Regarding many…no, regarding all the evil things that happen in this chapter. To see the characters expressions…merely picture Calvin when he gets a water balloon. It is that expression.

I am so sorry that this chapter is so short. But I knew that I had to give you something.

A thank you to…

alchemistgrl09

Miko no Kaze

flynfreako

elvira-inu-gurl

elemental-girl

Aria-wolfstar

Al: What did I say about Y'all? And don't make me go into y'are!

Remenescent

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

The Stamp Of Gold

Exercise Is Good For The Lungs

By Pwalefriend

G

Rin and Satsuki were running on ahead of the group and Shippo was riding on Kagome's shoulders as they walked over the sea of grass to what Shippo had informed Kagome was a lovely picnic spot. In one hand Kagome swung a wicker picnic basket and in the other she carried Tom Sawyer, in case the children wanted to read some more. Also, tucked in a sash at her waist, Kagome had some bandages and ointment. Kagome was no beginner and she knew as well as the next that if a child can get hurt, a child will get hurt. It is one of their goals in life, to get as many tiny scrapes as possible and create a loud a fuss and frenzy over the many tiny scrapes as possible. Kagome was laughing at something that Shippo was telling her and Shippo was beaming with pride, glad that his story was making the nice lady laugh.

"And then Koga came in and started telling the story of how he won that one time at horseshoes, again!" Shippo crowed triumphantly. Kagome gasped through her laughter.

"He didn't!" She protested. Shippo nodded.

"But he did!" The little boy said. "Kagura almost killed him!"

Kagura, apparently, was Rin's adoptive mother. The youkai had married Rin's adoptive father, Sesshomaru. Kagome, though her curiosity had been awakened, did not press Shippo for more information regarding Rin's parentage. Not only were children infamous for giving the wrong information, but also because it just wasn't the right thing to do. It could very well be a topic better left unspoken, and it was far too early in her relationship with the little dears for her to ask for trust. But that didn't mean that she wasn't going to find out, oh no! She was going to ask Sango the first chance she got!

"We're here!" Chorused Rin and Satsuki from up ahead. Kagome looked up and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

Trees…there were trees…lots and lots of trees…it…

"No…" Kagome whispered. "It…it can't be…"

But it was.

It was a whole…

A big…

Big…

Wide…

FOREST!

What, you say? All that fuss over a forest? Well, let me tell you! The shrine where Kagome had grown up had bordered a small forest, a rare commodity in modern Tokyo, and Kagome had found that she had never felt quite at home anywhere but the forest. Did you know that when someone who lives in the mountains leaves there hills for the flat lands…they can barely breathe? Did you know that when someone who lives in the sticks goes to the city…they can't calm down? Did you know that when someone who lives in the forest goes to the plains…they begin to fear for there life? And Kagome was no different…well, no different in that respect. She was different in plenty of other ways! But we don't really need to go into that…

"C'mon Kagome! C'mon!" Shippo said, pulling her into the forest. "I wanna show you the tree!"

"Yeah! And then we can show you the haunted well and…and everything!" Rin cried.

"Yeah!" Satsuki agreed as the two girls jumped up and down, hugging each other in their excitement. Despite the pairs earlier…disagreement it appeared that they were the best of friends and one was rarely seen without the other, unlike Shippo who apparently quite often liked to slip off on his own to go cause trouble and then had been known to sometimes blame it on his female counterparts. But, from the revenge ideas that the girls had supplied earlier, Kagome figured that when he did frame them it rarely went unnoticed.

"C'mon Kagome! C'mon!" Shippo yelled, bouncing up and down on her shoulders and kicking his legs in agitation. "We don't have all day!"

Kagome laughed and, instead of taking offense as some people might have, walked into the dark forest more confidently then most do…well, actually more confidently then most should. Walking that confidently, as I've noticed, almost always leads to you either becoming very lost, or very late. Kagome, on the other hand, hadn't noticed that yet.

G

It took them about five minutes to get to the tree. When Kagome saw it she stood back a moment and gasped. Shippo, who had gotten off her shoulder, and Rin both ran right up to the Tree and started looking for the squished acorns that they had left last time they had played at the Tree. Satsuki looked up at Kagome curiously, and took the cake from the picnic basket when Kagome wasn't looking.

"Ha ha!" Satsuki shouted as she began to run around the tree. "I got the cake! I got the cake! Nya-na-na-na-na!" She cried in a sing-song voice.

"Hey! No fair!" Shippo cried.

"Here Shippo!" Rin threw him a corner of the picnic blanket that she had been carrying. When Shippo caught it he got a very evil look on his face.

Kagome realized what they were planning a moment too late.

"No!" She cried, running forward with her arms out to stop them. "Don't-"

But it was too late! Shippo and Rin had both held opposite ends of the blanket and had crouched down on one side of the tree, the blanket spread between them. Satsuki, so caught up in gloating as she was, didn't see the danger until she had fallen into the trap! She had run right into it! That is to say, she had run right into the blanket. And then…Kapwing! Shippo and Rin sprang into action. Like a spider it's insect prey they wrapped up Satsuki in the blanket, only her hand, still grasping the cake, was free of the fabric cage. A rather scratchy fabric cage at that.

"Yum, yum." Rin said as she and Shippo took the cake from Satsuki's hands. "You shouldn't have done that Satsuki-chan." Rin and Shippo giggled loudly.

"Wahhh!" Satsuki began to cry, so loudly that Kagome, who was running over, could hear it. Kagome ran faster. "Wahh…you hate me! They all hate me!"

Kagome pulled the blanket off Satsuki, throwing a disappointed glance over at Rin and Shippo, who looked down to the ground guiltily. Once the blanket was off her Satsuki brushed off Kagome who was trying to comfort her, and ran off into the woods. Kagome was frozen for a moment, nearly began crying herself when she realized that this meant her lunch was even more delayed…and then took off after Satsuki.

Up in the tree a pair of angry golden eyes glinted and the being that the eyes belonged to prepared to show those brats who was in charge.

G

Oh no! Poor Shippo-kun and Rin-chan!

I am so, so sorry about this chapter. I had big plans for it, but then I realized that if I put it all in one chapter, it wouldn't work out right. Also, I had a little bit of writers block…you know, that happens when you've got a stupid cold. But I've got the week off so I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to give you the next chapter pretty soon.

And to make up for this chapter, the next one will be loads longer. And Inuyasha and Kagome will..well…not exactly meet…but…

Let's just say those revenge plans are going to come in handy.

See you next time!

Remember to review!

Sincerely

Pwalefriend