-Chapter 4-

"Back to the Past"

-Me Against the World-

Kagome and Yusuke sit outside on the steps to Genkai's compound looking up at the starry sky.

"You can't see as many stars in this time…" Kagome comments.

"Oh?" Yusuke responds.

"Mmmhmm." Kagome says, sighing slightly.

Yusuke takes his eyes off the stars and glances over at her. "You miss them?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Kagome asks. "They're like my second family. Sango and Kirara are my sisters and Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo are the most annoying brothers in the whole world."

Yusuke laughs. "Some family."

Kagome nods, brown eyes shining. "Yeah, but even if I do go back Shippo won't be there, Inuyasha will most likely be off traveling somewhere, and I won't be able to spend very much time with Sango because Miroku's been overprotective." She laughs, thinking about the monk and demon slayer. "Sango's still paranoid about Miroku groping her all the time. I guess odd habits never die, ne?"

Yusuke nods. "Yeah, sure sounds like it."

Kagome lightly sighs and the two are surrounded by silence once again. A few minutes later she decides to break it.

"Hey Yusuke?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to come to the Feudal Era with me?"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Shippo laughs as his uncle shows him his newest trick; collapsible swords! Perfect for tricking humans dumb enough to buy them from a Kitsune! Of course, they never really know that they're buying them from a Kitsune, so I guess they're not very dumb.

Shippo's laughter trails off suddenly and he experimentally sniffs the air. "Kagome…?" He looks in the direction of Inuyasha's Forest in surprise. "Kagome's back!" He turns excitably to his uncle. "Uncle, you've got to come meet Kagome! She's back, I'm sure of it! Follow me!"

Shippo's highly amused uncle follows the excited Kitsune through the village, not even stopping to tell Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Inuyasha.

Shippo speeds through the forest, paying no attention to the branches he occasionally runs into. The pounding of his heart speeds up when he catches a flash of white among the green. "KAGOME!" He yells, launching himself in the air toward her arms.
He never gets that far.

"Hey Kagome, who's the runt?" Yusuke asks, holding Shippo up by the back of his shirt.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Can be heard from Shippo as he struggles to free himself.

"Yusuke, put him down! That's my friend Shippo!" Kagome exclaims.

Yusuke shrugs and drops the young Kitsune to the ground.

Shippo jumps up and hits Yusuke in the head before Kagome has a chance to. "You meanie! What was that for!"

Kagome sighs. 'This does not bode well…'

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Inuyasha glares at Yusuke. Yusuke glares right back. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kagome, and Shippo's uncle, Kojiro, watch the two, annoyed. Well, Kojiro was actually quite amused by all of this.

"Kagome, you have the worst luck." Sango comments after a few minutes.

Kagome sighs. "I know, Sango. I know. You want to go to the hot springs?"

Sango nods. "Sure." She pokes Miroku in the ribs, making him jump. "I don't care if we're married, if I catch you anywhere near those hot springs you will suffer a long and painful death, do you hear me?"

"Yes dear…" Miroku replies.

Kagome stands up. "Shikuro, make sure none of them come near the hot springs. Except for Shippo."

"I'm going to stay here and help Shikuro." Shippo says, not wanting to go and have to listen to their girl talk.

"Thanks Shippo." Kagome says gratefully.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

At the hot springs…

Sango looks seriously at Kagome. "So, do you like this guy or what? He seems a little rough around the edges."

"Well, he's got his sweet side too." Kagome counters. "He's just… I don't know how to explain it, Sango. He's… different."

"He's a lot like Inuyasha." Sango says.

Kagome shakes her head 'no'. "He's not. I mean, he puts on the same tough-guy attitude, but they really are a lot different. Yusuke's not afraid to say what's on his mind and doesn't really care much about what others think of him. I mean, he care's but he doesn't." She looks helplessly at Sango. "Does that make any sense?"

Sango just chuckles. "Kagome, you've got it bad."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Back with the guys.

"You ever wonder what they could possibly be doing at the hot springs together?" Miroku asks.

"What are you talking about now, Miroku?" Shippo asks.

Miroku sighs. "Every time they go to the hot springs they go together. It makes a guy wonder."

"They just want to go there and talk about you all without you being nearby to hear them." Shippo replies, slipping a sucker from Kagome's bag. 'She's still got 'em! Mmm… strawberry!'

"Really now?" Miroku looks interested. "What do they say?"

Shippo shrugs. "Different things. Mainly Sango talks about how much a pervert you are and how if you come anywhere near them she'll bash you over the head with Hiraikotsu. Oh, and then Kagome usually says she'll sit Inuyasha into oblivion if he does anything."

"Mou, so violent." Miroku sighs.

"It's funny. I've known for a while that Sango's liked you a long time." Shippo says. "Of course, I had to promise not to say anything, but it's alright now. After all, you two are finally married." He looks at Inuyasha and Yusuke. "How long do you think they'll keep this up?"

"Who?" Miroku and Kojiro ask.

"The two idiots sitting there glaring at each other." Shippo replies, pointing at the two.

"Ah… most likely until the lovely ladies come back." Miroku says.

Kojiro shakes his head in exasperation. "I wouldn't let Lady Sango hear you say that if I were you."

"I know better than to invoke the wrath or any woman." Miroku defends. "Inuyasha on the other hand…"

"Oi! Shut up monk!" Inuyasha snaps, breaking eye contact with Yusuke.

Yusuke smirks and sits back as almost all the tension in the room evaporates.

"So, you an Kagome didn't explain why you're here." Inuyasha says in what he hopes to be a conversational tone.

"I need help with training Kagome, and she invited me. You'll have to ask Kagome about why she decided to bring you." Yusuke replies.

Shippo smiles his mysterious I-know-something-you-don't-know smile.

"What kind of training?" Miroku asks.

Yusuke sighs. "She's having trouble separating her purification energy from her spiritual energy. Yes, there is a difference. Spiritual energy doesn't purify demons, which is why I'm able to use it." He says, pulling a little reiki to his fingertip to show the monk. "I figured you'd be able to help me help her get the hang of it."

Miroku nods. "I'll do my best."

-End of Four-