Chapter 3: Meetings – Part 1

Kagome was being carried on Inuyasha's back…she could feel the wind whip through her raven locks and was hoping that Shippo, who was currently nestled deep inside of her rucksack was comfortable and warm.

"Is that jewel shard nearby?"

"Yes…it's just up ahead, Inuyasha" she told him, turning to make sure that Kirara, Sango, & Miroku) were keeping up.

The were doing just fine and Miroku waved at her right before taking the same hand and lowering it towards Sango's butt.

"If that hand gets an inch closer I'll tear it off Houshi," Sango warned him with a low growl.

Kagome laughed.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and muttered something about lecherous monks.

As they approached the clearing, they saw a giant centipede demon, reminding Kagome of Mistress Centipede, who had brought her into feudal era the very first time.

"Where's the jewel shard at Kagome?"

Scanning the creature quickly, she responded.

"It's in the middle of its right side."

"Alright….go stand by Sango & Miroku and watch me take care of this puny demon…it can't stand up to my KAZE NO KIZU!!"

Pulling his heirloom sword (Tetsusaiga) from its resting place, Inuyasha directed a blast towards the giant, gross looking demon.

The demon started crumbling apart, but when Kagome and Inuyasha stepped forward to retrieve the jewel fragments, a second centipede demon sprung up from its hiding place nearby and lunged for Kagome.

"Kagome look out!"

"Kagome!!"

Kagome awoke from her dream.

Rubbing her eyes and blinking slowly she was able to focus on the fact that she was comfortably lying in her own pink, covered bed. And was not about to be attacked by a second centipede demon.

She blew out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

"Now what was it that woke me?"

"Kagome?"

'Ah…mom. I thought that last voice sounded strange in the feudal era.'

"Yes mom?"

"Hurry up; you don't want to be late for your first day at your new school."

"I won't…I'm up now mom. Thanks."

She then leapt out of bed and ran to get herself ready.

Skidding downstairs sometime later, she planted herself at the table for breakfast.

"You made sharp work…I thought you were going to sleep the day away."

"Pity you're no longer able to transport through the well…I guess that means that Hojo-kun will not be bringing me any more presents, I mean bringing you 'get well' presents anymore."

"That's right Jii-chan. You'll just have to get your own medicine from now."

"If you really loved me girl, you'd take a couple of days off a week and I'd get my medicines again."

"You just want me to work at the Shrine, Jii-chan. If I did stay home, I would have to clean, cook for you, and probably sell Shrine charms and tokens."

"Is it so wrong to need and want help?"

Kagome, her mother, and Sota laughed.

"No Jii-chan…but I'm finally in anew school…wearing a new uniform, and with the well no longer working…I guess I can get back to a normal kind of life."

"Yeah…although…I sure miss Inuyasha onii-san…he was supposed to teach me how to do the 'Iron Reaver Soul Stealer move"

"Sota…that only works if your Inuyasha and have claws. Come on…we need to get going."

"Alright…bye mom, bye Jii-chan."

"Bye Sota."

"Bye mom, bye Jii-chan."

"Bye Kagome."

Kagome & Sota hurried out of the house, grabbing their bento boxes from their mother, on the way.

They rushed down the Shrine steps, parting on their own ways, heading for their separate schools.

Approaching her new school, Kagome looked at her watch and sighed a sigh of relief to see that not only was she on time, but she was even a bit early.

If there hadn't been so many new students around, she'd have done a little dance. As it was, she started looking around. Approaching the building, she was interrupted by her friends,

"There you are Kagome?"

"Where have you been?"

"Did you just get here?"

"Have you seen Hojo yet?"

"Eri, Yuka, Ayumi…Hi."

"So…have you seen Hojo yet?"

"I thought you guys had given up on that…"

"Well we had, but since you're no longer see that two-timing boyfriend of yours who you said was violent, but when we met him he seemed pretty decent."

"Right…I'm not. Still…I don't know if I look at Hojo exactly…"

"Hojo-kun… Ohayo."

Kagome looked up to see Hojo approaching them.

"Good morning girls."

"Good morning Higurashi-san."

"Ohayo Hojo-kun. How are you this morning?"

"I'm great…ready and willing to start fresh in a brand new school for a brand new school year."

Kagome almost yawned.

Hojo was great, but kinda…less exciting…especially after those years spent in Inuyasha's company.

"So do you think we'll all be in the same homeroom?"

Approaching a blackboard set up in front of the main hallway, after looking at it for their names, Hojo stated,

"Nope….Kagome & Eri are in the same homeroom, but it looks like you, Ayumi, Yuka, and I will all be in another homeroom."

"Aww," Ayumi, Eri, & Yuka groaned.

"That's the way these things happen," Kagome said, "maybe we'll see each other later in the day…from the note my mom received with my uniform, we'll get our schedule in our homeroom class.

Taking a step back, looking at the signs on top of the doorways to lead her to her homeroom class, Kagome bumped into someone standing a few feet behind her, dropping both the papers in her hand and the person's books.

Turning around she saw a girl about her age who bowed in front of her.

"Gomen nasai…"

"Iie…it was my fault."

She said, leaning down to help the onna pick up her books and her papers.

"Come on Kagome, we still have to find our classes."

"I'm coming Eri, hold on," she said as they picked up the last of their items.

Looking at the girl she was astonished to see she looked a lot like Sango.

The girl, however, was looking at her strangely as well.

"Is your name Kagome?" she asked quietly.

"Yes…I'm sorry, but do I know you? What's you name?"

"Kei," she said, a wide smile on her face.

"Kei…oh my gosh….I was pretty sure we'd meet cause everyone on the site said they pretty much went here. But I was pretty sure I had to go looking for people too."

"Nope…apparently we bump into each other all the time."

Kagome laughed and then turned to watch Eri, who was looking at them expectantly.

"Kei, this is my friend Eri. Eri, this is my new friend Kei, who I met online."

"Nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too."

"Where's your homeroom?"

"1B"

"Great…that's mine too…and Shukke's. Come…I'll walk you there."

"Thanks…so Shukke's still alive?"
"Yes."

"Did you catch him?"

"Of course…he ditched me pretty good, but I caught him a few hours later when he went home. I already had his bone heirloom waiting for him and knocked him out with it."

Kagome laughed.

"I would have paid to see that."

"That's what Kachuu-sama and Masu-kun said, who would have thought they would agree on anything."

Both of them looked at each other and laughed.

Looking at her new friend bit by bit, she realized that although Kei had the same bone structure and height as Sango had, she had a few differences so that Kagome could really tell this was a different person. For one…her eyes were a deep emerald green, instead of Chocolate brown of Sango's. And she seemed to have a happier demeanor to her. Kagome was glad… for Sango's later part of life had been way too tragic...especially for a young girl.

"Hey Kei, I forgot to ask…how old are you?"

"I'll be 18 next month."

"Really…then why are you in the same homeroom with us?"

"Did you get left back," Eri asked eyes wide?

Kei laughed.

"No, nothing like that…my younger brother Hissori got really sick a couple of years back and being my father is a single parent and couldn't leave his job to watch him, I volunteered. So I'm behind a year."

"Oh…"

"Shukke's 18 as well, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is..."

"So what's his story? Why would he be in our homeroom?"

"He and a couple of others are in a mentoring program given by the school…they really don't follow our classes, but they're in our classes for homeroom and maybe a few of the first and last classes. It's kind of a mentoring/Americanized school system technique they are trying out."

As they entered their classroom, Kagome could have sworn she had been transported back in time, if it hadn't been for the classroom, the teacher's desk, the red uniform she was wearing, and the clothes the two others she had just laid eyes on was wearing.

She wondered if a person's heart really stopped when they encountered a severe shock.

For standing in front of her, she could have sworn, were Miroku & Inuyasha.

Both boys, however, showed no recognition of her, although something unreadable flashed through the eyes of the Inuyasha-look- alike before shuttering and becoming only curious once again.

Kei lead them over to them saying,

"Kagome, this is Shukke and Masurao."

"Ohayo gozaimasu," Kagome bowed to both.

"Ahhh Kagome-san…there's no need for you to stand on ceremony. Come and give us a hug," Shukke said, holding out his arms and stepping forward in an attempt to wrap her in his arms and maybe get a quick feel up.

Only to be roughly pushed back into his chair by Masurao, who stood over him, glaring down at him, almost growling at his friend.

"Down you damn lecherous monk. Pity you didn't bring that bone in to school Kei…we could all take turns beating him with it. It might be his only way to learn."

"I can't bring it here…besides. I only seem to be strong enough to lift it when I'm extremely pissed off…I'm only mildly annoyed now."

"Keh…whatever. Step out of line again monk…and I'll brain you good and hard."

"Masu-kun…why so violent today?"

"He's always like that Shukke."

"I am not."

"Okay…you're not…"

"See."

"…as violent as you are today. What's bugging you Masu?"

Masurao gave an almost unnoticeable glance Kagome's way before shaking his head and saying,

"Nothing… Just leave it alone. I'm good."

Kei gave him a glance.

"Alright"

Shukke, however, had noticed Masu's small glance Kagome's way and chuckled.

"What?" Masu said, glaring at him.

"Nothing, nothing," he said, his lavender eyes giving Masu a knowing glance.

Masu snarled and stalked to the front of the room.

As he left, Kagome asked them,

"What's wrong with Masu?"

"Who knows?"
"I think he wants a hug too and doesn't know how to ask, which reminds me…"

As Shukke made a move to wrap his arms around Kagome, he was pushed back by both Kei & Masu, who had reappeared at their sides almost with inhuman speed.

"Shukke," Kei warned him dangerously.

"Damn lecher," Masu growled.

Kagome looked at Masu again…

'Did he just growl? What the hell is going on? He looks so much like Inuyasha, but if he is, why doesn't he recognize me…I know it's been 500 years, but I look the same, don't I? And what about him? If he's not Inuyasha…then he's not a half…oooh…'

Catching onto another thought, Kagome looked at the top of Masurao's head, looking for Inuyasha's kawaii half-demon ears.

But there were none there.

Or were there?

As she looked, she swore just for a second she saw them, but the next second they were gone. Either she was imagining things or it was a trick of the light? If only she could tell for sure.

Just as she was about to get a closer inspection, a look out came into class and said,

"Sensei is coming!"

So everyone ran to a desk and sat down.

As the teacher entered, they all rose and greeted him and then sat down when he commanded.

"Hello, I'm Professor Nobushi. For some of you, this will be the only time you see me and for others, I will be your homeroom teacher every day. Today is mainly for helping those students new to our school. When I call your name, please come to the front and receive your classroom assignments and list of courses that you will be engaged in this year."

Professor Nobushi called students up to his desk one by one, Masurao & Shukke standing next to him helping him with the papers and answering any questions some students may have, until every student had a schedule.

Kagome, looking over her schedule realized she would not be moving to another class.

Eri looked at her schedule and saw that she was going to be a few doors down.

When homeroom ended, the teacher stood up and they stood up and bowed to him and he left, Masurao & Shukke trailing after him.

The students who had to go to their new rooms stood up and they all began either leaving or talking to those who were staying in the classroom.

Eri waved goodbye and told Kagome she's see her after class and headed down to her classroom.

Kagome looked at Kei and grinned.

"You're staying here too?"
"Yep."
"Great…"

"I know…until our teacher shows up, we can catch up."

"Uh huh."

They stared at each other for a while and then Kagome grinned at her saying,

"And now that we have the time…I don't know what to say."
"Me either."

They looked at each other and giggled.

"So most of the others online…do they all go to Toshio University?"
"A good deal of them. Shukke is in some special program just as Masu-kun is…they mostly do some mentoring and other things."

"Aren't you worried about Shu-kun's wandering hands?"

"Not so much…Masu-kun will take care of him while I'm not around. They have the same schedule…so I don't have to worry about them. Besides…if Masu gives me a bad report…I can brain him after school during one of our clubs."

"What about Akarui?"

"She doesn't go to this school; she has another school she goes to, a private school, I don't know if you've heard of it before or not…it's called Saint Yukiyama for Girls. She and her sister Otome go there, but they usually meet us after our clubs and we hang out for a while before heading home... usually in the WacDonald's nearby where we all sit and eat and hang out and do our homework. That way by the time we get home, we can really relax."

Kagome nodded understanding.

"Odayaka goes to our school though."

"Who?"
"Otome's boyfriend. Looking at him, you wouldn't think he was in a grade under us, because he's so tall, but he's the sweetest boy I know. You'll see what I mean…we'll probably bump into him after school."

"Oh…where can I find Hiroshi?"
"Ahhh yes…the Pocky lover."

Kagome laughed.

"That's him…I have it and I promised, but I don't know what he looks like or where he could possibly be."

"We'll find him…don't worry. Or he'll find us. Masu knows him well, he said they grew up together, so I'm sure if Masu knows what you look like Hiroshi will find us before we get a chance to track him down."

"What about Takai & Jiro?"
"Well I don't know where Takai is, where all in the same grade level, but there are at least six classes of us, probably more since there are two schools here now."

"It's gonna be like hunting a needle in a haystack."

"Well…after today, if we get to school earlier, we can do a sweep of the rooms where the juniors and even the sophomores are located. Oh…I just thought of something…Mai should know where Hiroshi is."
"Who's Mai?"

"My cousin…she's the same age as Hiroshi and even though she's very shy and quiet they are the best of friends. Besides…they're probably in the same class."

"Oh…Hey…Raidon should be around right?"
"Yeah…and Zinan…Haya too, but I'm not sure your itching to find her…Haya can be…hmmm…what's the word?"
"Mean"
"Yeah"
"Exhausting"
"True"
"Rude"
"Bitchy"
"Oh most definitely"

They looked at each other and laughed again.

"Don't worry, I've put up with someone just like Haya before…if I could handle her, Haya should be a piece of cake."

"More power to you…I only deal with Haya when I have to …and I try to limit my experience. She's not as tough as she likes to pretend she is and I've seen the softer side of her, which is why I deal with her at all, however…her attitude sometimes makes you want to grab something hard and bang it against her head repeatedly."

"I think you have some unresolved issues Kei."

"Ya think?"

They laughed again and then settled in to doing some actual school work as their first teacher of the day entered the classroom.

During their lunch break, Kei & Kagome traveled down the hallways to find their friends.

Shukke, who had been waiting for the opportunity and was able to squeeze past Kei & Masu, who had erroneously taken their attention off the perverted boy for a second, and had managed to get in a good hug, rub of the cheek and a spot on stroke of Kagome's butt before being caught and beat upon by Kagome, Masu, & Kei.

Coming upon the scene of Shukke laying on the hallway floor, rubbing his cheek and his side where Masu and planted a good swift kick, Raidon, who was cruising the hallway, and saw Masu, Kei, and some raven haired onna walking away.

"I can only imagine what happened to you," he said, helping the lecherous boy up into a sitting position close to the wall so he could lean back

"Well…"
"You did it again, didn't you? This time to the cute onna with Masu & Kei, right?"
"…"

"You're silence speaks for itself. You're pathetic, ya know? And what would possibly make you try it with both Masu-kun and your girlfriend standing not more than a few feet away?"

"They blocked my earlier attempts…it was go for it now and face the consequences or not get a good one in today."

When Raidon quit laughing, he asked,

"And was it worth it?"

The look of ecstasy on his face answered Raidon before Shukke's very satisfied sounding,

"Totally."

"What are we going to do with you?"
"I don't know…but please…never stop me from doing that…I'd rather die first."
"I think it's going to be your demise one day…either Kei is going to do you in…or someone else…and my money's on Masu or even Kachuu-sama."

"But Kagome-san is so nice and soft and…"

"Kagome…that onna is Kagome? Really…great…later then…I'm gonna go introduce myself."

"Ja matane"

"See you later too."

Raidon bounded back to his feet, leaving Shukke, who now had the strength to pull himself farther up onto his knees, underneath a window, striding towards the group.

Reaching Kei first he said,

"Kei, how lovely to see you."
"Raidon, hi…"

"Raidon"

Kagome turned and swore she was looking at the older of the Thunder Brothers, Hiten.

'If Inuyasha hadn't killed them so long ago, I'd be very worried' she thought before turning to really look at Raidon.

'Same long dark hair, same size, same stance, although different in both attitude and eyes…Hinten's were crimson, while Raidon has deep brown eyes, like mine.'

"Masu"

"Hi…I'm Kagome."

"So I heard….you are much lovelier than I thought you'd be."

Kagome blushed.

"Oh go on with you."

Raidon laughed.

"Have you met the demon woman yet?"

"Demon woman?"
"He means Haya…and no we haven't. We wanted her first day to be pleasurable…unfortunately you came along," Masu muttered loudly.

"Be nice Masu-kun." Kagome told him before turning to Raidon.

"I'm glad you came along Raidon, I was wondering who I was going to meet today."

"I saw Hiroshi earlier and he was doing some weird sort of happy dance. He's determined to find you today to get his Pocky. You did bring it right?"
"Yeah…I did."

"Good, cause the only thing worse than a sugared up Hiroshi is a Hiroshi that was promised sugar and didn't get any."

They all laughed and looking at his watch, Raidon told them,

"I have to get back up to my class and finish my lunch before the bell rings. It's Room 3A if you want to come up and see me tomorrow Kagome."
"Alright, see you later."

"Bye."

"Go away already."

"Masu-kun…so many things to say, but I'd rather hit you with something."
"Yeah right, like you could take me."

Raidon merely rolled his eyes, waved at them and bolted off.

"Must you fight with everyone, Masu?"
"I don't fight with every one."

"Whatever."

"Come on Kagome, I'll show you where some other things are…Masu, go make sure Shukke is not still laying on the floor, please."

"You ought to just leave the pervert there, he'd make a much better rug than boyfriend," Masu muttered as he left to do as she had requested while Kei & Kagome was given a small tour of their school.

Kei ended their tour with the girl's bathroom, much to the relief of Kagome.

"Can you make it back to class on your own? I have to talk to Sensei for a few minutes."

"Oh yeah, I'm good. I'll see you in class soon."

"Alright"

Coming out of the bathroom a few minutes later, Kagome realized that this school was a good deal larger than her school had been, no wonder they had enough room to accommodate our school. Even the size of the bathroom alone was humongous.

Heading toward her class, she was surprised as an arm grabbed her around her waist and pulled her into a dark classroom, shutting the door behind them and locking it.

"What the…Masu? What's going on?" She asked as the dark figure stepped into a patch of light from the window.

"Kagome...is it really you?"
"Masu…"

"Stop calling me that…you can't have forgotten me, can you? For me it's been over 500 years, but for you…it's only been a few weeks."

"In…Inu…Inuyasha?"

A rush of sound escaped her as Inuyasha pulled her into a tight hug and held her close.

"I missed you," he muttered into her hair.

Kagome had unshed tears in her eyes, as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him back.

Seconds later, she pulled back and stated,

"Hold up…if you're Inuyasha…why did you wait until just now to say something to me? You could have said something online…or when I walked into the classroom…or…"

"I didn't say anything because I'm supposed to be in disguise. Jeez Kagome…most of these people have no idea that demons still exist…or that they even ever existed in anything other than myths and legends of the past.

Besides…you just started this school…and I'm a senior here. Some of these students know Masurao Tashio. They know my looks. They know my classes. They know my friends. They know that I've been here a couple of years. They know of my girlfriend, Akarui who goes to a private school. They've seen her with me at the park, at WacDonalds, at the movies, and around.

And they know that you aren't her.

So I had to pretend that I didn't really know you.

That we've just met.

That you aren't one of my dearest, truest friends…

That you aren't special to me…

You know, I never paid attention to the dates before when you used to come through the well or when I came through to get you. All I knew was 500 years. I wasn't sure if it was exactly 500 years, or plus or minus some years. And because of what I am…I couldn't stay in the area all the time. People notice things. I've had to change my persona at least 20 times so far…just so people don't get suspicious.

But when I saw you again…I had to hold you… to make sure that you were real and that we were together again.

That's why I had to pull you into this room."

Kagome said nothing.

She just stepped forward once again and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight.

"I missed you too," she said softly. She spoke so softly that if it hadn't been for his extremely good hearing, he wouldn't have heard her words at all.

"Wha mfmpf to r ors?

"Huh?"

"What happened to your ears?"
"There still there."

Kagome stepped back & reached a hand up looking for the fuzzy appendages that she wasn't sure if she saw or not.

However, they were there.

When she reached up to where she remembered they were and concentrated and was able to see them once again. She gently tugged both the soft velvety ears twice and they twitched in response.

"You ARE Inuyasha."

"I told you I was."

Kagome wrinkled her nose at him.

Inuyasha smiled down at her in response.

"How did you get them to not show?"

"Magic."

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him.

"No seriously. I have connections now…and we know someone who can put up a glamour spell so that they don't show. All the demons use these individuals…otherwise we'd have humans running around like chickens with their heads cut off."

Kagome laughed, nodding her head in understanding.

"I have so many questions…and so many things to say…and I don't think I ever want to let go of hugging you."

Inuyasha laughed.

"I feel the same, but I don't think that will go well."

"So are there others?"

"Oh yeah…most demons are still in disguise, but there's a whole demon society that exists."

"Hmm…"

"Hiroshi, for example, is Shippo. He's grown a bit…but I thought I'd tell you before you fell over when you saw him. Although I believe he's much too big to jump on your shoulder now."

"Shippo…"

"Yeah...when you faded from sight…he took it pretty hard. Most of us did, but we understood, he was still too little to understand fully though…although he knows now."

"It's not like I chose it…I just chose to banish Naraku and bar any possible way for his evil essence to return."

"And you did. But we were still hoping that you would be able to travel back and forth."

"So was I."

Both were lost in their thoughts before Kagome asked.

"Is it just me, or do you think that Raidon looks a lot like Hiten?"
"Oh yeah…why do you think I insult him so much?"

Kagome ignored the fact that she could have told him that he insults everybody.

"Is he a reincarnation?"
"Probably… he hasn't mentioned having any memories…but it's still possible. The fact that he and his younger brother, who looks a lot like a human Manten by the way, call each other the Lightening brothers is an indication that something of it remains a bit…even if the personality is different a bit."

Kagome nodded and then thought about something.

"Hold up…you call Kachuu-sama Aniki, right?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly...he just knew this thought was coming.

"Does that mean he's Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha nodded again.

"Oh my..."
"Exactly"

Kagome couldn't quite understand the thump her heart gave at the thought that Sesshomaru was nearby. So she ignored it.

"You seem like you are both getting along better."

"Keh."

Kagome smiled…same old Inuyasha.

"You have to come visit the shrine…mom, Sota, and I think even Jii-chan misses you."

"I'll do that soon."

The warning bell rang, telling them they had to go back to their classrooms.

Inuyasha hugged her tight once more before saying,

"I'll see you later."

"Okay."

Both then left the classroom on the way to their classes.

At the end of the day, Kei, Shukke, Raidon, and Masurao met up.

Kagome gave Masurao a quick glance, but didn't do anything to break his cover.

'This is going to be hard…I can't argue with him, hmm…and he better not piss me off…cause if he does, he's gonna get sat.'

Giggling at the thought of Masurao doing a face plant, Kagome didn't notice that the others were staring at her.

When she did realize it,

"What?"
"What's so damn funny?"
"Oh…nothing."

"Keh…then what are you laughing for?"
"Something struck me as funny?"
"Share with us, we might find it hilarious as well…"

"Hmm…I was just thinking of this…friend I once had who always had a tendency to fall flat on his face…usually after another friend of ours had said a particular word."

Masurao/Inuyasha began to look a bit nervous.

"Really?"

"Did the word startle him or something?"

"No…not really. It really had nothing to do what was going on…it was just a phrase that she said all the time and it seemed like he was made to subjugate every time she said it."
"What was the word?"
"We have better things to do than bother with that…come on…I saw Hiroshi earlier and he told me to bring you to him after school…before his Kendo class…so come on." Masurao/Inuyasha said, pulling them along, hurrying them so she didn't have a chance to answer Raidon's request.

Kagome giggled.

'Inuyasha thinks I'm gonna sit him…that means he's still wearing the necklace…oh happy day.'

She gave him a laughing look, but said nothing else.

She heard him mutter, "Wench" under his breath…but didn't do anything.

'Not right now', she told herself, 'make him think he's safe…and then sit him like there's no tomorrow.'

Kagome nodded as she made up her mind and they found themselves on the left wing of the school campus.

There, standing before her, looking very handsome was a grown up version of Shippo, minus the fluffy tail.

Kagome's mouth opened and then shut quickly although her eyes were still wide.

'Inuyasha said he'd grown up some, but oh my goodness. My baby boy is all grown up now.'

Hiroshi was dressed, like the rest of the guys, with black male school uniform with a red undershirt. He was taller than she now, she couldn't see his hair color, although she was pretty sure it was still red, but his hairstyle was still the same, although it was much longer in length, as long as Inuyasha/Masurao's was, and he kept it in a ponytail that swept the backs of his legs as he shifted from side to side.

Hiroshi, who was just looking at them, blinked slowly, and then smiled wide.

"Masu-kun, Kei-san, Shu-kun, and even Raidon…and that means you're…Kagome-san, right?"

Kagome nodded, not trusting her voice to not betray her.

The Kitsune gave her a devilish grin before grabbing her and hugging her tight.

So softly that only she, and maybe Inuyasha, could hear he said,

"Hi momma"

Kagome whispered,

"Shippo"

To which he just hugged her tighter before letting her go.

"I don't see why Hiroshi gets to hug her freely, but I was intercepted numerous times," Shukke muttered.

"Because I'm not hugging her just to get a chance to stroke her butt," Hiroshi told him laughingly.

"Then you have no idea the beautiful pleasure that you're missing," Shukke said without thinking…only realizing his folly when Kei, Masurao and even Raidon bopped him upside the head.

Kagome laughed and then set her rucksack down, digging into it for a moment before pulling out Hiroshi's two boxes of his favorite Pocky.

"Here you go."

"Aww Kagome-Okaasan you're the best."

Kagome laughed.

"I'm glad you like it."

"You look pretty young to be anyone's mother," Raidon said with a wink.

Kagome just laughed.

"She's not your mother, brat," Masurao said with a hint of a growl.

"I don't mind, honestly," Kagome said.

"I'm just saying," Masu started.

"I don't think you want to go there with me," Kagome warned.

Brushing close past her, Hiroshi said, so the others couldn't hear,

"Just sit him already Okaasan…"

Kagome laughed.

Inuyasha/Masurao who heard them growled and sent a menacing look to Shippo/Hiroshi, who in turn just glared back.

'Oh dear,' how to defuse this…oh wait…I don't have to.'

"Hiroshi…"

"Hmm?"

"You're class is starting."

Hiroshi turned to see his club members walking toward the door to their club.

He 'eeped' and ran for it, turning back to wave goodbye and thank Kagome for the Pocky.

"See you later Kagome," he said, before turning back to make it to his club on time.

The gang laughed and then looked at each other.

"Which club are you going to join Kagome?"
"I really don't know. They're so many…way more than our school."

"Why not archery?"

Kagome gave Masu/Inuyasha a glance before asking,

"And why that?"
"I don't know…you look like you might have some skill at it…but I could be wrong. You could suck at it."

Kagome was gonna sit him, she really was and the glare in her eye told Inuyasha/Masu that he was starting to overstep his lines.

But he couldn't help it…for her it had merely been a short time since she had last saw him, for him…let's just say 500 years was a very long time.

He gave her a wicked grin.

She turned up her nose at him and walked toward the club.

"Sure…I might as well."

Walking into the class, she signed up for the club, only to be told that they wouldn't be meeting for the first time for three weeks.

Kagome thanked them, picked up some brochures, bowed and left.

She met up with Kei who was signed up for some martial arts classroom as was Masurao & Shukke.

"You guys don't start up until the next couple weeks either, huh?"
"Nope…so what do you want to do?"
"Let's go to WacDonalds."

"Alright"

So they all headed that way.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing...you guys are the best ()