The festival was amazing. Kagome was pulled into the square by a dancer and she soon got the hang of the steps and was dancing along with the others. Inuyasha's eyes followed the gentle sway of her hips with male appreciation. The other dancers all stood back to give her space when she started to outshine them and the crowd that had gathered whistled and cheered making Kagome laugh in joy.

At the end she cart wheeled and landed at the very edge of the stage as the song ended. The dancers pulled her to her feet and made her take a bow all laughing and saying "Girl, where'd you learn to dance like that?"

The people in the crowd all threw streamers and coins and hats and flowers on the stage. Kagome held a rose to her heart smiling happily and she looked at her friends in the front row, wanting to share the moment with them.

She ran back to her friends and pulled Sango onto the stage as well.

"No, no, no, no! I don't dance" Sango said desperately trying to get out of everyone's gazes.

"Please" Kagome begged, pulling at her a bit more.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and pushed Sango into the middle of the dancers. Everyone looked at her expectantly. Sango went red then the music changed to something more upbeat. Sango's foot started to tap out the fast beat then with the crowd's encouragement she started to dance.

Kagome clapped her hands happily. Miroku's eyes followed Sango's erotic hip movements and he licked his lips. Inuyasha laughed at Sango's street-dancing. "Is that the best you've got?" he yelled at her.

She turned and glared at him then her movements changed slightly to more confident and aggressive she owned the stage at the end when she made a perfect split. The crowd roared in appreciation. Kagome clapped her hands delightedly and then pushed Miroku into the centre stage with Sango and laughed when he tried to run back off.

Inuyasha grinned at the sight of Sango and Miroku dancing together on the stage, the song was a slower one and the main dancer shouted into the mic "Alright everyone, grab a partner and lets slow it down… smooth style"

Miroku hesitantly held his hand out to Sango and she hesitated looking at the crowds that were all searching for their own dancing partners. "Sango?" She glanced back at Miroku who still had his hand out waiting.

She glanced at Kagome who nodded smiling and brown eyes sparkling.

Sango took his hand and he led her into the crowd to dance alone. He brought her hands up around his neck and then linked his at the small of her back.

"What?" Sango asked surprised her hazel eyes widening "You're not going to grab my butt?"

Miroku grinned his violet eyes twinkling mischievously and she instantly wished that she hadn't said anything and went the colour of a lobster.

"No, Sango dearest. Only if you want me to. And it would ruin the moment anyway…" he drew her closer and had one arm around her waist and the other one went to her hair untying the high ponytail and holding her head close to his chest while pressing his face into her hair inhaling softly.

Sango held his shoulder and another hand on his shoulder blade still blushing but smiling, listening to his heart. "M-Miroku…" she stuttered then held him back tighter swaying to the music gently. Closing her eyes and smiling as her dream came true.

Kagome sighed and her head went to the side a little. "That's so sweet"

Inuyasha gave a half laugh "That's the first time I've ever seen him act that romantic and not grope her" he glanced at the girl next to him who was watching the happy pair with a wistful expression. He knew that Kagome was the reason for the change in his friend, she brought out the best in everyone. Sango had driven without speeding, Miroku hadn't groped her for about two hours and as for him, he was a new person.

He had noticed the change in himself and knew that the little mermaid had caused it. He linked his fingers through hers and she gasped and looked up at him in shock. "Dance with me?" he asked her, golden eyes mesmerising and seemed to smoulder in the lights of the festival.

Kagome gasped and then after gulping whispered "Yes"

Inuyasha led her to the dance floor that was now the entire square. The lanterns were now lit and glowed softly above them and the lights came on as the sun went down. Kagome looked around her in wonder. "This is amazing" she said as he drew her close.

His hands gently grasped her hips as hers linked together in his silver hair. Slowly they swayed to the music with blissed out couples doing the same all around them.

Sango looked up from her perch on Miroku's shoulder and gasped slightly. "Miroku, look" she said and he glanced over to see a dark haired beauty in the arms of their silver haired friend. Kagome had one hand at the back of his head running her fingers through the silver hair there and her other arm holding herself to his torso.

Inuyasha had one hand around her waist and the other in the centre of her back pressing her against him and not letting any space come between them. He had his face in her hair breathing deeply.

Miroku smiled "That girl. I've never seen Inuyasha act so romantic… what has she done to us?" he asked and turned back to Sango to slowly edge his hands to her face.

"M-Miroku what-"

Miroku silenced her with a kiss. Sango froze then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back.

Kagome and Inuyasha were unaware of the kiss their friends were doing a few feet away, too wrapped up in each other. Kagome inhaled and the sighed. He smells nice. She thought absently and smiled pressing her face deeper into his shirt breathing in deeper than before. "You smell nice" she mumbled without thinking, their body contact was doing funny things to her thought patterns.

Inuyasha smiled into her hair, he heard her and held her tighter. He breathed her scent as well and he felt like he was in heaven. Soft music, sweet smelling lanterns, beautiful girl pressed up against him.

He put a hand under her chin so he could see her face. Her wide innocent eyes made him melt and he cradled her face in his hands, soft rosy skin under his fingers, scent like jasmine and fresh air, eyes glazing over and closing smoothly, parted lips waiting for his…

A loud clap of thunder jerked them apart. Everyone looked at the sky and the band stopped playing. Rain dropped from the sky slowly at first then poured like a monsoon. Inuyasha grabbed her hand and pulled her into the Lost Treasures shop with Sango and Miroku right behind them.

Sango laughed and rung her hair out a little. "Well… that was refreshing"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and shook his hair out his drenched shirt hugging to his skin.

Miroku pulled the small bit of leather that bound his hair in a small pony tail. "That could have ended better, I'll go and get the heater" he disappeared upstairs.

Inuyasha and Sango pulled out some beach towels from the back of the shelf's. "Are you sure you won't get in trouble for using these?" he asked her.

Sango shrugged "Probably, but it's better than getting a cold and missing out on the fun" she wrapped a pink towel around her shoulders and then handed a green one to Kagome. "Dry off, you'll catch a cold"

Kagome put it around her shoulder and proceeded to use it as a blanket rather than dry herself off.

Inuyasha shrugged out of his top and rung it out over the door mat. "Man, what a storm" he said pulling the curtains back. "Where did that come from?"

Kagome shivered. Under the sea storms weren't so scary, you can't hear the howling winds or the cracks of thunder. She jumped at the lightning. And pulled the blanket closer to herself.

Sango seemed unaffected as she turned the lights off and pulled out a packet of candles and a lighter. "Let's get the old forge going" she said and pulled the door open and tried to light the wood.

Kagome saw that she was doing it wrong and pulled her hands out of the way to rearrange the wood and paper a little. Then she reached for the lighter and sparked it experimentally. The small flame fascinated her.

She reached out a finger and touched the light.

She yelped in pain and dropped the lighter. Luckily it landed on a metal box so no harm done.

Inuyasha looked up at her cry of pain and hurried over to see what was wrong. Kagome had tears in her eyes and her burnt finger tips against her chest, whimpering pitifully.

"Kagome, what happened?" Inuyasha asked her.

Sango lit a match to light the fire and then shooed herself and Miroku upstairs to give them some privacy.

Kagome pointed to the lighter and said "It was pretty…" then Inuyasha caught her hand in his and tenderly and brought the burnt fingers to his lips. Kagome gasped when she felt his tongue against her fingertips and blushed. "Inu-Inuyasha?" she stuttered out.

He smiled at her stuttered sentence and slowly ran his tongue over the burn again. Before getting a small cup of icy water and pouring it across her fingers.

Kagome took the cup from him and let her fingers soak then the water glowed a little and she pulled out a healed hand smiling slightly before her eyes fluttered closed and she let Inuyasha take her into his arms before starting to drift to sleep.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked her quietly.

"Mmm?" she responded against his chest tiredly.

"Is it alright if Sango and Miroku know about you?"

Kagome opened one eye and smiled up at him. "As long as they keep my secret… then its… fine…" she snuggled into his warmth and soon Inuyasha heard her gently breathing against him fast asleep.

Later Sango and Miroku crept downstairs and saw Kagome curled up on the small couch on Inuyasha's lap. Inuyasha raised a finger in warning and the two quietly sat down on the chairs opposite.

Sango smoothed a stand of hair from Kagome's face. "I've only known her for one day, but she feels like a sister"

Miroku smiled as well and whispered "She's different that's for sure"

Inuyasha thought about what Kagome said about keeping secrets and decided to trust his friends. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked them quietly.

Sango nodded "If its about you being in love with her we already figured that one out"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but made no attempt to deny it. "Not that, Kagome's secret"

"Sure, she's our friend too. Why can't we keep a small secret?" Miroku said wisely, a hand creeping around Sango as he said it and she didn't remove it or slap him. Although she did pull his hand up and away from one area so he wouldn't be tempted.

Inuyasha eyed them and they blushed "Well Kagome isn't a normal girl… and not just in the way you think. She's not human" Sango gave him the 'What-the-cragnuts-you talking about' look.

Inuyasha reached across for a small bottle of sea water and said "Well seeing is believing" and splashed a little water on her feet after removing her shoes.

Almost instantly her legs began to glow and everyone shielded their eyes at the brightness. When the glow had faded a little clink was heard as the rings fell of her now webbed fingers and fins appeared on her arms from her wrists to her elbows the edges tinged a see-through green with exotic patterns running through the flimsy member.

Across her skin almost like odd freckles silver scales that made her look luminous. The biggest change was her legs, that where now fins and a scaly tail. It was an emerald green with the silver scales still patterning through the pretty green. She mumbled something like "Don't like splashing when I'm dry" then she curled the green sparkles closer to her and snuggled deeper into the coach.

Sango was the first to talk "Mermaid… oh my god…"

Miroku wasn't much better. He stared and blinked and then said "Er, Sango, dear? Could you please hit me, I think I fell asleep"

"Kay"

A loud smack echoed throughout the house and Kagome opened one eye and said "Shut up Kikyo, I'm-" then she sat up properly and looked around then at her tail. "Oh dear… I thought this was going to happen in the morning" she hissed at Inuyasha.

He held a hand up in defence "I thought it would be easier if they got over their shock while you were still asleep"

Kagome laughed nervously. "Thanks for the thought, but it is my secret you're telling, you know" he smiled at her in a wolfish way that made her want to smack him like Sango did to Miroku.

"Um, Kagome?" Sango said

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind if I…?" she stretched a hand out to touch her tail. Kagome nodded and Sango touched her scales lightly. "My god…"

"Gods" Kagome corrected automatically.

Sango's head snapped up "What?"

Kagome looked confused "There are three sea gods we worship… Neptune, Poseidon and The moon goddess. What gods do you have?"

Sango's eyes sparked with interest, it was like collage all over again, something new. "Well because we have lots of different cultures we have lots of gods, thousands maybe. But the well know three are the Christen god and his helpers as well as Miroku's Buddha"

Kagome looked interested as well. "Wow, that's so cool. You must be very powerful then to have so many gods on your side"

Sango shrugged "Not really we can't do any magic's or anything extraordinary. They are made up I think but it's up to the person what to believe"

Kagome frowned "Well I know my ones are real. They gave me my powers and magic's on my birthday…"

It continued that way for most of the night as questions and answers were exchanged until finally Kagome asked the one she was dreading.

"Don't you mind that I'm different?"

Miroku was the first to answer "Why would we? It's just a part of who you are, no worries or complaints from this side of the coach"

Sango rolled her eyes "I think what the idiot is trying to say is; even though you aren't human you're still a person and most importantly a friend. If I sprouted wings and said I was an angel would you all hate me?"

Kagome shook her head "Nope… what's an angel?" she added and earned a groan from the others "What? I've been human for about one day and eighteen hours and you expect me to just know? Great Poseidon you guys are dense"

Inuyasha laughed as Miroku laughed so hard he fell off his chair. Sango had a hand over her mouth and Kagome held her stomach smiling at the perfect moment.

Kagome reached across for her bag and shyly said "Since we're all friends now… can I give you these?" she handed out the friendship necklaces with all their names engraved on the backs, with the bubbles surrounding the names made out of the tiny words best friends over and over again perfectly linking up again.

Sango had tears shining in her eyes and slipped hers over her head and smiled unable to speak without a lump forming in her throat. The boys copied her actions and Kagome smiled and sighed to herself "Friends…"