I'm so excited! Okay guys, enjoy these few fun chapters while you get the chance, because after this it'll be plot, plot, plot, and will go very quickly. I can't wait! But for now, have some fun with DJ GORD!!! (hehehe that's where the amusement park name came from.)

Slightly new layout this time too. I also changed the thought notation to make things a little easier for ya! I'll go redo the chapter before this in the same style as well.

Oh, and for anyone who hasn't seen it, episode 160 is fanfic worthy!!! Be prepared!!!! ------- squeals like a fan girl

Mustard Yellow Sunshine- I've missed you soooo much!!!!! Tackles and huggles tightly How've you been?! Yeah, I've taken up the story again, and no worries, it'll be mainly Kag/Inu from here on out.- Wow, mouse bite eh? That's got to hurt. 0.o And thank you thank you thank you for all of the wonderful praise!- heheh It makes me so happy to hear that at least someone thinks the chapter stands up to my old ones.; I was a weeee bit worried about that. Hehehe Oh, and no, it's not just you; when I went back and reread my story, I got confused about the long sentence sequences as well. XD But, that's how I write, so yeah, fine by me! Lol Man, it is SOOOO good to hear from you, but I'm really excited to get the chapter up and start on the next, so I'll talk to you soon okay? Love ya!!! Huggles tightly again!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters in it. If I did I'd be rich, but I'm not... and if I had lots of money I'd probably spend it on anime anyway so pleeaasseee, don't sue me. lol

Oh, and as of late,

:::thoughts::: sound/ italicized/ emote "speech"

Recap:

(Remember, the last chapter was in between the two before it. XD If you don't remember, it was the mainly Sess/Rin chapter with the finger paint.)

Putting his car into gear and driving off, Miroku's patented grin fell back into place, reacting to the images that his mind's eye so dutifully presented, those of watching Kagome deal with Inu Yasha, and even better, Sango dealing with him.

Oh yeah, this was going to be great.

Do the Math

Chapter 29: Let the Fun-o-tainment Commence! (Part 1)

:::What am I going to do with these...?::: A lone figure could be seen traversing the halls, his body fading in and out as shadows passed over him, leaving nothing but striking amber as it seemingly blended with the darkness he held within, only to have the light engulf him once more. An onlooker would assume that this boy was on break from some class, his posture not totally rigid, but not lax either, as he fingered the pockets of his school uniform, a sort of troubled curiosity spread upon his face as if chocolate on toast.

Earlier that morning, Sesshoumaru had approached him, thrusting two slips of semi-thick paper into his hand and mumbling something about Rin being busy, before callously turning his head and walking past. It seemed as though he had bought tickets to Fun-o-tainment (DJ GORD! WOOHOO!!!), the best amusement park ever to grace this sorry world they called home, and had been planning on taking Rin, who, apparently, had been busy that day, but had Inu Yasha not heard this from Sesshoumaru's own lips, even as quickly and mumbled as it had been, he never would've believed it. Not ONLY was Mr. High and Mighty mumbling, and even GIVING Inu HIS tickets, but the mere fact that he had been planning on going in the first place was simply maddening. Inu Yasha shivered; he never wanted to imagine Sesshoumaru and "fun" in the same sentence, ever.

However, what was done was done, and now Inu was left with a problem; what was he going to do with them? Sure, he'd love to go, but who would he go with? Miroku was busy with Sango that day, so not only could neither of them accompany him, but he couldn't even give the tickets to them to use. He could ask Kagome, but frankly, he didn't think that he could bring himself to do it, which left only he, himself, and him, and, as everyone knows, going by yourself is no fun. Shrugging nonchalantly, Inu Yasha turned and headed down another corridor, this one leading in the opposite direction than the one he had previously been in. Stopping suddenly, he turned around once more, and, looking over his shoulder, past the long, shimmering silver locks and almost coarse obsidian fabric, paused, one thought passing through his mind as if teeth through that disturbing chocolate toast.

:::Maybe Kag wants them.:::

"Kagome, you have a visitor. Don't be long; we're starting the game in a few minutes." Giggling all around her, Kagome planned out her movements in the only way she could think of: answer; walk away, and resolve whatever it was quickly, hopefully sparing further giggling and embarrassment.

"Hai."

She had been in gym, chatting with Sango while the rest of the class did likewise, all waiting, all too patiently, for their teacher to arrive. When she did arrive, however, dressed in the typical white and navy blue uniform, they had all been in for a bit of a shock; since the day was warmer, they would be having class outside. An excited hum had filled the room as the girls got in pairs, and then in line, white and navy blue streaking almost hurriedly from the building to form an unorganized group outside, freed from the constraint that had been upon them only moments before. Everything had had been good at first; the girls made their groups, then their teams, and finally picked sides. She had even gotten onto the same team as Sango had! It seemed as if nothing could go wrong, that was, until her best friend nudged her. Feeling an elbow connect with her flesh, Kagome looked up, expecting to hear a hushed whisper from the girl next to her, or perhaps a mischievous expression, but instead, finding her gaze drawn towards something else, or more specifically, someone else. Inu Yasha was looking at her from across the field.

It seemed that he had been talking to the teacher, who then approached her, and in front of the whole class, had announced that he, the person once seen as her ultimate rival, was there to see her. How could the others not snicker? How could they suppress the giggling that then bubbled forth, as if an explosion waiting to happen? The situation looked suspicious from where they stood, and where there was a boy and girl involved, especially when the two were almost always around each other, for one reason or another, well, it didn't take much to lead the mind astray. With a short response for the teacher and a nod to Sango, Kagome took off, trotting slowly over to the far fence. She couldn't help the slight annoyance that built within her, brought on by loud people and fueled by the knowing looks and grins of her classmates, but she knew that it would be over soon, and then things would go back to normal. Finally reaching him, face to face, Kagome tried to keep a set distance from the boy, hoping that the others would see it and focus their thoughts back to the class at hand. Why did she care so much about what they thought? She didn't know, and for that matter, didn't really care. Why was she suddenly excited, and wondering if the chilled air outside made her face red, potentially to be mistaken for a blush? Well, she knew the answer to that, but didn't really want to think about it. Raising somewhat anxious chocolate orbs to meet his amber ones, Kagome tried to steady herself internally. This probably wasn't a big deal, so she should just relax. Relax...

"I hear you did really well on your last test. Congratulations." See, no big deal at all; he just wanted to ask about the grade she got. As her tutor, that made perfect sense. Kagome mentally nodded, decisive tone waning as her thoughts continued. Although why he'd take her out of class to do it... wait, he wouldn't have; something was up. Eyeing him carefully, Kagome smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, but you didn't really drag me out of class for that did you?" Was that a bit of surprise she saw?

"Um, well... no." Okay, now that was DEFINITELY squirming. What could he want that would make him squirm? A few seconds of silence passed by, causing Kagome to become somewhat hopeful, and even more impatient.

"Then..."

"Well, I was wondering..." dropping his gaze, Inu Yasha raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, speech quickly becoming little more than incoherent mumbling, "... since Sesshoumaru had these tickets that he wasn't going to use..." Heart suddenly pounding, Kagome's breath abandoned her, joining her, now soaring, spirit, and leaving her to fend for herself against the, as of yet, unknown.

:::Is... is he asking me out? No, he can't be, but...::: But what? But he sounded like he was? But he never would? But it made no sense, or maybe all of the sense in the world? But she wanted him to? She wanted him to... The phrase echoed in her mind, over and over like a broken recording. Did she really want him to ask her out? Studying his face, looking to the side, so full of nervousness and anticipation, though hidden behind the thick mask of self restraint that he wore as if a life-preserver, everything that she remembered from the past few months resurfaced, the ignoring, the fighting, the war, and finally, the odd friendship. Even Kagome couldn't deny that her, once pounding, heart stopped as he turned to look at her, golden eyes flashing in the afternoon sunlight. Yes, she wanted him. She wanted him to be hers.

"I was wondering if you'd want..." Gazing at the tickets, now in his hand, the teenage girl noticed that there were only two, and that they were for the best, and most expensive, amusement park ever made. He had said that they had belonged to Sesshoumaru, but as that was incredibly unlikely, she couldn't help but think that there was something else behind his story, and therefore, his actions, something he wasn't telling her. Kagome's eyes widened slightly. Maybe it wasn't such a far-fetched hope after all. Looking back up at him, the teenage girl opened her mouth, immediately cutting off the mumbling boy before her, as her words hit him, slowly at first, and then at full speed.

"They're for Fun-o-tainment?"

"Um, yeah..." A full on grin spread across Kagome's face, and Inu Yasha couldn't help but notice the newly ignited spark deep within the caramel pools he called her eyes.

:::What's she so excited about? I guess she really loves this amusement park.::: Mentally shrugging and smiling softly, Inu Yasha prepared to present the tickets to her, never expecting what was to come.

"Sure, I'd love to go with you." Wait...

:::What?!::: What the... where'd she get that idea?! He wasn't asking that! Reaching out to grab Kagome's arm as she turned to go, Inu Yasha paused. Wait a minute, what was he complaining about? He needed someone to go with him if he was going to go at all, and since Kagome, apparently, wanted to go, everything worked out. Sure, he had to spend the day with her, but the idea of that wasn't so bad, and was, in fact, quite nice. Besides, he didn't even have to ask her to go; she volunteered! Shrugging and letting out a small "keh", Inu grinned, almost triumphantly, and crossed his arms over his chest. Okay, whatever; it wasn't as if he had anything planned for that day anyway. Besides, she looked so happy... Swallowing a small lump in his throat, Inu put on the cockiest grin he could muster, and casually turned his back to her, calling back over his shoulder as he walked, once again, towards his classroom.

"Okay then, see you tomorrow morning at seven." Kagome nodded behind him, thankful that he couldn't see her, constantly reddening, cheeks, and, after a second, raced back to class. She was lucky; they had given up on gossiping about her in the time that she'd been gone, but one girl in particular was going to have one of the largest shocks of her life, and if she said even one word to Miroku about any of it, Kagome would kill her where she stood, best friend or not.

After class, the two girls went to call Mrs. Higurashi, Sango hanging on every word as Kagome talked to her mother. Everything was set; Kagome could go. Upon arriving home, Kagome found that her mother had already packed her bag for her, including, but not limited to, sun block, a bathing suit, a few towels, and snacks. Also included was a small bit of money, and room had been left for more snacks, those that were to be freshly made the next morning.

That night was one filled with excitement and reluctant homework, everything counting down to the morning to come. Now, if only Kagome could get to sleep...

Flashes, bright lights, blinding her...

:::Where am I?:::

People mumbling; something was wrong?

:::Is that Kaede?:::

So many needles... the red, so much red...

:::It's blood.:::

Someone laying close by... seems familiar...

:::Are those machines?:::

Inu Yasha...

:::Inu Yasha...::: knock knock knock

"Kag, wake up."

:::He's here...:::

"Kag!" Eyes bursting open, Kagome shot out of bed, or would have if she hadn't been too tangled up in her own sheets to fully sit up. Opting to lean back against one elbow, the shocked girl lay a hand over her beating heart, willing it to slow even a fraction, for fear that it would burst forth from her chest, as tears apparently had from her eyes.

:::What a dream...::: Breath returning to her lungs and pulse no longer racing so much as jogging, Kagome reached up to remove the dampness beneath her eyes.

"Kagome! That's it, I'm coming in!"

:::What?::: In an instant the door to her room had swung open, revealing for her confused sight, a slightly annoyed ivory-haired boy, sporting a simple red tank top and pair of black shorts, his hand still pressing firmly against the center of her door as he yelled at her.

"Keh, you're not even dressed yet! Hurry up or we'll get stuck in lines!"

:::That's right, we're supposed to go to Fun-o-tainment today... what time is it?!::: Before she could even look, Inu Yasha turned to leave the room, informing her along the way that she had ten minutes to get ready or he was going to leave without her.

What a great way to start a date.

Mumbling to herself, Kagome rolled out of bed and, realizing that time was ticking away, rushed to get dressed. Inu Yasha would wait for her, of that she had no doubt, but she had no intentions of making him wait any longer than necessary if that would make the day even a touch more difficult; Kagome wanted today to be special, because who knew if she'd ever get another chance like this. Vision quickly darting towards the mirror, the girl, now mostly dressed, picked up her brush and ran it quickly through her hair, taking care around knots and tangles, but otherwise continuing mechanically, as she had done every morning since she could remember. Kagome knew that she wouldn't have time to shower that morning, but even so, she wasn't too worried; the water rides would take care of that for her. Now, where was that backpack?

Who ever said that a bad morning would ruin your day didn't spend the rest of it at an amusement park.

The drive there hadn't been too bad, but hadn't exactly been heaven either. In fact, most of the ride had been relatively quiet between the two, weighing on the atmosphere, but not so much as to make it uncomfortable. All that had changed, however, once the theme park was in sight.

At the end of a parking lot that was easily as long as many malls were wide, stood a great light blue iron fence, reaching up to the heavens. It had been constructed first on the ground, or so the story goes, and took an entire village to pull it upright, but, even in the strongest of storms, the fence has not suffered, teetered, or in any way moved, creating both a feeling of security, and one of entrapment. However, as cold and lonely as the historic fence may have been, the main gate was warm and inviting. Colored mainly in yellows and reds, it stood about two people tall and consisted of two booths, each set up to sell tickets, with the entrance standing proudly behind them. Everything was decorated with beautiful tropical flowers and funny cartoon characters, all greeting you into their world of wonderment and pricey entertainment, not that that bothered anyone. Everyone entering knew the cost of what they were doing, and all were willing to pay the price, as their fun would be long-lasting and well worth almost any amount of money that they could pay. It was also because of this that they only needed two booths; not many could afford to go there, so the lines and ride times were short and the people full of overwhelming excitement and glee. They couldn't wait.

Once through the front gate, an entirely new world appeared before them, spanning as far as the eye could see, though that was partially due to the tall rides at the back blocking their view. The park looked pretty much like any other amusement park, rides, booths, food, etc, but for one exception; it was below them. At one point in time, this area had been a great lake, very long and very deep, but the water had dissipated over time, and had been long gone when the park was put up, leaving a giant whole to build in. The only way to get down to the park was to either take the stairs, an idea that most scoffed at, as who'd want to do something for themselves at an amusement park, or to take the long escalator down to the main floor. Of course, for two excited teenagers, even the escalator would've been too long a wait, and as such, Inu Yasha tore down the cold, metallic steps, passing, immediately annoyed, park-goers, and biding Kagome to do the same, by way of a challenge of course. He knew that she'd never be so rude unless there was something of high price wagered, and what could be a higher price than his pride?

Of course, running down a long flight of stairs, even if they happened to be moving, took a good deal of effort, and, it being unusually warm for that time of morning, or even that time of year, the two were well overheated once the race was all well and done. Competition still flaring in their veins, overcoming all sense of logic and reason, only one suggestion could surface in their minds. Where did you go when you wanted to both show off and cool off?

"Water park?"

"Let's."