Me: Ha, I finally came back with an update and a long one too! Sorry it took like (counts) three months for me to update. I actually had a good chunk of this chapter done a while back, but I never finished it until now. I kind of got disinterested in the story and I think this chapter is pretty weak, but I figured that if there are people out there reading it, I'd better at least finish it (eventually – heh heh).
And because you guys mean so much to me, I was wondering if you could help me with something for school… You don't have to, but I'd really appreciate it. Just email me your opinion on genetic engineering. It can be in regards to people, plants, beliefs, etc. If you can send it in to me before the end of the week, I'd be truly grateful. Thanks!
Disclaimer: "InuYasha" is property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sunrise, Viz, and all those other people who bring this series to us!
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Chapter 3: While the Cat's Away, the Dog Will Play
Kagome looked to her side. She was relieved to see that Sango and Kirara were still with her. She watched Sango's expression with great amusement, as they traveled through the blue light together. Sango glanced at her, and Kagome smiled. Kirara "mewed," bedazzled by the sparkling glow.
They finally landed at the bottom of the well, the blue light dissipating.
"We can climb up this ladder." Kagome pointed to a rope ladder hanging against the side of the well.
"You go ahead first," Sango offered.
"Oh, okay." Kagome gripped onto the ladder and began pulling herself up. Sango went after her, Kirara resting on her shoulder.
"Wow, the well is sheltered," Sango said as she climbed out of the well.
"Yeah, our secret sheltered well," Kagome smiled. "Come on, let's go outside." Kagome lead the way up the steps and out into the warm glow of the sun.
Sango was in awe as she saw how different her current surroundings were compared to back in the Sengoku Jidai. "You live at a shrine?" Sango observed as she looked around.
"Yep, it belongs to my family. And Goshinboku is right over there," Kagome pointed over to the great tree.
"The tree where you met Inuyasha?"
"Yeah – It's still there after all these years," Kagome mused. "Ah, look! There's my mom and grandpa!" Kagome found her mother hanging up the laundry while her grandfather was sweeping the shrine grounds. "Come on; let me introduce you to them."
Kagome's mother and grandfather looked up when they noticed the girls walking towards them.
"Ah, Kagome! Back already I see," her grandfather greeted once he saw his granddaughter.
"So is this your friend from the Sengoku Jidai?" Kagome's mother asked as she came by.
"Yeah," Kagome nodded. "This is Sango-chan. Sango-chan, this is my mom and grandpa."
"It's nice to meet you," Sango bowed.
"It's nice to meet you too," Kagome's mother smiled.
"Ah, yes – same here. Usually only that Inuyasha comes around here, so it's good to see a new face," Kagome's grandfather admitted. "Especially if you're a friend of Kagome's. Eh?" His gaze shifted to Kirara. "What kind of animal is that?"
"This is Kirara – she's a cat youkai," Sango told him.
"You have a youkai as a pet?"
"I like to think of her as more of a companion," Sango said as Kirara "mewed."
"Kirara helps us fight evil youkai, Grampa," Kagome added.
"A creature that small?" Her grandfather took a closer look at Kirara.
"You haven't seen her transform yet." Sango petted Kirara on the head.
"Souta!" Kagome's mother was calling into the house. "Come out and meet Kagome's friend!"
Inside the Higurashi residence, Souta groaned inwardly from up in his room. He started making his way downstairs to see who exactly it was Kagome brought from the Sengoku Jidai. He wasn't exactly looking forward to it. I mean, he thought Inuyasha was so cool, and that guy with the kazaana sounded pretty interesting too… But how would he be able to relate to a girl, even if she did exterminate demons for a living? It just didn't sound plausible to him. In his mind, he just couldn't picture it – picture her. He just kept thinking about Kagome's present day friends and if she would be anything like them. Well, at least she wasn't some ordinary civilian. That would be super boring.
He poked his head out the door, a bit hesitant at first, looking around at his family outside. He walked out towards his mother, and then took a few steps ahead. Souta looked from his sister Kagome, to the girl that was next to her. He surmised that this was her friend from the Sengoku Jidai. He scanned her over, from her clothes, to the oversized boomerang on her back, to the odd animal resting on her shoulder. He started when she walked over to him, and crouched down to be at eye level with him.
"You must be Kagome-chan's younger brother," she said to him.
"Uh… yeah…" he replied feebly. "My name's Souta."
"I'm Sango. And this is Kirara." Kirara "mewed" as a greeting. "You know, Kagome-chan's talked about you before."
"She has?"
"Yeah, like how you help her out here because of what she does in the Sengoku Jidai." She smiled at him warmly. "You're really a kind younger brother."
"Mm - " Souta's face turned a light shade of red.
"Hm?" Kagome blinked at the look on her brother's face. 'Hmm…' she thought, trying to suppress a gin. "Hey, Sango-chan, don't tell him I said that stuff!" Kagome complained from behind her.
Sango laughed faintly as she stood back up. "It's not like I told him about the other things you said about him."
"Eh?" Souta blinked. "What other things?" he frowned slightly.
"Oh, it's nothing!" Kagome waved her hand at him with her eyes closed. "Just usual sibling stuff."
"Like what?" Souta insisted.
"Souta, I'm telling you, it's nothing!"
"How about we go inside?" Kagome's mother interrupted the sibling feud. "Come on in, I'll prepare some tea." She walked into the house as the others followed, Kagome and Souta sending each other sparks of annoyance.
- - - Sengoku Jidai - - -
"Grr… I'm going to give Kagome a piece of my mind!" Inuyasha fumed as he picked himself up from the ground.
"Which wouldn't be much in the first place," Shippo muttered.
"What did you say!?"
"Ahh!" the kitsune ran behind Miroku.
"Inuyasha, why are you being so stubborn?" Miroku asked the currently hot-headed hanyou.
"I am not being stubborn!" Inuyasha continued to rant. "Doesn't anyone around here realize how important finding the shards and defeating Naraku is?"
"We all know that Inuyasha, but there's nothing wrong with Kagome-sama and Sango going off for a little while. You've been to Kagome-sama's time before, and – oh." Miroku paused for a moment, something apparently having dawned on him. "Are you…" Miroku grinned at him, "upset that Kagome-sama took Sango back instead of you?"
"Eh?" Shippo looked up at the monk's comment.
"WHAT!?" Inuyasha exploded. "As if I would be upset over something like that!" he snarled, raising a fist at Miroku.
"It seems to me that that's what it is – you're just using Naraku and the shards as an excuse."
"Grrrr… Miroku…" Inuyasha growled.
"Don't worry about that now, though!" Miroku said light heartedly. "We can have fun like them here too."
"Eh? What are you talking about?" Inuyasha was still feeling a bit agitated.
Miroku put an arm around Inuyasha's shoulders in a friendly manner. "Come, I'll show you." He started leading Inuyasha away from the well.
"Uh, oh…" Shippo murmured to himself. "Already?" He sighed. "Oh, well… guess I'd better follow them."
- - - Present - - -
Back at the Higurashi residence, everyone was seated at the table with tea set out in front of them.
"Wow, your house is really something," Sango said as she looked around the kitchen.
"Inuyasha never really took the time to think about that," Kagome replied as she poured out some tea.
"It's so different from the Sengoku Jidai. The clothes too," Sango added as she glanced over Kagome's mother and brother.
"Yeah… That reminds me - we'll have to find something for you to wear when we meet with my friends."
At that moment, Kirara, who was sitting in Sango's lap, sniffed the air.
"What is it Kirara?" Sango looked down at her cat youkai friend.
Kirara leapt down to the floor and stared at the doorway. Buyo, the Higurashi's resident cat, waltzed into the room. He stopped and looked back at Kirara, who tilted her head at the feline by the doorway.
"Oh, you found a friend!" Sango got up from her seat and stooped down to see Buyo. "You have a cat?"
Kagome glanced over. "That's Buyo. He's just a regular housecat – nothing like Kirara."
Sango reached over to pet Buyo behind the ears. Buyo "meowed" at her show of affection, happily purring.
"It seems Buyo likes you," Ms. Higurashi observed from the table.
Kirara went up to Buyo, still wondering what to make of the other.
Souta watched Sango with Buyo and Kirara. Then his eyes moved across the room, to where Sango's giant boomerang was leaning up against the wall.
"Hey, Sango-onee-chan," Souta said.
"Onee-chan?" Kagome and Sango looked back at Souta.
"Er… is it okay if I call you that? I call Inuyasha Inu no nii-chan, so… " Souta trailed off.
Sango smiled. "Sure, it's okay."
Souta's face broke into a grin. "Thanks… well, nee-chan told me that you're a youkai taiji-ya."
"That's right."
"Well… is that how you and nee-chan met? While you were exterminating youkai I mean," he asked her.
Kagome and Sango exchanged glances. "Er…"
"Not exactly." Sango went back and sat down at the table. "You see… the first time we met, I was actually after Inuyasha."
"Inu no nii-chan?" Souta's eyes widened. "Why were you after him? Because you heard he was a youkai?"
"No…" Sango gazed down sideways at the table.
"Sango-chan…" Kagome warned her that she didn't need to say anything, but Sango shook her head.
"I thought that… he had destroyed my village."
"You're village was destroyed?" Ms. Higurashi gasped. "How terrible…"
"But Inu no nii-chan would never do that!" Souta exclaimed.
"I know…" Sango continued. "The youkai Naraku tricked me into thinking that it was Inuyasha, when he himself was actually the one who sent youkai there to destroy it."
"But… does that mean you're the only one of your village who survived? What about your family?" Kagome's grandfather looked concerned. To answer his questions, Sango went on.
"My father, younger brother Kohaku and I went with the best of our village to slay a youkai at a lord's house. Of course, it was all part of Naraku's plot. He…" Sango's face darkened as she hesitated for a moment. "…took control of my brother, making him slay all the other taiji-ya. He came back to himself before it was over for both of us… when we were struck by several arrows… but I survived, not sure of how it all could have happened until I truly realized it later." Sango clenched her fists. "Then I found out that Kohaku was still alive, because Naraku placed a Shikon shard in his back, but only to do his evil bidding – and still is."
A solemn silence hung in the air, after Sango had told her story to the Higurashies. Kagome steadily watched Sango with slight worry, to see how affected the girl was.
"But Sango-chan," Kagome grabbed her friend's attention, "you forgot to mention the part where we save Kohaku-kun."
Sango looked up at her. "Kagome-chan…"
'Shhffftt!' This noise caused everyone to whip around. Buyo had apparently brushed past Sango's boomerang, which was now about to squash Buyo into a cat pancake. He stared up at his impending doom, crying out a fearful, "Meow!" Sango quickly reached out and grabbed the boomerang before it could fall. Everyone, including Buyo, sighed with relief.
"Buyo, what were you doing?" Kagome scolded the household feline, who 'meowed' in repentance.
"Is that the weapon you use to exterminate youkai?" Souta asked as he scanned over the bone boomerang.
"Yeah – my main one at least," Sango answered as she heaved it towards her. "This is Hiraikotsu – it was passed down through my family to me."
"It looks really heavy," Souta mused as he continued looking at it.
"It's not that heavy."
"Says you, Sango-chan," Kagome said. "Miroku-sama tried picking it up before and said that it was heavy."
"Is that the guy you said has the kazaana in his hand?" Souta asked his older sister. She nodded at him.
"A kazaana in his hand?" Kagome's grandfather repeated.
"Yeah, it's a curse that was originally placed on his grandfather by Naraku. He can suck up stuff into his hand, but with time the kazaana keeps growing – eventually it'll suck him in as well." Kagome explained to him.
"Hmm…" Kagome's grandfather seemed to be thinking.
"Don't think that you can get rid of the curse, Grandpa," Kagome interrupted his thinking process. "We have to beat Naraku in order for it to go away."
Souta changed the subject back. "Sango-onee-chan, do you think you can show me how you use Hiraikotsu?"
"Oh… I guess I could…"
"Mom, can she?" Souta looked across the table at his mother.
"I don't see why not."
"Alright!" Souta jumped up from his seat. "Let's go outside!" he exclaimed as he went out the door.
"Thank you for the tea," Sango said before she followed Souta out.
The room was quiet again for a moment, before Ms. Higurashi decided to speak. "This Naraku seems to be a lot of trouble," she said to those at the table.
"That's one way of putting it." Kagome pushed away her plate. "Naraku and the Shikon no Tama have caused a lot of problems for many people, including Inuyasha and Miroku-sama. But…" she cast a sideways glance at the door. "I think I feel sorry for Sango-chan the most. She lost so much, and her brother is under Naraku's control. I wish there was some way to make it better."
"But haven't you done that by being her friend?" Ms. Higurashi looked at her daughter sympathetically.
Kagome looked back at her mother. "I don't know… somehow it doesn't seem enough, even with Miroku-sama there for her."
"You keep saying 'sama'," Kagome's grandfather interjected. "What's that about?"
"He's a monk Grandpa, and a lecherous one at that." That reminded Kagome… "I wouldn't even be in this mess if it wasn't for him!"
"Hrm?" her family looked at her oddly.
"Er – never mind," she shook her head. "Even though he's like that, Miroku-sama and Sango are together."
"Sound's like she has even more troubles than originally thought." Her grandfather took a sip from his cup.
Kagome sighed before looking outside once again.
- - - Sengoku Jidai - - -
"Miroku…"
"Hm?"
"When you said we could have fun…" Inuyasha shot up like a bullet. "I didn't think you would mean this!" He motioned at all the girls around them in the room.
"What else is there?"
"Grr…! Just so you know I am not having fun!" Inuyasha started for the exit.
"Inuyasha, where are you going? Don't spoil the moment!"
"There is no moment! You can stay here if you like, but I'm leaving!"
"Well if that's how you feel – "
"Miroku!" Shippo stepped in front of the monk. "Let's go!"
"What? Why?"
"Inuyasha's going, isn't he?"
"But he said I could stay. Besides, when else am I going to - "
"Miroku," Shippo said in an advising tone. "If you don't, I'll tell Sango what you've been up to while she and Kagome were gone."
Miroku gasped. "You wouldn't!" An image of Miroku's throbbing face after Sango had her way with him came to mind.
"Well, if you want to stay here, that's your decision." Shippo went off to join Inuyasha.
"Ack! Ah – wait!" Miroku got up rather reluctantly to follow the other two.
"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha looked back at Miroku jogging up to him.
"Ah, well I thought it would be better if we all did something together!"
"Yeah, right…" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at him.
"Inuyasha, isn't there anything you've ever wanted to do but never got a chance to?" Miroku asked as Shippo jumped up onto his shoulder. Inuyasha didn't say anything right away, which Miroku interpreted as him thinking about it. "Ah, so there is something!"
"No there isn't," Inuyasha mumbled as he continued onwards.
"Come on, Inuyasha!" Miroku encouraged him on. "Whatever it is, we'll do it with you!"
"We?" Shippo furrowed his brows at the monk.
Inuyasha gradually stopped in his tracks. "Well…"
- - - Present - - -
"So is there anything in particular you want me to aim for?" Sango followed Souta outside, a little farther away from the house.
"Something to aim for?" Souta looked back at girl who nodded at him. "Er…" his eyes moved across the ground when he found a small stone. "Ah!" He picked it up and showed it to Sango. "If I throw this in the air, would you be able to hit it?"
"I'll try."
"Okay!" Souta ran ahead of her, and then readied himself for the throw. He bent his knees, and then jumped up, flinging the rock skywards as high as he could muster.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango lifted the weapon over her head, to send in sailing across the sky headed for the rock. It impacted, the stone zipping over to some unknown landing spot.
"Wow, you got it!" Souta cheered.
"I just hope it doesn't hit someone," Sango said as she caught Hiraikotsu.
"Wow, what else can you do?" Souta was practically bubbling over with excitement.
"Oh, um…" Sango thought. "Well, I have other things like my katana, powder, gas, rope… I probably can't show you some of that stuff here though. It would be better to have youkai to use it on like in the Sengoku Jidai."
"Oh…" Souta's face dropped. "I guess I can't go there though – it sounds too dangerous."
"Yeah, and I bet Kagome-chan would rather you stay here too."
"To not get in the way you mean."
"No – because she would be worried if you got hurt."
"Eh?" Souta looked up at the older girl.
Sango's face softened. "I remember when I was worried about Kohaku. He wasn't really the type to go out and fight youkai. He wouldn't hurt anyone… he was so kind and gentle. Like you."
"Er - " Souta's face reddened. He tried to regain his composure. "Well, I could fight too!"
Sango smiled. "Fighting isn't always the way to do things."
"Well… what if it was to protect someone?"
"Eh?"
"Couldn't I use it to protect those I care about?"
Sango stared at him for a moment before reverting back into a smile. "I suppose."
Souta broke into a grin as well. "What…" he gazed down at the floor, "kind of weapon did your brother use?"
"A Kusari-gama."
"Do you think… I could learn to use that?"
"Souta-kun, you should be glad you don't need anything like that in this time."
"But I want to protect those I care for, right?"
Sango paused again. "Well… if you want… I guess I could show you with a wooden replica – it wouldn't be as dangerous."
"Really?" Souta brightened.
"Sure, if your mother is alright with it."
"Cool!" Souta grinned widely.
"Mew!" Kirara and Buyo came out of the house to meet the two. Kirara leaped up into Sango's arms, while Souta bent down to pick Buyo up.
"Oh, I forgot to mention," Sango said as she held Kirara, "that Kirara helps me to fight too."
"She does?" Souta looked at the cat youkai. "But she's so small."
"She can transform into a larger youkai – so much so that I can even ride her in the air."
"The… air?" Souta's eyes widened.
"Yep!" Sango bent down to be eye-to-eye with Souta. "And if you want, I'll take you later," she smiled at him with a wink.
"Uh…" a faint blush crossed Souta's face. "Really?"
"Mm!" she nodded. "Just be sure to ask your mother for permission."
"Sango-chan!" a voice from above called.
They both looked up to see Kagome at her bedroom window.
"Yes? What is it, Kagome-chan?" Sango called back up to her.
"Can you come up to my room for a moment? I need to ask you something!"
"Okay!" Sango gazed back down at Souta. "Later then, Souta-kun!" and she started heading back to the house, Souta watching as she left.
- - -
Sango left Hiraikotsu downstairs before heading up to Kagome's room. The first thing she saw when she got there was a handful of clothes being shoved in her face.
"Here, try this on," Kagome told her.
"Eh?" Sango blinked at her, taking the clothing into her own hands.
"You can't wear your clothes when we go out – you have to blend in to this timeline," Kagome said as she sorted through her other garments. "I'm not sure how my stuff will fit on you, so try that on," she pointed at what was in Sango's hands.
"Er… okay…" Sango replied unsurely. She eyed what was in her hands skeptically before doing as she was told.
"Oh, wait," Kagome stopped her as she dug around for something. She stood up and looked at what she had found for a brief moment before walking over towards Sango. "Here," she sheepishly held out two pieces of white garment.
"Mm…" Sango took it from here and bewilderment crossed her face.
"Put that stuff on before the other clothes," Kagome instructed.
Sango raised an eyebrow as she examined the longer article of clothing at arms length. "Uh… what's this for?"
Kagome sighed. Rather than explain it to her friend, she took it from Sango and pushed it up against the girl's chest. "You have to wear it here."
"Huh?"
"It's a brassiere – you have to wear it for support."
"To support what?"
"Sango-chan, don't be silly – to support your breasts, of course!"
"My… what!?"
"Oh, come on, hurry and try it on – I need to make sure it's your size," Kagome said as she undid part of Sango's clothes, tossing it onto her bed.
"Ah!" Sango gasped as this took her by surprise.
"Oh, and…" Kagome took the other piece of clothing from Sango. "This goes here like this." She held it just below Sango's midriff.
"What? I – "
Kagome cut her off, hand on the doorknob. "I'll wait outside while you put it on." She walked out closing the door behind her, letting out a deep sigh. 'I wonder what Inuyasha is doing right now…' she thought.
"Um, Kagome-chan?" Sango's voice came from the other side of the door.
"What is it?" Kagome placed her hands on the door.
"I can't put this thing on."
"What thing?" Kagome cracked the door open slightly, carefully peering inside. She spotted Sango in her set of underwear with her back facing her, fumbling around with the bra clasp. "Oh," Kagome said amusedly, walking up to Sango. "Here, I'll help you." She took the clasp from Sango to hook it herself. Briefly, she glanced at the scar on her back which brought up that familiar memory. She quickly dismissed it however, and went back to helping Sango. "Don't worry – this takes practice."
"Practice?" Sango retorted aghast. "How long do I have to wear this thing?"
"Well I thought you might as well keep it since I went out and got it for you."
"You paid for this with your own money?"
Kagome stood back to look at Sango. "Yeah, I bought you clothes – it's okay really. With the Sengoku Jidai stuff and my studies, I don't really have time to go shopping often anyways."
"I'll pay you back," Sango told her, but Kagome shook her head.
"It's okay. You're my best friend, and I wanted to treat you to something while you were here."
"Best friend?"
"Yeah, that's what got me into this in the first place." Kagome placed her hands on her hips. "Can you hold your arms out a bit?"
"Uh… like this?"
"Uh huh…" Kagome walked up a little closer to examine Sango. "How does it feel? Not to tight or loose or anything like that?"
"No… it just feels… weird…"
"That's just because you're not used to it." Kagome smiled proudly at her. "Looks good – I can't believe how well it fits considering I didn't know what size you were. Now you can try these on." She handed Sango the clothing she had given her before.
"Mm…" Sango was somewhat reluctant, but she did as Kagome requested. Kagome watched as she slipped the top on over her head, and then her skirt. "Er…" Sango tugged down at the skirt uncomfortably. "Kagome-chan, I think this short kimono of yours is too… short. That and this feels awkward," she pulled on Kagome's top.
"Hmm…" Kagome observed the girl. "Well… I guess if my friends figured out you were wearing my clothes it would be a problem… and you really don't look comfortable in it," Kagome tried to suppress a giggle.
"Huh?" Sango made a face. "What's so funny?"
"You!" Kagome burst out, beginning to laugh openly. "I only wanted to see how you would look in that!"
"What?" Sango raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"The idea amused me at the time," Kagome tried to control herself.
"Kagome-chan!" Sango reddened.
Kagome let out a last few couple of giggles before going over to her bed. She picked up a fresh pile of clothes and showed it to Sango. "These are your real clothes," she beamed brightly.
Taking them, Sango sighed before replacing the clothes she had on now with the new ones. Kagome observed her in anticipation of what the result would look like. She wasn't disappointed. Kagome had picked out a black tank top with "Coral" written across it in red for her. She also had beige cropped pants with pockets all over, straps hanging at the side, and adjustable elastics at the cuffs. On her feet were plain white socks which reached her ankles, and for accessories, Kagome slipped on a wristband over her right hand, bangles on her left, and a chained necklace around her neck. As an added touch, she placed an ear cuff over her ear, then stood back to admire her.
Kagome sparkled. "Sango-chan, you look so cool!"
"Uh… really?" Sango twisted around a bit to try and see.
Kagome moved her over to the mirror to get a better look. "See?" she beamed. "Just one more thing…" she untied the ribbon in Sango's hair, instead putting her soft strands up like she sometimes did whenever they took a bath in the hot springs. "There we go! Perfect! What do you think?" she asked over her friend's shoulder.
Sango rubbed one of her bare arms. "Um… I don't know… don't you think this is a bit… much?" She examined the accessories Kagome had equipped her with. "I've never worn clothes like this before either. Especially this." She tugged on the pants.
"Yeah, I've never seen you expose so much skin while wearing clothes before," Kagome laughed. "But like I said before, you'll get used to it. Besides, I think it suits you. Come on," she grabbed Sango's arm. "I want to show my family." She dragged her downstairs into the kitchen. "Mom, Grandpa, look at Sango-chan!"
"Hm?" the two of them looked up at the entranceway.
"Ah, you look nice, Sango-san," Ms. Higurashi complimented her. "I wondered what it was Kagome brought home for you."
"Oh, yes, yes," Kagome's grandfather nodded his head vigorously.
"Yes!" Kagome grinned. "Do I have good taste or what?"
"What?" Souta walked up behind her.
"Oh, Souta," Kagome turned around. "Hey, tell me what you think of Sango-chan's clothes."
"Uh…" Souta gazed at the aforementioned girl. He thought she looked nice before in her Sengoku Jidai clothing. Now that her outfit was from the present time, he was able to compare her to other girls he had seen around. "Er… it looks nice…" His face turned a light shade of pink as he averted his eyes.
Sango smiled. "Thanks, Souta-kun."
"I-it was nothing…"
"Hm…" Kagome glanced at her brother briefly before walking off with Sango. "We're going back up to my room – we'll be right down to help with dinner after Sango-chan changes."
"Alright," her mother responded as the two girls left the kitchen.
- - - Sengoku Jidai - - -
The steam snaked around their three bodies as Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo sat in the warm water of the hot spring.
"I can't believe this is all you wanted to do," Shippo murmured at Inuyasha.
"Everyone deserves a good soak in the hot springs once in a while," Miroku responded. He closed his eyes. "Anyways, I'm quite enjoying this myself, and it's not like we can do this often with Kagome-sama and Sango." Miroku rethought that statement. "Or maybe…"
"Miroku, can't you stay chaste for even one minute!?" Inuyasha retorted annoyed.
"Sorry, Inuyasha. This is something you wanted to do, so I should make it as enjoyable as possible."
"Hm…" Shippo leaned against the edge. "I can do this with Kagome and Sango if I want to," he said unenthusiastically.
"Which reminds me that you really shouldn't," Inuyasha frowned at the kitsune. "You're a boy, you should bathe with guys!"
"But I'm young!" Shippo protested innocently.
"You should practice being a man!"
"Now, now," Miroku tried to settle them down. "We're here to relax aren't we? Let's try and do just that. Afterwards we can get something to eat."
"Heh, I already thought of that!" Inuyasha grinned.
- - - Present - - -
"Mmm, this is good!" Souta happily liked his lips and took a sip from his soup.
"Yeah, our fish turned out surprisingly well," Kagome said to Sango.
Sango lifted some rice up to her mouth. "I agree – usually we just poke a stick through them to cook it."
"You did wonderfully," Ms. Higurashi smiled. "I hope everything else is alright."
"Oh, it's fine!" Kagome's grandfather replied as he popped in another vegetable in his mouth.
"Mm!" Souta nodded. "Hey, Mom…"
His mother gazed across the table at him. "Yes?"
"Sango-onee-san said that she could take me riding on Kirara. Can I?"
"Riding?"
"I promise that he'll be kept safe from harm," Sango assured her.
"Well then… of course you can go," she grinned.
"Yay!" Souta cheered.
"When would you like to go, Souta-kun?" Sango asked the eager boy.
"Mm… can we go after dinner?"
"That would probably be a good idea," Kagome glanced outside. "It's beginning to get dark out so not many people would be able to spot you."
"Then after dinner it is," Sango decided.
Souta beamed. "Alright!"
- - - Sengoku Jidai - - -
"It's a lucky thing Kagome left these here," Inuyasha slurped. "Mmm, this is good!"
Shippo raised an eyebrow at the hanyou. "What's that supposed to mean? You always like eating that instant ramen thing Kagome brings with her."
Inuyasha licked his lips. "Because it's good!"
"Hmm…" Shippo peered down at his own bowl. "This wasn't the dinner I was expecting."
"At least it's something," Miroku said as he brought his own chopsticks to his mouth.
Shippo watched the steam rise from his food. 'Well at least we're not choosing Miroku's preference of location to eat.' He reached out for his chopsticks when his bowl was whisked away from his very eyes.
"Hey, do you want this?" Inuyasha was about to consume Shippo's share of morsels as well.
"Hey, no!" Shippo cried in panic.
"No? Alright then." Inuyasha picked up his chopsticks.
"Inuyasha!" the kitsune whined. 'When are Kagome and Sango getting back?'
- - - Present - - -
After helping with the cleaning up, Sango was about to take Souta out for his flight in the night.
"Do you want to come, Kagome-chan?" Sango looked back at the girl going up the stairs.
"No, thanks," she answered. "While I'm here I figure I might as well do some studying."
"Mmm… okay. Work hard!"
Kagome laughed weakly. "Yeah, sure…"
Sango left to go outside where Souta and Kirara were already waiting for her. Souta was playing with Kirara, who was running around his legs as he tried to catch her. As Sango watched, she felt wistful, the scene reminding her of Kohaku.
"Sango-onee-chan!" Souta called when he saw her.
This broke Sango out of her reverie. "Eh?"
"Are you ready?" Souta asked the girl from afar.
"Oh… yes!" She walked up to Souta and Souta. "Are you?"
"You bet!" Souta pumped his arms.
"Alright then; Kirara?"
Kirara responded to Sango's calling of her name, transforming into her larger self before Souta's very eyes.
"Wow…" Souta gaped at the feline as the flames around her died down. Kirara laid herself down, waiting for Souta to hop on.
"Go ahead," Sango told Kagome's brother.
Even though he was excited, Souta took special care as her climbed onto Kirara's back. Kirara stood up after that, and Sango joined Souta from behind.
"Hang on, okay?"
"Mm…!" Souta nodded. Now he began feeling a little nervous. With a lunge, Kirara took off into the air. Souta hugged himself against Kirara's warm body as the cool night air blew through his hair. He took the chance to glance down at the world below him. It was then he realized just how high up they were, but found the sight to be quite amazing. All the buildings were smaller now, and the lights glittered like those on a Christmas tree.
"Are you alright?" the taiji-ya checked with Souta.
"Y-yeah!" The possibility of falling down into the city below occurred to Souta, but he took comfort in the fact that Kirara flew at a stable pace, and Sango was right behind to brace him. Then his nerves began to give out again, so he tried distracting himself by looking ahead.
- - -
"Augh!" Kagome whipped through her notes with excessive force. "Why can't I do this!?" The reincarnated Miko was in the process of doing her English homework, trying to understand how in the world people could remember all these grammatical rules. Before she could slam her textbook down in frustration, a knocking came at her bedroom door. "Come in!"
The door slowly opened, Sango peering through the opening. "Kagome-chan?"
"Oh, Sango-chan!" Kagome spun around in her seat to face her. "Back from your flight already?"
"Yes… it would have been a bit longer, but Souta-kun said he wasn't feeling very well.
"Oh, really?" Kagome leaned back in her chair.
"Mm…" Sango closed the door behind her. "Do you think he's afraid of heights or something?"
"Possibly…" Kagome contemplated the idea. "I don't think that's quite it though…"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing…" Kagome cast a wayward smile to the side.
"Kagome-chan…" Sango said suspiciously.
"Oh, hey!" Kagome said suddenly. "Since this is your first time in the present and it's getting late, do you want to use the bath first?"
"Eh?"
Kagome leapt out of her seat. "Come on!" She grabbed Sango's hand and led her to the bathroom, picking up some towels along the way. Pushing Sango inside, she began showing her where everything was and how to use it; the showerhead, the shampoo, the bath… these things called faucets. "So do you think you can do it?"
"Um…" Sango glanced around at everything in the room. She wasn't sure how all these things were needed to clean. Usually Kagome and herself would just go into the hot springs and be done with it.
Kagome leaned forward a bit to look at Sango's face, her hands behind her back. "Do you want me to stay and help you?"
"Er – no!" Sango brought her hands up in front of her. "That's okay. I'm sure I'll be able to handle it."
"It's no problem." Kagome straightened up. "I'll just help you shampoo and you can do the rest yourself."
"Uh…"
"Okay?" Without waiting for an answer, Kagome began undressing Sango herself.
"K-Kagome-chan! Umf!" Kagome threw a towel in Sango's face.
"You can cover yourself up with that for now," Kagome said as she redirected Sango to sit down on the stool.
"Er…" Sango shifted around uncomfortably.
"Nee, Sango-chan," Kagome said as she gently brushed her fingers through Sango's silky threads. "You have really nice hair."
"Eh?" This comment took Sango by surprise. "Is it?"
"Mm!" Kagome nodded, taking the showerhead in hand. "Especially considering the length and what you have to go through in the Sengoku Jidai. It's really well-kept – soft and smooth…" Perhaps because her mind was on other things, Kagome pulled the trigger on the showerhead, water gushing out all over Sango.
"Ah!" Sango cringed. "Kagome-chan, that's cold!"
"Oh, sorry, sorry!" Kagome grinned as she waved her hand. "My mistake." She went ahead and adjusted the water temperature, Sango shivering slightly from the sudden attack of water. "Is this better?" Kagome gently let out the water over Sango.
"Yeah…" Sango sighed, relieved to have warm water against her body now.
"Okay, get ready," Kagome advised Sango. She held the showerhead overtop Sango, allowing the warm waters to wash over her body. Kagome ran her hand through Sango's hair, making sure that the water passed through every strand. When she was done, Sango pushed her bangs up away from her face, wet from the water, and sighed again.
"Alright, now for the shampoo!" Kagome enthusiastically took the bottle and squeezed some of the shampoo into her palm. She slapped her palms together. "Here we go, Sango-chan!" Kagome immediately began to massage the stuff into Sango's hair. "How does it feel?" she asked of the other girl.
"Kind of odd," Sango replied admittedly.
"Don't worry. This is good for you," Kagome assured her. After a few more seconds of this, Kagome began to giggle.
"What is it?" Sango asked without turning around.
"Oh, nothing…" Kagome responded, yet she continued to laugh.
"You've been saying that a lot lately," Sango noted. "No, really; what is it?"
"Haha…! It's just that… I think it's funny," Kagome sniggered, "how you're actually older than me, and yet I feel like I'm supposed to be washing the hair of a child. Hahaha!"
"… And this amuses you?"
"Yes!" With that, Kagome swept her hand in front of Sango's face, some of the foam catching on her nose.
"Hey!"
Kagome laughed at Sango's reaction. "Sango-chan, it's so much fun to tease you."
"Is that so…?" In one swift action, Sango scooped up a handful of foam, spun around, and threw it at Kagome. The bubbly ammunition landed on the side of Kagome's face.
"Sango-chan!" Kagome spluttered in astonishment.
"Hahaha! Now who's teasing who?" Sango laughed, seeing the expression on Kagome's face.
Kagome frowned, wiping the foam off on the back of her hand. This was war. She threateningly brought the showerhead up in front of her, aiming it at Sango. When Sango noticed this, her previous expression quickly diminished.
"Kagome-chan…" Sango said slowly. "You're not going to…"
The other girl smirked… before pulling back on the handle.
Sango's eyes widened. She cringed as the water hit her relentlessly, turning her back on Kagome. "Ah! Kagome-chan!"
"The water is mightier than the foam, Sango-chan!" Kagome teased.
Seeing that she would have to put a stop to this, Sango turned and lunged at Kagome, grabbing for the showerhead. This took Kagome off-guard, and she fell back onto the floor with Sango as a result. She absolutely refused to let Sango take away her water-weapon, gripping onto it tightly. They both wrestled around for it, attempting to spray the other whenever the chance came. Amidst their shouts and the spurts of water flying everywhere, they both heard someone at the door, causing the two to freeze.
"Nee-chan?" the person on the other side spoke.
"Erk! It's Souta!" Kagome whispered in a panicky voice.
"Nee-chan, what's going on in there?"
"Nothing!" Kagome said quickly. "Just taking a bath!"
"But I thought I heard two voices."
"Eh?" Kagome was striken.
"Is Sango-onee-chan in there with you?"
"No, just me! Why don't you go look for her?"
"But –"
"I'll be out soon, so go!"
Souta sighed. "Fine…"
The girls listened quietly until they were sure Souta was gone.
"Ahh… That was close." Kagome leaned back on her hands. She looked around the room and then at herself. Everything was wet and soapy. "I guess I'll be taking a bath after you." Kagome picked herself up from off the floor, her clothes feeling heavy with water. She wrung out what she could and walked towards the door. "You can take it from here, right?"
"Um… yes," Sango replied, still somewhat recovering from what just happened. She picked up the showerhead and sat back on the stool to resume her washing.
- - - Sengoku Jidai - - -
"What do you think Kagome and Sango are doing now?" Shippo voiced this question to the others.
"Whatever it is it must be exciting," Miroku answered, leaning back against the wall of Kaede's home.
"Exciting?" Shippo wondered what Miroku was implying. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, I don't know," Miroku shrugged. "But I think I would like to have joined them."
"Huh?" Shippo still didn't understand.
"What nonsense are you spewing?" Inuyasha frowned. "Something perverted again?"
Miroku coughed. "What? Of course not."
"Hmm…" the kitsune and hanyou both stared at the monk.
"In any case, I think we should get some sleep," Miroku decided to say.
"Haven't I been saying that for the past while?" Inuyasha grumbled, shifting his body to lie on the floor.
"Aw, I'll be sleeping by myself tonight," Shippo sighed. "Usually I sleep with Kagome – Ow! Inuyasha, what was that for?" Shippo rubbed his head.
"Humph." Inuyasha merely slumped back down on the floor, staring off into space.
- - - Present - - -
Sango was sitting on Kagome's bed, looking around her friend's room. After taking some time to contemplate that mint stuff Kagome made her put in her mouth, she wondered what she should do. Kagome had given her a pair of pajamas to wear, which she suspected Kagome must have got for her. She figured this because she had never seen Kagome wearing this thing with straps...
Her eyes continued to wander until they rested on Kagome's desk. One of the books shelved there caught her eye – it didn't look like the ones Kagome usually carried around in the Sengoku Jidai. Curiously, she got up from the bed and slipped it out. What Sango picked up was actually a romance manga Kagome had stashed away.She opened it up and started flipping through the pages, sitting back down. The contents of the book boggled her mind, wondering what this was and what was going on in it.
Refreshed, Kagome came back from her bath, drying her hair with her towel. She found Sango crouched over something on her bed. Whatever it was, Sango was staring quite intently at it.
"No, what are you doing?" she heard Sango murmur. Kagome raised an eyebrow at her friend. She approached closer, slowly and quietly to see what exactly it was Sango was doing.
"Don't let him kiss you! Are you – "
"Sango-chan?"
"Ahh!" Sango jumped suddenly when she heard Kagome's voice from behind, dropping the manga to the floor. She whirled around to face Kagome.
"What are you doing?"
"Uh…"
Kagome dropped her sight on the book on the floor. She bent over to pick it up and looked at the cover. "Were you reading this?"
"Um… well, I was waiting for you when I found it and…" Sango glanced to the side, apparently ashamed of herself.
Kagome blinked at her. She looked at the manga, then back to Sango. "Do you want to keep reading it?"
"No, it's okay. I think I've had enough of that…"
"Mm… well, okay." Kagome shelved it back into its spot. "I guess it's time for bed then. You can take my bed."
"What? But it's yours."
"Yeah, but I thought I'd let you see what it's like to sleep on it. I'll just take a futon."
"But you don't get to come home that often. I think you should have it instead."
"Well if we aren't going to come to a conclusion on this…" Kagome glanced at her bed before saying, "I think it's big enough for the both of us."
"Eh?" Sango blinked at her, and then looked down at the bed she sat on.
Putting her towel away, Kagome asked, "So do you want to sleep on the inside or outside?"
"Er…" It seemed Sango that Kagome was going though this quickly.
"You can take the outside if you feel to congested on the inside," Kagome suggested.
"Sure," Sango agreed.
"Okay, go ahead," Kagome told her as she went to turn the lights off.
"Wait… where's Kirara?" Sango looked around in case her companion was nearby.
"Probably with Souta," Kagome replied, shutting off the lights in her room. "Do you want to go look for her?"
"No, it's fine." Sango pulled back the covers. "She should be alright." She paused to look out of Kagome's bedroom window, the city lights twinkling against the velvet backdrop.
Kagome came up behind her. "Like it?"
"Mm… it looks like the town is still alive even though it's night."
"There is a night life." Kagome yawned softly. "But I think I'd rather sleep."
Sango smiled. She pulled back the covers and waited for Kagome to go in first, but Kagome instead insisted that Sango went. Sango wondered why since Kagome was to sleep on the inside, but she obliged and slipped under the covers. The reason why Kagome waited soon became evident to Sango. Kagome decided to jump onto the bed, nearly scaring the wits out of her.
"Kagome-chan!"
"I thought I'd make things a little exciting," Kagome smiled at her. "Did it work?"
"If exciting is what you want to call it, then yes," Sango panted.
"Good." Kagome rested comfortably underneath the covers with Sango. "Goodnight then, Sango-chan."
"Goodnight, Kagome-chan."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Me: So there's the third chapter. How'd you like it? I just wrote and tried to make things fit even though it didn't really seem that way. Uh… does that make any sense?
In case you picked it up, I kind of made it so that Souta as a little innocent crush on Sango… … What? It seemed cute at the time, okay? (It's somewhat reminiscent of Sakura and Yukito.) I know in the anime he has that girl he likes, but I thought that episode was filler so I didn't include her (not to sound mean or anything).
Next chapter: Sango meets Kagome's friends! Is that a good or a bad thing?