Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
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Chapter One: Who Let the Dogs Out?
…Six months before Present time…
Inuyasha panted as he scurried off the down-hill street, chasing after a young man on a bike.
"Woof! I…smell…sausage! Arr woof!"
"No! Stop master, or you'll get caught again!" Myoga was desperately trying to hold on to the dog's ear, his legs flying upright in the air because of the speed they were in. "Lord Inuyasha, please stop!"
"Woof woof! Sausage, yummy!"
Myoga sighed with grief. "Oh why me…" Ever since his lord's two sons had awakened from their spell they had been acting like common dogs. The fact that they actually were common dogs well, let's just say didn't help the situation out.
It had been a bit over a year since the brothers had awakened to greet the new millennia and tried to restrain from insanity of realizing their new bodies. The little that Myoga was able to explain to them before either Sesshomaru or Inuyasha would start to fight against one another again, he had mentioned that he was able to deprive some of Naraku's control over Kikyo by sucking more than just her blood and in return she had somehow driven the brothers into a spell instead of a clear death. Myoga himself hadn't understood much about everything; only that in the last instant in which Inuyasha was turning into his dog form Myoga had clung on to his master and come to fall into their fate as well.
Myoga restrained from telling anyone this, but as soon as he woke up from the spell, he had noticed a small note concerning their status and situation. It read that for Kikyo to be able to give her love a last fighting chance against this new evil, she had sealed him—along with his brother—away in a deep sleep that would last until the time of Naraku's reign were far enough behind to secure them from harm and allow them to find a way to make things the way they were again. Lucky for the world she chose Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to be the ones to save it. Smooth move, priestess; smooth move.
The note told of a way to get the brothers back into their natural state, so long as something related to them when they had been in their natural form were around, after chanting a few words and mixing a few things here and there in a potion. Myoga believed that their swords and armor had been cast away before they had been turned into canines, but so far he had had no luck in retrieving the items.
"Mmm…Sausage!" Inuyasha darted to the right side of the bike, grinning like any dog would at the smell of food. His eyes gleamed at the small, grocery bag in the bike's front basket. "I want sausage! Give me sausage!"
It was then that the biker had noticed Inuyasha to his side. "What the…"
"Woof! Sausage!"
The biker nearly lost control of his vehicle, staring intently at the white, awkward dog to his side. He lifted his glasses with his left hand and, with doubting eyes, asked, "Did you just say…sausage?"
Inuyasha happily answered back. "Yes, yes! I want to eat! I'm so hungry! I haven't eaten good food for days!"
Myoga grabbed the ear extra tight this time, concerned yet again if he would still be able to remain alive after the biker's reaction. Dog or not, the brothers still homed most of their powers, including speech. The only problem was that in time they had begun to lose their memories and, in living like dogs, started to act more like them each day. It was a matter of time until they lost everything completely and Myoga would be left all alone to grief for their fate.
After Inuyasha's reply, the biker thought that he had had too many drinks the night before and let the sunglasses fall to the floor as he lost complete control of the vehicle, making the wheels dart dangerously to the side, and finally crashing to a near light post.
The biker flew off the seat, landing head-first on the grass, butt lifted in the air.
Inuyasha then took the bag, now on the side walk, in his jaws and hollered a very rough 'thank you' as he scurried off to one of his favorite alleys and sat down and began munching on the sausage in play.
When they had arrived, Myoga inhaled life, warmth and security after remaining unscathed this time after a food hunt. He knew that if he waited too long to bring the dogs back into their normal forms, one of these days he'd die of Inuyasha's growing stupidity as a mutt.
The flea hopped down to the floor, examining the heaps of trash around him. "Lord Inuyasha we need to stick with Sesshomaru! Can you tell where he is at this time?"
Sesshomaru never took orders from anyone, even if it meant listening to his father's flea companion who somehow knew how to get him back to normal. Myoga knew, though, that once he lost track of the sons, it would be almost impossible for someone like him to track them down and cure them—not to mention getting them out of trouble.
"Sausage, is it?" A cold voice resounded in the alley, the words coming from a canine somewhat similar to that of Inuyasha, but instead was taller and had a crescent moon on its forehead. Its voluminous fur was better taken care of than the other mutt and shown bright white.
Myoga sighed in relief. "There you are." He looked after Sesshomaru too, even though he knew he'd get sour looks and no support back from him.
The dog-lord sniffed the air, wagging his tail slightly and licking his lips. "Sausage. Pity I do not eat human food."
Inuyasha looked up from his meal. "Yeah, well your not one to talk. You're a stray dog, in a youkai-free zone, and you have eaten sausage before, so shut up and get lost." Of course when it came to insulting, neither of the two were short of vocabulary.
Sesshomaru's new growing instinct led him to growl in protest and lunge toward the smaller dog, ripping him away from the meal. The two started howling and biting each other as always, rolling slowly out towards the street.
Myoga tried to warn them, "No! Wait! The dog catcher will get you again!" but the two were already too far to hear him.
The dog fight played out in the street now, unaware of the big, white truck that stopped in the corner thanks to a yell or two from the now, conscious biker, a small man coming out of it slowly with a net in his hand and a tranquilizer gun in the other. The chubby dwarf laughed inwardly; finally I've found them! They won't escape the pound this time…
Myoga came hopping out of the alley yelling, but the brothers didn't react. Suddenly Sesshomaru's still keen scent caught a distinct smell and, turning about, realized he was a few feet away from the notorious fiend that all strays hated.
Leaving Inuyasha, he darted off as fast as he could. "Oh no you don't!" The dog catcher shot him in the buttocks, rendering the once demon lord to fall asleep in due time. Sesshomaru cursed his luck, for ever since he had woken up he was left powerless against the very humans he so detested. At first he and the once-hanyou had been able to out run and dodge anything; now they could only run away. He still kept running though, but he could only get so far.
Before Inuyasha could notice what was going on, he too was shot with a tranquilizer. Without being seen, Myoga jumped right back into the dog's uncommon bangs on top of its forehead and hid himself there until he could safely help the two escape from the pound. "I tell them 'don't get caught' and what do they do? They get caught! Man, what would trouble for a little sympathy! I swear, if they're given another one of those 'flea baths' and some how end up as pets again, I'll find some cat to home!" He crossed his arms and shrugged, remembering their last owner. "I wonder how that old lady is doing at the hospital… Too bad Sesshomaru had to bite her leg after Inuyasha was caught swearing again…Now they're wanted as 'mad dogs'! Feh! Soon enough they'll put them to sleep…"
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…One week before Present time…
Somewhere in a more 'civilized' part of a near town, a young woman with long, raven hair crossed the street to begin her lunch break, cel phone in hand.
"No…I'm….No, wait...Hojo!" The man chatting in the other line didn't even give her time to speak. "Well...Yes, yes it would be nice but…" Before she could say more a low 'beeping' sound could be heard.
Kagome sighed. Why is it that every time I want to ditch this guy he somehow manages to ask me out again!
She arrived to her destination and as soon as she opened the glass doors, saw her best friend sitting at their regular table, the closest one to the diner's wide, glass windows.
Another young woman, about the same age as Kagome stood up from her chair, smiling brightly. "Finally! I thought you'd never make it!"
Kagome returned a half-smile and sat down next to the girl. "Rin, I've never missed lunch with you and I won't start now!"
"Wait a second…I know that face…Is Hojo bothering you again?"
Kagome could never hide her boyfriend problems with Rin. She sighed, "Yes. He called me just now to ask me on another date. He doesn't seem to realize that I just don't see the 'thing' between us anymore."
Rin sat down, rising a brow. "The 'thing', Kagome? Is that what your kind call it these days?"
Kagome smirked at the tease. Rin always referred to her as the safe one—the one who always had to turn back after getting in the car to check and see if the door had been locked; the one who got into a fit if the bath water kept running and splashed the floor; the one who was too old to enjoy the better things in life—you know, like dating.
"I'm twenty one, Rin, and only a year older than you. Certainly calling me part of a different generation all together is life threatening to you as you keep getting on my nerves about how I'm more precautious and mature than you."
Rin just laughed. "Like staying with the same guy for over a year now and still unable to get him out of your life for what-- almost two months now?"
Kagome harrumphed. "Like you'd know anything about having a serious relationship! It's hard on you, you know."
"Serious? I thought that Hojo was just a guy-friend, not a relationship."
"Oh, stop teasing! You know that the subject only gets me more irritated…"
"Than I have just the thing!" Rin called for the waiter and ordered the usual: two milkshakes and a large cheeseburger with fries.
After the food was brought the girls changed the subject for a while, but Rin brought it up again after mentioning how cute a guy walking past the diner's glass window looked.
Kagome shook her head playfully. "Your hopeless, Rin…"
"…Jealous 'cause I'm still single and your not?" she teased back.
Kagome slurped her almost-empty cup. "We'll see…"
The waiter, a young, fine man with long, brown hair tucked under his working cap, came to the table. With a delighted and cheery accent he asked, "Will you fine, young ladies like some desert?"
The waiter stared into Kagome's eyes as always, making her speechless while trying to look for a way to answer him.
Rin resorted to be the one to answer him, "Yes, the usual please!"
The man smiled at her and mentioned he'd be quick about it. After he had left, Rin snickered at Kagome's blushing face. "So," she started, "why not go after Koga then?" She received a more embarrassed look from Kagome and continued, "He's always writing you little lines of affection on our bills."
Kagome hushed her. "Not so loud!"
"What, like you don't want to go out with him?"
"No…Uh, ye-yes…uh…well, you see…" She inhaled deeply and spoke as fast as she could, "I'm just trying to look for the right guy, that's all!"
Rin giggled. She loved getting Kagome to sweat like this. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll come sooner than later." Her comment was more of a tease than anything helpful, so Kagome just looked away, in thought.
Sure Koga is nice, but so is Hojo…I just hope I know which guy is the right guy for me…
Unnoticed by all, a little speck was jumping up and down from above a ketchup bottle, from all the way across the room.
"Aha! Yes! I've finally found her!" Myoga danced a little jig, getting his little feet covered with ketchup. "After all this time, I've found her! Kikyo!" He closed his eyes in merriment as a tear of joy fell across his cheek. He wiped it away with a hand and lifted his head with pride. "Now I can get her to bring the boys back to normal again!" The fact that this probably wasn't Kikyo because they were 500 years in the future didn't even cross his mind. After all, he was the first out of the threesome to discover that they had awakened at the very beginning of the 21st century.
Myoga patted himself on the back—with all four of his little limbs.
"…And to think the boys would have been put to sleep in a week! The timing couldn't have been better!"
He then remembered their status and let out a mournful air. "They've lost most of their character lately…I'm not complaining about Sesshomaru, but…even so, they could be at a state where going back is out of our hands. I just hope that the girl is still able to do so…" He knew their situation was getting worse. The guys weren't even able to speak anymore and Sesshomaru even started to never mind Inuyasha's company! Talk about unsettling…
He lifted his gaze up to Kagome again, seeing her smile brightly just as the handsome waiter had come back again.
"Yes, in no time at all lord Sesshomaru and lord Inuyasha will be alright… I've already come up with their swords—Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. For some reason they were inside a 'museum exhibit' shrine. Humph. They were hard to get, but well while the effort… All we need are their garments and everything will be set!"
Kagome gave another embarrassed chuckle as Koga left and Rin told her to 'go for it'. Seriously, the girl wouldn't take no for an answer. "Rin, I'd rather have a dog than two-time anybody!"
Rin, knowing Kagome had had only a pet cat all her life, laughed. "It wouldn't be two-timing! You're ditching him anyways. Besides, if you don't go out with Koga, I'll just have to take you up on your word about the dog."
Kagome gave Rin a disapproving look. "Surely no dog will ever set foot inside my apartment! They're too messy, you know." Rin just laughed. Kagome loved to keep her place all neat and tidy. Rin even had a hard time pleading Kagome to let her keep her pet hamster around. Too bad it had run away, though. Rin really wanted a new pet, so this was just another way to get Kagome to let her have one in the apartment again.
Rin tried her best at making her say otherwise. "No really; having a dog would be great! They're loyal, do tricks, fetch the paper, act like guardians… and they absolutely attract males when we're in the park!"
"I am not going to allow a dog in my life! I have enough trouble with men already!"
"Aw, but come on, think about it; we could get male dogs. Besides being man's best friend, they're like the opposite gender, only better! It's like having guys around the house all the time, without all the talking and sports! We'd never get lonely…" Besides having a pet, Rin always fantasized about sharing rooms with guys in the apartment. Each girl had her own room, leaving a spare. If not boys then, dogs were the closest she would get to another roommate.
"Rin, for the last time..."
"But it would be so fun, Kagome! Think of the possibilities!"
Kagome exhaled deeply. "You're not throwing one of those 'I want a pet' fits again, are you? They go on for hours. I can't put up with them any more!"
Rin smirked. Kagome could read her mind so perfectly sometimes.
"Alright, alright! If you want one so badly, then get one! But it has to be very small, cute, and well potty trained. In fact; I'll go with you to watch so that you won't bring a Scooby-Doo in with you back from the store.
Rin wrapped her arms around Kagome. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret this!"
Kagome moaned under Rin's tight, butt-kissing bear hug. I hope not…
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Disclaimer: Scooby-Doo isn't mine, either. Nor are the cheeseburger, fries and milkshakes that would absolutely calm my appetite right about now…
Well, review! It's always greatly appreciated…
:D