1
Desert Rose, why do you live alone? If you are sad, I'll make you leave this life. Are you white, blue or bloody red? All I can see is drowning in cold gray sand...
The winds of time, you knock me to the ground. I'm dying of thirst. I wanna run away. I don't know how to set me free to live. My mind cries out feeling pain...
I've been roaming to find myself. How long have I been feeling endless hurt? Falling down rain flows into my heart. In the pain I'm waiting for you. Can't go back, no place to go back to. Life is lost. Flowers fall. If it's all dreams, now wake me up... If it's all real, just kill me...
2
Shippou leapt from tree branch to tree branch, evading his pursuer. He looked back over his shoulder and managed to get a glimpse. It was hot on his trail, and closing in. "Crap!" he cried to himself, "I don't think I'll be able to loose 'em!" He landed on another tree branch and fired a ball of Fox Fire at the demon following him, but it managed to dodge the blast easily enough. He shrieked and continued jumping amongst the trees. He was hoping that he would loose it if he managed to get up into the leaves, but that demon was still able to catch up to him. And just as he thought things couldn't get any worse, he lost his footing and slipped, landing face first into the branch. The demon caught up to him and reached for him. It was all over for him.
"You're it!"
"Aww," Shippou grumbled as he got up, "You're too fast for me, Souten!" He and Souten were playing tag in the park.
"Mwa ha ha," Souten chuckled, "No, it's because you're too slow!" She leapt off the tree branch and started running away. "Can't catch me!" she shouted back at the little fox.
Shippou grinned evilly. "We'll see about that," he cackled. He pulled his little toy horse out from his pocked and transformed it into a bigger riding horse. He leapt onto it and followed Souten, catching up to her in no time. He tagged her.
"No fair!" she shouted. "No magic!"
Shippou stuck his tongue out. "Nya nya!" he taunted. But then from behind him a strange cloud appeared. It wrapped itself around him and held him there. Souten smiled, floated up to him and tagged him. He glanced back at the cloud and punched at it three times. "Dammit, Kouryuu!" he exclaimed as the cloud transformed back into the little red dragon known as Kouryuu. "That's cheating!"
"You're one to talk, fox magic user!" Kouryuu accused.
"If Shippou is it," Souten smiled, turning around, "and he touched you, Kouryuu..." She got into a running pose, "Doesn't that mean you're it?" She smiled and bolted off, leaving a trail of dust. Shippou did the same.
"Aww, dang," Kouryuu said, exhaling a puff of smoke. He started his chase.
3
The shoreline of the secluded lake was almost completely calm. The only sound was the quiet whistling of the wind through the trees. But then all of a sudden the shoreline became overcome with waves, and the sound of a loud motor filled the forest. A motorboat was cutting through the calm lake, dragging something behind it. No, not something, someone. Nobunaga was quite the water skier, showing off his talents to the three other people in the boat. Princess Tsuyu at the controls, with Juuroumaru and his girlfriend, the angeless Akizuki cheering him on. At the bow of the boat, underneath a cover, Kageroumaru and Hiyoshimaru, the little monkey pet of Nobunaga, were snoozing.
The boat came to a stop. "Okay, Nobunaga," Tsuyu called out to him, "I think you should let someone else have a turn."
"Janken?" Akizuki suggested. Juuroumaru smiled and nodded. "Saisho wa gu!" they both exclaimed, balling their hands into fists, "Jan...ken...pon!" Akizuki's paper beat Juuroumaru's rock, so it was her turn next.
Nobunaga had crawled back onto the boat with the water skis. "Just remember," he said, handing them to the angel demon, "It's not as easy as it looks."
"Ya, ya," Akizuki said, taking the skis from him. "I think I've seen you do it enough times to get the hang of it." She strapped herself in and was already on the water before either of the two boys noticed. "Crank her up, Tsuyu!" she called.
Meanwhile, the sudden stop of the boat had aroused the attention of the two sleeping in the bow. Hiyoshimaru jumped out and onto Nobunaga's shoulder as Kageroumaru slithered groggily onto the boat's deck. He rubbed his eyes with his wrists. "Uhg," he groaned, "Why've we-" But before could get anything else out, Tsuyu revved up the engine and the boat took off, almost throwing the little snake demon overboard.
4
Inuyasha and Kagome had just finished watching that Jet Li movie, Hero. She was snuggling up next to him, her eyes tearing up. Even Inuyasha's were glistening a little. The movie ended. He got up and ejected it from the DVD player. "You know," he said, putting it into its case, "I still don't get this movie. I've even taken the liberty of learning Chinese so that the meaning would be more clear." This was true. For the soul purpose of understanding this movie, Inuyasha went and learned an entire language. But it didn't help much.
"I don't think it's one of those movies that you're supposed to get all at once," Kagome explained.
"Still good though," Inuyasha smiled. Kagome returned the smile, nodding her head. "So do you still want to go to the bathhouse?"
She leaned back into the couch and but her hand to her chin. "I'm not sure," she said, "It's really late after all."
Inuyasha grinned. "Which of course means there won't be many people there, so we'll be almost completely alone." He put his hands behind his head and laughed. "Get my drift?"
"Sonic drift?" Kagome inquired. Inuyasha sweat-dropped. "Just kidding," she said, waving her hand. "It sounds really romantic."
"Great!" Inuyasha exclaimed, holding up his swimming trunks, folding them.
"Man," Kagome frowned, "You sure got those out quick." Inuyasha grinned his cheesy grin once again.
5
"The bathhouse?" Sango inquired as Miroku searched through his dresser for his swimming trunks. "Are you sure it's open?" He had pitched the idea of spending a nice quiet relaxing evening at the local bathhouse to her a few minutes ago out of the blue. But then again that was Miroku's way.
"Yup," he said, holding up his trunks. "And there won't be anyone there." He gave her a sly look. "We'll have the whole place to ourselves."
She blushed, then turned to her own dresser and rummaged for her bathing suit.
The bathhouse was not all that far from where they lived in that quiet little village. It was nestled in a small meadow surrounded by beautiful cherry trees. A moat had been carved around the entire building, so it had a quaint little bridge leading up to it. It was a rather large building with several floors, but that was to be expected, as it was a very fancy place. It had a members' list and a secret handshake and everything. But for Miroku and Sango, the first floor hot tubs would be enough. Little did they know, they would be sharing.
"Inuyasha?" Miroku exclaimed as he and Sango walked up to the beginning of the bridge where Inuyasha and Kagome were standing.
"Hey, Miroku!" Inuyasha called out. "You guys are coming for a swim too?" Miroku and Sango nodded.
"Great minds think alike," Kagome said with a smile.
The four of them walked across the bridge to the front door of the bathhouse. Inuyasha opened it. The lobby was a beautiful site: golden walls and furniture and other fancy knickknacks were strewn throughout the entire building. Right in front of them was the registration desk. Standing at the desk was the bathhouse's owner, Yubaba. She was a short, rather aged person. Her hair's color had completely dissipated, leaving only a dull gray. Her skin was wrinkled, and seemed to only hang off her bones. Her nose was long and crooked, as was her chin. She had the feeling of the Wicked Witch of the West. She even had the warts! She was wearing a pair of small reading glasses and a dark purple shall.
She leapt off her stool to greet her guests. "Why, hello there!" she said with a smile, "My name's Yubaba. Welcome to my fine bathhouse!"
"We've heard it's the best in all of Japan," Miroku smiled back.
The old hag nodded, then glanced over at Inuyasha. She put her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a squeal. "Forgive me, young man," she laughed, "But those ears are so adorable!"
Inuyasha twitched his ears and smiled. "Ya, I get that a lot."
"I bet," the hag cackled. "Come, I'll show you to your stalls." She led them to the door at the end of the hall. They had the place all to themselves.
