Chapter 13: Screens Don't Hide Everything
The house awoke slowly the next few days, no one getting up at the same time as another. As they soon found, Moriko was the first one up followed by Luki. Kagome had tried to get Moriko to start thinking wedding plans but Moriko would hear nothing of it, "We already are, why plan for a human wedding?" she'd always say. Kagome would counter with "Your mother was half-human!" and the two would promptly get in an argument about her mother's origins. Luki finally stepped in, "By our kind's standards, we are married. There really is no reason to have a human marriage." He replied, taking his wife's side. Kagome reluctantly gave up.
"What else can we do?" asked Kouga in the living room as he sat upside down on a lounge chair. Moriko shrugged, "You could go to the town, read, surf the web, go on a hike. Think of it like a vacation." Kagome had her face in a pillow, "I haven't had a vacation in years." She moaned. Moriko slapped her lightly; "I wouldn't have killed you if you had. Speaking of vacations, what about The Bookshelf?" Kagome shook her head; "I got an acquaintance to look after it for me until I come back." She looked up, "What about Vol. 2?" she prodded her niece. Moriko sighed, "I've had to delay the construction for a few years. At least until the attorneys stop trying to buy me out." Kagome gave her a curious look, "What?" Moriko shrugged, "Turns out that some stupid construction company wants to buy the whole square, demolish it and put up a condominium complex and a mall instead. Me and the other shop owners are holding out, most of them anyway, we don't want them to tear down the square but the attorneys keep pushing for it." She sighed, "So now everything's on hold until we can throw those attorney's out on their collective butts." Kagome looked thoughtful, "Who gave the construction companies permission to do it?" Moriko growled, "Him." Kagome raised her eyebrows, "Hojo?" she asked disbelief, Moriko nodded, "Bastard." She growled. Kagome chuckled, "I see he grew some brains." She laughed. Moriko's fingers clenched, "That bastard is still after you." She warned, "I told him that you were engaged and he had the gall not to believe me! Have I ever lied to those people?" she demanded angrily. Luki shrugged, "Well there was the time when…" Moriko leveled a glare so fierce he gulped and tried to disappear behind the newspaper, "Never mind." He said, laughing nervously. Moriko snorted, "Anyway, he still wants you to go out with him so he almost made me promise to ask if you would go out with him the next time you came for a visit." She stuck out her tongue in disgust, "Like I'd never let my favorite aunt go out with someone wanting to destroy something I love, let alone the likes of him. She wrapped her arms around her aunt, "No one gets to mess with my aunt." She stared pointed at Inuyasha, "No one." Inuyasha snorted but made a mental note to be careful around the girl from now on. She turned to look at everyone else in the eye reinforcing her unspoken threat with a slow, calculated baring of her fangs. She returned to her oh-so-nice niece look as if nothing had happened. "So you ready for tomorrow? Where would you like to go?" she asked her aunt seriously, raising one eyebrow. Kagome shrugged, "I'd like to stay here, if I may. Where will you go?" she countered. Moriko sighed, "We'll be at the eastern end of the shield, but don't hesitate to call us if you need us." She offered. Kagome laughed, "Don't be silly, Moriko, I've been taking care of myself for long time anyway." Inuyasha wasn't sure but for a fleeting second, it looked like Kagome was…sad? But it disappeared as if it had never come.
"What are you two talking about?" Asked Sango, "More surprises?" sighed Miroku in question. Kagome shrugged, "Tomorrow is the night of the Full Moon." She stated as if it were obvious. They gave the two dead looks. Moriko sighed in exasperation. "And what does that do in affecting certain things…?" she prodded, mentally sighing. She couldn't believe how slow each generation was getting. Still, she was going to make them figure it out on their own.
"The tides?" replied Miroku stupidly. Moriko mentally flicked him with a pen and it lodged in his forehead, dripping slowly, ever so slowly…she pinched herself sharply. "Yes that too." Replied Kagome, but what about other things…?"
"Miroku! You idiot! Demon power! It's at it's strongest on the full moon!" snapped Inuyasha, "What I want to know is how that matters…?" Moriko shook her head at Kagome. She shrugged, "Figure it out on your own." She grinned, "Use that brain I know you have." She stood up abruptly, "I have to make a few calls. No interruptions." She looked pointedly at Luki. Kagome picked up a random book (she and Moriko had practically the same tastes in books, except Kagome had a strange fascination with romance books.) She proceeded to ignore any prying from the others. "Figure it out on your own." Was her reply "Or wait 'til tomorrow." The rest of the day was spent with everyone being somewhat bored throughout the day. When night had fallen Moriko suggested that they all go to the hot springs, "I'll bring a big screen for privacy." She suggested, "Or I'll just make the steam solid." Sesshomaru declined, saying he had some paperwork to catch up on. Moriko had shrugged, "Suit yourself." She grinned, as she knew why he didn't come. Kagome met the other girls outside a few minutes later. "Let's let the guys go first, new?" she whispered conspiratorially, winking mischievously. She carried the girls half of the screen over her head, the robe tied tightly around her waist. The guys were already in the second largest spring, their half of the screen already set up. Moriko grinned slyly at the guys as she set it up, she knelt down and whispered something Luki's ear afterward and pointed at it. Luki nodded a slight smile on his lips. They heard the girls splashing into the water. "What did Moriko tell you?" questioned Miroku, a lecherous grin beginning to spread across his face. Luki splashed water on him, "Cool your jets, Romeo." He scolded lightly, "She said that the clasp on the screen is a little whacked right now and she asked me to fix it later, ok?" he tapped his finger on his chin, "Actually, she said that it gave a good look at the other spring." Miroku practically fell down in the spring in his haste to get to the screen. Inuyasha whacked him hard on the head, knocking him out, "You are such a pervert, Miroku." He growled as Miroku made bubbles in the water. A peal of laughter took their attention away from the drowning monk.
"Kagome! No, you can't do that!" laughed Ayame hysterically, "I don't think they'd be able to handle it!" Giggling followed that statement and they realized that though the screen (supposedly) prevented them from seeing each other, sounds were not hindered.
"So Kagome." Began Sango after the laughter had died down, "What do you think about Inuyasha?" A long silence followed, "Well, he's a jerk, self-centered, idiot, blundering fool, and way to quick to anger." She said after what seemed like an eternity. Inuyasha's ears plastered to his head, he couldn't help it, for some reason he was really hurt by what she said.
"But then again, sometimes, he can be nice, and his anger can be for the right thing, and he can be protective and I guess he must be doing some good things 'cause they haven't kicked out of the FBI yet." She added immediately. Everyone was giving him amused looks.
"Ya hear that Inuyasha?" laughed Kouga, "Sounds like she likes you." Chuckled Miroku who had miraculously recovered from his almost drowning.
"I can hear you, you know." Commented a voice from the other side of the screen. An eye stared at them, "And no, I DO NOT like Inuyasha in that way alright?" a tint of pink was seen. Kagome turned back to Moriko, "If you just jiggle that clasp right here it should-"
"No wait-!" Kagome jiggled the clasp and the entire structure collapsed revealing a group of girls all standing and naked from the waist up. Collectively, they screamed and threw wooden buckets at the boy's heads, "Let's get out of here!" shouted Moriko as they practically flew to the end of the pool where their belongings were.
"You guys are SO DEAD!" shouted Ayame over her shoulder as they ran toward the house.
"What did we do?" demanded Kouga, massaging the massive bump left over from Ayame's bucket whack. Luki sighed, "We were here." He replied, wincing as his bump throbbed. Inuyasha sighed, "At least we saw something." He pointed out. The guys took on a glazed look. Kouga snapped out of it, "You're starting to sound like Miroku, mutt-face." He commented as he hoisted himself out of the spring and gathering his things and walking away. Inuyasha and Luki followed suit. "Hey, Where is the pervert…?" asked Inuyasha after reaching the house. He was out cold in the spring.
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TMK: Me and my friends have successfully started an Anime Club at our school! w00t! Now onto world domination….
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha though the helpful little critters under my control are working on a plan right now….eheeheeheehee….
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TMK: Just some minor changes, some grammar mistakes I didn't see at first. By the way,does anyone want to be my editor? I usually don't see my mistakes until I haven't looked at it for a while and I would be very appreciative if someone would help me out. Hope you enjoy the story!