Love of friends

Chapter 8: A change of beads.

QJP: Well? Who did it?

(Anime characters decide it might be good idea to leave. Baka-chan, QJP, PLP, BC, and the ACC are the only ones left.)

Baka-chan: Don't look at me, I was with you…

PLP: It took me awhile to find BC's stash of Cotton candy, so it wasn't me.

QJP: That means…

(Turns to BC and the ACC)

It was one of you two! Who was it?

BC: Okay, okay, it was…

ACC: Me!

QJP: What?

ACC: I couldn't help it, I was bored because BC was making the Jell-O and I had nothing to do!

QJP: I guess I can't do anything too bad… you're needed for BC's story later. Just don't do it again. Come on Baka-chan.

(Drags Baka-chan away)

PLP: Why did you say that?

ACC: If BC got really hurt, I'd have to control her fic. That wouldn't be good.

BC: (Teary eyed)

I don't own Inuyasha… but I love Author created characters!

Kagome was climbing out of the well in feudal Japan. She had stopped home after school for a few more summer surprises, but had left as fast as possible for the past. After dragging herself up the inside of the well, Kagome looks around the surface. The others were usually close by when she came back but, she had only told Sango the day was short. Maybe the others didn't know.

"It's about time!"

Kagome turns around to face Inuyasha. She was still hanging from the side of the well, "Oh, Inuyasha. Where's everyone else?"

Inuyasha's arms were folded in front of his chest; his look was very accusing. "You leave for your stupid school all of a sudden, and that's the only thing you can think of?"

Kagome climbs all the way out of the well. Sometime during the journey, her backpack had slid off one of her shoulders. Now that she was out, Kagome adjusts the strap and leans back to sit on the wall. "Well, I figured you wouldn't let me go..."

"Of course I wouldn't let you go! First you say that everyone needs a rest, and then the next day you run off. And you didn't say anything about those test things..." He turns away from her. Miroku's words had stuck in his thoughts. What if she had found herself a mate? It wasn't like he cared, he just wanted to make sure she'd still look for shards. That was all he was worried about. Nothing else. He's not really fooling anyone, is he? "Umm." Inuyasha fidgets slightly "So, why'd... you go?"

Kagome glances quickly to Inuyasha, he didn't sound as angry as he had before. He barely even sounded annoyed, though he still looked it. "Inuyasha, I went to school because I'm not going back there for 3 months."

Inuyasha looks at her in shock, "What?" 'She's not going back to school for 3 months...' "Why?" He regains his scowl and turns to look at her, "Did you finally decide to quit school?"

She fully turns toward Inuyasha and grabs hold of the straps to her backpack, shouting at him over the well, "I've already told you, I'm not going to quit!"

Inuyasha's ears twitch at the noise and he goes to the other side of the well to stand next to Kagome. "Fine! So then why are you staying so long? And why are you back already?"

"It's called summer vacation. It's a break before the next school year starts. And today, I didn't have to stay at school as long as usual, it was a short day, and pretty easy."

"You didn't have tests to take then. So, what was the point in you even going?"

"Well... I'm not going to see my friends from school for a while. I can't just drop off the face of the earth. I may even..." She crosses her fingers behind her back, "Have to go back a few more days then to just get supplies... so that they don't worry too much. If they don't see me, they might end up cal-coming to my house and seeing that the rest of my family is there, but not me. Then they might not ever let me come back." Besides, Kagome wasn't sure she would be able to spend 3 months with Inuyasha, not including her dashes home to get supplies, without going completely crazy. 'Please buy it, please buy it, please buy it...'

"Feh, then I'll just come and get you."

"Trust me. You don't want them to see you!" 'They know about my notebook... I don't think I'll be able to explain you away.'

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"Why? Because... my friends are all girls! If they see your ears, they'd probably never stop trying to pet them... they'd gush at how soft they are."

Inuyasha looked slightly relieved... so the monk was wrong. "Why does everyone want to touch my ears? They're ears!"

"No one in my time has ears like yours..."

"So? I don't go around and touch people! You don't see me grab people's ears, so why should they grab mine?"

"I guess fuzzy ears are like a sign that say 'touch me'."

"Humph..."

Kagome starts to walk away, "Come on Inuyasha."

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Now is as good of time as ever to see Kaede about your beads." She continues to walk toward Kaede's village, Inuyasha lagging behind.

Kagome really was going to see if the old hag could do something. And Inuyasha thought she had said that so he wouldn't get too upset for sitting him.

"So, what do you think of my idea Kaede?" Kagome asks brightly.

Kaede turns away, shaking her head. "Not only do I think ye are crazy for trying to release Inuyasha, but he as well must be crazy for stopping yer plans."

"Kaede please, isn't there anything you can do to help?"

"He may be different from when ye first met but, he is still himself."

"Gee, that makes me feel better... Thanks, you old ha...!"

"Inuyasha! Remember, she's going to be helping you?"

He folds his arms and turns away. "Feh."

"So Kaede... can you help?"

"Hmm." Kaede nods, "I think there is something I can do. Though let me be clear, I do this against better judgement." Kaede slowly walks into her home.

"So... what's the new word going to be?"

"I don't know..."

"Well this time Kagome, how about a word that you won't say by accident so often?"

"Here we are." Kaede walks out, prayer beads in her hands.

"What the h! They look just like the ones I have now!"

"Yes Inuyasha, they do. But there are also differences." She turns to look at Kagome, "Kagome, while the other beads focused more on yer spiritual powers, these ones will respond more to how ye feel. This will allow control over how strong the beads subdue. Have ye thought of a subduing word yet?"

"The only one I can think of is... well, if I say it, Inuyasha will be sat."

"Part of the problem is you saying sit by accident! That's why you need a new word!"

"Calm yerself Inuyasha. The word sit will work well enough. Ye will not be subdued unless Kagome means for it, I am sure of that if nothing else."

"What the h is that supposed to mean?"

"Inuyasha, now is not the time to be questioning me. Ye must know that I have more faith in these prayer beads working, then ye not taking this opportunity to cause trouble."

Inuyasha starts to grumble to himself, anything audible and Kagome would just take longer.

"Kaede! You're not really being very fair."

"Past misdeeds are not easily forgiven, Kagome."

"But still..." She turns to look at Inuyasha, trying to ignore how Kaede was acting, "Are you ready for me to take off the beads?"

"Of course I am! I want these stupid beads off, now!"

"Inuyasha, ye needn't be so hasty. Kagome may not even remove the beads if ye keep it up."

"What?" Kagome turns back to look surprised at Kaede. " I never said that. It was my idea to change beads in the first place."

"That is besides the point. Ye need not remove the beads for he is pushing his luck."

That was something Inuyasha wouldn't stand for, "Now you listen to me old women..."

"I shall not Inuyasha. And will not simply because ye tell me to."

"Will you two just STOP?"

"But... she started it!"

"And I'm finishing it, Inuyasha!"

Kaede watches to two argue for a bit before interrupting. "Neither of ye should be this upset. I have merely been testing Inuyasha."

"Testing?" Kagome and Inuyasha echo each other, "You better have a d good reason for it old women." Inuyasha threatens.

"Indeed Inuyasha, I do. I had to prove to myself that ye weren't just trying to be rid of the beads. Even if ye aren't trying to kill everyone you see, ye still have enough of a temper to be wary of."

"Kagome, just take these stupid beads off!"

She nods her head, "Right." Kagome carefully grabs hold of the beads, maybe it would have been better to have taken them off the night before. Doing it now was nerve wracking. Slowly, she slips them over his head and pauses a moment before fully taking them off.

"Finally! I thought that I'd never be rid of them..."

"But Inuyasha, you're not. Kaede is almost ready to put the new beads on."

"What, I can't enjoy the moment?"

Kagome gives Inuyasha a small half smile, "That's not what I meant. Just that, they won't be gone for long."

"Whatever... hey, Kagome! Say sit."

"Why?"

Inuyasha smirks, "I want to make sure they're gone."

"Sit."

He wasn't being sat. They really were off. Not even the fact that a new pair of beads was being put on could dampen his spirits.

"Inuyasha, we should get back to the others soon."

"I guess..." He walks back to Kagome and Kaede, waiting for Kaede to begin.

"Are ye ready, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just start already."

"Very well then." The old Miko laces her fingers, the tips of her pointer fingers and her palms touching each other, and closes her one eye. Slowly, the glowing beads rise to form a circle in front of her face and then, one by one, the beads shoot off and reform around Inuyasha's neck. "Now Kagome, say the subduing word!"

"Umm... sit?"

The beads ripple and then resettle. Inuyasha grabs hold of them, "Did it work?" He tries to take the beads off, but, they won't go past his chin.

"Of course they work, Inuyasha. I do know what I'm doing."

"Huh." He starts to pull up his sleeve, "Now about your testing, old hag..."

Inuyasha starts to make his way to Kaede but is interrupted by Kagome. "Sit boy!"

He hits the ground, beads first, and then starts to push up. He is able to lift off the ground, but, the beads stay put. "Hey! I'm stuck!"

"Hmm." Kaede watches Inuyasha's struggle, "Kagome, ye were trying not to hurt him, were ye not?"

"Umm..." She fidgets slightly. "I could see why Inuyasha was so upset... but I didn't want him to hurt you! Even if your test was unfair..."

Kaede smiles knowingly, "I see... and Inuyasha, ye passed my test. So ye shouldn't worry so much. I just had to be sure." She walks back to her hut, leaving Kagome hanging above Inuyasha's head.

"D that old woman!" Inuyasha pushes up, the beads finally releasing him from the ground, "Why did you do that, Kagome?"

"Inuyasha, she had a good point."

He looks taken aback, "Huh?"

"I trust you, but if I was in Kaede's position... I might have been wary too."

"Still! She didn't have to do all that."

"Just be glad that I can say sit..." The beads glow and ripple, but don't pull Inuyasha down. Kagome lets out a sigh, "...by accident and you don't end up sat."

"There is that..."

She sticks out her hand to help Inuyasha up. "Come one. We should hurry up and get back before something bad happens to the others."

Inuyasha latches on and pulls himself up, "Like what?"

"Other then Sango snapping and killing Miroku after one too many gropes? Who knows?"

"I see what you mean."

When Inuyasha and Kagome walk up to the campsite, things seemed peaceful enough. Miroku, Sango and Shippo were all sitting around the burned out campfire. As the two approach, Sango lifts her head. "Oh! You're back... I thought today was short."

Miroku turns to face Inuyasha and Kagome, the side closest to Sango held a quickly fading red handprint. "We expected you two a lot sooner."

Kagome sits to the left of Shippo, "Sorry. I got a bit held up in my time."

"Kagome! Did you bring me anything?"

"I didn't bring any candy for you Shippo, sorry, but I brought a surprise! Even Inuyasha doesn't know what it is."

"What's with all the surprises?"

"Blame Summer vacation. Inuyasha? How about you go over by Shippo. Or better yet... how about you sit down?"

Shippo gets a horrified look on his face and covers his head. "He's gonna blame me for this! I didn't get him sat, it's Kagome's fault!" He sits there a bit longer, "Why didn't I hear the crash?" Shippo takes his hands off his head and looks around, Inuyasha was sitting next to him. Not being sat... but sitting. "Huh?"

Miroku and Sango look shocked. "He's still wearing his prayer beads... right Miroku?"

"I believe so Sango."

"Then what's going on?"

"I do not know."

Kagome starts to grin, "New prayer beads... no more accidental sittings."

Shippo looks slightly disappointed. "That's not the surprise, is it?"

"No... this is the surprise. I brought bathing suits for all of us!"

Inuyasha imagines himself in Kagome's stripped suit, "I'M NOT WEARING ONE OF THOSE THINGS!"

She unzips her backpack and tosses Miroku a pair of black swim trunks with purple trim and pockets. Kagome then hands Shippo a pair of blue trunks and Inuyasha some red trunks with white trim and white pockets. (Why do I feel the need to describe Inuyasha and Miroku's trunks more then Shippo's? Because I do! So nah!) "Come on Inuyasha. It'll be fun. You guys go on and change, you can go with them if you want Shippo. Oh! Wait a minute..." She reaches into her backpack and takes out a pair of deflated water wings. "These are for you."

"What are they Kagome?"

"They help you swim. I don't know how deep the water gets, or how good you can swim, they'll help you. Besides, I won't have to worry about you. So... will you wear them?"

Shippo nods his head.

"Good." She blows up the water wings and puts one on each hand, "All you have to do is push them up your arms after you put on your bathing suit, ok?"

"Yeah!"

She smiles and hands him the floaties. "I used to use these too, they made me feel safe." Her thoughts wander for a moment but soon get back on track. "Well...that's it. Me and Sango will meet you by the stream. And Miroku?"

"Yes Kagome?"

"Once you're done changing..." She turns around and points to a large rock, "Meet me there."

The five split up, Kilala left to guard the campsite. Kagome stops a long ways to the left of the boulder she told Miroku to meet her by, "Alright Sango, here's the suit I got for you." She pulls out a diagonally stripped pink and green, one piece, bathing suit. "I just hope it will fit."

"Kagome, it seems to show a lot of skin..."

"Don't worry so much Sango!"

"You have to worry with Miroku around."

"I'll take care of him. You just put that on and leave everything to me." Kagome quickly puts on her own suit, clothes in her hands. "I'll see you at the stream!" She then runs off to the rock to wait for Miroku.

"This is probably a good spot to leave these." Kagome drops her clothes at her feet and pushes it out of the way.

"Kagome?"

She steps out from behind the rock, "Right here."

His eyes widen for a moment, but then he looks into her face and doesn't waver. "Why did you ask me to meet you here?"

Kagome smiles, "Wow, you're keeping eye contact!"

Miroku clears his throat, "Why of course. I'd rather not be killed sooner then I would from my wind tunnel."

"What do you mean by that?"

"When I first met you and Inuyasha, I merely let my hand slip and you would of had me killed."

"That wasn't a slip!"

"The point is, I do anything inappropriate to you and Inuyasha might just fulfill that request. Besides, you are already sp..." Well, Kagome was only spoken for by Kouga, and unwillingly at that. And Miroku was starting to doubt that Inuyasha would ever get around to sorting out his feelings for the two girls that looked so much alike. But, until it was made, both would equally be protected. He clears his throat again, "I mean... you are now more of a friend then someone I would ask to bear my child." There. That should be enough of an answer for her. Now, to the point. "Kagome... will you now please tell me why I was to meet you here?"

"Oh, yeah. Well... Sango's worried about her suit." She looks down at her own orange and yellow one-piece swim suit, "So try to control yourself. Or at least your hands."

"Why, of course Kagome! What sort of monk do you take me for?"

"If you don't, you won't be able to stay. You'll have to wait at Kaede's." she warns.

"I understand." He turns after a nod and starts to walk away.

"Oh, Miroku."

The monk stops in his tracks.

"Kaede has her own bathing suit, she just didn't want to swim. She said something about wearing it inside her hut though... "

Miroku turns slightly pale. "I am a monk, I will keep my word. Sango need not worry." He takes a few steps back, "I'll see both of you soon then." and rushes off.

Kagome grins widely, that should keep him in his place. Her silent laughter was cut short when she hears a noise behind and turns to look. There's Inuyasha, bent as if he had tripped and caught his balance on the boulder. When he sees Kagome was looking his way, he straightens up and walks closer to her. He was smiling, and he looked as if he had already gone for a swim. Kagome's breath caught in her throat, she didn't even notice the yellow floaties... this wasn't Inuyasha, but Shippo! And Kagome was too out of it to notice.

"Did you really give Kaede a suit?" She didn't question his voice either, she took him at face value. He widens his smile at her.

"Uhhh..."

'Inuyasha' frowns suddenly. Then with a pop and a lot of smoke, he turns back into Shippo and lands at Kagome's feet. At first, all she can do is stare. "Hi, Kagome..."

She blinks, then lifts her head up to the sky and shouts with all her might. "SHIPPO!"

Let's just say, he sped out of there as fast as his fox feet would take him.

Kagome pushed through trees. She had chased after Shippo but, had still lost him. Soon, she ends up at the stream. Sango and Miroku were laughing together. Kagome would have smiled at the two, but she was still concerned with Shippo.

A silver-haired half demon, also enjoying the water, turns as Kagome enters. "Hey, Kagome! Is what you told Miroku true?"

Kagome stares for a minute and before Inuyasha can even react, he's had a fist sized rock thrown at his head. Kagome breaths a bit heavily from the force she had thrown it. Shippo sticks his head out from some reeds by the water, wincing. "That had to hurt..."

Kagome looks back and forth between Shippo and Inuyasha, not comprehending what had just happened. Inuyasha turns to look at Miroku, "Did I deserve that?"

"Did you?"

"I don't know..."

"Kagome, why did you hit Inuyasha with a rock?" Sango asks, perplexed.

Right then, it hits Kagome to just what she had done. She turns and runs away. Sango dashes after her and misses Miroku's attention on a certain part of her anatomy.

Miroku lets out a sigh, "And I was enjoying her company..."

"Yeah right."

Miroku turns toward the angry half demon as Shippo starts to follow the path taken by Kagome and Sango. "I was!"

"Her company... and the rest of her..."

Shippo speeds away from Miroku and Inuyasha's argument, he didn't want to miss what Kagome and Sango were saying.

Kagome was trying to catch her breath when Sango caught up with her, "What just happened back there?"

"I thought... he was... Shippo."

"Kagome, Shippo is a lot shorter then Inuyasha."

"No he..." Kagome takes a deep breath, she was feeling better now. "Shippo was..." and she stops. Kagome was sure she had seen a flash of orange in a bush in front of her. She takes a few steps forward still talking with Sango. "After talking to Miroku I turned around and there was..." Kagome reaches down quickly and lifts Shippo up by the tail and turns back to Sango. "Shippo pretending to be Inuyasha!"

"Uh-oh." He had been caught! What was a fox to do? He could use some of his fox magic but, he didn't want to make Kagome madder. What could he do?

Sango walks over closer, "Shippo, why were you pretending to be Inuyasha?"

"Umm." Time to think fast... if he had been able to hold Inuyasha's image better, he could have found out how much Kagome liked him. But, Shippo was sure he shouldn't say that, best to go with the innocent child act. "After Kagome told Miroku about giving Kaede a bathing suit..."

"What?" Sango looks up at Kagome.

"That's why Miroku was behaving."

Sango's mouth goes into a small 'o' as Kagome sets Shippo on the ground.

"After that I had gotten an idea. I was going to make Kagome think that Inuyasha wanted to trade bathing suits with Kaede..."

Kagome and Sango look shocked for a moment and then they started laughing. Loudly. Shippo looked at them, unsure of what was going on, but happy that nobody seemed mad.

Kagome brushes some hair out of her face, "That was it?"

"Yeah! What did you think I was trying to do, that you got so mad?" Ah, now Kagome was trapped.

Kagome gulps, unsure of what to say... when Sango comes to her rescue. "That's not important. What is, is that you need to apologize to Inuyasha, Shippo."

So close. "What? What do I need to apologize to Inuyasha for?"

Sango gives Shippo a glare, not a 'You be a bad monk and I'll kill you' glare, but a 'What you did was wrong now fix it' glare.

"I'll apologize..."

"Good. If you're ready Kagome, it would be a good idea to leave."

"Ok..."

"I don't want to though!"

Sango smiles, "That's fine as long as you still do it. "

"It's not fair." He folds his arms and walks back to the stream, Sango and Kagome following behind him.

Shippo continues to walk up to Inuyasha while Kagome and Sango wait by the trees.

"What do you want?"

Shippo clears his throat, "I'm sorry you got hit with a rock Inuyasha..."

The hanyou scratches at his head, "Wench, shouldn't you be the one apologizing? You are the one that hit me!"

"He pretended to be you and..."

"WHAT?" He starts chasing after Shippo, "Come back here runt!"

"Kagome!"

Kagome covers up her face. Sango sighs, "That could have gone better."

"Oh yeah."

PLP: Lucky for you, QJP was in a good mood.

BC: No… lucky me that something I did could have also been done by my ACC.

ACC: Just don't expect me to do that often.

BC: Ok, and you can't kill me when you find out what I do in my fic later.

PLP: I know what she does!

ACC: BC's just being an idiot. She thought me up, of course I know what happens in future chapters!

BC: Okay, but you still can't kill me. Okay?

ACC: Fine.

BC: Remember to hit the little button on the left! Otherwise, you can't review!

BC, over and out.