---About A Month Later---
The attitude around Kaede's village had cheered up considerably, especially with Christmas arriving in the near future. Kagome found herself trying to explain the strange customs of her era to her friends from the past. "Well, Christmas is a Christian holiday, but lots of people celebrate anyway, even though they aren't Christian."
Miroku frowned for a moment in though before speaking, "Yes, I believe I have heard of it on my travels. It celebrates the birth of their savior, correct?"
Kagome nodded, "Yes, that is the origin of Christmas. However, recently, it has become very commercial and people just celebrate it for the fun of it."
Miroku nodded, "Ok. So you, too, celebrate it?"
Kagome smiled, "You got it! It's lots of fun!"
Sango tapped Kagome's elbow, "What do we do?"
Kagome turned to her best friend, "Well, if you aren't Christian, like us, you celebrate it a little differently from Christians. First of all, we need a Christmas tree."
"A Christmas tree?" Inuyasha interrupted, incredulously, "Why a tree?"
Kagome shrugged, "I dunno. It's just always been done that way. It has to be an evergreen, though. It's the only tree that's still green during the winter."
Sango smiled, "That makes sense! We'll find a nice pretty evergreen from the forest."
Kagome nodded and
continued, "Then, we decorate it. I have a ton of decorations at
my house. I'll bring them later. They have little hooks on them
and you hang them on the branches. It's fun! Then, there's
always a big dinner. I'll bring some over from my house. Finally,
we always exchange presents on Christmas day." #I won't
start on Santa Claus…I think it'll be too much for them. Maybe
next year.#
Shippou's eyes shined and he clapped his hands excitedly, "Presents?"
Kagome laughed, "Yeah! We're all supposed to give each other presents. You don't have to, but I think it's fun to."
Miroku nodded, "That sounds like fun! When is Christmas again?"
"December 25…uh…a week away."
Sango grinned, "We better start getting ready then!" Kagome nodded.
The Next Day---
The five of them stepped out into the snow and trudged cheerily to Inuyasha Forest to look for an evergreen. They searched and searched, but it seemed everywhere they looked, there were only bare deciduous trees. Finally, Miroku stumbled on a patch of fairly young evergreens. "Hey!" he called, "I found some!" Everyone rushed over.
Kagome clapped her hands, "Yes! Good job, Miroku! Now, which one should we choose?" She poked her head around until she found what she was looking for. "Yes! I found it! This one's perfect!"
The rest of the group trudged over and stared at it in wonder. It wasn't too tall, but not too short, measuring around maybe six or seven feet. It branches seemed were strong, long, and numerous. Its emerald color appeared greener, brighter, and richer than the trees surrounding it. Its bristles were thick and strong, able to hold up heavy ceramic ornaments, though Kagome really had no intention of bringing such delicate and breakable decorations over. She grinned, "Yes! We'll take this one!"
Inuyasha looked strangely at her, "We're moving it?"
She looked at him, "Of course! We're going to cut it down and bring it over to Kaede's hut and stand it outside."
Inuyasha frowned, "If you say so. But what's the point?"
She sighed in exasperation, "If we decorated it here, do you really think anyone will see it? No! Now, I'm going home to get an axe…" She paused and eyed Inuyasha's sword.
"Feh. Why do you need a weak human axe? My Tetsusaiga is strong enough to cut down a puny tree like this!"
Kagome grinned and nodded, "Perfect! You have to cut it near the bottom of its trunk, though. I still need to go back to my era to get the tree stand and the decorations."
Inuyasha shook his head. "I'm coming with you. I'll help you carry the stuff. Then, we'll set up the stand so when I cut down the tree, I can carry it back to Kaede's hut."
Kagome's eyes shined, "Good idea. Thank you, Inuyasha!"
He shrugged and smiled back at her, "No problem. Come on; let's go now. Miroku, Sango, Shippou, you stay here so we know which tree to cut down. We'll be back in a bit." The three nodded and Kagome and Inuyasha bounded off to the well.
After passing through to Kagome's era, the two hanyous made their way to Kagome's house. "Mom! I'm home!"
Kagome's mom ran downstairs and smiled in delight, "Kagome, you're home! I was afraid that you were going to miss Christmas!"
Kagome shook her head, "I'll be here for half of Christmas, and the other half I'll spend in the past. I'm bringing Christmas to the Sengoku Jidai!" She spread her arms wide for effect and Mrs. Higurashi laughed.
"Alright, dear, have fun."
"Thanks, Mom. I need to borrow some of the decorations, is that ok? And can I bring a bit of the Christmas dinner back with me on Christmas?"
Her mother smiled and nodded, "Of course, take whatever you need. We already decorated the tree since we didn't know when you would be back. Is that alright?"
Kagome nodded, "Yeah, that's fine. I'll be decorating the tree in the past with everyone there, so I don't mind too much." She looked sheepish for a moment, "Will Santa still come this year?" She knew she was getting too old for Santa Claus and, besides, she was away more than half the year.
Mrs. Higurashi laughed, "Sure. I'm sure he will."
"Yay! I'll be here Christmas Eve, but the second half of Christmas Day, I'll be in the past."
Mrs. Higurashi nodded, "That's fine. As long as you don't miss Christmas all together."
"I wouldn't miss all of Christmas with you for the world, Mom! I would come back for the whole time, but I would like to spend Christmas with my other friends too."
Her mother nodded understandingly, "Of course, I understand. Now go and find those decorations. They're in the attic."
Kagome nodded and led Inuyasha up to the second floor. She reached up and attempted to reach the string hanging above her. Her fingers barely clasped it, but she wasn't tall enough to grasp it properly. Inuyasha grunted and gently pushed her hand aside and effortlessly reached up and pulled down on the string so that a staircase came tumbling down, filling the air with a fine mist of dust. After it had cleared and the two hanyous could breathe normally once again, Inuyasha stared openmouthed at the path before him. Kagome smiled at his amazement, "It's a collapsible staircase that leads to the attic. It's not that exciting after the first few times." She giggled and led Inuyasha up the stairs to the attic. At once, she fell into a coughing fit, followed by Inuyasha, as the dust swirled about them with every footstep. Behind them, their footsteps were clearly defined in the ancient dust that had lain there for goodness-knows-how-long. They walked through the attic until they reached the back where a pile of cardboard boxes stood against the back wall. Kagome opened four of them labeled 'X-MAS' in large black marker. The first held an assortment of red and green bows, the second a vast array of ornaments for the Christmas tree, the third a mass of tangled paper garlands and wreaths, and the fourth all the miscellaneous Christmas decorations. Kagome pulled out a handful of small red bows and stuffed them in a bag. She pulled out three boxes of plastic ball ornaments: one green, one red, and one gold.
"What are those?" Inuyasha asked, pointing to the shiny balls.
"They're Christmas ornaments. You see the hooks on the ends? They hang on the branches of the tree. It looks really pretty when it's done." Inuyasha shrugged. Kagome poked through the third box before pulling out what she was looking for. "Aha!" She had found a bunch of silver and gold paper garlands. "These wrap around the tree," she answered to Inuyasha's unasked question. Out of the last box she found almost nothing that she needed. She did, though, decide to bring along the tree stand and a tree skirt with embroidered holly and mistletoe all over it. "The tree goes in this stand so that it stays upright and this goes around the bottom to cover the stand and just kind of as a nice decoration." Inuyasha nodded. Everything she had chosen went into the big bag she had brought upstairs and together, the two lugged the bag down the collapsible stairs to the kitchen. Kagome dropped the bag by the door and the two ran back upstairs. Inuyasha closed the stairs trough Kagome's instructions and the two hurried back downstairs.
"Why the rush?" Mrs. Higurashi asked with a smile.
"Yeah, no one's dying, you know."
Kagome laughed sheepishly, "Sorry. I'm just excited to decorate the tree! It's one of my favorite parts of Christmas!" She left the house with a last wave to her mother and shouldered the huge bag. Inuyasha walked beside her, watching the bag so that it didn't fall on Kagome and opened the door to the well. The two jumped down the throat of the well and emerged on the other side. They climbed out with some difficulty, as the bag was heavy, and trudged through the snow back to Kaede's hut. Kagome dumped the bag on the floor when they entered Kaede's hut. She pulled the tree stand out of the bag and set it up just outside the hut. Then, the hanyous made their way back to their chosen tree.
Inuyasha took Kagome's hand to stop her and pointed to the treetops above them. "Come on, it's faster."
Kagome looked momentarily mortified, "Are you kidding me? No way! I'd fall! I don't know how to jump like you do!"
Inuyasha grinned, "I won't let you fall. You should learn anyway." He jumped up the tree next to them and Kagome attempted to follow him. She only made it halfway up and Inuyasha laughed. "Now jump to me." She concentrated and jumped up to the branch that Inuyasha was standing on. "Good job. It's the same thing, now. Just jump from branch to branch. Like this." He demonstrated my hopping agilely to an upper branch on the tree next to them and on to the next tree. He turned around and beckoned Kagome to follow. She nervously stepped forward and, with closed eyes, took a running leap to the next branch. Her eyes snapped open as she felt her feet hit home and her balance slipped. She propelled her arms in circle, struggling to stay upright, and finally, after a few moments of terror, managed to regain her balance and right her equilibrium. She smiled a weak smile and took a deep breath. "You got it, Kagome!" Inuyasha called. Since when has he been so supportive and…nice? Kagome wondered absently as she focused her energy on another jump. This one was easier and she reached Inuyasha without much trouble. He caught her waist before her balance slipped again and they stood motionless for a heated moment, faces only mere inches apart. The moment snapped like a cord and the two stepped away from each other quickly. Inuyasha released Kagome and they looked away, each hiding a bright blush that spread across their face like wildfire.
Kagome turned back to Inuyasha. "I think I'm getting the hang of this," she offered happily.
He turned to her with a grin, "Yeah, you are! Now I won't have to carry you everywhere to go faster than a snail's pace."
Kagome fumed. This is the Inuyasha I know… "I'm not slow! I'm sorry if I couldn't jump through trees as a human! I'm sorry if I was such a burden!"
He immediately felt bad, "Sorry," he mumbled.
Kagome was stunned. She placed a hand against his forehead anxiously, "Are you feeling alright?"
He pushed her hand off, "Yeah, wench, I'm fine!"
"Don't call me a wench!"
"I can call you whatever I want!"
"No, you can't!"
"Yes, I can!"
"Ugh! Why do you have to be so mean all the time? You don't have to carry me anymore, alright? Can we all be happy now?"
It was Inuyasha's turn to be stunned. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. Um," he swallowed, "I don't mind carrying you at all, really."
"Huh?" Kagome asked stupidly. She shook her head slightly to clear her head, "I-I-That's ok. But you're right. If I learn to jump like you, then you won't have to carry me and it'll be easier for you."
"No, I don't mind still carrying you. It's ok."
Kagome smiled, "Ok." #I don't think I mind this new Inuyasha.#
Inuyasha and Kagome leapot from tree to tree until they reached the patch of evergreens. They hopped down and slowly found Miroku, Sango, and Shippou. Shippou looked fine, as he was a demon. Miroku's robes were a little too thin, but he also didn't seem to mind the cold. Sango was shivering slightly, but her kimono was warm enough that she wasn't in any danger. Kagome rubbed her arms for warmth. Her demon blood allowed her to withstand much colder temperatures than her human body, but it was still a cold day and she was wearing only a thin long-sleeved shirt. "You're back!" Shippou beamed. "Can we decorate the tree now? Can we? Can we?"
Kagome nodded with a laugh, "Yes, yes. Calm down, Shippou. We have to cut down the tree first, though."
Inuyasha stepped forward and pulled out Tetsusaiga. The rusty blade transformed into a long fang and the hanyou swung it at the base of the trunk. The sword slid through easily and the tree began to fall. Inuyasha sheathed his sword and, with lightening speed that could only come with his demon blood, wrapped his arms around the trunk of the tree and lifted it into the arm. He staggered backward with the height, but managed to remain upright. "Where do I need to put this?" he yelled from behind the mass of pine.
"Forward," Kagome called, "Just keep going forward until I say stop."
Inuyasha leapt up and bounded forward, covering three times as much ground as he would walking. Kagome struggled to keep up and the rest were left far behind. They reached the tree stand and Kagome helped Inuyasha place the trunk in so that it stood upright unassisted. Kagome walked inside Kaede's hut and lugged out the bag. Thankful for its waterproof covering, she reached in and pulled out the boxes of ornaments. Miroku, Sango, and Shippou came out of the forest huffing and puffing. They stopped to catch their breath and imeediately Shippou began hopping about excitedly, clapping his hands, "We're decorating the tree!" he sang.
Kagome pulled the paper garlands from the bag and held them up. "These are paper garlands. You wrap them around the tree for decoration." She wound a gold one around the lower branches. "Like that. Now, we're going to do that over the whole tree." She and Sango wrapped a silver garland around the next few branches. She and Sango wrapped the next gold garland. Two garlands remained and Kagome stood on tiptoe and placed the next silver garland. Miroku, who was taller than Kagome, reached up and helped adjust where it was not secure, as she could not reach comfortably. Kagome held up the last gold garland and attempted to wind it around the top branches of the tree, but was having difficulty. Inuyasha plucked the garland from her hands and easily wound it around the branches. He smirked down at her when he finished.
"It looks very nice, Kagome," Sango smiled.
"Thank you. Alright, now for the last part." Kagome pulled a red ornament out of one of the boxes and held it out for all to see. "See the hook on the top?" she asked, holding up the said hook. Everybody nodded and Kagome proceeded through her demonstration. "Alright, now, you hang this hook on a branch like this. Make sure it's not on the very end so that it slips off. Just hang it near the middle. See? And you have an ornament." She bent down and pulled out a handful more of ornaments and handed them out. Shippou struggled to hang his ornament due to his sufficient lack of height and his kitsune paws. Kagome held his paws and helped him hang it on a lower branch.
Shippou grinned, "Thanks, Kagome!"
Finally, when all three boxes were empty, the group stepped back to see a tree covered in colored balls and silver and gold garlands wrapped behind the color. "Wow," Sango breathed, "It's so pretty and colorful!"
Miroku nodded, "It was fun, too. I like this Ca-rist-mis."
Kagome laughed, "Isn't it? And it's Christmas."
Kilala reached up and batted a ball with her paws, enjoying the way it swung above her without falling.
The five of them and Kilala returned to Kaede's hut where a crackling fire and hot soup welcomed them. They gathered around the flames, seeking its warmth and collectively sighed contentedly.
"Kagome?" Sango asked after a moment, "What would you like for Christ-mis?"
"Christmas. Hmmm…I don't know. Surprise me. Honestly, being able to spend Christmas with both you guys and my family is good enough for me."
"Both?" Miroku questioned.
"Yeah. I'm going home the night before Christmas and spending that morning with my family and that afternoon and I'll come back here and we'll have our own Christmas here."
The Next Day---
Sango stepped out into the frigid air, her blanket wrapped tightly around her. She snuck down to the village and looked around the stalls that were just opening. There was almost nobody there, and many stalls were vacant. The snow gleamed cheerily around her in the bright morning sun. Nothing interested her and she began to become discouraged. She finished walking down the aisle and was about to head back home when something caught her eye. It was a necklace. Kagome doesn't really wear jewelry, she reminded herself. Still, the image burned in her mind as she turned away. I have to get it! She returned to the stall and pointed to the piece of clothing. "How much for this necklace?" she asked the man standing by it.
"Fourteen pieces of gold."
Sango's face fell. "Oh, alright." She began to turn away when the man's voice cut the air around her.
"Wait. How about twelve pieces?"
Sango looked a him sadly, "No, sorry. Eight?"
"Ten."
Sango fingered through her purse before sighing, "Ok… What about nine?"
"Ten," the man said firmly.
Sango pleaded, "Nine, please?"
"Ten."
"Nine."
"Ten."
"Fine. I'll find something else for nine."
The man waved his arms is desperation, "No, no! Nine it is! Here you go, miss."
Sango bowed. "Thank you, good sir," she said politely.
The man grumbled under his breath, but Sango pretended not to hear. She picked up all her other gifts, none of them catching her eye quite the same way the necklace did. She walked home, satisfied with her finds. After stashing her purchases inside her futon, she turned to find her friends had recently woken up and were eating breakfast.
"Sango, where were you?" Miroku asked.
"Buying Chriss-miss gifts in the village."
Kagome giggled sleepily, "Christmas."
"Yea, Christmas," Sango corrected herself.
"What did you buy for me?" Shippou asked innocently.
"If she tells you, it won't be a surprise, will it?" Kagome patted his head kindly. Shippou nodded and didn't ask anymore.
Everyone was silent for a bit before Shippou spoke up again. "Kagome, tell us a story!"
"A story?" Kagome looked puzzled.
"Yea!" he chirped, "About your era!"
Miroku smiled, "Yes, I find the customs of your time fascinating."
Sango nodded, "Tell a romantic story!" She sighed, "Romance is your era is so much more…free. People don't have arranged marriages, and they can woo each other for years before deciding to become engaged."
Kagome grinned, "Yea, we're pretty lucky. But on the other hand, it means a lot of people don't settle down for a long time."
"Speaking of marriage," Miroku interjected, "I think that's a good story topic."
"Marriage?" Kagome questioned.
"Or, rather, engagement."
Kagome nodded, "Alright, if that's what you want to hear."
Inuyasha's voice broke through the group, "Who wants to hear about marriage?"
Kagome, Sango, and Miroku all responded, annoyed, "I do!"
Inuyasha scoffed, "Marriage is a stupid human idea."
Sango shook her head and fired back, "And mating isn't stupid?"
Inuyasha was quiet for a moment before answering firmly, "Just as stupid as marriage. Who wants to get stuck with someone for their whole life?"
The words hit Kagome like a ton of bricks. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes and she fought them back. "Some of us would like to."
Sango nodded, "I'm sure you wouldn't have minded marrying Kikyou, especially the way you're always chasing after her!"
"I can think of a couple people you wouldn't mind marrying," Shippou exclaimed angrily.
"Shut up, brat!" Inuyasha yelled, whopping the kitsune on the head with a fist.
"Owww!" he cried, tenderly touching the bump forming on his head.
"If you don't want to listen to us talk about marriage, then go somewhere else where you can't hear us," Kagome retorted.
"Keh." He sat down cross-legged next to her and looked away. Kagome, however, looked happy at this and her smile did not go unnoticed by the inu hanyou.
She turned back to the rest of the group and began. "Well, traditionally, the guy will go out and buy a diamond ring, though these days they buy all kinds of rings and sometimes even the girl buys it. He takes the girl out to a fancy restaurant or her favorite place, or something like that, and bends down on one knee in front of her and opens the box to show the ring and asks, 'Will you marry me?' It's rare that the girl refuses. Most of the time, it's what the girl's been waiting for."
Sango smiled, "Oh, that's so romantic! I'd love for my future husband to do that for me! But, that's not going to happen… They should do it here!"
Kagome nodded, "Yea! It's a western custom, though, so it won't be coming over for a while."
Sango stood up, "Kagome, let's go bathe." Her words were dripping with hidden meaning, silently beckoning for a secret girl talk.
Kagome nodded, "Good idea."
The two girls stepped into the hut and grabbed their towels. Sango started toward the river and Kagome began to follow when Miroku stopped her. "Kagome, may I speak with you alone for a moment?" The two girls exchanged puzzled looks, but Kagome nodded.
"Sango, you go on ahead, I'll meet you there in a couple of minutes." Sango nodded and left. Kagome turned back to Miroku. "Yes?"
Miroku was silent for a moment before walking forward and motioning for Kagome to follow. "When you told your story of engagement customs in your era, I started thinking. Christmas is a special festival, right?"
"Yes. Oh, I think I know what you're thinking."
"Well, I thought it would be a good day to present a ring to Sango, both as her Christmas present, and as my token for the engagement ceremony."
"You want to get engaged?"
"I love Sango, Kagome. I have realized that there is no longer any point in denying it. I only recently realized it. I know she doesn't love me, but I would try to begin to woo her. Perhaps I can sway her, and by the time we decide to marry, she will have fallen in love with me. In this era, marriage is really all that's important, not love. We can be engaged for as long as it takes for her to fall in love me and if it does not work out, we can call it off."
Kagome was momentarily stunned into silence. "Wow, Miroku, I never knew… I mean, I knew you loved her, but I never knew that, well, you knew. And I never though you would have such…um…pure intentions." Her face flushed. "I'm sorry, Miroku. That's so mean."
Miroku held a hand up and solemnly replied, "No, you have every right to think that way. I am going to make an effort to be clean-minded, however. I will do anything for Sango, and I want her to know that. So, is it a good idea?"
Kagome smiled, "Of course! It's a wonderful idea!"
"And, um, Kagome, please don't mention anything to Sango, or anybody, for that matter. I want it to be a surprise on Christmas Day."
Kagome nodded sincerely, "Of course. My lips are sealed." She dragged a finger across her lips to show they were zipped. Miroku didn't understand the motion and she hastily brought her hand back to her side, "Never mind."
"I won't ask," he chuckled. "Thank you, Kagome. This means a lot to me. Does it matter that it isn't a diamond? It's not that easy to get rings around here, let alone diamond ones."
"Nope, doesn't matter. Actually, you can get anything, but rings are more traditional."
"No, I want to get a ring. Gold or silver?"
"Gold."
"Alright, I will do my best. Thank you."
"You already said that," she grinned.
Miroku shrugged, "I am very thankful." He smiled, "Go have your bath. I solemnly swear I shall not peek."
"After the help I just gave you, you better not," Kagome warned good-humoredly.
Kagome almost skipped over to the river. #Finally, they're going to clear things up! I can't wait! Wish Inuyasha would do that…but he loves Kikyou and there's nothing I can do about it. I just hope he doesn't leave me…At least anytime soon…# She arrived at the river with her thoughts already in turmoil and so was caught off guard by Sango's question. "What did Miroku want to talk to you about?"
Kagome was too busy thinking on her way to the river to even consider thinking of an excuse about what she and Miroku spoke about. "Uhhh…what?"
"What did Miroku want to speak to you about?"
"Oh, right!" Kagome giggled nervously, "He wanted to ask me if I could bring back some of my grandfather's sutras for him to study the development of the sutra. He has this idea that they'll be much stronger than his. I told him they were useless." #Smooth, Kagome…# she thought sarcastically. #Grandpa's sutras? Where did that come from?#
Sango nodded, not quite believing her friend. "So, what are you going to get Inuyasha for Christmas?"
Kagome shrugged and slipped into the cold river. She shivered violently for a few minutes before she got used to the change in temperature. "Probably ramen. I kind of wanted to get him something nicer, but I can't think of what he might like."
Sango nodded, "I'm just going to get him food."
"What are you going to get Miroku?"
Sango sighed, "I'm having the same problem you're having with Inuyasha. He doesn't seem to need anything, except maybe more access to my butt." She scowled as Kagome laughed. "I got him a new gold hoop earring. It's real gold and cost me quite a bit." Kagome snickered quietly for a moment. "What?"
"Oh, nothing. Just that you spent the most on Miroku." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Sango immediately went defensive. "No! It just happened to be the most expensive gift! That's all!"
Kagome smiled and nodded, clearly not believing a word of Sango's excuse. "Whatever you say, Sango. What are you getting Shippou? I have no idea what to get him…"
Sango nodded in understanding, "He's like a son to you, isn't he?"
Kagome turned a light shade of pink. "Yea…I guess he is. What would he like?"
Sango grinned, "I'm surprised you haven't thought of it already! He loves candy! Get him a big bag of candy!"
Kagome's eyes lit up. "Of course! I'll get him a huge bag of candy!"
"I got Shippou a new bow for his hair."
Kagome smiled, "He'll love it. I'm sure of it."
The sun peeked its head over the horizon, patiently waiting for the stars to fade away behind its brilliant rays. Miroku stood up, yawned, and stretched. Silently, unknowingly following Sango's routine but a few days before, he slipped out of Kaede's hut and made his way to the village where the stalls were just opening for the day. His first stop was the ring stall. The elderly man there looked fairly bored: not many had the money or occasion to buy a ring. For this reason, the man was surprised when Miroku approached him. "Do you have any solid gold rings?"
The man smiled, "Why, yes, I do. Is this ring for a lady?"
Miroku hesitated, "Uh…yes, it is."
The shopkeeper's eyes crinkled in a smile, "I think I have the perfect ring. Is she your wife…?"
Miroku shook his head, "No, unfortunately. I wish to present it as an engagement token."
The old man chuckled, "Good for you! I shall find a ring suitable for such an occasion." He rummaged around before standing up in triumph. "Found it!" He held up a solid gold band with a small bright turquoise set in the center. Simple yet elegant.
Like Sango, Miroku thought happily. "How much is it?"
"Twelve yen," the man answered.
"Twelve? How about nine?"
The shopkeeper shook his head, "Twelve."
"Ten?" Miroku offered helpfully.
"Eleven."
"Ten."
"Eleven. That's final."
"Ten. That's my last offer."
The shopkeeper sighed, looked around, and stroked his chin in thought. "Fine. Ten it is."
Miroku smiled victoriously, "Thank you, good sir." He handed over ten small gold coins and picked up the ring. He spent the next hour or so probing about until all his gifts had been bought. As he left the market area, he rattled his purse sadly. "I'm out of money…"
Kagome stood up, causing the rest of the group's eyes to turn to her. "Uhh…I'm leaving for my time to get some supplies and to buy your Christmas presents. Inuyasha, do you mind coming? There's something I need you to do. You don't have to come if you don't want to, though."
Inuyasha's eyebrows rose, but he nodded his head, stood up, and followed her to the well. "Well…? What do you need me to do?"
Kagome smiled nervously, "Nothing. I just wanted some company."
Inuyasha fell over anime style. "That's it? You wanted some company on your way to the well?"
Kagome sweatdropped, "No. I wanted some in my time."
"Oh. Why?"
She smiled and shrugged, "I don't know. I just like your company."
Inuyasha, surprised, let a small smile slip. Kagome grabbed his hand and the two jumped in. Still slightly dazed, Inuyasha didn't let go of her hand until they stepped out of the well house and the bright sunlight had brought him back to his senses. He snatched back his hand, his cheeks pink, and the pair walked into the house. "Mom! I'm home!" Kagome called. No one answered. Figuring everyone had gone out, she quickly scribbled a note saying she was home for a bit and had gone shopping. Kagome walked up to her room, changed into a long skirt to hide her foxtails, and grabbed two baseball caps. "Here," she said, stuffing a hat on Inuyasha's head, and another on her own, effectively masking their ears. She snatched her purse and they were off on a walk to the mall.
Upon reaching the doors to the mall, Kagome yelped suddenly, "Oh no!"
"What?" Inuyasha stiffened, his hand on his sword.
"I forgot! I need to buy Kouga, Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi Christmas presents!"
Inuyasha nearly fell over, "That's it? You made me think there was a demon around or something, wench!"
"Don't call me wench!"
"Feh."
Kagome's mouth paused, midway through forming a response. She blinked.
"What?" Inuyasha asked, somewhat irritably.
Kagome shook her head back to reality. "Nothing." She smiled and led the way to the first store. Inuyasha, thoroughly spooked and confused, followed without a word.
They reached a photograph store and Kagome hesitated in front of the window. An idea formed in her head and she strode inside without any explanation. There were photo booths, and attendants running around. In a corner was a set of shelves with different picture frames. There were fat ones and thin ones, black ones and white ones, but none caught her eye. Finally, one the second shelf sat quietly a small light brown frame. It was a faded mahogany color with faded streaks of white, giving the impression that it had a permanent film of soft dust on it. Kagome ran her finger across it, but the streaks stayed fast. She smiled and picked up the frame. It was perfect. She carried it over to the register and paid for it.
"What's that for?" Inuyasha asked.
"You'll see. It's one of my presents." She led him over to a jewelry store, and as she walked in, something on the counter caught her eyes. It was a small gold locket. Stemming from her idea in the photo store, she thought of gifts for her three best friends from her era: Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi. "How many of these lockets do you have?" she asked the lady at the counter.
The young lady smiled, her glasses glinting in the sunlight streaming through the mall skylights and into the store. "We got a full stock about two months ago and they've been going real fast." She blew a large pink bubble with her gum and popped it. "You got lucky. We have…mmm…seven left. Yeah, seven."
Kagome smiled, "Thanks. Can I have three of them, please?"
The lady nodded, "Sure, hun." She opened the glass cabinet behind her and pulled out three identical gold heart-shaped lockets on thin gold chains. Kagome took them with a smile and a nod. The lady handed her a bag and she placed them gently inside, pocketing the bag and turning to the lady once more. "Do you have any gold polish?"
"Gold polish?" she repeated.
"Yes. Polish to re-shine gold jewelry. I know the machines are better, but I need it for something that's…difficult to bring here for the machine."
The lady nodded, "Yeah, sure, hun. I know watcha mean. Here ya go." She popped her gum. "It's a pretty big bottle 'cuz I'm assuming it's a big thing, right?"
"Well…"
"Well, it'll last ya a while, anyway."
"Yea. Thanks." She accepted the fairly large bottle and also pocketed it in the same bag as the gold lockets. Then, she turned to Inuyasha, "My work here is done. C'mon."
The two made a few more stops before leaving the mall, including the perfumery of a makeup store, the candy store, and the grocery store. After all her shopping was finished, the two walked home.
When they reached Kagome's house, she opened the door and carried the bags to her room, except for two: the grocery bags, one with their food and snacks, and one with their medical supplies. Her family wasn't home yet, so Kagome stuffed her digital camera in one of the bags, picked it up, and left. Inuyasha picked up the other and closed the door behind them. They jumped down the well and climbed out the other side. "Inuyasha," she said cautiously, "I need to do something…I'll meet you at Kaede's later, alright?"
"Where are you going?" he asked curiously. It was rare she hid things from him.
"Uh…nowhere important," she answered vaguely, averting her eyes from Inuyasha's scrutinizing gaze.
"Then it doesn't matter if you tell me."
"No. And it doesn't matter if I don't."
"Kagome! Why can't you just tell me?"
"Because. I don't want to tell you. I'll be back later today. If you just let me go, I'll tell you tonight, ok? I promise."
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Fine. But if you get into any trouble, I'm not gonna come save you."
Kagome smiled, "Alright. I'll be careful." She walked by his side until they reached Kaede's hut. She placed her bag down inside and Inuyasha followed suit, putting his down next to hers. "Sango?" Kagome tried get Sango's attention. "Can I borrow Kirara for the afternoon?"
Sango looked up curiously, "Sure. Why?"
"Oh, nothing. I just need to do something. Thanks!" She called the last word over her shoulder as she ran outside. Kirara followed her and changed into her larger self. Kagome climbed on her back. "Wait! I need to get something!" She jumped off, ran back inside, and reached into one of the grocery bags. "Not here…" she muttered. After fishing about in the second bag for a moment, she pulled out her hand triumphantly, holding her digital camera in the air. "Found it!" she declared to nobody in particular. She ran back outside, clambered back onto Kirara with some difficulty, and sat up straight. She bent her head down to her ear and whispered, "We need to go find Kouga-kun. I need to ask him something."
Kirara growled somewhat disapprovingly, but flew off anyway. She carried Kagome far over Inuyasha Forest, past a series of hillocks, and over a wide plain. Finally, the flat grassy ground began to grow rocky and the vegetation lessened, becoming layers of dark moss and an occasional creeper. The rocks piled up, and soon they had reached the base of a mountain. A bit further up, past more moss and creepers hanging over crumbling rocks balanced precariously, Kagome spotted a large opening to a cave, resembling a demon's yawning mouth. A curtain of creepers and vines hung over the entrance, not quite sealing it, but hiding it from prying eyes. Kirara swooped down and landed gently on the slab of rock just outside. Kagome smiled and patted the neko youkai's neck before jumping down lightly and walking forward.
Immediately, an alert sounded off. The sentries had spotted her, and talk of a hanyou's scent surrounded her. Wolf eyes peered through the curtain and guards hopped down to stand before her. "What do you want, half-breed?" one wolf youkai snarled.
Kagome frowned indignantly and Kirara growled softly in the background. "Don't call me that! Now, move. I'm here to talk to Kouga."
Immediately they stiffened. "What do you want with our leader?"
"I need to talk to him. I need to ask him something. Oh!" Kagome remembered suddenly, "I need to tell him something, too! I completely forgot! Now, c'mon, move!"
The wolves packed closer together, advancing on her menacingly, "Who are you?"
Kagome sighed impatiently, "My name's…"
Kouga sat in the back of his den on a pile of animal skins, chewing on a piece of meat. He swallowed and threw the rest of the bone to the pack sitting hungrily next to him. He smiled and leaned back, placing his hands behind his head with a contented sigh. "Now I'm full," he muttered happily.
Suddenly, a young wolf youkai ran up to him. "Kouga! There's some kitsune hanyou outside who wants to talk to you! She's getting pretty annoyed with the guards. Should we let her in or drive her out?"
Kouga's brow furrowed. "A kitsune hanyou? I don't know any kitsune hanyou…" He sniffed the air and stiffened, then jumped up in excitement. "It's Kagome!" He ran out, leaving his pack staring confusedly after him. He pushed through the vine curtain, and shoved aside the guards. "Kagome!"
Kagome smiled widely, "Kouga-kun!" The guards looked both stunned and bewildered.
"Whatcha doin' out here?"
Kagome grinned, "Sorry. Your guards were trying to stop me from coming inside. Guess they thought I was gonna kill you or something…"
Kouga glared at his men. One stepped forward with an explanation, the same that had originally questioned Kagome at her arrival. "We didn't know who she was, boss. We thought she was gonna attack you."
"Idiots," Kouga accused. They bowed their heads in shame and Kagome smiled, "Give them a break, Kouga-kun, they didn't know." She turned to them with her own glare, "But you didn't have to insult me, you know."
Kouga's glare intensified, "What did they say to you, Kagome?"
Kagome waved a hand nonchalantly, "What you'd expect, just 'half-breed' pretty much."
Kouga smiled apologetically at Kagome and then resumed his angry glare. "I apologize for my men's rude stupidity. I don't want to hear any of you call Kagome names again, got it?" They all nodded, mumbling apologies. Kouga nodded, satisfied, and took Kagome's hand. "Let's go somewhere quieter." Kagome nodded in response and together they hopped up the rocks, further up the mountain, Kirara following close behind. Finally, they reached a stable slab of rock with nobody nearby.
Kagome took back her hand and smiled. "I came for two reasons. The first is that I wanted you to do something for me." She took out her digital camera, turned it on, and placed it on a ledge facing them. "That's a camera. I'm not going to get into details, but basically it's an instant painting-maker. In my time, I celebrate a holiday where you exchange gifts. This holiday is in about four days. Would you mind stopping by? I'd like to celebrate it with you."
Kouga's face lit up, "Sure! I'll definitely be there!"
Kagome smiled at his enthusiasm. "Alright, now I want to take a picture of us. The camera is going to flash, but don't be freaked out or anything. I promise it isn't a demon and it doesn't steal your soul." She laughed at the last part: the former was Inuyasha's first reaction, and the latter was Miroku's.
Kouga smiled. "Alright, so what do I do?"
Kagome faced him to the camera and slung her arm across his shoulders. Kouga, surprised by this bold action, didn't move for a moment. He blinked and was brought back to his senses and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Now what?"
Kagome started slightly, "Oops! I forgot to turn it on!" She pulled her arm back and ran forward. She pressed the timer and hurried back, resuming her original position. "I'll count down from three, and it'll flash. I want you to smile, ok?"
Kouga nodded, "Got it. Mutt-face would throw a fit if he saw this."
Kagome laughed, "Yea, he would! I can just see his face."
The two burst out laughing and Kagome forgot to count down. The camera flashed and both froze, blinking stupidly, seeing spots. Together, they were brought back to their senses and pointed at each other, laughing at their bewildered faces. Kagome took a deep breath, sobering herself, and walked over to the camera. She picked it up and pressed a few buttons and the screen on the back came to life in a burst of color. There, on the screen, was a bright picture of Kagome with her arm around Kouga's shoulders and his arm around her waist. Both faces were laughing, their eyes shining, and altogether they looked so natural and carefree, Kagome had to bite her lip to calm herself. It was a glimpse of what could be…
She shook her head. She had to believe Inuyasha would come through for her. For now, she would settle for being good friends. She hoped Kouga could settle for that, too.
A smile split her face and Kouga walked over to stand behind her. "How'd you do that?" he asked, a hint of disbelief sliding into his voice.
"It's too weird to explain. But this is what it looks like. Like it?"
Kouga's face widened into a similar grin. "It's awesome!"
Kagome giggled, "Glad you like it!"
"What else did you want to talk to me about?"
Kagome's smile fell slightly, "Well, remember when you asked me to be your woman? I'm sorry I haven't told you my answer sooner."
Kouga waved away her concern with a hand. "Don't worry about it. You weren't there, and your tajiya friend told me to just wait for you to come to me with your answer."
Kagome smiled. #Thank you, Sango.# "Sorry for making you wait so long."
He shrugged, "I'd wait forever for you, Kagome!"
She smiled wearily, "I know. Ok. I gave a lot of thought to this, and I've decided…no. I'm sorry, Kouga. It's easier for me to stay nearby the well, and I get to stay with Sango and Miroku, who have become very close friends of mine."
Kirara mewed behind her and Kagome added, smiling, "Oh, and Kirara, too. And I can also be with Shippou."
Kouga nodded sadly. "And Inuyasha, right?"
Kagome looked away briefly before replying, "I guess so. I promised him I would help him find the Shikon jewel shards. It's my duty, my obligation, especially because I broke the Shikon jewel."
"But you don't have your miko powers anymore," Kouga pointed out.
Kagome looked at her feet, "I know, but that doesn't change the fact that I broke the jewel. I need to gather the shards, whether for Inuyasha or not, and I already promised him."
"But you promised him that you'd help him with your miko powers, and you don't have them anymore. So you're promise is obsolete."
Kagome sighed, "Even if it was obsolete, I still have other reasons to stay. Please don't make this any harder for me than it already is."
Kouga nodded and took Kagome's hands in his own. "I respect your decision, Kagome, but know that there will always be a place for you in the pack, by my side, and in my heart."
Kagome smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Kouga. I will remember that."
The two pulled away from each other and, as Kagome turned around to return to Kirara, Kouga stopped her. "Wait." She slowly turned around, a question in her eyes, and the wolf youkai impulsively leaned over and kissed her lightly and quickly on the cheek. Before the hanyou could say anything, he bounded off down the mountain. Kagome, blushing furiously, placed a hand on her cheek and smiled faintly.
Kagoe hopped down from Kirara's back, clutching her camera, a pink blush warming her cheeks. She stood in silent recollection, a hand resting gently on her cheek. So lost in thought was she that she failed to notice Miroku and Sango's arrival. "Kagome-sama?" She didn't hear Miroku's attempt to get her attention. "She looks love-struck," he commented amusedly, "Or struck by something."
Sango giggled, "Kagome? Hello?" She waved a hand in front of her friend's face, but the young hanyou took no notice.
Inuyasha strode into sight. "Oh, you're back," he noticed. When she gave no response, he frowned. "Kagome?" he asked, stopping in front of her.
She blinked back to reality. "Huh?" she answered smartly.
"Wassamatta? You look dazed," he inquired.
"Or love-struck," Miroku added.
Sango smiled, "Where did you go, Kagome?"
"Uh…nowhere."
Inuyasha brought his face close to hers and sniffed, annoyed by what he smelled. "You were with that mangy wolf, Kouga, weren't you? You reek of his stench!"
Kagome glared at him, "So what if I was? I had a couple things I needed to tell him."
Sango asked, "What did you need to tell him?"
Kagome shrugged, "Stuff. Oh, and I invited him to Christmas."
"You WHAT?" Inuyasha yelled in angry disbelief.
"I invited him to Christmas. Why? Is that a problem?" she answered calmly.
"Yes, it is! Why the hell should that mangy wolf be at Christmas?"
"Because," Kagome explained, trying hard to contain her temper, "Christmas is a time you share with you friends and family, and Kouga is my friend. That's why. If he bothers you so much, I can celebrate half with you and half with him."
Inuyasha shook his head, "No way! Why don't we just celebrate without him?"
"Why don't we just celebrate without you, Inuyasha? Why can't you and Kouga get along? I want to celebrate Christmas with both of you, and Kouga is willing to put up with you for my sake. Why can't you do that?"
Inuyasha turned around and crossed his arms. "Feh," he huffed.
Kagome growled and stormed off into Kaede's hut. "Oh, Kirara," she said kindly, "Thank you for taking me to Kouga. And, Inuyasha? Sit, boy." She did not turn around as the clearing echoed with the thud of Inuyasha's body against the groundShippou ran to the village to an old woman in a hut near the outskirts. The woman turned around and smiled kindly, "Shippou, right?"
Shippou nodded, "Yep!"
The woman's smile widened. "You're right on time. Kogoro's really excited! Thank you so much for helping us out. How much money do you need?"
Shippou frowned in thought and slowly answered, "I don't know. I need enough to buy three beaded bracelets."
The old woman smiled, "I can do that much. You'll need about three yen."
Shippou grinned, "Perfect!"
She chuckled, "You're welcome, little one. Come, the party's behind the house."
Shippou followed her around the hut to where a group of maybe seven or eight boys, many of whom were his friends, were sitting impatiently in a half-crescent.
"Hi Shippou!" a few boys called out happily.
"Hi you guys!" he beamed. "Happy Birthday, Kogoro!"
"Thanks, Shippou!" the black-haired boy named Kogoro replied with a smile.
Shippou stood before the boys and brought his hands in front of him. A ball of green fire burst into being within his cupped hands. The young kitsune threw the ball on the ground next to him, melting away the snow, and out of the flames a little brown dog appeared, yapping excitedly. The boys clapped in appreciation and the dog scampered over to Kogoro, licking the birthday boy's face. Kogoro laughed and petted it. Shippou then brought forth another ball of fire. He dropped it beside him and the grass caught fire. Out rose a tall radish, towering over the children, with arms and legs. Suddenly, it began to dance wildly. The boys erupted in screams of laughter. Shippou grinned and threw down another fireball. This time, a dancing fish jumped up. Together the fish and the radish completed their crazy dance of randomly flinging limbs. The food and the dog disappeared with a 'pop' and a puff of smoke. A groan of disappointment rippled through Shippou's audience and he threw about a few more fireballs, and eight yellow birds chirped happily, one perching on each boy's shoulder. They nuzzled their perch softly. Then, they all took flight circling above in a yellow ring. More fireballs filled the air and a smaller ring of green birds circled in the opposite direction inside the yellow ring. A new ring of blue birds circled the other way inside the green ring. Inside that ring, facing the opposite direction, appeared a ring of red birds. Finally, a single purple bird hovered inside the smallest red ring. This rainbow of rings of birds circled above the boys, who were all craning their necks back to get a better look. They all tweeted and chirped in a cacophony of birdcalls. Finally, they disappeared. All the boys turned their heads back to Shippou and began to clap wildly. Shippou smiled and bowed. The boys stood up and Shippou waved goodbye. He made his way out front where the old woman handed him his due: three yen. Shippou grasped it excitedly.
"Who are the bracelets for, Shippou?" the old woman asked kindly.
"Kagome!" he chirped.
Most of the rumors about Kagome had been distilled, but the woman's smile turned wary. "I'm sure she'll love them. Thank you so much, Shippou. I'm glad Kogoro could have a nice birthday party this year."
"It was fun!" He laughed and scampered off to the market.
He approached the bracelet seller and stretched up to his full height, which just about reached the counter. "Excuse me," he stated importantly.
The man leaned forward and peered over the edge of his counter. "Yes?"
"I'd like to buy that green bracelet, that pink one, and that blue one." He pointed each out and the man nodded and picked the up.
"Here you go. That will be two yen."
Shippou smiled and reached up, placing two gold coins on the counter. The man dangled the bracelets from his fingers over the counter. Shippou took and held them in one hand. He stood up on tiptoes and looked over the counter. His eyes surveyed the good quickly before he pointed to a simple necklace. "Could I have that necklace, too, please?"
The man smiled and handed it over to the young boy. Shippou reached up and placed his last coin on the counter. He carried his goods back to Kaede's hut and dumped them in a corner. He went over and tapped Kaede on the back. "Kaede? Do you have any spare cloth I can use?"
The elderly miko looked up, "I do, but why?"
"It's for Miroku's Christmas present."
Kaede smiled, "Alright. Wait here." She hobbled off into a back room and picked up one of her old robes. "Here ye go. Is white a good color?"
Shippou nodded, "Thank you, Kaede."
The kitsune sat down in his corner and carefully began to gnaw the strings that held together the bracelets.
After Kagome left with Kirara to who-knows-where, Inuyasha leapt off to the village to begin his Christmas shopping. He walked through, looking for what he wanted. He saw a clothing stall and walked over. He smiled; two of his gifts were here, waiting for him. Pointing to a set of purple robes, he looked around. There were a lot of options, robes, fancy kimonos, simple kimonos, and work kimonos for men in all colors. His eyes searched the articles and he grinned when he found his choice. It was an elegant, detailed kimono that stood out against the rest. He pointed it out to the stall-keeper. "I don't have any money, though," he confessed.
The shopkeeper looked annoyed for a moment, but, after a moment of thought, came up with a reasonable solution, "You can have them both if you work for me for the next few days."
"Work for you?" Inuyasha repeated.
"Yes, work for me. You're a strong boy. You can do jobs like chop wood for the next…how about three days?"
Inuyasha's brow furrowed for a minute. Christmas is in…four days…so I'd be done the day before Christmas. Just in time. "Ok," he nodded, "But can we start today? I can stay later today."
The man pursed his lips, but nodded without verbal complaint. Inuyasha took the kimono and the robes back to Kaede's hut and stashed them carefully in a back room. He walked out and spotted Shippou and his stretch of cloth. "Can I use that?" he asked, pointing to the white robe.
Shippou clutched it protectively to his body, "No, it's mine!"
"I need half."
Shippou relented, "I don't need all of it. Here." He held it out to Inuyasha, and the hanyou took with a grunt of thanks, holding it out in front of him. He whipped out a claw and sliced it down the middle of the robe, creating two clean halves. "Here," he said, offering one half to the boy.
"Thanks, Inuyasha."
"Y'welcome." He stuffed his half in the back with his other two gifts and bounded off for the village once more.
Kaede cocked an eyebrow. Her old robes were fast becoming very popular.
"Hey, old man. You want me to chop wood f'you?" Inuyasha asked gruffly.
The man looked up, "I'm not old, boy. And yes, I need you to chop wood for me."
"Whatever." He picked up the ax and set to work.
Inuyasha wiped the sweat from his brow and surveyed his work proudly. Two piles, taller than him, stood before him, made up of carefully stacked chopped wood.
The man stepped out of his hut, "Done al…ready…?" He stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. "Kami! Did…did you do all of this?"
Inuyasha nodded with a smirk.
"Wow. Thank you. This will last me a long time. Just for doing all this, I will give you those robes. I need to think of a job for you to do for me tomorrow for the kimono. You can go home now, boy."
"Thanks, old man." The man huffed in annoyance, but said nothing.
The next morning, Inuyasha returned to the man. "Waddya need today, old man?"
"For you to stop calling 'old'," he said grumpily.
"Wassamatta with you?"
"My mother's sick and I need to get her to Kaede, but I can't pick her up."
Inuyasha shrugged, "I'll take her." He pushed past the man, lifted the flap to the hut, and stepped inside. The old woman's eyes inside grew wide with fear. She began to move backward and mumble prayers. "I'm not gonna eat you. I'm here to take you to Kaede's." He stepped closer.
"Come nay closer, demon!" she cried.
The man rushed in. "Mother! He's going to take you to Kaede. Don't be afraid. He's helping us."
The woman quieted and Inuyasha picked her up bridal style. The two men walked quickly to Kaede's hut and upon reaching it, Inuyasha set the woman down inside. "Kaede," he called, "This old woman needs some medicine."
Kaede looked up, "Oh. Ok. What is the matter?"
The woman coughed, "I know not what ails me, but it has caused me great pain in the throat and in the stomach."
Kaede smiled, "Not a problem." She quickly whipped together a green potion of various herbs. She poured it into a cup with some hot water and swirled it around. "Here, drink this. It will soothe both your throat and your stomach."
The woman accepted it with a grateful smile and downed it in a gulp. "Thank you, Kaede-sama."
"Ye are welcome."
Inuyasha picked up the woman again and carried her back to her hut. The man bowed in front of his hut. "Thank you, boy. If you bring half that pile of wood in here and put it by the fire, I'll give you the kimono."
Inuyasha nodded and picked up the top half of the closest pile. He lugged it inside and dumped it unceremoniously by their small fire. He threw a few logs in and brushed off his hands. "Done, old man," he called, returning back outside.
"Thanks, boy. Hope your girl likes the kimono." He gave a roguish wink and walked back into his hut. Inuyasha's cheeks turned a light pink and he stalked off.
The next day was a flurry of activity. It was the day before Christmas and excitement crackled through the air. Everybody was adding last-minute finishing touches to gifts. Kagome, Inuyasha, and Kaede mysteriously disappeared: Kagome to her time, Inuyasha to Totosai's, and Kaede hidden in her hut.
Kagome hopped down the well to her time and ran inside her house. "Mama!" she called, "I'm home!"
Mrs. Higurashi hurried out from the kitchen with oven mitts on. "Kagome!" She hugged her daughter tightly. "How long are you here for this time?"
"The rest of today and half of tomorrow."
Her mother beamed, "Ooh, I'm so glad you won't be missing Christmas this year."
"Me too."
She followed her mother into the kitchen, "Need some help?"
Her mother didn't turn around as she bent over the oven. "I just finished the gingerbread cookies. Sorry, sweetie, we couldn't wait."
"It's ok, Mom."
"But could you start making the chocolate cake?"
Kagome grinned mischievously, "Sure, Mom. Can I lick the bowl when it's done?"
"Aren't you a bit old to be licking bowls?" Mrs. Higurashi teased, her hands on her hips.
"Nope. You're never too old to lick bowls!" Kagome laughed.
That evening, after most of the dinner preparations were complete, Kagome retired to her room to finish wrapping her gifts. Once that was done, she changed into her pajamas, took a hot bath, and went to bed.
Christmas is TOMORROW! In the story anyway… I'm gonna hav soo much fun with this! Haha Kk, I promise to update a little sooner this time… I hav the first half of the day written, but the second half is gonna take a little longer… and it'll be time to exchange gifts! Yay!
Personal Responses:
Tainted InuShemeeko -- Thanks so much! I so glad you liked it!
whoknoez -- OMG! Haha sry im jus soo excited that you reviewed my story! I soooo glad u liked it too! Thanks for the review!
BeccaPatty -- Thanks! Yea, poor Shippou… Stupid old dude –growls at old dude- hehe and stupid Kagura –growls harder at kagura-
LadySword04 -- Thanks! You're the best! I know, Naraku really is underappreciated, even though he's a bad bad person…hehe I luv souta hehe Glad you liked the chapter!
Mikkasura -- Woah! Long review! But that's a good thing! Haha really? Random typing, huh? Hehe. I hate Naraku too, but without him, the Inu-gumi would not be! Awww you lost precious sleep over my little story? I'm honored! Thanks! I glad you like my story so much! Really, I do it better? Thanks! Yea, I'd seen the whole Kagome-into-a-hanyou thing so many times that I wanted to try my own!
biawutnow -- I glad you like it! Thanks for the review!