Chapter 5: Rain, Storm, go away!

And now, here's what you've all (hopefully) been waiting for: Chapter 5!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Lemme alone…


Kagome was stunned… amazed… shocked… furious.

She shoved Hojo away and stood up; just as something big and red flew by the window and a muffled 'WHUMP' could be heard outside. There was only one way to confirm her suspicions, while letting out her barely concealed anger.

Any sensible person looking at her would immediately run in fear. Her expression was enough to move thunderclouds just by glaring at them.

"HOJO," she blazed, "What was that?! I thought that all I'd be doing all afternoon was be SIT-" here she heard a louder 'WHUMP' and knew her suspicion was correct, "-tting in a chair and reading books all afternoon, but I get this! You JERK!!!" She was about to add, You didn't even ask, but swallowed it.

Hojo sat gazing up at her throughout this outburst, wearing the pitiful, hurt look of a puppy who'd been kicked hard in the ribs for the first time. Kagome almost felt sorry for him… Almost.

"But… Kagome, I thought… you liked me…" he faltered, the rasp completely gone from his voice.

Some of her fury evaporated. "I did, but mainly as a friend."

He looked confused. "W-what about our dates, and…"

Kagome sighed deeply, trying to force some exasperation and sorrow into it. "Don't get me wrong, Hojo, I was thrilled when you started asking me out. But now, I just see that we aren't meant to be. Besides…" she took a deep breath, "I-I like someone else!"

Hojo opened his mouth again, but she cut him off, grabbing her books and rushing out the door. "Goodbye, Hojo. I'm sorry."

Hojo's mother intercepted her at the bottom of the stairs. "Oh, Kagome, leaving already?" she asked in that motherly tone which Kagome had found sweet; now, in her haste to leave, it was half-annoying.

"Yes, Hojo's done studying, and," she added, "I think his cold may be gone by tomorrow."

Hojo's mom beamed in that innocent puppy-like way so similar to Hojo's. "Why that's wonderful, dear! Be sure to come back soon!"

"Um, yeah, sure! Bye!" Kagome was already out the door and running towards Higurashi Shrine.


As Inuyasha slammed into the ground upon landing beneath the window, one thought entered his mind: She knows I'm here!

He climbed up, flew back to the well and jumped in, his thoughts centered on the scene he had witnessed. How dare that brainless, rotten bastard even come within 5 feet of Kagome! How dare she even LET him!!

As Inuyasha climbed out of the well, a large droplet of water splashed onto his nose. Two seconds later, a sprinkle of rain had started, then a light shower, and grew to a thundering, sheeting downpour.

"Damn!" he muttered, shielding his eyes and squinting into the storm. The trees of the forest were merely tall, swaying gray blobs, the blobs that were the canopies thrashing under the pressure of the wind and buckets of water. He held his hand in front of him; only a foot away from his face, and yet he could only just barely make out his fingers.

"I can't get back to the village in this! Guess I'll just have to wait it out."

Inuyasha sat and hunched over by the well, but it provided no shelter; and though his fire-rat coat was good armor, it didn't prevent him from getting hypothermia. He considered jumping in to a hopefully drier time, but decided against it. He wasn't really looking forward to meeting Kagome right now, or anyone else for that matter.

His only choice was to seek refuge in the forest.


"Miroku!" Shippo yelled in surprise, staring up at the suddenly dark sky. Then, as the storm began, Shippo scrambled under the shelter of a fat, distorted root. A barrel-load of water immediately drenched the group, causing Kirara growled in dismay as both Sango and Miroku groaned.

"Now what do we do?" the demon slayer cried as she futilely tried to wring out her sopping hair.

"Well, that's obvious, isn't it? We go back to the village," Miroku pointed out.

"Miroku, I can't even see 3 feet in front of me. There's no way we're moving an inch during this storm," Sango replied, glaring. "Great job, what you've gotten us into."

He held up his hands as if to ward her off. "That's totally unfair! It's not like I summoned the storm here!"

"I'm getting soaked!!!" Shippo hollered from beneath the root, pulling up his tail in an effort to shelter his head. Unfortunately, it wasn't long enough, and he curled up into a miserable little ball.

"I know!" Sango said suddenly, hauling up her Hiraikotsu. "We can use this for a kind of shelter. I don't know if it'll work, but…" She hoisted it over her head, lying it flat so the rain bounced and slid off it, leaving her dry.

Shippo ran from the root to the crook of Sango's elbow, where he relaxed. "Hey, it's drier under here! Great idea, Sango!" Kirara snuggled in Sango's lap and mewed in agreement.

Miroku edged over. "Yes, this should help keep us safe from the worst of the storm. Wonderful thinking, Sango," he praised, but Sango cut him off.

"Oh no you don't, lecher. You're not coming anywhere near me!" She glared from under the curved bone roof.

"But Sango, if he doesn't find shelter, most likely he'll get a cold," Shippo protested. "Let him come under here if he wants to; he'll have me to answer to if he tries anything." He sat up straighter and shot Miroku a most unconvincing round of daggers.

Miroku thought Shippo looked more cute then intimidating, but he refrained from saying so. He was now soaked to the bone and his teeth started to chatter. "Please, Sango. Shippo's right, I won't take advantage of you!"

She blushed beet red and responded hotly, "You'd better not, or I'll make you wish that your Wind Tunnel had sucked you up long ago!" Seeing him wince, she added quickly, "Er, sorry," and moved to make room while making sure she remained under Hiraikotsu.

Miroku sat down under it and sighed. "You're right, this is a great improvement." Then he closed his eyes in a meditating posture. Sango kept her eye on him, watching to see if his hand started twitching, but he remained still.

Sango refused to let her guard down or be impressed. A bit of the latter slipped through anyway.


Hm, now Sango's wormed her way into this... What else will happen... Oh well, R&R please!