Author's Notes: Well, it's going to be a busy week. Between finishing
my Midnight Society application (at last) and working on all of my
stories and songs, I have to go shopping for college once more. (sigh)
Work in any shape or form sucks.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Chapter 7- Family Weekend, Part 2
The next day, Sango had suggested that they all go into town for a while. Since they weren't very far from the city, the town itself was slowly beginning to assimilate modern counterculture. There was an artistic district called Newfield not far from the campus with art house theaters, coffee shops, themed restaurants, art galleries, open-mic cafes, and so on. In fact, most episodes of Ace Spade and Ghost Walk were filmed here.
As an added bonus, Miroku was the perfect tour guide. In just their freshmen year, he had memorized the layout of the district as if he had lived there his whole life. He just had to keep on impressing for the rest of the day. If he could win Sango's father's approval, all would be well. He was jumping through the hoops just fine, so he just needed to make sure Mr. Ishikawa decided not to light the next ones on fire.
They drove out to a little parking lot and hit the streets, as Miroku had insisted that the best way to experience Newfield was through a walking tour. The district certainly did not lack color. Some of the streets and sidewalks were still brick and cobblestone. A trolley ran through several roads every now and again with its black roof, red signs, and gold logo and numbers. Just about everywhere there was something or someone to see. On one corner stood a man with a twelve-string guitar singing about the people passing by him. On another was a woman performing magic tricks for a small crowd of children and their parents. Across the street was a theater and pub with a big sign that showed a skull wearing a top hat fighting with a tiki mask. They passed by a magic shop which had a motorized rabbit pulling itself out of a hat and waving at passersby.
"I love this place," Miroku remarked. "Ronny's Magic Shop. I'm on a first-name basis with the owner. We actually did an episode of Ghost Walk here. Local legend has it that a woman committed suicide in there after learning of her husband's infidelity. He died under mysterious circumstances a year later."
"Delightful," Mr. Ishikawa said flatly. Sango remembered how he used to love ghost stories. But in the last couple years he had become disinterested in it all. "It's getting close to lunch. What do you recommend around here?" That was a good sign at least.
Miroku thought for a minute before snapping his fingers and smiling. "I've got an idea. Do you like Mediterranean? Because there's a bistro a couple blocks down called Sinbad's. And I know of a good place we can go for dessert afterwards."
The restaurant was a cute little place with only eight tables and staffed by a family that looked like they were of mixed Greek and Italian blood. The meal started out well enough. A simple appetizer of fried mushrooms and salad, and then the main course. Miroku had recommended they try anything with lamb in it. Sango took his advice and got beef and lamb kabobs. She certainly was glad she did and made a mental note to come back here sometime.
"Miroku," her father said conversationally, "I do not mean to pry, but could you tell me a little more about yourself? Your family?"
Sango didn't know whether to smile or wince. Miroku must have been making a damn good impression to be that interesting to her father, but at the same time she wasn't sure what he would think of Miroku's background.
Miroku himself hesitated a moment. "Well... it's not something I like to talk about, but I suppose there's no harm. My parents weren't the happiest couple in the world. It's a wonder they loved each other enough to stay together as long as they did. Still, they always taught me to be responsible and how to think for myself.
"When my mother died eight years ago from kidney failure... I think something in my father snapped. He's become very self-destructive lately. It's why he isn't here today. I feel sorry for the poor guy, I really do. I mean, come on, he's my father. Still, its... uh, it's pretty hard sometimes."
Sango really hated having to hear that. Miroku was working so hard to pick himself out of that trap his own father was falling into. But it was usually something he kept to himself. He must have really wanted to make a good impression to so willingly part with his story to people he had only known about twenty-four hours.
"I see," Mr. Ishikawa said after a moment. "Things must have been very rough for you."
Miroku nodded. "Yeah. But I'm here now. I'm not one to give up easy."
Sango waited as her father eyed Miroku with a very considering stare before finally nodding slowly. "I respect that."
Sango released a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. It looked like Miroku had won approval. She tried to keep from smiling too widely. No sense in giving herself away just yet.
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Miroku was relieved to see that Mr. Ishikawa was no longer fixing him with a hawkish glare. That guy could be downright scary if he tried. They made small talk throughout the rest of the meal before Miroku led them all back out onto the streets. "Come on. There's a little place around the corner."
The place in question was an ice cream parlor run by an Asian family called The Jade Oasis. "They've got ice cream, obviously. But they also make smoothies and bubble tea."
"What's bubble tea?" Kohaku asked curiously.
"It's basically like fruit flavored iced tea with really big tapioca beads in it." He got their interest at that one. There were certainly advantages to being outgoing.
The little parlor was sparsely furnished with a couple bamboo plants here and there and a fountain on the counter. There was a young Japanese boy sitting behind the register reading A Confederacy of Dunces. He looked up as the four people walked in through the glass door and smiled. "Hey Miroku."
"Hey Ken," Miroku answered back with a smile. "How's it hangin'?"
"Eh, same old," Ken said with a shrug. "Can I get you guys anything?"
Miroku simply gestured for Sango and her family to go first. Sango gave him a little knowing smile that gave him a boost of confidence. He was pretty sure he had passed her father's test by now.
"I'll have a peanut butter sundae," Kohaku started.
"Hmm... I'd like to try a dragonfruit smoothie," Mr. Ishikawa said after perusing the menu above the counter.
"A passionfruit bubble tea for me," Sango said.
Ken looked up at Miroku and smirked. "Let me guess... Blueberry bubble tea." He said it as more of a statement than a question.
Miroku put on a look mock shock. "My god, have I become that predictable?"
"I'll take that as a yes," Ken laughed.
As they all stepped outside to enjoy their desserts, Miroku cast a glance over at Mr. Ishikawa to see that he was looking at him in a much more amiable manner. "What did I tell ya?" he asked conversationally. "Newfield is a great place."
"Indeed it is," Mr. Ishikawa said with a soft smile. "I have to say I'm impressed."
Miroku looked back at Sango who was smiling broadly and flashing him a thumbs-up behind her father's back. He had won approval. Mission accomplished.
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Inutaisho watched with amusement as Inuyasha left the table with the excuse that he just wanted to walk around when it was obvious that he just wanted to go talk to Kagome who was standing by the river. They were all dining out for lunch that day in a small cafe by the river called Harry's Place. The scenery was all very picturesque, which is probably why Inutaisho liked the town so much.
"It really is cute how they're getting along," Miho said beside him.
"Yes," he responded as he watched his son. "I must say that I really think Kagome is the best thing to happen to Inuyasha in a long time."
"How do you mean?" Miho's father asked.
"Well... Inuyasha has always been a little emotionally detached. He didn't take his mother's death very well. I was always busy so I wasn't there for him like I should have been. And his brother, Sesshoumaru... I really wish I could have done better with that boy. He was never any help to Inuyasha either.
"Anyway, Inuyasha has never really let himself live. After his break-up with his old girlfriend Kikyo a few months back, I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever trust anyone again. But it seems that ever since Kagome came into his life, he's changed. He doesn't seem as hostile or cold anymore."
"Hmm," Miho answered in deep thought as she watched the two young people at the river. It seemed they were in another argument again. They sounded almost like a married couple playing games with one another. "She's always been able to bring out the best in people, you know."
"Mm-hmm." There was a pause between all of them. Inutaisho thought for a moment. There had to be something he could do for his son. This arrangement would only last during the school year. And Inuyasha really needed someone like Kagome in his life to keep him sane. Wait... "I think I have an idea..."
Miho, her father, and Sota all leaned in closer to hear what he had to say. By the time he finished explaining what he had in mind, they all had grins on their faces. "I'm sure we could work something out," Miho said with a nod. "We'll exchange contact information and try to plan this out over the next month or two."
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Meanwhile, in another part of town, Shippo was out at the mall perusing the game store for anything decent. His classes this semester had been a total breeze. His homework was done not long after he got it home and he had already studied enough to memorize several sections of his textbook and notes verbatim. So now, he was rewarding himself with some time out of the house to himself and a new computer game. Unfortunately, the selection of games he didn't already have was pretty slim. And what choices he did have were hard to decide on.
"Hmm. Sims 2, City of Heroes, or Psi-Ops? Nngh! I can't stand decisions like this." This was looking bleak. How was he going to make a choice? They all had their good qualities and seemed to sing a siren song of hours of wasted time in digital fantasy.
"Shippo!" He was drawn out of his inner debate by another siren song, this one coming from a flesh-and-blood person. He looked up to see Kirara walking into the store smiling at him. God, he loved her smile. It figured that she'd be here. She had moved into this town last June so family weekend was just another excuse for her not to go back to campus on the weekend and study. "Looking to blow this week's paycheck?" she asked jokingly.
"If I could do that, I wouldn't be in this little dilemma," Shippo answered. He then turned back to the shelves. "Take a look. My choices are obvious. Either Sims 2, City of Heroes, or Psi-Ops. I need a break from Halo 2, which I love, don't get me wrong. What do you think?"
"Hmm," she said, eyebrows going up toward her hairline. "That is a conundrum. Sims 2 offers you the undeniable thrill of getting to play god. City of Heroes lets you be a superhero which is synonymous with awesome. And Psi-Ops has stealth and exploding heads."
"You see my problem, of course," Shippo said. "With school still in session, I can really only get one. And the indecision is tearing me apart." Why did life have to be so complicated?
"Oh, woe is you. Hell, woe is me, too. Now I need to get one of these!" Kirara shook her head. "It's not easy being a digital junkie."
"We are indeed doomed," Shippo said, trying to outdo her in terms of hokey melodrama.
"What are we ever to do?" she moaned before collapsing back into Shippo's arms like in an operah. She won this round. Of course, this also gave Shippo a really wicked idea. "Okay, help me up," Kirara said at last. She had leaned back so far that her torso was now parallel with the ground, setting her center of gravity off and making it nearly impossible to get the proper leverage to stand upright.
Shippo just grinned down at her. "I don't think so."
Kirara craned her neck to look at him. "Say that again?"
"I like you just where you are," Shippo said very slyly.
Kirara blushed at that one. "You're either a perv or under the impression that your arms can hold out forever."
Shippo just shrugged. "When my arms get tired I can just put you over my shoulder." Years of pranks and jokes had made him a decent actor. He knew how to keep a straight face and keep that blush out that he knew was threatening to creep in.
"You wouldn't dare," Kirara challenged him.
"Try me," Shippo retorted.
"I'll scream."
"And get us both kicked out?"
"Try me."
"You're no fun," Shippo teased as he set Kirara upright again. She rubbed her neck a moment and smirked at him.
"Back to your little conundrum..." He swore she was just toying with him. It really drove Shippo insane. He had safely concluded that Inuyasha and Kagome were unconsciously flirting instead of arguing. And it was pretty obvious that Miroku and Sango were finally getting together. Honestly, it took them long enough. But here he was on such good terms with the woman of his dreams and he was so worried about destroying what he already with her that he couldn't bring himself to ask her out. It was such a kick in the balls. It was wierd how women were at once attractive and frustrating like all get out because they were so damn confusing. Did they even realize the full extent of their power over men?
Still... there had to be some way to get closer to Kirara. Give her an inkling about his feelings and maybe get her to reciprocate them. That reminded him...
"Hey, Kirara, if you can help me out with this decision, then I'll let you in on a little side project I'm working on. It's a favor for Miroku and Sango regarding some well-placed vengeance."
Kirara grinned and her eyes lit up. "Ooh! I'm sold. Who are your poor, unsuspecting targets this time?"
"Patience," Shippo said with a smirk and a finger wag. "Game first, conspiracy later."
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The weekend had gone by faster than Kagome would have liked. The sun was setting and it was time for her family to spend the next three hours on the road home. She hugged her mother, brother, and grandfather one last time. "I'll miss you guys. I promise I'll bring back DVDs of our shows for Thanksgiving break."
"We're looknig forward to it," her mother said. "I'm really proud of you, remember that."
As they finished their goodbyes, Kagome looked to see Inuyasha watching his father's SUV turn round the corner and disappear. She was right. He cared more than he let on. She walked over to him and smiled. "Your dad is really cool."
Inuyasha smirked. "Yeah. Your family too."
"You're just saying that because Sota worships the ground you walk on," she teased.
"What can I say, your brother knows greatness when he sees it," Inuyasha replied coolly.
Kagome just giggled and slapped his shoulder playfully. "You're such a narcissist."
"You wouldn't have me any other way and you know it."
Okay, what did he mean by that? She looked up at him with a lifted eyebrow and he just stared back at her challengingly. She just kept staring into his eyes until his haughty attitude started to drop and she forgot what it was they had been talking about anyway. Why was he so hard to figure out?
Inuyasha parted his lips as if to speak but instead just coughed and turned his head with a light blush. "I better get going. I need to study." With that, he turned to walk off to Barker Hall. "I'll see ya, Kagome," he said over his shoulder.
Kagome stood there a moment longer. Why was it that whenever they were alone he got like that? She couldn't seem to piece it all together.
Sighing softly, she walked back to Ravencroft Hall.
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Meanwhile, just around the corner, Kirara and Shippo tried to contain their laughter as they snuck back off from whence they came. They had gotten what they needed to start on what would be one of Shippo's most ambitious revenge schemes yet.
"Shippo, you are a genius," Kirara laughed.
"Isn't it the truth?" Shippo laughed back. "I like to think that by giving people their karmic backlash I'm using my talents for good instead of evil. But we all know that I enjoy this way too much for it to be good."
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Author's Notes: Ha! You'd thought I'd forgotten about Miroku and Sango's revenge hadn't you? Think again! I think I've left enough dangling plot threads for you all to feed on and speculate over for a while. I really need to get back to my Midnight Society application. I've somehow written myself into a corner. Ugh.
Anyway, a shout-out to my reviewers...
Araine: Well, that kicks the crap out of my various wounds. Though my younger brother once had a chiminea fall over and brush against his leg when he was wearing shorts, resulting in what was almost a third degree burn. It took him about 30 seconds to get over the shock, and then he screamed loud enough to be heard three blocks down... And, oh yeah, Kikyo and Sesshoumaru will be appearing later. Don't worry, their time will come.
bluefuzzyelf: Do these Shippo scenes meet with your seal of approval? Just wait until you see what he has planned, though.
Concrete Angel: At this point, I have Koga planned as a supporting character. But that might change. And by "might" I mean "possibly, but slim chance."
Father Malvado: Books, music, and film are my life. I was born to create.
Mimiko: Actually I'm something of a connoiseur (probably spelled that wrong) of shampoos. I have very unusual hair. It's probably my best feature, so I take a lot of pride in it. True story, I have on at least five spearate occassions in the last three years had complete strangers compliment me on my hair. Most of them were women who said I had better hair than their daughters.
Cynical Chaos: Every rule and the two cell blocks. Evil is fun, but it's even more fun when you win.
Ama: Gandalf rules. And I'll be sure to check your story out by the end of the week at the very latest.
Thessalian: Yes, it does exist. Go to pvponline .com and click on the window on the right underneath the comic that shows the T-shirt designs. It will take you to ThinkGeek's PvP store where you can get the shirt. And I know my female characters can be hokey sometimes. Female writers probably don't have this same problem as often with male characters. I mean, it's not like guys are that hard to figure out. Stand-up comedians have had us pegged for some time now.
Magellan-Chan: Yes, Rin will be in this. I have plans for even her.
wereturtle: Small universities only work if that's the kind of environment you feel comfortable in. And I'm kicking ass in mine.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Chapter 7- Family Weekend, Part 2
The next day, Sango had suggested that they all go into town for a while. Since they weren't very far from the city, the town itself was slowly beginning to assimilate modern counterculture. There was an artistic district called Newfield not far from the campus with art house theaters, coffee shops, themed restaurants, art galleries, open-mic cafes, and so on. In fact, most episodes of Ace Spade and Ghost Walk were filmed here.
As an added bonus, Miroku was the perfect tour guide. In just their freshmen year, he had memorized the layout of the district as if he had lived there his whole life. He just had to keep on impressing for the rest of the day. If he could win Sango's father's approval, all would be well. He was jumping through the hoops just fine, so he just needed to make sure Mr. Ishikawa decided not to light the next ones on fire.
They drove out to a little parking lot and hit the streets, as Miroku had insisted that the best way to experience Newfield was through a walking tour. The district certainly did not lack color. Some of the streets and sidewalks were still brick and cobblestone. A trolley ran through several roads every now and again with its black roof, red signs, and gold logo and numbers. Just about everywhere there was something or someone to see. On one corner stood a man with a twelve-string guitar singing about the people passing by him. On another was a woman performing magic tricks for a small crowd of children and their parents. Across the street was a theater and pub with a big sign that showed a skull wearing a top hat fighting with a tiki mask. They passed by a magic shop which had a motorized rabbit pulling itself out of a hat and waving at passersby.
"I love this place," Miroku remarked. "Ronny's Magic Shop. I'm on a first-name basis with the owner. We actually did an episode of Ghost Walk here. Local legend has it that a woman committed suicide in there after learning of her husband's infidelity. He died under mysterious circumstances a year later."
"Delightful," Mr. Ishikawa said flatly. Sango remembered how he used to love ghost stories. But in the last couple years he had become disinterested in it all. "It's getting close to lunch. What do you recommend around here?" That was a good sign at least.
Miroku thought for a minute before snapping his fingers and smiling. "I've got an idea. Do you like Mediterranean? Because there's a bistro a couple blocks down called Sinbad's. And I know of a good place we can go for dessert afterwards."
The restaurant was a cute little place with only eight tables and staffed by a family that looked like they were of mixed Greek and Italian blood. The meal started out well enough. A simple appetizer of fried mushrooms and salad, and then the main course. Miroku had recommended they try anything with lamb in it. Sango took his advice and got beef and lamb kabobs. She certainly was glad she did and made a mental note to come back here sometime.
"Miroku," her father said conversationally, "I do not mean to pry, but could you tell me a little more about yourself? Your family?"
Sango didn't know whether to smile or wince. Miroku must have been making a damn good impression to be that interesting to her father, but at the same time she wasn't sure what he would think of Miroku's background.
Miroku himself hesitated a moment. "Well... it's not something I like to talk about, but I suppose there's no harm. My parents weren't the happiest couple in the world. It's a wonder they loved each other enough to stay together as long as they did. Still, they always taught me to be responsible and how to think for myself.
"When my mother died eight years ago from kidney failure... I think something in my father snapped. He's become very self-destructive lately. It's why he isn't here today. I feel sorry for the poor guy, I really do. I mean, come on, he's my father. Still, its... uh, it's pretty hard sometimes."
Sango really hated having to hear that. Miroku was working so hard to pick himself out of that trap his own father was falling into. But it was usually something he kept to himself. He must have really wanted to make a good impression to so willingly part with his story to people he had only known about twenty-four hours.
"I see," Mr. Ishikawa said after a moment. "Things must have been very rough for you."
Miroku nodded. "Yeah. But I'm here now. I'm not one to give up easy."
Sango waited as her father eyed Miroku with a very considering stare before finally nodding slowly. "I respect that."
Sango released a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. It looked like Miroku had won approval. She tried to keep from smiling too widely. No sense in giving herself away just yet.
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Miroku was relieved to see that Mr. Ishikawa was no longer fixing him with a hawkish glare. That guy could be downright scary if he tried. They made small talk throughout the rest of the meal before Miroku led them all back out onto the streets. "Come on. There's a little place around the corner."
The place in question was an ice cream parlor run by an Asian family called The Jade Oasis. "They've got ice cream, obviously. But they also make smoothies and bubble tea."
"What's bubble tea?" Kohaku asked curiously.
"It's basically like fruit flavored iced tea with really big tapioca beads in it." He got their interest at that one. There were certainly advantages to being outgoing.
The little parlor was sparsely furnished with a couple bamboo plants here and there and a fountain on the counter. There was a young Japanese boy sitting behind the register reading A Confederacy of Dunces. He looked up as the four people walked in through the glass door and smiled. "Hey Miroku."
"Hey Ken," Miroku answered back with a smile. "How's it hangin'?"
"Eh, same old," Ken said with a shrug. "Can I get you guys anything?"
Miroku simply gestured for Sango and her family to go first. Sango gave him a little knowing smile that gave him a boost of confidence. He was pretty sure he had passed her father's test by now.
"I'll have a peanut butter sundae," Kohaku started.
"Hmm... I'd like to try a dragonfruit smoothie," Mr. Ishikawa said after perusing the menu above the counter.
"A passionfruit bubble tea for me," Sango said.
Ken looked up at Miroku and smirked. "Let me guess... Blueberry bubble tea." He said it as more of a statement than a question.
Miroku put on a look mock shock. "My god, have I become that predictable?"
"I'll take that as a yes," Ken laughed.
As they all stepped outside to enjoy their desserts, Miroku cast a glance over at Mr. Ishikawa to see that he was looking at him in a much more amiable manner. "What did I tell ya?" he asked conversationally. "Newfield is a great place."
"Indeed it is," Mr. Ishikawa said with a soft smile. "I have to say I'm impressed."
Miroku looked back at Sango who was smiling broadly and flashing him a thumbs-up behind her father's back. He had won approval. Mission accomplished.
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Inutaisho watched with amusement as Inuyasha left the table with the excuse that he just wanted to walk around when it was obvious that he just wanted to go talk to Kagome who was standing by the river. They were all dining out for lunch that day in a small cafe by the river called Harry's Place. The scenery was all very picturesque, which is probably why Inutaisho liked the town so much.
"It really is cute how they're getting along," Miho said beside him.
"Yes," he responded as he watched his son. "I must say that I really think Kagome is the best thing to happen to Inuyasha in a long time."
"How do you mean?" Miho's father asked.
"Well... Inuyasha has always been a little emotionally detached. He didn't take his mother's death very well. I was always busy so I wasn't there for him like I should have been. And his brother, Sesshoumaru... I really wish I could have done better with that boy. He was never any help to Inuyasha either.
"Anyway, Inuyasha has never really let himself live. After his break-up with his old girlfriend Kikyo a few months back, I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever trust anyone again. But it seems that ever since Kagome came into his life, he's changed. He doesn't seem as hostile or cold anymore."
"Hmm," Miho answered in deep thought as she watched the two young people at the river. It seemed they were in another argument again. They sounded almost like a married couple playing games with one another. "She's always been able to bring out the best in people, you know."
"Mm-hmm." There was a pause between all of them. Inutaisho thought for a moment. There had to be something he could do for his son. This arrangement would only last during the school year. And Inuyasha really needed someone like Kagome in his life to keep him sane. Wait... "I think I have an idea..."
Miho, her father, and Sota all leaned in closer to hear what he had to say. By the time he finished explaining what he had in mind, they all had grins on their faces. "I'm sure we could work something out," Miho said with a nod. "We'll exchange contact information and try to plan this out over the next month or two."
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Meanwhile, in another part of town, Shippo was out at the mall perusing the game store for anything decent. His classes this semester had been a total breeze. His homework was done not long after he got it home and he had already studied enough to memorize several sections of his textbook and notes verbatim. So now, he was rewarding himself with some time out of the house to himself and a new computer game. Unfortunately, the selection of games he didn't already have was pretty slim. And what choices he did have were hard to decide on.
"Hmm. Sims 2, City of Heroes, or Psi-Ops? Nngh! I can't stand decisions like this." This was looking bleak. How was he going to make a choice? They all had their good qualities and seemed to sing a siren song of hours of wasted time in digital fantasy.
"Shippo!" He was drawn out of his inner debate by another siren song, this one coming from a flesh-and-blood person. He looked up to see Kirara walking into the store smiling at him. God, he loved her smile. It figured that she'd be here. She had moved into this town last June so family weekend was just another excuse for her not to go back to campus on the weekend and study. "Looking to blow this week's paycheck?" she asked jokingly.
"If I could do that, I wouldn't be in this little dilemma," Shippo answered. He then turned back to the shelves. "Take a look. My choices are obvious. Either Sims 2, City of Heroes, or Psi-Ops. I need a break from Halo 2, which I love, don't get me wrong. What do you think?"
"Hmm," she said, eyebrows going up toward her hairline. "That is a conundrum. Sims 2 offers you the undeniable thrill of getting to play god. City of Heroes lets you be a superhero which is synonymous with awesome. And Psi-Ops has stealth and exploding heads."
"You see my problem, of course," Shippo said. "With school still in session, I can really only get one. And the indecision is tearing me apart." Why did life have to be so complicated?
"Oh, woe is you. Hell, woe is me, too. Now I need to get one of these!" Kirara shook her head. "It's not easy being a digital junkie."
"We are indeed doomed," Shippo said, trying to outdo her in terms of hokey melodrama.
"What are we ever to do?" she moaned before collapsing back into Shippo's arms like in an operah. She won this round. Of course, this also gave Shippo a really wicked idea. "Okay, help me up," Kirara said at last. She had leaned back so far that her torso was now parallel with the ground, setting her center of gravity off and making it nearly impossible to get the proper leverage to stand upright.
Shippo just grinned down at her. "I don't think so."
Kirara craned her neck to look at him. "Say that again?"
"I like you just where you are," Shippo said very slyly.
Kirara blushed at that one. "You're either a perv or under the impression that your arms can hold out forever."
Shippo just shrugged. "When my arms get tired I can just put you over my shoulder." Years of pranks and jokes had made him a decent actor. He knew how to keep a straight face and keep that blush out that he knew was threatening to creep in.
"You wouldn't dare," Kirara challenged him.
"Try me," Shippo retorted.
"I'll scream."
"And get us both kicked out?"
"Try me."
"You're no fun," Shippo teased as he set Kirara upright again. She rubbed her neck a moment and smirked at him.
"Back to your little conundrum..." He swore she was just toying with him. It really drove Shippo insane. He had safely concluded that Inuyasha and Kagome were unconsciously flirting instead of arguing. And it was pretty obvious that Miroku and Sango were finally getting together. Honestly, it took them long enough. But here he was on such good terms with the woman of his dreams and he was so worried about destroying what he already with her that he couldn't bring himself to ask her out. It was such a kick in the balls. It was wierd how women were at once attractive and frustrating like all get out because they were so damn confusing. Did they even realize the full extent of their power over men?
Still... there had to be some way to get closer to Kirara. Give her an inkling about his feelings and maybe get her to reciprocate them. That reminded him...
"Hey, Kirara, if you can help me out with this decision, then I'll let you in on a little side project I'm working on. It's a favor for Miroku and Sango regarding some well-placed vengeance."
Kirara grinned and her eyes lit up. "Ooh! I'm sold. Who are your poor, unsuspecting targets this time?"
"Patience," Shippo said with a smirk and a finger wag. "Game first, conspiracy later."
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The weekend had gone by faster than Kagome would have liked. The sun was setting and it was time for her family to spend the next three hours on the road home. She hugged her mother, brother, and grandfather one last time. "I'll miss you guys. I promise I'll bring back DVDs of our shows for Thanksgiving break."
"We're looknig forward to it," her mother said. "I'm really proud of you, remember that."
As they finished their goodbyes, Kagome looked to see Inuyasha watching his father's SUV turn round the corner and disappear. She was right. He cared more than he let on. She walked over to him and smiled. "Your dad is really cool."
Inuyasha smirked. "Yeah. Your family too."
"You're just saying that because Sota worships the ground you walk on," she teased.
"What can I say, your brother knows greatness when he sees it," Inuyasha replied coolly.
Kagome just giggled and slapped his shoulder playfully. "You're such a narcissist."
"You wouldn't have me any other way and you know it."
Okay, what did he mean by that? She looked up at him with a lifted eyebrow and he just stared back at her challengingly. She just kept staring into his eyes until his haughty attitude started to drop and she forgot what it was they had been talking about anyway. Why was he so hard to figure out?
Inuyasha parted his lips as if to speak but instead just coughed and turned his head with a light blush. "I better get going. I need to study." With that, he turned to walk off to Barker Hall. "I'll see ya, Kagome," he said over his shoulder.
Kagome stood there a moment longer. Why was it that whenever they were alone he got like that? She couldn't seem to piece it all together.
Sighing softly, she walked back to Ravencroft Hall.
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Meanwhile, just around the corner, Kirara and Shippo tried to contain their laughter as they snuck back off from whence they came. They had gotten what they needed to start on what would be one of Shippo's most ambitious revenge schemes yet.
"Shippo, you are a genius," Kirara laughed.
"Isn't it the truth?" Shippo laughed back. "I like to think that by giving people their karmic backlash I'm using my talents for good instead of evil. But we all know that I enjoy this way too much for it to be good."
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Author's Notes: Ha! You'd thought I'd forgotten about Miroku and Sango's revenge hadn't you? Think again! I think I've left enough dangling plot threads for you all to feed on and speculate over for a while. I really need to get back to my Midnight Society application. I've somehow written myself into a corner. Ugh.
Anyway, a shout-out to my reviewers...
Araine: Well, that kicks the crap out of my various wounds. Though my younger brother once had a chiminea fall over and brush against his leg when he was wearing shorts, resulting in what was almost a third degree burn. It took him about 30 seconds to get over the shock, and then he screamed loud enough to be heard three blocks down... And, oh yeah, Kikyo and Sesshoumaru will be appearing later. Don't worry, their time will come.
bluefuzzyelf: Do these Shippo scenes meet with your seal of approval? Just wait until you see what he has planned, though.
Concrete Angel: At this point, I have Koga planned as a supporting character. But that might change. And by "might" I mean "possibly, but slim chance."
Father Malvado: Books, music, and film are my life. I was born to create.
Mimiko: Actually I'm something of a connoiseur (probably spelled that wrong) of shampoos. I have very unusual hair. It's probably my best feature, so I take a lot of pride in it. True story, I have on at least five spearate occassions in the last three years had complete strangers compliment me on my hair. Most of them were women who said I had better hair than their daughters.
Cynical Chaos: Every rule and the two cell blocks. Evil is fun, but it's even more fun when you win.
Ama: Gandalf rules. And I'll be sure to check your story out by the end of the week at the very latest.
Thessalian: Yes, it does exist. Go to pvponline .com and click on the window on the right underneath the comic that shows the T-shirt designs. It will take you to ThinkGeek's PvP store where you can get the shirt. And I know my female characters can be hokey sometimes. Female writers probably don't have this same problem as often with male characters. I mean, it's not like guys are that hard to figure out. Stand-up comedians have had us pegged for some time now.
Magellan-Chan: Yes, Rin will be in this. I have plans for even her.
wereturtle: Small universities only work if that's the kind of environment you feel comfortable in. And I'm kicking ass in mine.