Chapter 20

"Sugoi!.....Do I get to wear these?" questioned the now ecstatic fox youkai. Shippo looked over the futuristic clothes happily. He pulled from the bag two pairs of jeans, a t-shirt with some kind of yellow rodent on it, a navy blue sweatshirt and a maroon jacket. He was in awe of all his new clothes.

Kagome smiled at the kitsune's enthusiasm. "Yes Shippo you get to wear them, they're yours. Although we'll need to alter the pants for your tail, but I think they should fit you."

Shippo jumped up and down for joy, "Can I try them on, can I?"

"Yes, by all means put them on, then you can give Inuyasha back his haori. Oh but let me fix your pants first." Kagome took one of the pair of jeans and using her claws cut a slit in the back, she then returned them to Shippo. Kagome watched the boy walk over to the opposite side of the hut to change. She looked at the glowing fire in front of her and let her mind start to wander. 'I wonder what it would be like to have kids.....Well I guess Shippo basically is mine now. I've been raising him for the last two years and he now calls me Oka......But aren't I too young to be thinking about this....What about Inuyasha?.......He's still very immature, but does he want children......ever? He was ridiculed as a child for being a hanyou, so where would that leave his children. Our children....AHH.....I need to stop thinking about this stuff...at least until I talk to Inuyasha about it. Oh well.' Kagome sighed heavily as she continued to stare into the fire, completely lost in thought.

Inuyasha noticed the glassed over appearance of her eyes and strained his senses. He smelled a faint sweetness to her scent that put him on edge. 'What could she be thinking of that would start to arouse her. I guess I need to have a talk with her about that.' Inuyasha eyed her wirily, straining to hold his urges at bay. He was greatly relieved when the kitsune's voice rang through the hut and her aroused scent faded.

"Oka....how does it look?" Shippo asked Kagome as he did a quick spin and faced her again, the worlds biggest smile on his face.

"Sugoi! Shippo, they're perfect." Kagome giggled at the cute sight before her. Her once small fox youkai, now a ten year old, prancing around in modern day jeans and a sweatshirt with his tail sticking out the back. It was truly a Kodak moment. Kagome reached for her bag and soon pulled out her camera and captured the moment.

Almost everyone in the hut was laughing as Shippo jumped around, still excited. But a certain Inu youkai had other things on his mind. "Oi, Bouzo? I need to talk to you." Inuyasha stood and left the hut soundlessly.

They all watched Inuyasha leave then was promptly followed by Miroku. Kagome looked at Sango then to Kaede. Sango looked at Kagome then to Kaede. Kaede looked to Sango, then to Kagome, then to Shippo. All four shrugged their shoulders then went back to admiring Shippo and his new wardrobe.

~******~

Somewhere in a dark hole with only a minute amount of light, from who knows where, barely lit up the odd room. An odd mass of heads, legs, torsos, tails, and limbs slowly inched around the room.

"Things have been too quiet around here.... I want you to follow that insufferable hanyou and his group. I need more info.... especially on that strange miko that follows him around. She might just be the key to his undoing." A maniacal laugh echoed throughout the darkness.

A quiet, obedient voice responded. "Hai..... I shall leave at once." There was silence, then the opening and closing of a door.

"You shall pay.....Hanyou....you and that bitch! WAHAHAHAHAHA!"

~******~

The warm afternoon sun greeted the six travelers on their ongoing journey. Kagome was trying to teach Shippo how to ride her bike as they walked along. Miroku and Sango were silent the whole time. Miroku would give her a sly grin then inch his way over to grope her. Sango would give him a daring glare and his hand would retreat, followed by a heavy sigh. Inuyasha also walked along in silence, watching Kagome carefully and anxiously. He would then look to the sky or the road with a very faint smile on his face.

**THUMP** "ITE!"

Inuyasha turned around to see Kagome slowly climbing onto her hands and knees on the ground. He rushed over and started to help her up. "Daijobu?"

"Hai.....I'm fine....I just tripped on a rock." Kagome smiled up at her mate then proceeded to dust herself off. Inuyasha helped her by patting her on the butt. Kagome froze then looked up at him with slightly red cheeks. "Inuyasha no hentai! OSUWA-"

Inuyasha kissed her before she had a chance to finish what she was going to say. He was pleasantly surprised when she went limp against him.

"My my, Inuyasha, if that was all it took to stop her from "sitting" you, you should have done that along time ago." Miroku started to chuckle quietly before he was elbowed in the stomach by Sango.

Inuyasha reluctantly released her and smiled slyly down at his mate. "There, are you calmed down now?" He could tell by her heightened scent she was more then calm, she was aroused. 'Damn it! I need to stop doing things to set her off. Although I would like nothing better then to run off with her and have my fun, we can't right now. DAMN!'

Kagome glared at him and moved to push herself out of his arms when everything went black and she collapsed.

~******~

Everything around her was black. No light, no walls, no ceiling, no floors ...Nothing. She then heard a very faint voice.

"Follow them....."

She then saw a small amount of light and looked up to see the full moon, then the sunrise. She then heard footsteps. She looked around until she saw Inuyasha standing a few feet away staring to the left. She followed his line of sight to find a girl in red and white approaching him. Inuyasha looked nonchalantly at the miko as he spoke in words she couldn't hear. The girl leaned forward and rested her head on his chest with a sad, yet evil smile.

"KIKYO, YOU BITCH! BACK OFF! HE'S MY MATE!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs.

~******~