Author's Note: Okay, I never knew the damage of cyber gifts. My Goodness, I won't be doing those again. Sorry if some of you felt yours weren't up to par. They were simply something a little different, and there's no need to get frustrated over them. But, you're very, very, uber welcome to those who enjoyed them (peace sign). I tried to make them all different.

REVEIWER RESPONSES:

Gomen, but I was already so slow on this chapter to begin with, and I simply didn't have the time to complete reviewer responses. I did, however, read all of them, and I have what I want to say in my mind. Please, forgive me, and I will respond to all reviews for this chapter, next chapter. So sorry for slacking! Butm THANK YOU to every single reviewer. You all rock!

Chapter 9- The Plot

It had been two days; two horrifically long days for Inuyasha and Kagome. Naraku had not set any demands, nor had they seen him. The picture, wherever its whereabouts were, was hidden deep inside the school. Needless to say, Naraku was on Inuyasha's hit list. How could a school photographer be so hard to find?

Kagome had split the problem to Sango, who laughed at her for five minutes straight before agreeing it was indeed a serious matter.

"But, Kagome, why do you care so much? They're just a bunch of boys," Sango had said, her laughter long since dying.

"I know! But, if I have to go to school here, I don't want to suffer...isn't that why I left our school?"

"True, true," Sango nodded over the phone. Kagome got the impression that she had other things on her mind.

"Sango, is there something you want to talk to me about?"

"No, nothing, really," Sango stated, too quickly for Kagome's keen senses.

"Sango, don't lie to me! I know something is wrong! We're best friends, how can you not tell me?"

"Please, Kagome-Chan," Sango nearly whined. She was obviously quite peeved about something. Kagome knew better than to push her best friend. She would tell her in time. She had to, right?

"Okay." The door opened and Miroku walked in.

"KAG! I have an idea!" He shouted, his finger waving in the air triumphantly.

"Miroku, can't you see I'm the phone?" Kagome snapped.

"Geese, I have a plan to help you and you treat me like this-"

Sango quickly said, "It's alright, Kagome, I'll go-"

"No, Sango, just ignore him!"

"Sango, my sweet, how are you?" Miroku shouted into the phone. Kagome rubbed her offended ear and pushed him back onto his own bed. He pouted at her.

"Talk to you later, Kag-kun!" Sango chirped and hung up.

Kagome sighed and put the phone back on the receiver, turning to glare at Miroku. "I haven't talked to her in two days, and you made her leave!"

"You shouldn't be so dependant, girls don't like that," Miroku advised.

"Uh! Me? I am not dependent, she's my best friend-"

"You know what they say: A girl and a guy can't remain just friends forever. Sooner or later, one of them will start to feel something for the other-"

"Ew! That's gross!" Kagome put her hands over her ears. "Don't say something like that! I can't even look at Sango like that!"

"Why not?" Miroku raised his eyebrows. "She's gorgeous." Kagome bowed her head, then slowly brought it to look at Miroku, a sickening grin on her face. That grin was enough to make anyone nervous. "Kag?"

"You like her!" Kagome pointed a finger accusingly.

Miroku let out a sigh. "Kag, in case you haven't noticed, I 'like' a lot of girls."

Kagome huffed. "You're such a perv."

"And you're so innocent. I bet you're still a virgin."

Kagome's head whipped up to stare at him. "You-You-You're not...not a..."

Miroku matched Kagome's sickening grin (which had diminished by now); "I'm just kidding."

Kagome sighed, a light blush on her face for falling for such tricks. "You had have so many girls in here, though."

Miroku lay back on his bed, hands behind his head. "Yeah, but, I stop right before that."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Well, what do you know, the hentai has morals." She scooted over to the side of her bed. "So, what is your plan to help me?"

"Naraku has a thing with dances."

"Dances?"

"Yeah. He photographs dances a lot. I'm the school president, I know these things."

"So, Inuyasha and I can go to the dance and Inuyasha can beat him into getting the photo back."

"Exactly...sort of," Miroku sat up now and scratched the back of his neck. "There's...something else..."

"Oh?" Kagome frowned. "What, Miroku? I know I'm not going to like it."

"Well, you already have a girlish face, so..."

"MIROKU!"

"C'mon, Kag! Naraku will get suspicious if you're both there. You can go as Inuyasha's date! You can rent a dress or something!"

"Miroku, forget it! Besides, Inuyasha will never agree." I wouldn't even know how to act as a girl around Inuyasha. I'm so used to being his friend...and I'm so used to being a guy around people now. I'm too embarrassed to be a girl again.

"I know he won't agree, which is why we'll tell him a little, itty, bitty white lie."

Kagome dead panned him. "..."

"You are Kag's sister, Kagami! See how it sounds like Kagome?" Miroku looked quite proud of himself.

"I don't even HAVE a sister!"

" Well, you have one now! Agree?"

"..."

"I'm doing this for you! Think of that picture, Kag. You straddling Inuyasha, staring down into his eyes, sharing a seemingly passionate moment...on the front of the school newspaper. Oh, the teasing-"

"OKAY FINE SHUT UP ALREADY!" Kagome threw her hands up in the air, then turned cold. "And don't hurt Sango, understand? If you can't be exclusive, then don't pull her in."

Kag looked so deadly serious, Miroku almost considered agreeing honestly. Almost. "Of course!" She smiled brightly.

Its funny, Kagome mused. Weeks ago, his smile had made her feel giddy. After all, Miroku was incredibly good-looking and she was only female. But now, she just looked at him as though Rin or Sango was smiling. Kagome sighed. She was getting quite used to her life as a boy. The scariest part for her to admit was...it wasn't half damn bad.

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Even with the lie Miroku oh-so dramticly (but with great skill) told him, Inuyasha was not quick to say yes.

Kagome didn't like lying to people. As Miroku spoke, she stared at the ceiling, bonded with the wall, said hello to the flooring, got aquatinted with her uneaten food, and came to appreciate the gum underneath the table.

"I thought you're sister was Rin," Inuyasha said gruffly, meeting Kagome's eye. It was lunchtime and Inuyasha wanted to eat his food.

"Oh, well, I...she's like a sister to me is what I said. My real sister...is Kagome, I mean Kagami!"

Inuyasha glared at her. Kagome glared back.

"She's a ditz, isn't she?"

"Hey! She is not!"

"How old is she?"

"Same age. Why does it matter?"

"Good lord, you're twins? This is going to be a nightmare."

Kagome looked away, fuming and blushing. I'm not that bad.

"Whatever, I'll do it."

Kagome sighed in relief. But, she still had one issue. How do I act like a girl again! It had been about two months since Kagome had been a girl. She hadn't forgotten how to act what was natural for a girl in such a short amount of time, right? It was going to be ackward. She would have to act like she didn't know him. It was going to be difficult, too.

"When is the dance?" Inuyasha spat disdainfully. Oh, he was pissed.

"Two weeks, my friend!" Miroku said happily.

"Joy."

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At last, Friday classes came to a close, and the weekend basically began.

Kagome was talking to Sango, giggling at something she said, when Miroku and Inuyasha entered.

"He talks on the phone a like a girl," Inuyasha made a disgusted face as Kagome's legs swung back and forth as she stifled her laughter.

"And I heard that, Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, too amused by Sango to be angry when she said it.

"Kag, we've decided, since we care-" Miroku began.

"By we, he means himself," Inuyasha interrupted.

"-That we need to get you into a club immediately!" Miroku finished, giving Inuyasha a look.

"I'm not that big on dancing-" Kagome lied. She loved to dance, but not as a boy. Maybe she could settle for a gay club with Jakotsu...

"No, Kagome, not that kind of club. I meant a school club, so you can graduate!"

"Or else you'll have to stay here another year with Shippou," Inuyasha added, still trying to look as if he couldn't care less.

"Oh, okay," Kagome nodded. "You're right!"

Miroku nodded his head over at her. "Most clubs are beginning around now. Inuyasha and I are going to Tsubasa, so you should check out the other clubs. Preferably, one that won't make me embarrassed to sit with you at lunch!" Miroku's voice was full of confidence in her as he left the room.

"Alright, Miroku, I will!" Kagome said dutifully as he walked away.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he followed his friend. "He always listens to you. It's sickening." Miroku merely laughed. Despite Kag's...oddities...he was a good friend.

Kagome fixed her hair (no longer weeping overtime she saw how her lovely raven strands had been murdered and hacked up brutally) and ran down the stairs of the dorm, looking in different rooms at the different clubs.

Art club? Kagome thought about her most recent experience with paint. She saw a large black blob on her school uniform and Sango laughing at her hysterically. Forget Art club.

Pottery club? She already had it for class, and it wasn't so bad. She saw Jakotsu inside! She was about to turn the knob, but then she happened to notice the other boys. The total I.Q. of that room, excluding the surprisingly intelligent Jakotsu, looked to be around 16. It was odd...the girls' pottery class was quite enjoyable and full of bright girls. Pottery was kicked to the curb.

Soon after ruling out pottery and art, other random clubs followed. Kagome decided that her only chance at graduating on time was to see the outside sports clubs. She saw the Tsubasa Club in the distance. She willed herself not to look, or she might stare at Inuyasha for a bit too long again. She continued walking, considering the volleyball club, when something whizzed past her. Kagome let out a small shriek of surprise and heard someone sigh in frustration.

"Watch where you're going," the boy warned heatedly.

Kagome realized that the 'whizzing thing' was an arrow. A group of ten or so boys stood, looking annoyed with her. Kagome cleared her throat and said bravely, "Watch where you point that thing!"

"Look, asshole, its not so easy to aim, especially when some idiot comes flying out in front of you just as you aim!" He looked nervous. Perhaps he was new to the sport, Kagome thought. Now she felt a bit bad. It was her fault after all.

"I'm sorry," Kagome apologized.

The boy sighed in relief, obviously not wanting conflict. "Its okay. What club are you looking for? You seem lost."

"I'm...actually looking to join."

"How good is your hand-eye coordination?"

Kagome grinned.

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Kagome, newest member of the Arrow And Bow Club (once joined, she insisted that they change the name as soon as possible), walked down the halls of her dorm with a bounce in her step. She saw white hair ahead and grinned. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha, guess what?" Kagome shouted happily. The boy turned and his amber eyes tore into hers and...damn, that sure as Hell was NOT Inuyasha. "Uh...I-I'm sorry, I thought..."

The boy, more of a man in Kagome's opinion, turned back around and continued walking, glancing behind at her, as if uncertain about her. His eyes were emotionless, a perfect match for his face. He and Inuyasha MUST be related.

Kagome gulped. He was beautiful. Literally. She couldn't say handsome, for he was just too elegant. Why hadn't Inuyasha mentioned him? The hair and the eye color were identical. Inuyasha was tanner, rougher, and defiantly wore his emotions better, but there was no doubt he was related to this new stranger.

Kagome hopped off her bed, turning off her Puffy AmiYumi CD (if she was caught with it she knew she would never hear the end of the laughter) and grinned as Inuyasha and Miroku walked in.

"Inuyasha, do you have a relative at this school?" It was an innocent enough question.

"What?" Inuyasha snapped. "Where the Hell did that come from?"

"I saw this guy...he had your hair and your eyes-"

"Sesshoumaru," Miroku said simply. "He's Inuyasha's half-brother."

"Inuyasha, you have a brother?" Kagome exclaimed excitedly. "That's-"

"He's an asshole, okay?" Inuyasha snapped, seeming rather touchy when speaking of him.

"He's also a senior. Guys really look up to him, but he could care less. He's withdrawn his nomination for class president every year in a row," Miroku said.

"Which is why you got it," Inuyasha added.

"He looked so...stoic," Kagome said, catching herself before saying 'gorgeous'.

"He is," Inuyasha mumbled. "...The self-centered prick."

Kagome frowned. Why did Inuyasha not like his brother? Sure he looked...uncaring? Insensitive? Porcelain doll?

"We have three days off of school on Christmas Eve, Christmas, and the day after," Miroku suddenly announced, sitting on his bed.

"Miroku, that's over a month away," Kagome dead panned him.

"What are you plotting this time?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Miroku feigned pain.

"Inuyasha," He said with mock hurt, "I thought you enjoyed our trips during Christmas!"

"You sure as Hell know I don't!" Inuyasha bellowed.

Kagome blinked innocently, not understanding. "What trips?"

"I'm glad you asked!" Miroku faithfully ignored Inuyasha. "Inuyasha and I have been friends since we were in diapers. Well, actually, I was already wearing pull-ups, but Inuyasha was quite attached to his di-OW!" Miroku rubbed his bruised head as Inuyasha fumed behind him. "We'll save that for another story...eh heh...anyway, as soon as I was able to drive, at age thirteen-"

"Isn't that illegal?" Kagome asked.

"It's Miroku." Inuyasha stated, as if that would explain everything.

"-Inuyasha and myself took trips at Christmas!"

"How nice!" Kagome smiled.

"He dragged and threatened me." Inuyasha grumbled.

"And this year, you and Sango can join our motley crew!" Miroku finished happily.

"..." Kagome blinked.

"..." Inuyasha's left eye twitched ever so slightly.

"How fun!" Kagome burst out and she and Miroku danced around the room, Inuyasha's eyes still doing the unmistakable dance of surprise mixed with annoyance.

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Ending Note: This chapter's name has double meaning. One, is for Miroku plotting. He actually plots throughout the chapter. Interesting. The title also stands for the fact that I now have a decent plot to go on! Hoorah for Miko-Chan!

Once again, I apologize immensely for the obscenely grotesque period of scare updates. Notice how I use big words to seem more formal. It seems that I now have numerous plots to go on, thanks to this chapter. Arg, I have so much I want/need to do...and not enough time to do it. Oh, well. (Cracks knuckles) I had better start typing up a way to do them!

Please review, and thank you!

-Miko