Shikon Shards and Obsidian Mirrors.
Chapter 2: Secret's Out
By: LadyRainStarDragon
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

For those following me from Spirited Away, this particular story does not tie in with it, unless Chihiro's grandpa shows up somewhere. I may change my mind though . . . For the most part, think of it as what Ryu and Wind were doing before they moved up to Hokkaido and got involved with the River Project.

Kagome clambered out of the well, glad to be back in her own time again. The old building soothed her with its scent, and behind her back her companion leaped out of the well carrying her pack.

"I still don't see why you think it was so important to come back."

"I already told you I don't know either Inuyasha."

Shouting out in the courtyard cut off any further arguments the hanyou could make. Discarding the backpack, Inuyasha prepared for battle as the miko left the well house.

"How dare you!"

"I swear I was just trying to put the tamashii back in you! Koibito, how do you think I would take advantage of you?"

"Come down here like a man Ryu!"

"Not when you're wielding that bat you snagged from that poor boy."

The disguised dragon from her last trip home could be seen peering down from the uppermost branches of Goshinboku at the woman whose unusual predicament Kagome had heard only last week. This time he had on a blazing red shirt whose lettering she couldn't make out yet, and black jeans. The angry woman at the foot of the sacred tree was wearing a simple white dress that was very out of context with the way she stewed. Poor Souta was beside her, looking up in fascination at the young man.

"Is he like Inuyasha-niisan? Is he a demon too?"

"No, he's a scaly coyote that can't keep his hands to himself. Get down here Ryu."

Inuyasha couldn't help the laughter. It served the dragon right, anything that the grumpy woman gave him. He had heard Kagome muttering about how he had tricked the poor thing into her unwilling marriage agreement.

"Brought a Tiger into your house, eh Dragon?"

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!"

Inuyasha's face met the cobblestones as Kagome trotted over to BlowingWind.

"What did he do this time?"

"He groped me!"

"I did not! I was trying to keep that soul fragment from flying back off after you swallowed it."

"I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Yes! I'm innocent. I wouldn't have even touched them if the boy hadn't snuck up behind me and asked what we were doing."

Kagome shook her head.

"Souta."

Souta looked at his feet.

"I thought they were another couple using the well house for making out."

Flames engulfed Kagome as she heard what he said.

"Where did you learn to talk like that."

Souta cringed. Inuyasha for once used his head and pretended to still be stuck on the ground. BlowingWind cringed in pity for the boy. Ryu prayed that someone would save him from the horror of his girlfriend's anger when she turned her attention back to him.

"Ji-san told me to watch out for couples making out and to stop it if I saw any."

The flames of anger died a sudden death. Souta mentally thanked every kami he could think of, and slipped away when his sister's attention went up into the tree.

"You say you didn't grope her Ryu."

"Not intentionally anyway."

Inuyasha sat up, hoping to see the annoying dragon get something done to him. Kagome looked at BlowingWind.

"But you think he did."

"What else would he be doing with his hand on my chest?"

"Pushing the soul piece back in where it was trying to sneak off, that's what! And you say I have the dirty mind!" Ryu called from his perch.

At that moment Houjo cleared the top steps leading to the shrine, staring in wonder at the scary woman screaming an indecipherable cacaphony resembling Spanish at the man who had somehow gotten himself in the very top of the Sacred Tree. Shaking himself free again, he walked up to the odd group that his friend was with.

"How can you say that? I save your life my dear, and this is how you show me your love and gratitude? Not even the ryu-onna who laid me is so sharp with her words, even when she's ready to egg! I'll buy you a truckload of chocolate if you'll just give the miko the bat. This tree is starting to try to throw me out."

"Higurashi, is this a bad time?"

All heads, except Inuyasha's, swiveled to look at the newcomer. Inuyasha got in Houjo's face.

"Feh! Yes it is a bad time."

Houjo blinked.

"Is the man in the tree really a dragon?"

Kagome laughed, waving her hands as she knocked Inuyasha to the side with a hip. BlowingWind had gone bed sheet white, staring at the young man. Ryu smacked his head and mumbled incoherently about probably winding up back under the mountain for another five years.

"Oh no. He's just delusional. We don't know how he got up there either."

"Higurashi, you've been acting very strange for a very long time now. If that man really is a dragon, I think you should tell me."

"No! I'm just a crazy guy who likes to climb trees to escape the rage of my girlfriend. Nothing odd here!" Ryu called out, just before the tree branch flung him to the ground.

Ryu landed on his back.

"Ow."

Kagome put her head in her hands.

"This just isn't my day . . ."

"Tell me about it. By the way, when you got a spare minute, Wind and I found something we think you ought to have." Ryu moaned as he rolled over. BlowingWind forgot the bat, dropping it on the ground as she went to help Ryu up.

Houjo shook his head.

"No wonder you've been acting so odd when you manage to go to school."

"Keh!" Inuyasha crossed his arms. "I wouldn't tell anyone about this."

Houjo glared at the white haired boy that always wore the dog ears.

"I suppose that you some kind of youkai then. You may be her boyfriend, but I'm still her friend. Whatever's going on, I'm helping."

Kagome moaned.