GAaaah! I'm such a bad author! *smacks self* Bad Savvy! BAD! I'm so grateful for every single reader and reviewer; I don't know how I can make it up to you. I have no excuse for posting this as late as it is, but I hope that you can forgive me. I even made it longer! Some new characters make their own debut in this chapter, and I tried again on the humor. If it sucks, the please let me know. But, on a happier note, last month I reached 1000 hits! XD OHEMGEE! I luff you all so hard!

Chapter 5

Nothing' But a Good Time

"Oh! Oh, look here! You see this cartouche here? What do you think it is?"

"The-"

"Yes! It's the official royal seal of Onigumo I!"

Kagome and Miroku hovered on either side of the Curator's desk, inspecting the papyrus under a magnifying glass. Kaede sat in between the two and gently nudged Kagome's finger away from the circled collection of symbols.

"Calm thyself, child," she said, "It serves no purpose to get ahead of oneself."

The gray-eyed librarian stepped away from the desk before she began to pace back and forth on the rug.

"I'm sorry, Kaede, but I just get so excited!"

The elderly miko smiled kindly as Miroku left her side to join his sister.

"Two questions," he said, "Who exactly was Onigumo I and-?"

"He was fabulously wealthy, Miroku. Fabulously," Kagome interjected. "Onigumo was downright opulent, even as pharaohs go. He was the second king of the 18th dynasty and the son of a war hero. Records show that he was less fond of battle than he was of commerce. An expert tradesman."

The young miko had a light in her eyes. The passion for Ancient Egypt inside of her burned brightly and she all but glowed with these new discoveries. Her fingers went to the small, pink jewel that hung on a thin gold chain about her neck. A heavy feeling settled in Kagome's stomach, counter to her excited butterflies. Something about this small jewel set her instincts on edge. Mikos were supposed to trust their feelings, and she felt, she knew that this jewel was dangerous.

"But that's not all, is it?"

"What?" Kagome jolted out of her musings.

"The name of this pharaoh isn't the only thing on the papyrus, is it?" Miroku asked.

"No. No, there's more."

Kagome walked back to the curator's desk and settled her fingers on the bottom edge of the worn parchment.

"Kaede, I think it's safe to say that this is a set of instructions. Maybe even a map."

The one-eyed woman looked up at her student. "A map to what, child?"

She wet her suddenly dry lips and slowly traced her fingers across the symbols at the bottom of the page.

"Ha… mun… ap…tra…"

Miroku's face fell in shock. "The Hamunaptra?" he reverently whispered. "The City of the Dead?"

Kagome nodded, an almost smug grin lighting up her face.

"Now, now," Kaede interrupted. "Let us not jump to conclusions. These symbols could mean something aside from that particular city of the dead. They could refer to a large mausoleum or even to the Valley of the Kings."

"But, Kaede-"

"None of that, dearie. True, you are a good student, but this is an artifact that should be left to the scrutiny of your elders."

The aged miko bent over and slid open a drawer on the side of her desk.

"I shall have this posted tomorrow to the Sisterhood, and that is the end of it."

Kagome sighed and bowed her head slightly in acquiescence. A soft smile rested on Miroku's lips as his eyes glittered and hands twitched softly in his pockets.

…

The Cairo sun beat heavily down on Kagome's favorite wide-brimmed lady's hat as she walked arm-in-arm with her brother.

"Where on earth are we going, Miroku?"

"We, my darling sibling," he said, "Are going to question the man from whom I took this."

In between his index and middle fingers, Miroku held a sheet of papyrus that was yellowed with age. Kagome's eyes widened in shock and outrage.

"Miroku! You-!"

"Borrowed it. Borrowed it with every intention of returning it to its rightful owner… eventually…"

He gave her his most winning smile, but it only fueled her anger. Kagome jerked back on his elbow, forcing him to pause as they walked.

"Miroku!" she cried, "You stole that map from Kaede!"

The violet-eyed archeologist sighed and took his sister's hands in his.

"I steal from nearly everybody. What makes her so different? It's not like I robbed the woman. And this," He waved the parchment under her nose. "Is only valuable to those who understand it. See? No harm done."

"No harm…? She is my boss, Miroku!"

"Well, that just puts you in a bit of a nasty position, now doesn't it?"

The librarian sighed and resisted the urge to pound her brother's face in with her handbag. After all, her mother raised her to be a lady. Too bad…

The color drained from her face once her eyes landed upon their destination.

"The…" She gulped. "The Prison? 'Roku? What are we doing here?"

He didn't respond, but raised his hand in greeting to a small, green toad demon that stood at the gate.

"Come, honored guests!" the kappa squeaked. "Welcome to my domain! If you will follow me, I shall lead you to your inmate."

The Higurashi siblings followed. Kagome's grip on her brother tightened as she became the subject of lewd glances and wolf-whistles from the prison yard.

"Miroku," she whisper-whimpered. "How about you tell me what's going on?"

"Well," he began, taking an almost melodramatic sigh, "The gentleman I had, ahem, acquired our little puzzle box from had a little altercation with the law shortly after-"

"You picked his pocket."

"Honestly, Kagome, you make it sound so … vulgar when you say that way."

She ran her tongue tightly around the edge of her teeth and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Ever consider that you might be a kleptomaniac?" she asked stiffly.

"Nonsense. I just have cursed hands. Besides, look on the bright side!" he exclaimed. "At least this way he can't run off when we try to question him."

She wasn't soothed, but approached the empty cell in the visitor's area with her head high.

"What has this man been in prison for?" she asked the warden.

"You know, I asked him that earlier when I heard you wanted to see him. And his answer confused me."

"What was it?"

The green kappa's narrow face twisted into an odd mix of confusion and disgust.

"He said that he was just looking for a good time."

That's it! That's the end of chapter 5 of Sands of Time. ^^ Please be sure to drop by in Chapter 6, where Inuyasha finally meets the Higurashis and the real adventure begins. But for now, spur me on by hitting that little button at the bottom of the screen and leaving a review. Or a flame… :/ I kinda deserve it….