Chapter 8: by Kojika85

Miroku stood on the stairs looking over the small crowd that had gathered. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find Sango. He had hoped that she would have cooled down enough, so he could explain his actions earlier. It wasn't his fault that Jakotsu character decided that he wanted some fun. HE had pulled him into the small condiment cabinet and started molesting him; not like he went there for the attention purposely. He had been looking for Sango!

He had to find her. Admittedly, he had some explaining to do. He inwardly cringed. He would be extremely lucky to get out of this fiasco without being sent to the hospital. Her temper was something to be feared, and fear it he did. What she deemed inappropriate contact in public earned him a hard slap in the face; imagine if she was REALLY peeved!

'Stupid hot woman looking cross dresser. Isn't it against the law to work while dressed up as the opposite sex!??' Miroku continued to grumble to himself as he searched the other passengers for his beloved Sango. He couldn't get the taste of man spit out of his mouth. He had tried mouthwash, mints, candy, and other tasteful treats. Nothing seamed to work. Granted he was enjoying the attention being given to him freely. Once he found out Jakotsu's hidden 'secret' though, everything he had thoroughly enjoyed became like poison.

Miroku turned and spied someone who wouldn't hesitate to help him find his love. He called out to her; unaware of the precarious situation she had found herself.

"Kagome!"

Said woman jumped, somewhat flustered that she would be caught having to bandage and splint a man's sprained tail. Who would have thought that that Misao character could conjure such a death-like grip on a youkai's most sensitive area!? It didn't help with the position she had to find herself to perform the small operation.

Kouga was on his stomach, lying on the ground. His face was contorted with discomfort, but his soulful blue eyes portrayed his enjoyment of the situation. Kagome, on the other hand, found herself straddling his lower back; while facing his rear. Her legs were in an awkward position on either side of his body. Long slender fingers were caressing his tail, which now sported a makeshift splint.

It was obvious she was used to giving such treatment, especially with her dating one of the most obtuse men Miroku had the pleasure, or displeasure, of knowing. With his short-tempered personality, and inability to weigh the consequences of future actions, it was a wonder Kagome didn't have a PHD in spontaneous field surgery.

Miroku tried to keep from laughing at the scene before him. One of his best friends was found stroking a youkai's bandaged tail! He randomly thought that perhaps it WAS a good idea to bring his condoms as his luxury item, since they weren't even on the island yet; but innocent Kagome was already succumbing to the allure of the scenery.

"What happened to him?" He said while gesturing to the wolf.

"Some crazy woman attached herself to Kouga's tail." Kagome answered while removing herself from his person and standing up.

"Yeah, and I thought we had lost her! That Misao is scary for a woman." Kouga agreed while he too picked himself off the ground, mindful of his still throbbing tail.

Kagome stood in her spot, eye twitching, as she listened to the two men with their drabble on about women and their disconcerted whims. They were traveling back to the docks where the boat was to pick them up. Silently, she wished that Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, or even the weird Enishi guy would be there so she could rid herself of the offending males she was currently with. Miroku had apparently pissed Sango off again, but the details were nonexistent with him.

############

Sango poked her head out from behind the bush that had sheltered her from searching eyes. She sighed in relief when she saw Miroku turn and beginning to search in another direction. She turned and looked at her companion. He looked as white as a ghost. His gaze held unwavering towards a tall lean woman with long black tresses. It was obvious he knew, and was afraid, of the woman that held him ruptured.

"You know her?" Sango ventured to ask Sanosuke.

"Her name's Takani, Megumi. We dated in high school, but I haven't seen the lass since.....nor do I want to." His eyes never faulted in their stricken observation of said woman. He had witnessed her attempted treatment of Enishi. He didn't rightly care for the guy, especially since he was hitting on one of his childhood friend's girlfriend.

Sano hadn't seen hide-nor-hair of Kenshin since they were kids, but they had at least kept in contact through the mail after they had crossed paths once while at a fighting tournament. Kenshin had been competing in swordsmanship; Sano, hand-to-hand combat. In fact, that was where Kenshin had met Kaoru if memory served correctly. But to be back on topic; Megumi had switched patients.

She was currently aiding the island doctor with the rebandaging of a wolf- youkai's tail. In actuality, she was the one rewrapping while the doctor was talking to a young lady, and seemed to be congratulating her on her care of the creature until then. She was blushing from the obvious compliment implied, while the wolf looked ready to tear both, the doctor and Megumi's heads off.

Sango allowed her gaze to wander to the pair that were reckoning with the apparently abysmal woman. To her surprise, it was Kagome and a youkai she couldn't quite place. Her cheer quickly turned to dread though, when she noticed that Miroku was with them. His gaze was franticly searching the crowd of passers by. Could he have been looking for her? Definitely not.

#############

'Gods this woman was hell on his tail! Why did she have to mess with it when it was obvious that Kagome had done a fine enough job as it was?' Kouga continued to rant in his mind as the woman introduced as Megumi continued to molest his cursed appendage with as much gusto as it had taken to sprain it in the first place. His previous bandages and splint, a stick and a piece of cloth Kagome had ripped from her blouse were haphazardly thrown in a heap beside him. New bandages were being roughly wrapped around his furry tail. Too tightly he would have added were he able to speak through the pain. Funny, that didn't hurt when Kagome had done it.

"How in the world did you manage an injury like this?" Megumi's all business voice cut through his musings like a hot knife through butter.

"Some rabid twit had it in a death hold!......YELP!!!" Kouga cried when she gave it an unnecessary hard tug at his 'rabid twit' comment.

"You shouldn't speak so rudely of people. It is impolite."

"IMPOLITE!!!! SHE BROKE MY FUCKING TAIL!!!!!!"

People that happened to be passing stopped and stared at the fuming patient. Kagome buried her head in her hands with embarrassment, previous conversation forgotten. Megumi looked like she was about to cry from the outburst. All was quiet in the immediate vicinity.

"Was she at least cute?" Miroku did the only thing he could to break the silence. Little did he know that the item of his quest was listening. If he though getting in Sango's good graces was going to be hard; it was impossible now.

Kagome stared wide-eyed at her friend. 'Did he just say what I thought he said? Did they break up or something? That's it! When I find Sango, we are having a LONG talk.'

"What?" Miroku couldn't stand the look of surprise on Kagome's face. It didn't go with her intelligent disposition.

"Miroku, what exactly happened on the plane? Did you and Sango break up?"

Questions, questions, so many questions. Miroku could see them swimming in her eyes. 'Just like Sango's.' She had questions in her eyes too. Those questions were left unanswered, replaced by the look of betrayal. Before he had met her, Miroku had seen that same look on many women, as they found him with another. Of all the women he had been with though, none were his Sango.

He had never cheated on her, and had never wished to. Now to see that same look of hurt and betrayal in her beautiful brown orbs, sucked the life out of him. He then recalled as they filled with insurmountable anger.

She had hid her pain behind a mask of anger. It was just like when she had hid her love for him behind anger at his passes. She wore a mask, as did all. His mask was innocence, Sango and Inuyasha's were anger, Kagome's was cheer, and Sesshomaru's was indifference. Seeing as how Kagome was still awaiting his answer, Miroku gave a slight nod.

"Yes, Sango and I had a fight on the plane. She forced me to trade seats with someone afterwards, and I haven't been able to talk to her since." His countenance oozed of his morose feelings.

Kagome's feelings automatically went out for her friend. She knew how much they had both sacrificed in order to be together, and hoped that they would be able to work through this. As much as she wished to help; it wasn't her place to interfere.

"Have you tried asking Inuyasha or Sesshomaru if they've seen her? It IS a small island after all."

Miroku nearly slapped himself in the head. He had been worrying over Sango since he had gotten off the plane, but not ONCE did he think to ask the other male members of their little clique. He chuckled lowly in his throat at Kagome's rational. Giving his long time friend a final wave, he turned on his heel in search of the brothers.

###################

'Oooooo, that ookami would pay,' Ayame silently seethed. When he said Island in the Pacific, she had pictured buff, tan men rubbing suntan lotion on her back while she sipped on a colorful drink with a little umbrella in it. She pictured restaurants, and hotel suites with room service. Not to be gallivanting around the trails of some back-woods island jungle, and such! Who the hell did he think she was?!? Some Calamity Jane? If so, she had news for him.

There was no way in hell she was going to stoop to such a low status. He would just have to put his foolish whims aside. 'Besides,' she thought sourly to herself, 'It's not like there was anything on this pathetic excuse for an island worth staying for!' There wasn't even a spa!!!

During Ayame's inner rant, she passed by two women who looked strikingly similar. They called out to her, but she continued on her path. They were no doubt beneath her anyways. In her anger and arrogance, she didn't see the puddle until it was too late. Ayame, daughter to one of the most powerful business men in America, and self proclaimed princess, found herself sitting in a mud puddle on a remote island in the pacific....oh how life was grand.

####################

Kikyo and Tomoe couldn't hold back the laughter. They had tried to warn the redhead of the massive puddle, but she hadn't heard them. They both turned when they heard chuckling coming from directly behind them. In unison the two women turned and stared in shock. The cute, hot, and devilishly handsome host, Naraku, with his assistant Kagura. Both were there sharing in their mirth.

Kikyo felt weak in the knees. She didn't know whether to faint, or squeal like a schoolgirl. She settled for drooling. Besides, this WAS Naraku she was facing. Not to mention, he was looking at HER. Quite strangely, but looking at her none-the-less. Regaining her composure, Kikyo offered her hand in greeting only to be intercepted by an equally enthusiastic Tomoe.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Naraku! My name's Tomoe, and this is my friend Kikyo. We look forward to being on your show!"

Naraku took Tomoe's hand, but kept eye contact with the one named Kikyo. When she went to shake his hand as well, Naraku held it and placed a light kiss. Kikyo did faint this time; right into the waiting arms of Naraku. He turned to the red faced Tomoe.

"Believe me, the pleasure's all mine." He motioned to the boat that was awaiting the contestants. She followed.

Kagura stayed close to her employer. She was quite miffed at how she was ignored during the introductions, but then again, this was Naraku. He never introduced her to people; she had to do it herself. Then again, she didn't want an introduction to someone like Kikyo. Didn't the girl know how to compose herself? She had drooled all over Naraku, then fainted in his arms. The whole scene in a nutshell was disturbing and disgusting.

She didn't want to delude herself into thinking that the crime-lord had taken a serious liking to the wench. To Kagura, it was obvious that whatever interest Naraku had taken to Kikyo, it was for her profession. A skilled criminal defense attorney would be a godsend to someone like Naraku. 'Too bad,' thought Kagura, 'it would have been nice to be rid of the man.' She hated him. She hated her required service to him. She hated everything about him.