Colorful Emotions

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Chapter 10: A Midsummer's Nightmare

The night passed rather quickly while Miroku was hard at work. He was rather tired and could barely see straight, but he was determined to finish the whole thing by tonight. Everyone else was asleep, which could be considered a good thing, so he could work in peace without everyone figuring out what he was up to.

This potion really was a good idea, Miroku was sure.

He grinned and pictured the aftereffects of his plan—chaos. Okay, not really. More like a happily ever, full credit to him.

He shook the little bottle slightly to check the color. It was supposedly to be a hot pink and bubbly. Miroku squinted and pulled it to his eyes. He couldn't see clearly in the darkness, but he felt it was close enough. It felt bubbly, after all.

With a shrug, he placed the potion on the floor and went to sleep.

XXX

Morning came sooner than he would've liked, but he got up nonetheless, waiting excitedly for the others. As soon as Sango had entered the room, she gave him a look of pure suspicion.

"Well, what are you up to, monk?" she asked, straight to the point.

"Ah," Miroku answered mysteriously, "you will see, my dear Sango."

Sango narrowed her eyes at him.

Then there was a loud zap, and Miroku's hand quickly returned to his side, slightly bruised-looking.

Glaring, Sango grumbled, "Would you please stop doing that?"

Miroku put on a not-so-innocent face. "You know I can't."

Sango, even more infuriated, left him with several bumps on his head.

She couldn't have a decent conversation with him even after making him physically incapable of being perverted.

XXX

Kagome opened her eyes and immediately closed them again, as the sun shone right in her face, completely blinding her.

With a grimace, she got up, tripping over Inuyasha along the way, who abruptly woke up and yelled at her, ears red.

XXX

Sango could hear them bickering from across the room. She turned to Miroku. "So are you going to give that thing to her now?"

Suddenly, Shippou popped up. "Ooooh, oooh. What's that, huh? Huh?" He hopped around, too enthusiastically for morning.

"Shippou, be quiet," Sango whispered. "We'll tell you later. Of course, even I don't know what it is, but I'm sure Miroku will tell me, won't he?" She glared at him rather dangerously.

Miroku gulped, eyeing her boomerang which was oh-so-casually right next her hand. "Of course, Sango dear."

Sango smiled. "Yes, I knew he would see it my way eventually."

XXX

Great. Kagome had only gotten up and she was already grumpy. She hoped that Inuyasha would get over himself soon though—his mood would affect the others too and soon everyone would be grumpy. A barrel of laughs that would be.

Inuyasha glared at her, but she chose to be mature. One of them needed to be and it was clear that Inuyasha wouldn't.

"Okay, I'm sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome sighed. "It was an accident. And I'm sorry about yesterday too. I was in a bad mood and I didn't mean it."

There was a silence.

"Okay. Fine. I—I'm sor…" Inuyasha began.

Kagome groaned. He couldn't even say sorry.

"Same here!" Inuyasha blurted rather sourly.

Smiling slightly, she decided to give him a break. That was his way of apologizing so why bother asking for more?

XXX

Turning, Kagome instead faced Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, who were huddled in a corner, looking quite animated and lively for this early.

"May I ask what you're doing?" Kagome raised an eyebrow.

Miroku's head snapped up. "Oh…nothing at all," he said, very unconvincingly.

"What is it, monk?" Inuyasha demanded, although Miroku refused to say.

Shippou opened his mouth but closed it when Sango gave him a warning look. Inuyasha stared at the two curiously.

Kagome blinked and then sighed. "Do I even want to know?"

"Oh, I think you would," Sango said quietly to herself.

"Hm?" Kagome glanced at her friend. "Did you say something?"

"Oh no, nothing," Sango said, becoming very occupied with a nonexistant scratch on her boomerang.

Miroku chose this moment to hand the potion over to Kagome. He had dumped it in a cup of some sort, so it looked rather innocent. As innocent as a drink could get, anyway.

"Here," Miroku said. "Try some herbal tea."

Sango raised an eyebrow. Herbal tea? Someone was a pretty bad liar. Not that she could do better, what with the stupid spell on her and all. She reminded herself not to talk as anyone could then know that she was lying. And Shippou would blurt it out, so she supposed Miroku was their only choice.

How unfortunate.

Kagome took it and peered inside. "Since when is herbal tea pink and herb-less?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Don't drink it, Kagome."

Sango rolled her eyes.

"Special blend," Miroku amended airily.

Kagome looked suspicious and turned to Sango, who kept her face blank but nodded and shrugged, indicating that it was okay and Miroku was just being a brat. Don't talk, don't talk, Sango's mind nagged her.

Sango then stopped to think about what Miroku had told her…

XXX

Flashback—

"Well," Sango demanded. "What is it?"

Miroku paused, deliberately leaving her on the edge. "It's a love potion." He grinned.

Sango gaped and snorted. "Miroku, that is so completely overused and stupid."

"No it's not," he whined.

"Yes it is," Sango replied, equally whiny.

They argued for a while, using the same not-so-intelligent remarks, but soon were interuppted.

"I think it's cool!" Shippou sing-songed happily. "Love potion! Love potion! For Inuyasha and Kagome!"

"Keep your voice down," Sango hissed, hazarding a quick peek at the other two, who were yelling at each other.

"So, basically, Kagome will fall in love with the first man she looks at after drinking the potion. And that will be Inuyasha. I mean, I don't think they mean the word "man" literally; it could also include a hanyou, don't you think?" Miroku blabbed.

Then seeing Sango's face, he added, "Don't worry. It'll turn out great."

Sango was not comforted.

End flashback.

XXX

Kagome closed her eyes—ironically, Sango noticed—and took a sip. She winced slightly and swallowed it very slowly. It tasted strange. Sweet and bubbly. Almost like a very ancient soda.

Then she heard a zap and an irritated yell. Her eyes flew open as she turned to Sango and Miroku.

"Uh, Miroku, I really think that you should leave Sango alone…" she began.

Then she paused. She stared at Miroku.

Wow. Why hadn't she noticed how good-looking he was?

Miroku blinked. "Uh…Kagome?"

She blushed. And he was so cute when he was confused!

Kagome giggled like a little girl meeting her favorite pop star.

XXX

Sango stared, agape. She noticed Inuyasha with the same bemused expression on his face. What in the world…?

"Miroku!" she yelled. "You idiot!"

He looked at her, very sheepish indeed. "Oops."

She glared at him. "Oops is right."

So now Kagome was in love with…Miroku.

She put a hand to her forehead. This day just keeps getting stranger.

XXX

Kagome took Miroku's arm. "Hey Miroku," she giggled. "Come on. I'll walk you back to the hut and make you some nice food to eat."

Without missing a beat, Miroku grinned and allowed himself to be dragged away. Sango fumed. The idiot was taking advantage of the situation! How…how…sick. How low!

How very Miroku-ish.

And there was another problem…

Inuyasha looked at her, stunned. "What was that?"

XXX