Thanks to Kafei and Miroku's hard work in the kitchen, dinner that night was splendid and relaxing. Granny had refused to leave her room, despite her granddaughter's protests, feigning excuses of not being hungry or that she was too tired to join in the amusement at the dinner table.
Of course it wasn't just granny who was absent, but so was a certain blonde youth; after his and Kagome's conversation on the roof, he had retired to his room for the night, and of course, Anju, who couldn't stand to hear that he had gone to bed without dinner, brought a tray of the meal to the room in which he occupied. She'd even gone so far as to throw away his bloodied tunic and replace it with a newly fresh tunic. Somehow or other, he tended to need new clothes, but that was to be expected since they were on this quest.
When they had first arrived in the village, of course there were speculations going around about the missing thief, whose picture was publicized on walls around town, and then the usual and less pleasing rumors of the Innkeepers, Anju and Kafei, mostly concerning their marriage. Above all this, the town was unusually quiet and security had risen since their departure several days ago.
First thing upon arriving, Kagome and Sango had delivered Link to the Inn, and into the hands of Anju who had taken the liberty of caring for his wounds and allowing the gang lodging for one day, since tomorrow was quite a busy time for them. While this had taken place, Miroku and Inuyasha immediately returned to the Great Fairy's Cave, praying she was still there. After Shippo had spilled the beans about what had transpired in Great Bay when the Great Fairy there had passed on, due to the drainage of magic in the land, everyone grew worried that something might have happened to her as it had to the remaining ones in the four regions. Originally, their plan was to follow the river into the Swamp Lands, but due to the drainage of Magic and Link's injuries, they decided to return to town first.
Coming upon the spring, they had breathed sighs of relief when the great enchantress was still among them, smiling happily that they were safe and unharmed.
As he sipped his tea, Miroku couldn't help but reflect back on that time at the fountain.
Flash Back
"Welcome back to my spring, monk and half demon," Intoned the Great Fairy. Her voice was still as melodious as before and her smile genuine.
The men regarded her evenly. Presently, she appeared quite well, though perhaps not as bubbly as she had been before. Still her long flowing red locks fell over her luminescent skin in soft curls, and the same vines and blossoms adorned her feminine assets, though somewhat withered with petals floating atop the spring's surface. However, her eyes which had been so blue and captivating before seemed duller and without much sparkle.
Stepping closer to her spring, Miroku decided to begin his questions. "Recently we became aware that the magic that lives on in this world is weakening and were told that this greatly affects those that harbor such magic," He explained with a strained voice. Thankfully she was still alright. Without her, they weren't sure if they could pull off this quest without her assistance.
The Great Fairy only nodded dismally. "You are correct, young man. I sense that my sisters have vanished from this world already, and it saddens me that I no longer feel their presence…"
So it was as he feared. She was the only one of her sisters' still living, but for how long, he didn't know.
Despite the sadness in the air, she offered a kind smile, as she floated above her spring knowingly. "I gather you have brought the pendants?"
Awkwardly, Miroku shook his head. "Unfortunately, we were only able to gather two," He admitted. "One of the pendants in Ikana was stolen, but we're unsure of the culprit or where to even start looking."
She nodded.
Tired of remaining left out, Inuyasha took his place beside Miroku. "I have a feeling it was that thief's fault! The one that kidnapped Kagome!"
The Great Fairy took all of this in, nodding as she understood their predicament. Unfortunately time was running short and she wasn't sure how long she could keep the town safe for much longer, and already only two pendants were retrieved. "I understand…"
"Great Fairy?" Miroku called uncertainly. Hopefully the situation wasn't as dire as it seemed. Surely they weren't out of time yet.
As she regarded them, she merely nodded. "For now, it would be best to head to the swamp lands, to the royal palace of the Deku's," She replied. "I know you and your companions are weary from your travels, but at first light, please prepare for departure."
"What about the stolen pendant?" Asked Inuyasha.
The enchantress sighed. "It seems we'll have to worry about that later. Gather the artifact and return immediately to town. There isn't much time left…" She frowned.
Miroku searched through his sleeves and pulled out a dozen sutras, and held them in view before the woman. "Since your life is in great peril, I've prepared these to place around your spring," He explained as she looked on curiously. "You should be protected for some time, until we return."
She nodded. "I thank you, monk Miroku." With the barrier surrounding the cave, the Great Fairy knew she'd have time to rest and regain some of the strength she'd lost protecting the town. "As you know, the citizens of Clock Town are restless…Inuyasha, you might be correct in suspecting the thief, Sakon as the one responsible for the theft in Ikana."
"Why do you say that?" Miroku asked curiously.
"Lately, I have seen him appearing and disappearing from town, lugging around a heavy bag. Normally he pawns off his stolen goods, but as of late, that hasn't been the case."
Miroku nodded but he was still unsure. "So I'm assuming, Sakon, is the one whose face is displayed around town, correct?"
Inuyasha growled. So that's who it was. Now that he knew the face, he'd be sure to kill him.
Noticing the unpleasant snarl come from Inuyasha, she shook her head. It seemed he was anxious to confront that individual, but right now she was sure he was beyond any of their reach. "I have reason to believe Sakon isn't the one responsible for such treachery, but he might be in collaboration with someone who is…"
"So you have reason to suspect whoever it is, that's working with Sakon, is responsible for all that's happening in Termina?" Miroku inquired. Like Serena said, she was the all-knowing Great Fairy, but did she really perceive this as of late? In the beginning she hadn't had a clue, but now, she was suspecting Sakon and another…it could be possible, after all, Miroku had heard rumors buzzing around about the thief.
"Yes…" It wasn't just a guess, it was a feeling she felt. The Great Fairy knew of Kagome's kidnap and the stolen Jewel that held unusually strong powers. Sure the thief was interested in jewels and money, but he stole the Jewel, that was hidden beneath her blouse, as if he had already known she wore it. She suspected someone had told him, especially since he seemed to know a great deal about the gang.
Inuyasha wasn't sure if he bought any of this at all. How the heck would she know who was responsible or not? She never left her cave. "How do y—" Before he could even ask, she beat him to it.
"I know because I have been watching all of Termina, and I have been watching over each of you, especially Kagome and her kidnapper," She explained. "I saw him steal the Shikon No Tama." That wasn't all; she overheard everything the thief had said…
"A thief? Why did you kidnap me?"
Sakon kneeled before the girl, who stared him dead in the eye. "I was told to," he explained as he reached his hand to remove a lock of her hair out of her face. Softly, he caressed her smooth and flawless skin, and she shuddered. "You have something…and I want it," he explained before inching toward her intimidatingly.
While she had heard this, she wasn't able to forewarn the group. Her magic did not excel that of the Goddess of Time nor any of the three Goddesses. The Great Fairy could not predict the future, but she could sense the disturbance and the ill will approaching fast. For now, the only suspect was Sakon and the mysterious one who had stolen the pendant; those two were working together, she was sure.
Although she saw and heard everything happening in Termina, there were some things that even she couldn't recognize. Darkness only clouded her vision and the words spoken were inaudible for her ears to catch. Someone didn't want her to eavesdrop and they were doing anything in their power to drain all of the magic in Termina, possibly to keep everyone at a disadvantage.
Even though she couldn't pinpoint the enemy's whereabouts, she had a feeling they resided in town. If her assumptions were correct and judging by Sakon's return and disappearance from town as of late, most likely he was ordered to do someone's bidding while he was away and then most likely reported back to town. Also the drainage of magic was strongest in Clock Town.
Snapping from her thoughts, she turned her eyes to the two companions still watching her. "Do you understand?"
They nodded. So from what she said, two people were responsible for the nearing catastrophe in Termina, and for some reason, they stole the Jewel and hindered their task of retrieving the pendants by stealing one of them. How could they be sure that the fourth one wasn't already stolen?
Before Miroku could question this, the Great Fairy had already read his mind. "Do not fret. I can sense that the pendant still resides in the palace just south of here, good monk."
That was certainly good news. "I see. Then at first light we shall depart, and then we shall return—"
"Now hold up! Since you know so much, then tell me where that goddamn thief is!" Inuyasha interrupted angrily, fisting his hands and upsetting Miroku who sweat dropped beside him.
Regrettably, she could not answer that. "I cannot sense him at the moment, Inuyasha…there are only times in which I can see him and there are times in which he seems to vanish."
"Damn it!" Nothing was going right. Nothing! He had to avenge Kagome and take back the jewel before anything could happen. Most of all, he wanted to kill that sneaking thief.
"Calm yourself Inuyasha," Replied the monk. "Growing agitated will not solve anything." His attention shifted from the half demon to the enchantress. "As I was saying, I will place a barrier around your fountain and we will leave at first light."
The Great Fairy nodded. "Thank you, and stay safe. I will do what I can here. Please return to my spring as soon as you can, within the next few days."
End Flashback.
Miroku gingerly placed his empty cup of tea down upon the smooth surface of the mahogany table, and casually rested chin on his hand, with his elbow pressed upon the table in a lazy fashion. Absentmindedly, his stare fell on Inuyasha to his right, grumbling every now and then about something or other that he wasn't sure how to comprehend.
Kagome sat across from the monk and half demon, enjoying the little time of relaxation she had, though oblivious to Inuyasha's irritable manner. The warm fluid danced in her mouth, and she relished in the honey flavor; this had to be the best tea she'd ever tasted. Drinking water every day did have its benefits; however, sometimes she just wanted some flavor, something other than just plain water.
Although it was just the three of them in the small room, since Anju and Kafei had retired to their rooms for the time being and Sango was busy putting the children to sleep, the three felt content though widely awake. The clock hanging on the wall by the main desk read 10pm, and every now and then, they heard the Clock Tower ring.
Aggravated by the silence, Inuyasha pushed himself to his feet and sauntered past Kagome, still rethinking of all that had transpired.
"Where are you going?" Kagome suddenly asked, watching as he opened the door to exit the dining area.
Inuyasha stopped and turned. "What does it matter? I gotta piss," He replied as a matter of fact.
Kagome sweat dropped. "Outside?"
"Where else do you suppose I go? Want me to hold it in?"
She shook her head, her ebony locks swaying as she did. "N-no…but Inuyasha, why not try out the indoor plumbing?"
He blankly stared at her. What the heck was she blabbering about? "Huh?" It was the most intelligent thing he could think of as he stood there blinking at her stupidly.
With a roll of her eyes, she stood up and planted one hand on her hip and proceeded to explain to him what indoor plumbing was; Kagome knew for a fact, that while he had visited numerous times in her Era, he'd come across her bathroom and shower, as well as much more. Surely he'd seen a toilet before, but she never actually knew if he used it even once…not that she wanted to know of course. "You know. They have a toilet here in the Inn. Besides, it's rude to do your business in public," She criticized. What if someone saw him? How embarrassing.
Remembering the strange devices back at her home in the modern Era, Inuyasha recalled quite a few odd first reactions he encountered. For instance, he had no idea how to work the strange contraption that shot water at you the moment you turned one of the crystalline knobs, and he had no idea the water would be incredibly hot.
Sota, Kagome's kid brother, had introduced Inuyasha to another strange, futuristic device; it was an oval shaped white chair filled with water halfway. Apparently, you were supposed to do your business there and then there was the process of emptying it by pressing down on one silver lever. When the contents had vanished, never to be seen again, Inuyasha was surely impressed and yet baffled about their missing whereabouts, but he didn't feel obligated to ask.
Deciding he'd give it a shot, instead of having to jump over the walls surrounding the town to do his business, away from human eyes so as to suit her, Inuyasha followed Kagome out of the room and down the narrow hallway. Eventually they stood before a small, dark room which felt cramped and smelled foul. His eyes immediately fell onto what he figured was the toilet of this century…a round hole situated on a small elevated surface of wood…
Smiling, Kagome left and hurried up the stairs to join Sango and the children for bed, or to simply have some girl talk, leaving Inuyasha to stare at the room.
As he simply stood there in the narrow space, he couldn't help but turn around. There was no door…just a flimsy little curtain, but still, much different from Kagome's time. There wasn't even a handle to flush it all away…instead it was all lying at the very bottom of what appeared to be a bottomless pit that left him feeling slightly uncomfortable.
Untying the obi around his waist, Inuyasha undid the frontal part of his hakama pants, where the seam was unclosed; which made it easier for him to relieve himself without entirely disrobing.
Gone unnoticed by the half demon, whose eyes were blankly staring at the wall in front of him, something had suddenly latched onto his frontal shirt, completely startling Inuyasha. With wide eyes, he attempted to step back, but found it somewhat difficult. The curtains behind him swayed as he tried to fight off this thing.
An elongated bony hand with overgrown dirtied fingernails had suddenly grasped his clothes, pulling on them, thus forcing the half demon closer to the small opening in which he had previously been occupied. The disgusting fingers gripped him tightly, and Inuyasha, who was still too stunned to voice his protests, felt too disgusted to even push the hand off him, as it had come out of the toilet. Who the hell was down there? Did Anju and Kafei know about this?
"What the hell?! Get off!" He shouted. However the hand refused to let go, and irritated, he grabbed the wrist, much to his displeasure and sank his claws into the flesh, hoping it would let go, but it did something he hadn't intended.
OOO
Entering into the room just upstairs, Kagome smiled. The children were tucked into bed and were sleeping soundly together. Walking over to the bedside, she smiled at her female friend, Sango who had freed her hair from her usual hairstyle and was currently combing the knots free. "You should wear your hair down more often," She smiled, taking a seat beside the slayer on the bed.
Sango blushed before setting the comb down beside her. "It would only get in the way," She replied.
That was true. Sango was a demon slayer, and if her hair were let loose during battle, it would trouble her, but still, Kagome didn't understand why she didn't just let it down every once in a while. She had that long, silken hair that Kagome envied, and keeping it pulled back was kind of a waste. Kagome suddenly had the urge to want to braid her hair or perhaps style differently, but she knew Sango wouldn't go for it.
"Kagome…have you spoken to Link yet?"
Kagome blinked. "Yeah. Why?"
"Did he say anything to you?" She asked.
The priestess blankly stared at the slayer. What was Sango talking about? "The only thing we discussed was the previous battle and that he should rest more. Why? Was he supposed to tell me something?"
Biting her lip, Sango wondered if it would be alright to tell her friend the good news now. Just simply waiting bothered her, and she wanted Kagome's thoughts to stray away from what had happened to her on the beginning of their quest. "Yes, but I think that I will tell you any—"
A sudden male scream bellowed through the walls of the room, completely startling both Kagome and Sango, who had turned to stare at the door questionably. The scream sounded like Inuyasha, and she wondered if something happened.
OOO
Miroku, who also heard noises coming from the bathroom, quietly and curiously stepped down the hall toward the room. He knew his male companion Inuyasha was there, but he wondered if something happened. Normally Inuyasha wouldn't just scream for no reason.
Ahead of him, Miroku caught sight of the white curtain swaying every now and then. From inside, he heard Inuyasha's vociferous voice, complaining about something or other. Miroku blinked and hesitantly stood behind the curtain, wondering if he should walk in or not.
OOO
When he had tried to push the hand off him, it instead had latched itself onto his male member quite strongly, thus forcing a startled and painful cry from the said half demon. He couldn't believe it.
"GAAAAAH! Let go, that's mine!" He growled as he attempted to free himself from the strong grip.
Outside the curtain, Miroku couldn't help but press his ear up against the soft fabric, in order to properly ascertain what was transpiring beyond his sight. "Inuyasha? Is something wrong?" He asked, though the only reply he got was an assailment of curses. "Do you need assistance?"
"Y-y-y-yes!" Inuyasha gasped when he felt the fingers stroke against him. A chill swept through him, followed by a strange sensation he was all too familiar with. When he felt the hand move up and down, as if trying to identify what was in its grasp, and oddly enough and as sickening as it seemed, Inuyasha felt…aroused.
"Damn it! What the hell do you think you're doing! Let go!" Inuyasha shouted, once again baffling the monk who stood on the other side. "Quit pulling, damn it!" Another strangled gasp escaped him, and Inuyasha blushed at his predicament. This was definitely not good. The hand wouldn't let go and he was…Inuyasha couldn't bear to look down at his throbbing member, and the tight grasp enclosed around it.
Upon hearing the gasps, and what sounded like almost inaudible moans, Miroku had a feeling that perhaps Inuyasha wasn't alone in there, that and how Inuyasha was apparently talking to someone quite loudly. The monk's eyes widened and he felt his face grow hot. Could it be that he…and another person…Miroku just couldn't fathom such a situation; he already knew that Kagome retired to her room a short moment ago, and not even Lady Kagome would resort to something like that…perhaps…he was two timing her? How shameless!
Another strangled gasp escaped the half demon, and from inside, it felt as if something had fallen, in which case was a broom, which had fall out of the entrance half way beneath the curtain. "Miroku! God! Miroku, help me!" He shouted. "Get it off! Get it off! Get your lecherous ass in here and kill this thing!"
"Pa-pa-pa-paperrrr!" A male voice from inside the same room howled, completely throwing Miroku for a loop and thus possibly confirming his suspicions of the half demon, and maybe it was an act of foreplay…but why call out the monk's name? Should he even think about it?
Miroku paused in his efforts to push the curtains aside, and instead, felt his face grow hot. There was another man inside and judging by Inuyasha's strained voice, he couldn't help but turn away; it was the only logical thing a simple monk could think of. Here he thought his friend had been cheating on Kagome with another woman, but it was in fact with a man? Of course that should come as a surprise, considering the event that happened just yesterday, during their voyage to Ikana. At that time, Inuyasha had held his hand in the fog and had allowed the monk to accidentally grope him…could it be that Inuyasha wasn't just straight but was actually…it couldn't be.
Again the monk's name was called out, but instead of stepping inside, he turned away and quickly walked from the stall and down the hall, hoping to get as far away as possible He had no idea that Inuyasha enjoyed the company of men, and though Miroku had forgiven the half demon for his indecency yesterday morning, he couldn't help but wonder if it was true. If Inuyasha was interested in the same sex, then why hadn't he noticed before? Maybe he liked both sexes?
Holding his head, Miroku tried to rid his thoughts of his friend clear from his mind. None of it made sense. As he rounded the corner, he stumbled upon a concerned priestess.
"What happened? Is Inuyasha alright?" She asked.
Miroku faked a smile, holding his hands up as if to soothe her worries. What would he tell her? That Inuyasha was in the bathroom, doing who knew what with another man? The monk couldn't bring himself to tell her…especially when he didn't have all the facts yet. "I believe…it was something he ate. He was … having stomach problems."
A light bulb clicked above the priestess's head and she covered her hand over her parted mouth. "Ohh. No wonder he wanted to get outside so fast…"
A strangled moan erupted from the bathroom, and immediately Miroku went rigid. Perspiration fell from his brow as his eyes darted to the bathroom and back to the girl beside him. He prayed that she wouldn't hear the other voice beyond those curtains. If she did, he knew there would be an awkward explanation to follow.
Kagome frowned and scrunched up her face with concern. That was the first time she ever heard Inuyasha make that noise, and she could only guess he was in terrible pain. 'Poor Inuyasha.'
Miroku sweat dropped and placed a hand on her shoulder, and pushed her back toward the staircase, away from the bathroom down the hall where Inuyasha's gasps could still be heard. "Let's let him be for now, Kagome," Insisted the monk, still awkwardly smiling as he led her away from the bathroom.
Kagome only nodded. She was sure she had a pill that might help Inuyasha, depending on if it was diarrhea. She was sure she had some Pepto-Bismol, but she wasn't sure if Inuyasha would be so keen on taking it, just because she knew from experience that the pink liquid was nasty.
"You should get some sleep; it's been a long day," Miroku explained.
Kagome smiled. "You're right. Good night Miroku, and if Inuyasha's stomach keeps bothering him, let me know." With that said, she walked up the stairs and into the room above, leaving Miroku in the middle of the hall, feeling oddly uncomfortable.
OOO
"Pa-pa-paper! Paper!" The deep voice screamed from below the dark pit of the toilet, gripping Inuyasha much tighter than before.
Glancing each way, Inuyasha searched for the paper in which the hand was determined to get. In such a cramped area, he found a roll of toilet paper, complements of Kagome, sitting innocently right beside him.
Quickly, he grabbed the roll and tried to pry the hand off him while placing the toilet paper onto of the moving fingers. "Here, take your damn paper and let go of my dick!" He hoped it would get the message, and when it suddenly released its hold on Inuyasha, he immediately stepped back, watching as it clenched the roll and returned to its pit of darkness.
Perspired, Inuyasha couldn't help but glance down. Hurriedly, he tied his obi, after his member was securely enclosed within his hakama pants and left the room, not bothering to say a word to the monk who was ever so silently staring at him.
On his way out of the Stock Pot Inn, he couldn't help but voice his complaints. "I'm gonna kill Kagome! Fucking perverted plumbing! Didn't expect to get molested by a toilet!" The worst of it all, Inuyasha had been turned on. Could today get any worse?
The door behind him opened, and Miroku couldn't help but stare at the half demon's back. It seemed Inuyasha was clearly upset. In truth, as soon as Inuyasha quickly left the Inn, Miroku decided to see for himself if there had actually been another person inside the bathroom, but when he had opened the curtain, the room was vacant. "Is everything ok?"
Inuyasha turned around, and thankfully it was far too dark for anyone to see his flushed face. "I don't want to talk about it…"
Neither did Miroku, but he was a little concerned about what had transpired inside that room. Maybe Miroku had misunderstood? Though he could have sworn he heard another male voice inside.
There was a ruckus across the street from the Inn, and people were walking inside, shouting and laughing, while others were arguing outside the building. The door there slammed open, and an overweight man, presumably bald with dark facial hair, and his hair pulled neatly in a low ponytail, pushed two large men out onto the streets, berating them for causing a riot inside and to never come back again.
Inuyasha and Miroku looked on with interest.