly dropped the pan. "Oh my god, it can't be…" she whispered, looking at Miroku. "Is it really you?"
Inu-Yasha looked at his friend, confused. "Have you been here before?"
"What do you think, Inu-Yasha?" Miroku hissed under his breath. "I don't know what she's talking about. Maybe she's looking at you?"
"She's definitely looking at you! Maybe you're like her grandfather reincarnated into a human body and that's why she recognizes you and that's why you've got a strange fascination with mermaids." Inu-Yasha nodded thoughtfully as he peered at Miroku. "That seems to be the only explanation."
Just then Kagome's mother shook her head violently. Then a cheerful smile spread on her face. "Why—you're mortal! You have legs!" She sounded fascinated. Giving the pan to Kagome, she swam up to them and stared at their legs curiously. "How interesting…can I touch them?"
"What?" they yelped, blushing furiously.
"Mother!" Kagome shouted, her cheeks red. "You don't just ask humans if you can feel their legs. That's like them touching our tails."
"Oh! Oh that's right, I forgo—I mean, my daughter knows more about things like that than I do." Kagome's mother said, biting her lip. "I don't suppose Kagome and Sango rescued you two from a storm?"
Miroku smiled charmingly. "As a matter of fact, madam, that is correct. Sango couldn't keep her hands off me." Sango bristled.
Kagome's mother still stared at him. "You remind me of someone," she said. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Miroku waved it off. As if to divert attention from herself, Kagome's mother smiled at Sango. "Are you falling in love with a human? You know that's forbidden…but with such a charming young man I don't see how you couldn't." Sango's eyes widened and she looked at Miroku murderously.
As Sango whacked Miroku, Kagome's mother stared suspiciously at her daughter. Kagome waved her hands in protest. "I assure you, that's not what I was thinking when I saved Inu-Yasha!" she cried.
"Of course, but I'll have you know that they don't mind that whole every one hour kissing thing one bit." Miroku added mischievously. Sango smirked, having inflicted multiple injuries on Miroku's head.
"It's not kissing!" Kagome and Inu-Yasha shouted simultaneously.
Inu-Yasha turned to the merwoman. "I'm sorry, but Miroku won't be able to try your dinner. He'll be too busy gluing his teeth back in his mouth," he said with a not-so-apologetic expression on his face.
Kagome grabbed the collar of Inu-Yasha's shirt. "Before you do that, have some dinner. My mother makes the best food in the neighborhood. No, the dinner does not breathe," she cut in as Inu-Yasha opened his mouth. "But really, it tastes better when it does."
"I'm going to pretend you never said that."
Dinner was oysters and seaweed noodles. Without the use of normal utensils, Inu-Yasha and Miroku struggled to get the slimy body from its shell. Once Miroku got so impatient, when he tried to yank it out it flew through the air and landed on Inu-Yasha's head with a splat. Inu-Yasha then picked it up and hurled it at the offending person's face. This later resulted in Miroku trying to strangle Inu-Yasha with a seaweed noodle and the latter trying to suffocate Miroku with two oyster shells.
Sango and Kagome kept eating as if nothing was happening, and Rin watched the two humans with awed eyes. "Things like this never happen at the mansion," she commented. "All we have are jugglers."
When dinner was over, they sat around the living room for awhile, chatting about the day. They discussed the king's request, recalled lunch events ("Remember Miroku's 'Ahh, it winked at me!'? I'll never forget that for as long as I live." "But you'll live forever." "I know. That's how hilarious it was.") their encounter with Kouga, and Kagome's mother's strange behavior. ("Oh, she likes humans too, but I think she was just a bit surprised." "Why'd she look at me, though? I felt like I was supposed to know her or something." "How can you? She's centuries old." "Maybe you remind her of my father…" "Who's your father?" "…" "We don't talk about that, Inu-Yasha.")
After the silence that followed that Miroku stood up and yawned. "I wonder how late it is above the surface," he said through his yawn. "Just think, Inu-Yasha, we could be in Ramen restaurant by now."
His friend groaned. "Ugh, don't remind me. What I wouldn't give for a bowl of hot noodles."
"You'd sell your soul for anything edible, Inu-Yasha." Miroku turned to the two mermaids. "So how is this going to work out?"
Sango raised an eyebrow. "How's what going to work out?"
"Well, if you have to give us breath every hour, and you go to sleep, wouldn't we die or something?"
"Merpeople sleep, but it's not extremely essential to us. We'll all stay in the same room, and Sango and I will keep track of the time," Kagome explained. "Besides, if we do sleep, we'll wake to the sound of your choking and inability to breathe."
"That sounds so…comforting." Inu-Yasha muttered.
Miroku seemed interested in another part of her sentence. "We're all going to stay in the same room?" he asked with a mischievous grin.
Sango was too fed up to do or say anything about it.
"He gets hormonal when there aren't any waitresses to flirt around with," Inu-Yasha said with a shrug. "Miroku, maybe you should get some sleep."
They headed to a large room, next to the one where Inu-Yasha had woken up in. Two low coral beds were next to each other, and there were quite a few sponge couches. Inu-Yasha sat on one bed, stifling a yawn. He'd been through a lot today, and he would have conked out immediately if Miroku hadn't asked a question.
"Say, do you guys scavenge sunken ships?" Miroku asked suddenly, before sitting on the bed.
Kagome was sprawled on a sponge couch, eyes closed. "Sometimes, if we come across it. Mostly we rescue people from storms. There is a group of merpeople who explore shipwrecks, though."
"Have they come across a ship called Olympia, by any chance?"
Inu-Yasha kept silent but his ears listened attentively.
"No, we haven't. But then again we don't explore that often," Kagome said. "Why?"
"Just wondering." Miroku saw Inu-Yasha gazing at him, and he shrugged. "Really. I'm going to sleep now."
Inu-Yasha followed Miroku's example and blacked out as soon as his head hit the foamy pillow.
* * *
The mortals were both sleeping. Sango and Kagome sat across each other on the couches, a mug of altea in their hands. They checked up occasionally on Rin, who slept in Kagome's mother's room.
"You know, they're a lot less destructive when they're unconscious," Sango remarked. "Maybe we should keep them that way."
Kagome laughed. "If only. Is the hour up?"
"Almost. But do I really have to?" Sango wheedled.
Her friend raised her eyebrow. "Don't tell me you don't like supporting the dashing and debonair!"
"He's not dashing and debonair, he's pitiful and perverted," Sango responded. With a glance at Miroku, who was turned on his side, she added, "But not too bad-looking." She paused, then, "Kagome, I have to tell you—"
She was interrupted by Inu-Yasha flipping sides. Sango froze. She'd been needing to tell Kagome this for some time, but she wasn't going to let anyone else hear it! Kagome also remained still for awhile, watching for Inu-Yasha's amber eyes to open. They relaxed only when Inu-Yasha started snoring lightly, a flurry of bubbles rising from his nose after each snore.
Kagome turned back to Sango. "What was it you were going to say?"
"Nothing," Sango muttered. "It wasn't important."
"It sounded pretty important. And your face is pale," Kagome said, observing her friend.
Sango waved a hand. "Don't push it." She watched as Kagome glanced at the clock on the wall, then swam towards Inu-Yasha. The mermaid pinched Inu-Yasha's nose shut to stop the stream of bubbles as she quickly breathed life into him. Before he could wake, she let go of his nose and moved back as he muttered something inaudible in his sleep.
Looking at his sleeping face, without those golden eyes glaring everywhere, and his eyebrows not shaped in a scowl, Kagome couldn't resist. She bent down and kissed him lightly on the forehead.
"I saw that," Sango said with a grin.
Kagome shrugged sheepishly. "I couldn't help myself. He looks so adorable when he's asleep, though he'd probably go in a frenzy if I told him that." She gestured towards the brown-haired human. "Are you going to let him die or will I have to do it?"
Grudgingly Sango got up. Swimming over to Miroku, she tilted his chin up and gave him breath. She was just about to straighten up, she felt his arms snake around her waist and hold her tightly.
With a quiet yelp, for being in the presence of sleeping people made everyone quieter, she struggled to get out of his vise-like grip. Kagome was clutching her sides, her shoulders shaking with laughter. Sango glared at her supposed friend. "Kagome, help me!"
"Your smile's so pretty, s'like gold," Miroku mumbled into her hair. "Maybe it can pay for…noodles…"
"He thinks you're a waitress," Kagome said unhelpfully.
"I know," Sango grumbled. "I'm going to slap him if he doesn't release me in five seconds."
Fortunately for Miroku, his arms loosened from her slim waist and she wriggled free. He mumbled, "Don't forget, I'm charming by nature, but I can be a real demon sometimes…" he smirked slyly once then looked as if he'd drifted back into real unconsciousness.
Sango crossed her arms furiously and fell back on the couch.
Kagome was still snickering, so she didn't see that Inu-Yasha's eyes were half-open with a misty, sleepy gaze. As her back was turned to him, she also didn't see the faint blush that crossed his cheeks. She didn't know that Inu-Yasha had woken up when she'd pinched his nose, or that he was conscious when she gave him the kiss of life. So I'm adorable? Huh…
The other kiss she gave him still burned on his forehead, like warm water and ice at the same time.
* * *
Miroku woke to the sight of Sango sipping altea and staring out the round window of the stone wall. The bed where Inu-Yasha slept in was empty. He also didn't see Kagome anywhere. That wasn't really a problem. "'Morning," he said, grinning at Sango.
She looked at him, her expression a mixture of wariness and disgust. Miroku scratched his head in confusion. What did I do now?
"Morning," she replied coolly. "Do you know you move around in your sleep?"
"Huh?" Oh. Yeah, Inu-Yasha mentioned that to me once. Did I grope her or something? "Care to tell me what I did, or am I supposed to guess?"
"I'll just leave that to your imagination," Sango said. "But if you do it again, I'll force-feed you live octopus."
Miroku's stomach churned, but he forced a carefree grin. "Yum." Gross. She's so mean. "So what's our agenda today, O Kind and Caring One?" he asked.
Sango shrugged. "Whatever you want. You can stay here if you like, or visit the mercity some more. We can drift along this neighborhood. Kagome took Inu-Yasha and Rin to this new restaurant they opened."
"What? Why didn't you guys take me?" Miroku shot out of bed in a flurry of bubbles.
"Well, firstly you were sleeping sound as a rock. Inu-Yasha kneaded your face like dough and you wouldn't even budge. Besides, we've seen enough of your table manners, thanks very much."
He held up his hands in self-defense. "Hey, Inu-Yasha spat his food out. I just screamed." Ignoring Sango's disbelief, he looked out the window at the mermaids milling around the streets. "Can we just drift around, like you said?"
"Sure."
Within seconds they were out on the sand street. Miroku wasn't sure about how much of a dragon Sango was during the morning, but he decided not to test it, even when two extremely buxom ladies passed their way.
When silence fell on them, Miroku attempted conversation. "You know, I've always been fascinated with mermaids. Inu-Yasha never believed in them, so that's probably why he freaked out doubly when he saw Kagome. I wasn't really that surprised when I saw you."
"Hmm…" she said, staring ahead.
She's so distant, Miroku mused. She hates it when I flirt with her. Oh, I see where this is heading. I am Miroku the Great, the man of a thousand lines. She is Sango, the girl who doesn't care. I, in my disbelief at her negative response to my advances, end up falling for her. Hmm…maybe Inu-Yasha's right. I have been reading too many romantic novels.
I wonder what makes her swoon. Maybe if I got her flowers…where the heck do I get flowers underwater?!
He hadn't realized he'd stopped swimming, so when he finally snapped back to reality, Sango was gone.
"Sango?" he called, staring into the shops that dotted the street. "Sango, where are you?"
Suddenly a mermaid rushed up to him, stopping herself by grabbing his shoulders. "You're the human boy, right?" she cried.
Miroku looked down at his legs and raised an eyebrow. "I think…"
She slapped her forehead. "Of course. What was I thinking? But that's not the matter. Naraku has Sango!"
Miroku frowned. And that just clears things up, doesn't it? "Who?"
"Naraku! Naraku the Black Miasma! He comes from the mer-city two oceans over…he's been after Sango for awhile, didn't she tell you?" Shaking her head frantically at Miroku's further-puzzled look, she clutched his shirt tighter.
"Hmm…I think she left out that little detail when we were introducing ourselves. Actually, we didn't really introduce ourselves," Miroku explained feebly. "I know about Kagome and Kouga, though."
The mermaid shook her head again. "Kouga is nothing compared to the Miasma! You have to save her now! He's got her around the curb!"
"Oh, so I'm supposed to save Sango from a guy who's worse than someone who nearly stuck a knife through my friend's neck?" Miroku groaned. Of all the mermaids to save them, they had to be the ones that two evil mermen were after. But the mermaid had now rushed off quickly in the opposite direction, and Miroku swam towards the end of the street, where it curbed to another.
He rounded the curve, and a deep voice asked, "Looking for someone, human?"
Naraku the Miasma had long black hair and an amused gaze. He had Sango in a firm grip around her chest. Unlike Kouga, he didn't have a knife or thugs surrounding him. Miroku gulped. He wasn't just dealing with a street gang leader.
"Are you looking for Sango? Fool. Don't you know Sango's mine? She has been mine, ever since I laid eyes on her. It'd be best if you went away now."
Miroku stared at Sango, who was struggling to breathe. Then he glared at Naraku. "There are too few perfect breasts above water, much less under," he declared heroically. "Leave hers alone!"
"What? What are you saying?" Sango cried with as much air as she could muster.
Naraku laughed. "Sango, I told you that I may be hated, but I am a man of my word. We had an agreement, did we not? I was so entranced with you, I made a deal. If you could find a lover before my arrival, and not just any man you picked off the street, I would let you free…for a time. But I see no lover. You will come with me."
Sango gritted her teeth. She seemed to be fighting an internal conflict. Then she jerked her chin towards Miroku. "You're wrong. He's my lover," she declared. She looked around the street. In fear of the Miasma, people had fled. For once she was glad the streets were empty.
Miroku's jaw dropped, but instead of sinking into a deep shock like Inu-Yasha would have done, he quickly composed himself. "Let her go, Naraku," he said. "If you're really a man of your word, you'd believe her."
The merman laughed softly. "You say you are her lover? Can you prove it?"
Miroku waved his arms in the air. "You're asking if I can prove it while you're holding my girlfriend in a barely-breathing position?"
Naraku's eyes narrowed. He let go of Sango, and she rushed over to Miroku, relief flooding through her.
Miroku grabbed her in his arms. "Sango, are you ok?" he asked softly, his eyes instructing her to keep up the charade.
Her face was still pale, but she nodded and allowed herself to be enveloped fully in his arms, partly out of shock. She prayed that his hands wouldn't stray from her back to somewhere else, and was half-surprised when they didn't. He's a good actor.
"Hm…I won't let you go just because you put on this performance for me, Sango," Naraku said.
The human brushed the hair away from Sango's face and gazed defiantly at Naraku. "It's not a performance," he said smoothly. Seeing Naraku's eyes watching for any sign of an act, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Sango, if you slap me you're in for eternity with this bastard. She took the warning and did nothing.
"Well, this stupid mortal seems unwilling to give you up, Sango. But I am not convinced you are lovers. I will monitor you for one month. If any sign shows that you are not lovers, I will take you, Sango, whether I have to kill or not. I am being fair, considering I am the Black Miasma."
"Lovers can have their spats, too," Miroku argued.
"Hmph. Fair enough. But I will be the judge of that." Naraku turned around, and his tail, black like his name and edged in silver, streaked through the water with such force Miroku found himself being driven back as Naraku made his exit.
Weakly, he let go of Sango. "Phew, I thought we were both going to die." He looked at Sango, who was still shivering. "Why didn't you tell us about him?"
After some silence, Sango tossed him a glare. "I knew he wouldn't kill me, but he would kill anyone else who knew. Give me whatever 'noble sacrifices are overdone' speech you have, I know. I was going to tell Kagome last night, but then Inu-Yasha started waking up, and I just kind of lost my nerve.
"Maybe I should have been rescued by an ugly mermaid," Miroku mused. "Then I wouldn't get tangled up in all of this." Then his face broke into a smile. "So we're lovers now, huh?"
Her eyes turned steely. "You know that's not true, though."
"But it is for one month. Hey, think of me, too! I have to abstain from flirting for nine days! That's like Inu-Yasha without ramen."
As Miroku mourned his fate, Sango sighed. "I guess I'll have to tell Kagome. She was so preoccupied with Kouga, I couldn't tell her that her friend was going through the same thing."
Miroku teasingly rubbed noses with her. "But now everyone will know, right, dear?"
She pulled back from him with a frown. "Don't do that," she muttered. "And don't try to feel me up, I'll be sure to hit you."
"Really? Well, there's another sacrifice I'm going to have to make," Miroku said affably. "Well then, let's go look for Inu-Yasha. My stomach feels like its digesting itself." He slipped a hand through Sango's.
Startled, she yanked her hand back. Miroku sighed. "Come on, Sango, if you become phobic just with this, how are you going to get through kissing without going into shock?"
"Kissing?" Sango squeaked.
"That's kind of what 'lovers' do," Miroku explained, stretching each word slowly. "Unless you get really passionate and that's when you—"
"No, we are not putting this charade to that extent!" Sango said fiercely.
Miroku shrugged. "Okay. Now if we hold hands, do you promise not to bite mine off?"
Though it was tempting, what with the way he flaunted her problem—her own business—in her face like it was no big deal, Sango forced a nod and had to grit her teeth as he slipped his hand through hers again. It was going to be a very long month.
As they swam down the street, Sango looked down at their entwined hands, her expression somewhat surprised. Miroku held her hand in such a way that their fingers were laced together.
She smiled slightly, partly in surprised pleasure and partly in relief that he wasn't groping her or cracking perverted jokes.
Hey, this isn't so bad.