It had been a week since that house incident. Today, Inuyasha decided it'd be good for him to get some fresh air. After seeing Kagome in that café with another guy he needed something to clear his mind. He took the train back to his hometown and decided to wander. As he wandered he came to a river that is nearby his house, where he and his older brother would fight.

For some reason these memories did not anger him, instead they comforted him. The stability of their questionable relationship would never waver. He looked up and down the bank for signs of their last fight they had here.

Inuyasha was nine and Sesshomaru eleven.

"You want me to beat you again?" inquired the abnormally confident eleven year old. His eyes narrowed down at this scruffy nuisance that tended to follow him wherever he went. This time Inuyasha went too far.

Inuyasha balled his small mighty fist and hunched over as if he were to charge right into his elder sibling. Sesshomaru scoffed at the obvious attack and easily dodged, however, to his surprise, a foot came around to his face.

Pause.

Inuyasha breathes heavily. Satisfied.

Sesshomaru, a little shocked, touches the blood now dripping from his nose.

Before Inuyasha could gloat, he was sent flying into the nearest tree and the next one and the next one. About five, to be partially exact.

Inuyasha wiggled out of the tree and ran for his life.

He was utterly terrified.

Sesshomaru was not yelling nor screaming insults. He came quickly and silently. Suddenly, Inuyasha's face slammed into the rocks near the river. Inuyasha struggled to get back up. His face scratched up by the rocks and sheer force. Sesshomaru smiled softly as he stood over his brother, it took little effort to keep him down.

Inuyasha growled in frustration he felt trapped. Ballistic was the best approach he could take. He swung with all of his might. Over and over. Sesshomaru dodged each hit. Inuyasha knew his brother would; he just needed a way out. He needed time. As soon as he had space he backed up into the shallow part of the river. He then decided that was the time to try out a secret move.

He sprinted towards his elder brother, his fist aiming for the chest; however, unbeknownst to Sesshomaru, his intentions were actually to head butt him as hard as he could. He succeeded. Sesshomaru stumbled, did his best to not wobble, and focused on regaining his bearings. Meanwhile, little Inuyasha swung with everything he had.

Sesshomaru clenched his teeth taking a few beatings then grabbed his younger brother's hand in mid swing and flung him in the air yet again. This time he jumped up meeting him there and began slashing away. His eyes red with fury. Angry that he fell for something so stupid.

Inuyasha blocked what he could as he fell to the ground. Sesshomaru was too fast, yet, this never phased Inuyasha. Somewhere in that little mind, he still thought he could win the fight. As he hit the ground Sesshomaru hovered over him again, ready to either gloat or continue the beating. Maybe even do a little of both. He was feeling good.

Inuyasha clutched ground then threw a dirty fist right into Sesshomaru's eyes. He then stuck his tongue out and ran into the river and began swimming downstream. When he felt it was then safe to get out he swam over to the banks. As he got out he reached in his pocket to see if he still had the candy. His face slowly drooped as he felt nothing.

"Eh?" he questioned as his search became a bit more frantic and unreasonable.

"Idiot."

Inuyasha looked up to see his brother taking out his candy and popping it in his mouth.

"Told you I would win. Even when you use cheap tactics, you still lose."

"I didn't cheat!"

"You tried to throw dirt in my eyes!"

"No I didn't!"

Inuyasha jumped up to his brothers face ready to defend himself from such atrophies. However his elder brother could care less about his defense. Sesshomaru leaped onto Inuyashas's face and jumped off to the sky returning the favor with a smug look resting on his face.

Inuyasha scratched his head wondering of all memories, why did that one come to mind?

"Hey, do you have a dollar?"

Inuyasha turned to see a boy about his age.

"Who are you?" he asked wondering when he got there.

"Miroku, so about that dollar?"

Inuyasha looked at him up and down wondering whether he should be talking to some crazy guy who hangs out by dirty rivers.

Not realizing he was insulting himself at the same time.

"What do you need a dollar for?" he inquired.

"I'm a dollar short for the local Strip Club." A wide grin spread across his face. Inuyasha was a bit disgusted. He knew this guy had to be a weirdo by the pony tail and earing in his ear.

"I'm joking! I'm joking! There's a burger cart up there, I need one more dollar so I can buy a meal."

"Why are you down here?"

"Shouldn't I ask you that? What's with the yellow eyes? Drugs?" Miroku retorted whilst crossing his arms. Inuyasha growled and faced the weirdo.

"Don't mess with me, freak."

"How am I the freak? You hang out by dirty rivers and are wearing dog ears. I'm taking a risk by talking to you!" he yelled back, his eyes drifted from Inuyasha's face to the cart over yonder. It seemed to be calling him.

"Those burgers are good..." he mumbled as he rubbed his stomach.

Inuyasha then realized how he had insulted himself earlier.

He fought back a blush then changed the subject, "You never seen a youkai before?"

"Not really. I heard of you guys, but I wasn't sure if you existed since you're not the traditional kind."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha growled as he stepped forward.

Miroku backed up fearfully whilst trying to calm him down, "Nothing personal! I mean, I've only heard of monster like creatures. You don't look like a monster."

Miroku stepped forward and stared intensely at Inuyasha. "I mean, you have fluffy ears…"

Inuyasha snarled and lifted Miroku up by his shirt.

"You wanna start something creep?"

"No! No! I'm sorry!" he pleaded. Just before Inuyasha was about to punish him for his comment he heard a loud disheartening cry from Miroku's stomach. Inuyasha threw him aside, mumbled to himself then threw a dollar in his direction.

"Scram." He ordered as he walked away.

"Thank you for sparing me! I'll never forget you!" Miroku shouted as he ran towards the cart. Suddenly he realized the foolishness of his comment. He turned and chased after Inuyasha, bowed then introduced himself.

"I am Miroku and you are?"

Inuyasha was greatly annoyed he shoved his head aside, "Inuyasha." He replied then continued his walk. Miroku was overwhelmed with gratefulness. His heart burst into tears as his lips rejoiced merrily as he neared his favorite delights. From henceforth the decision was made to engrave that man's name in iron in the mind of Miroku.

Inuyasha, however, would soon forget the weirdo. He was henceforth deemed as useless information and useless information was never kept in that mind of his. Whilst he was throwing away memories and pondering around the important pieces of his mind, he found himself in the main market center. People were everywhere bargaining for things they didn't truly need.

"Sir!" a red haired girl proclaimed as she grabbed Inuyasha's arm. He jumped feeling a bit defensive. Realizing there was no real threat he calmed down and turned her away. She seemed to be a worker in one of those weird café's that he sees his dad pop in every once in a while. The thought of his father enjoying a meal with girl's dressed up as childish maids made him shiver and experienced an ever so slight gag reflex.

"Give me that back!" a woman shouted behind him.

He was now out of the crowd and back in a subdivision near his house. A man ran past him clutching a nice looking purse. Inuyasha was about to catch him when to his surprise the woman jumped and kicked the man's head. The man fell forward due to the heavy kick. The woman then began to wrestle with the man doing her best to make him let go of her purse.

Inuyasha wasn't sure how to interpret the scene of this grown most likely middle aged man struggling this the high school aged girl. Perplexity came and divided his mind into different emotions. It wasn't long before the man decided that she was crazy and gave up.

Without noticing, Inuyasha began to clap.

"Wow."

"Eh?" The girl replied, clearly out of breath.

"That was pretty cool." He said. He stopped clapping then made his way toward the girl to help her in some way.

"Glad my struggle was entertaining for you." She huffed as she rejected the offered hand.

"You clearly had everything under control." Inuyasha smiled still amazed that she was able to handle a grown man.

"Even…even if that were so…you—oh goodness I'm out of shape." She huffed and heaved as she bent over trying her best to catch her breath.

"You look like you're in shape to me."

"What's that supposed to mean? You some kind of pervert?" Energy sprouted from the garden of nowhere.

"Yeah I really like those sweaty girls. They really turn me on." Inuyasha huffed back now losing all interest and amazement. "He was weak anyway." He mumbled to himself as he began to walk away.

"Hey!" the girl shouted out as his he were a mile away.

"What?" he replied turning around on his heels, clearly irritated.

"Can I touch your ears?"

"Heh?" He questioned as he backed away. This girl's emotions seemed to jump freely from one irrational thought to another.

"It's your way of saying sorry for not helping a poor defenseless girl."

"Yes because judo kicking a person's head then putting him in a headlock are signs of being in distress. I feel sorrier for that man and his pride."

"Look at the aftermath! I'm a wreck! You could've handled that fairly quickly." She retorted as she reached for his ears.

"Don't touch me." He growled as he pushed back her hands.

These strange encounters were starting to worry him. Thoughts swarmed in his head, what if Kagome had her crazy cousin Kaede put a curse on him? Inuyasha shivered at the thought of that one eyed girl uttering strange things over an open fire.

"Gah!" he shrunk back. The girl touched his ears whilst he was thinking.

"You're attractive. What's your name youkai?" She asked now staring right into Inuyasha's eyes. This girl was a bit too straight forward. Was she really trying to hit on him?

"What's it to you, girl?"

"This girl is Ayame. Now, let's be polite. What's your name?"

"All rules were thrown out the window when you called me a pervert!" Inuyasha shouted. Ayame jumped, shocked from the random change. Not that she had any room to judge.

"Are you really that petty? I was just making sure you weren't a creep."

Inuyasha hesitated then looked away, "Inuyasha."

"Inu…so you're a dog like man?" She asked.

"No!"

"Ah, self-denial. I see. No worries. I still think you're cute."

"I'm not in self—" he was soon interrupted by a shout from the distance.

"Ayame!"

Both she and Inuyasha turned to see the very same burger boy he met by the river. Inuyasha quickly turned hoping that the strange boy did not see him.

"Ah, Inuyasha!" the boy said as he caught up to the two, he was a rather quick runner. He must have had a lot of experience of running away. That past, however, is for another time.

"What's happening?" Inuyasha muttered to himself as Ayame tugged his arm.

"How do you know this guy?" she happily inquired.

"We met by that river a mile or so south from here." Miroku chimed in as he patted Inuyasha's other arm. Inuyasha felt that these two knew no boundaries. Why were they touching him so much?

"Our fates are locked! I have to repay you!" Miroku hummed as he pulled him back to the market area.

"No you don't. Let me go creep!" Inuyasha snarled as he yanked his arm away from both of them. Ayame immediately slapped Miroku.

"What did you do?" she exclaimed. Inuyasha stood there wide eyed then slowly began to back away. Miroku looked to him as if he were pleading for help with clarification. Inuyasha tried to ignore the obvious gaze, but the scent of fear was strong in this one.

"Calm down crazy! I helped him out."

"He spared my life!" Miroku exclaimed then grabbed Inuyasha again "I must repay you!" his voiced overflowed with determination, his eyes filled with good deed, and his breath with the scent of pickles.

Inuyasha sighed. Ayame rejoiced. Miroku led proudly.

For some reason Inuyasha felt that things were about to change. The future held both good and bad. He felt hesitant to both.

A/N: Wow, a while since I've updated anything. I have things I'm caught up in. Don't worry! I will definitely finish this! This is also a two part chapter due to the ridiculous length.

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