Role Reversal
Part 1: Anarchy
Disclaimer: In your ear with a bottle of beer...
Author's Notes: Okay, I have decided! One-word chapters for all installments! It is going to be hard! Anyway, my laptop finally decided to work, so I can use Microsoft Word! YAY!! ::throws confetti:: Okay, here's the deal. I do not know the exact color of Kagome's eyes. In the color version of the manga, they are a grey-blue. However, in the American version of the anime, they a dark brown. On with the fic! Review responses at the bottom.
Chapter Dedication: My friend Nicole because she helped inspire me to write this! (Note: if you want a chapter dedicated to you, tell me!)
24 hours later…
"InuYasha," Kagome began. "Are you okay? You seem kind of…moody."
"I'm fine, okay!" InuYasha quickly turned his head back to face the wind, a light blush spreading across his cheeks as he did so. He tightened his grip on the younger girl's legs and bounded forward even faster than before. He liked the feeling of her warmth on his back and the wind in his face. It made him feel free, free and uninhibited. Most of all, he liked being near Kagome, but that was his secret.
Kagome hugged InuYasha's neck tighter, wondering all the while why he would not open up to her. That was all she wanted, a little bit of trust between them. But he had lost that a long time ago; his capacity for trust dried up along with Kikyou. She shut her eyes, wishing every day could be like this; wishing that she and InuYasha could be together, wishing for his love, his trust, and his companionship. Kagome sighed wistfully, her eyes tearing up.
InuYasha heard Kagome's sigh. It was almost inaudible, but with his hearing, he could hear pretty much anything. Then, he smelled it. Tears. Kagome's tears. Why was she crying? What had he done? Immediately, InuYasha began to feel immense guilt; he hadn't meant to make her cry. His pace slowed for a moment before he turned and yelled back to Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippou.
"Oi, guys! You head on to the nearest village. I'll catch up with you later." With that, he bounded off the path and leaped into the forest. Once he found a tree that was suitable, he perched in it and let Kagome drop off his back on to the tree limb. Kagome gazed up at him once he turned around.
"What's going on?" She asked. Her chocolate orbs looked up at him, confusion evident in her eyes.
She gasped as he turned around, a clear mixture of guilt and pain on his face.
"What did I do?" He asked.
"InuYasha, I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Whadda ya mean? You were crying while I was carrying you!" InuYasha all but shouted at her. Kagome's sudden intake of breath made InuYasha's ears twitch in annoyance and anxiousness.
"I wasn't crying. I was, um, I, uh, I have allergies! Yeah, that's it. Allergies. Tough stuff." For a second, InuYasha looked as though he did not believe her. His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned, trying to process what she said.
"Okay." With that one little word, Kagome let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
"Kagome," InuYasha began.
"Yeah?"
"What's an 'alerjies'?" Kagome stifled a laugh at his awkward pronunciation of the word.
"Well, allergies are things that make you feel kinda bad. They make your eyes water, your throat hurt, and your nose gets all stuffy."
"Oh. Do you need some water?"
"No. Why would I?"
"Well, you said it made your throat hurt." He looked so innocent when he said that. Kagome had no choice but to tell the truth.
"Um, InuYasha?"
"What is it?"
"I don't have allergies…"
"Whadda ya mean?!"
"I, um, I just didn't want to tell you why I was upset."
"Feh. Well?"
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to tell me?!?!" Kagome gazed up into his liquid-gold orbs, wondering if he really wanted to know and if she should really tell him. Cautiously, Kagome bit her lip and started into her explanation.
"Do you remember when I told you how Kikyou and I were alike in our desire to be with you? Well, I was just wishing that we could stay like that forever. And also that you would at least open up to me and trust me a little bit more than you do right now. It aggravates me that you can't even trust me just a little bit!"
"I do trust you! I let you go home, don't I?!"
"I wouldn't call it trust when you come back to drag me off again after about a day. What are you so afraid of?! Where do you think I would go?"
"Feh. It's that stupid Ho-ho kid."
"Hojou?"
"Whatever. You ran off with him one time. And I know you'll do it again!"
"InuYasha! I would never leave you alone here!"
"How can I be sure?"
"Because, well, because…I can't say."
"So you would leave?!"
"NO! I promise I wouldn't!"
"Tell me why, wench!"
"No."
"Tell me!"
"No!"
"Spit it out!!!"
"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" Upon realizing what she had mistakenly blurted out, Kagome's hands clapped over her mouth.
'Did I really just say that out loud?' Kagome thought.
'Did she really just say that out loud?' InuYasha contemplated.
"Kagome?" Too embarrassed to say anything, Kagome merely gave a nod of her head.
"Did you really mean that?" Kagome raised her eyes up to meet InuYasha's. Coffee orbs met tawny and their gazes locked for what seemed like an eternity. Through that one gaze, all emotion was expressed. Words were felt and not heard. All the things that had needed to be said were just expressed through facial expression. It was the epitome of love; the perfect picture, like something out of a movie. Dramatic music and all.
Slowly, InuYasha began to walk towards Kagome, eyes never wavering from her face. He did, however, break the eye contact long enough to lean down and give her a passionate kiss. When the couple parted for air, InuYasha pulled Kagome to him in a bone-crushing hug.
"I love you, too, Kagome," he gently whispered in her ear.
Same time, with Sango and Miroku
"Ahhh! You hentai! STOP IT!!!" Sango exclaimed as the monk's "cursed hand" somehow found its way to her backside…again. In turn, Sango's hand connected with his face…again.
"My dear Sango, you know I cannot resist your immense beauty. I just have my ways of expressing it." By some means, the lecherous monk still managed to look suave and keep his calm expression. Sango just gave him a glare and turned away, blushing furiously all the while.
Shippou, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara had arrived in Kaede's village a few moments ago and already Miroku had started his antics.
'He is infuriating!' Sango thought as she strolled away from the monk. 'Humph. And he's supposed to be holy. And to think, at times I even thought he was cute, or that he at least liked me. What am I saying?! Miroku, cute?!?!'
Sango's last thought made her blush even more. You couldn't tell if her head was a tomato or if she had a face. Before entering Kaede's hut, she turned to glance at Miroku. He was still standing a few feet from the entrance of the hut, a placid look on his face. He looked as if he was deep in thought about something.
'Hmm,' Miroku thought. 'How should I let Sango know I care about her? Maybe I'll ask Shippou. For a little fox youkai, he seems to know a lot about affairs of this sort.'
And so, with a determined look on his face, Miroku set off to find Shippou.
An hour or so later…Sango had finished helping Kaede prepare dinner and had decided to walk around the village. Sighing, Sango looked around at the happy couples and families playing in the streets. Feeling alone and dejected, Sango turned around and began walking back to Kaede's hut to polish Hirakotsu. Though, upon turning around, she tripped over something.
"Owwww," a high-pitched voice wailed.
"Oh. Sorry, Shippou. I didn't see you." Shippou began rubbing the large knot on his head.
"It's okay, Sango. Oh! I forgot! Miroku wanted me to give these to you." Smiling, Shippou produced a rather large bouquet from behind his back. Attached to one of the long-stemmed flowers was a note. Sango peered in disbelief at the note.
My Dearest Sango,
I wanted to give you these flowers as a token of my love for you. Haven't you realized that I love you yet? I just want you to be happy, and these flowers will, hopefully, cheer you up.
Love,
Miroku
Sango gasped after she read the note. 'He loves me? Miroku loves me?'
With a new resolve, Sango headed back towards Kaede's hut. Once Sango reached the hut, she saw Miroku standing outside. Running as fast as she could towards him, Sango tackled him from the side, hugging him around his neck and grinning all the while.
"I take it you liked the flowers," Miroku declared. Sango's reply was a short kiss on the lips. Ah, the simple pleasures of being in love. Unfortunately for Sango, Miroku wanted a little bit more.
WHAM! Sango had Hirakotsu out in a flash and slammed it into Miroku's head…again.
"You know, this is just what I'd expect from a hentai like you. You stupid monk, you give me flowers and shower me with complements and I fell for it. How stupid do you think I am?!" Sango hit him once more for good measure before stalking into Kaede's hut.
"You really blew it this time," Shippou piped in.
"All in good measure," came Miroku's mystical reply.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That's a secret." Miroku winked at the little fox youkai before walking into Kaede's hut as well.
10 hours to go, Kaede's house
Dinner had been unusually tense that evening. Sango had completely ignored Miroku, except to slap him when he made advances towards her and Kagome and InuYasha both blushed whenever someone asked them what they had been doing. Needless to say, Shippou was the only bubbly one.
The group ate slowly and sat around the fireside in stony silence afterwards. At about ten o' clock, Kagome had decided that they should retire for the night. Everyone took their normal places around the room and it was only then that they began to speak.
"Sango?" Miroku ventured.
"What is it, Houshi-sama?" Miroku winced at the respectful term. Shouldn't she be at least a little more comfortable around him?
"I just wanted to say I am truly sorry, my dear Sango. My hand is cursed; I have no control over it. I didn't want to grope you…. Okay, maybe I did, but I didn't mean to! You have to believe me!" Sango gave him the once over before accepting his apology and scooting closer to him.
"Miroku, if you touch me at anytime during the night, I will cut your hand off. Got that?" Miroku audibly gulped and shivered at the idea of Sango cutting his hand off.
"Yes, ma'am."
Meanwhile, Kagome had spread out her sleeping bag and had just made herself comfy when InuYasha scooted closer to her and leaned over to her.
"InuYasha?" Kagome queried.
"What?"
"What are you doing?"
"Telling you goodnight. Is that okay with you?" Kagome nodded and their lips briefly touched.
"'Night, Kagome."
"Goodnight, InuYasha. I love you."
"Love you, too." Kagome smiled at his reply and rolled over to go to sleep, clutching Shippou tightly to her chest.
InuYasha watched her sleeping form for a moment before lowering his head and clutching Tetsusaiga. He would protect Kagome at any cost during the night. InuYasha felt ecstatic, yet guilty at that thought.
'Kikyou,' he thought glumly. 'I told her the same thing. That I would protect her, that I loved her. Yet, I promised Kagome the same thing. I can't go to hell with her anymore. That would mean leaving my Kagome vulnerable to demons and to that wimpy wolf. I'm sorry, Kikyou. I choose Kagome.'
With that last thought, he drifted off to sleep.
The group was so enveloped in their reveries that no one noticed the abnormal presence that seemed to appear. All of a sudden, a bright white light engulfed Kaede's hut. From afar, it would have looked as though the sun was rising so soon after setting. A blue orb appeared from each of the weary travelers and switched around until they found someone they were comfortable with, then they settled down into their bodies.
"Your forty-eight hours is up," a mystifying, yet familiar voice whispered into the now tranquil room.
The next morning…
Kagome let out a yawn as she stretched, her back sore from sleeping on the hard ground all night. After clearing the sleep from her crusty eyes, she took the time to glance around the room. Sango was leaning against her right shoulder, still peacefully asleep. Kagome smiled down at her friend for a moment before having a sudden epiphany.
'Didn't I go to sleep near InuYasha?' Inquisitively, Kagome got up, gently laying Sango's head on the floor as she did so, and walked over to where she saw InuYasha sitting. Lo and behold, there she was, lying on the floor, Shippou curled into a tight ball beside her.
Kagome gasped in horror and disbelief as she stared at her body. She glanced down at the body she was in quite alarmingly. She was clad in purple monk's robes and over her right hand was a piece of cloth and the prayer beads Miroku usually wore.
"Oh Kami," Kagome half-whispered. Then, unable to restrain herself any longer, she screamed.
InuYasha woke instantly upon hearing the scream, as did everyone in the hut. He glanced down to make sure Kagome was okay, but found that he was cradling Shippou in his arms.
'What in the seven hells…' he thought.
"What the hell is going on here?" Everyone who had been startled by the sudden scream emitted from Miroku now stared questioningly at InuYasha, or should I say, Kagome.
Sango glanced over at Kagome once she said "hell." Since Kagome never swears, it was a shock that such a fierce string of words would come out of her mouth.
"Kagome?" Sango asked. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah, InuYasha. Why?" The fact that these words were emitted from Miroku's mouth confused Sango even more. And why was she being called Miroku?
Miroku, however, was simply reveling in the fact that he was being held by a lovely lady at the moment, even though it was not the woman he loved. Suddenly unable to control himself, Miroku reached over and displayed a rather undesirable form of affection.
A pain suddenly flashed through his skull as a rather angry Kagome towered over him.
"Shippou, if you touch my ass again, you little runt," she said while lifting him up by his tail, "and I will personally see to it that you will eat through a straw for the rest of your life."
If it weren't for the fact that Miroku suddenly had a tail and was being treated like Shippou, he would have cowered in response "Kagome's" fierce threat. Instead, he merely put on a somewhat pensive face and pondered why certain people were having identity crises.
Throughout the entire conversation, Sango had kept quiet, a perplexed emotion coming across her face at times. It was then though that she decided to voice her thoughts.
"WAHH! Kagome! I'm scared!!!" That said, she ran and jumped into Kagome's arms.
"Um, Sango? I'm Kagome," Miroku put in, "and why are you acting like Shippou?"
"What are you talking about, Miroku?" InuYasha queried.
"Yeah! And I'm Shippou!"
"No you're not! You're Sango! What in the seven hells is wrong with you?" Shippou, or rather Miroku, got up and calmly walked over to Sango and, well, you know the drill. Kagome, upon hearing Sango's scream, slammed her hands on the ground and hauled herself to her feet. She then proceeded to grab Shippou by his tail and shake him gruffly.
"You- little- dumbass!" She yelled, punctuating each word with a shake, "Stop- fooling- around!"
Unfortunately, this one little action caused everyone to get up on and chaos ensued. People were throwing punches, shrieking insults, and strings of colorful words were being issued from certain people's mouths. It was then that Kaede decided to stroll in, humming quietly to herself. Upon viewing the scene, she froze, carefully perusing every aspect of the situation. Once her presence became known, all living beings ceased their row.
"I'm sorry. Did I come upon you at a bad time?" Her eye traveled upon the group. Kagome had a hold of Sango's hair, Sango's foot was in Miroku's face, Miroku was sitting on InuYasha's legs, his elbow in his stomach, and Shippou was resting on InuYasha's face.
"NO!" All five chorused.
"We need some help. Something is terribly amiss, Kaede-san." Shippou was the first to speak up.
"I see," the old woman replied. "I thought I perceived a change in your auras. There was also a new presence last night; I thought it was nothing, but it seems that ye have bee cursed."
"Well, you old hag, is there a cure?" Kagome cried. The aged miko looked at Kagome in astonishment. Never had she heard such an outburst from the child. Soon enough, though, Kaede recovered from her distress.
"Yes, Child. There may indeed be a way for ye to change back." 'Whether you can stand the test, though, is up to you,' Kaede added as an afterthought.
Author's Notes: HOLY SHIT! This chapter is 10 effing pages long!!! That has got to be the most I've ever written!!!! Whether future chapters will be this long or not, I don't know. If you have any questions at all, just ask!
Now, press that button down there and review!!!!! If you review, I might give you something special!!!