Inuyasha sighed in contentment as he let the vegetable stew digest. "That was delicious! I never new you could cook, Sango." The demon exterminator smiled at Inuyasha's compliment. "Well, since Kagome had always brought us boxed lunches from her house, I never really had the need to make something." Inuyasha stared into the fire. "Kagome brought us food, too? What else did she do?" Sango frowned. "Don't you remember Kagome?" Inuyasha shook his head slowly. "Not really. Her name sounds so familiar, though." Sango rocked her son in her arms and shrugged. "Well, hopefully she'll come to the festival tomorrow." Inuyasha turned his gaze from the fire to Sango. "There's a festival tomorrow? What's the occasion?"

Miroku and Sango smiled. "Well, tomorrow it will be one year since you've died. We'll be celebrating all the great things you've done for us in your life. It's declared a holiday in this village." Inuyasha gaped. "Really? You're doing that for me?" the couple nodded. "So I bet Kagome will come. I'm sure your death hit her hardest. She'll at least come to pay her respects, I'm positive." Inuyasha nodded. "And if she doesn't come here, I'll go to her time. Because of this, I have a feeling I won't be returning to my grave any time soon."

"Kagome! Wait up!" Kagome swiveled around, just as she was about to mount her bike. "Oh, Hojo! Hello there!" she smiled, although her eyes told a different story. "Are you ok, Kagome? You seem a little down in the dumps. Maybe you should take the day off on Monday. You've obviously been feeling great for a whole year now, but this could be the sign of a really bad relapse." Kagome laughed a bit. "I'm fine, really. But thank you for being so concerned." Hojo nodded, changing the subject.

"So… you busy tomorrow?" Kagome shrugged. "It depends. I was thinking of doing something that I really should do, but…" she fidgeted with the handle of her bike, frowning down at the ground. Hojo nodded. "Well, if it's as important as you're making it seem, then you really should do what you're thinking of doing." Kagome thought about it. Could she really take going back to the feudal era, after so long? Face her friends and foes again? And most of all… visit the grave of Inuyasha, and relive that horrible day? "No… it's ok. So what did you want to do?" Hojo's face lit up. "Well, I was thinking of taking you to the carnival. You sure you can come?" he held a ticket in front of her face. "I'm positive." She grabbed the ticket and smiled.

"Well? Do you see her yet?" Inuyasha peeked out of the hut. "No. now, stay in there! If people see that you are alive, I'm sure the festival will be far from successful. Just lay low for now and wait!" Miroku frowned at Inuyasha, pushing the upset man back inside. "If there are any demons here at the festival, they'd find me out anyways. I don't understand why I can't just walk about. Most of the villagers here already know about my return." Miroku shrugged. "Well, if you really think it best, then… I guess you could come out and see how the festival goes."

Miroku turned around, but was met face-to-face with a certain youkai lord. Inuyasha made his way to the door of the hut. Golden eyes narrowed and a smirk found its way across a defined face. "Dear little brother… what an interesting surprise. And here I was, thinking you were finally dead. And look, you even managed to turn human." Inuyasha sneered. "Keh! I'm sorry to disappoint you, Sesshoumaru. I was dead, but I'm back. And I'm not all human… I just look it." Sesshoumaru just nodded in response. "It surprises me, how many mortals feel for you. I would've never guessed you'd have a festival in your honor. What a shame it didn't happen until after your death, though."

Inuyasha just frowned, folding his arms across his chest. "I didn't come back to life to deal with this. Just tell me… what did you do with my Tetsuseiga!" Sesshoumaru's emotionless face cracked, showing just hint of surprise. "You lost it? To hell who knows why Father even entrusted you with it if you're just going to loose it." Inuyasha frowned. "Ahh… don't give me that. Who needs you, anyways?" With that, he walked off. He needed to find that Kagome girl for now. He didn't even know for a fact if she was even here.

Nearing his grave, he found another youkai, sulking. A competitive smile danced across Inuyasha's face as he approached his rival. "Oy! Wolf-Face! Whatcha doin', poutin' over there like a little baby?" Kouga looked over his shoulder, a truly angry expression etched into his visage. "Who're you callin'…" The wolf youkai swiveled fully around, and then almost fell back. "MUTT! What the hell are you doin' alive! And… why are you… so… human?" Kouga staggered forward. Without any further thinking, he flung his arms around the man in front of him. "Kouga, you idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing!" Inuyasha lashed out at him, but the wolf youkai easily dodged it. "I don't know why you're among the living again, but you're back! Now I can pick on you all I want again!" he then leaned in. "oh… and… that embrace? Never happened." Inuyasha decked Kouga out. "Baka youkai… you've lost your mind."

Kouga frowned, rising to his feet again and dusting himself off. He put his hands on his hips dominantly. "No matter what, though, Kagome's still my girl." Inuyasha smirked. "Your girl? I doubt it." Kouga shrugged. "Just because she hasn't been around in a year doesn't mean she's not my girl." Inuyasha shrugged in return. "I don't remember this kagome, but I doubt she's a girl to go around kissing others when she already has a mate." Kouga growled. "Whaddaya mean, kiss!" Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest and held his head high. "Before I died she kissed me. So I really don't think she's your girl."

Kouga fumed. "SHE KISSED YOU! WHAT DOES SHE SEE IN A PUNY LITTLE MORTAL PUP LIKE YOU! Honestly! She doesn't know what she's missing!" Inuyasha pushed Kouga away. "Well, as I said, I don't even remember her. And you said you haven't seen her in… what, a year?" Kouga gaped at Inuyasha. "You don't remember Kagome? At all? Ya friggin' idiot! There's no way she'd fall for a bumbling dolt like you!" Inuyasha growled. "Who are you callin' an idiot, ya mangy little wolf?" he swiped at Kouga continuously with his fists.

A slight jingling stopped Inuyasha's movements, and he ducked as Miroku's staff zeroed in on the fighting men. The monk followed through with the arch, though, and hit Kouga square in the forehead. "Knock it off, you too! Jeez, can't take my eye off of you for a second." Kouga just stood there, rubbing his forehead. "Damn, that hurt! Who do you think you are, monk!" Inuyasha snickered. "He's the monk that's gonna beat you up, if you don't stop being so damn immature!"

Before he could say anything else, though, Inuyasha was hit as well. Kouga fell to the ground, laughing too hard to hold himself up. "I think he's havin' second thoughts about standing up for you, mutt!" Inuyasha growled, fuming. "HEY! Who's side are you on, Miroku!" the monk just shook his head. "You're both immature. Now for the last time, knock it off!" the other men just stood there, sulking.

"Now come on, Inuyasha. Start looking for Kagome." Kouga just shook his head. "She ain't here." Inuyasha frowned at Kouga. "Whaddaya mean, she ain't here?" Kouga shrugged. "I don't smell her anywhere, and I've already searched this place from top to bottom. I'm tellin' ya, she ain't here!" Inuyasha frowned, crossing his arms yet again. "Keh… says you… maybe she just hasn't arrived yet." Kouga shrugged. "Yeah, well, don't pout when I say 'I told ya so.'" Inuyasha turned to leave, and then looked over his shoulder at Kouga. "I won't, 'cause it ain't gonna happen."