InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bed Ridden ❯ The Trap Is Set ( Chapter 12 )

General Info: Round Robin #1 for the Monk_and_Miko Yahoo! Group

Title: Bed Ridden

Summary: He's lived through a cursed hand, demons, and a hanyou with an attitude-but can our sixteenth century Houshi take the stimulation of the twentieth century? [MK]

Rating: PG-13

Chapter Author: Chiisai-tori

Chapter Summary: In which Kagome gets sneaky, and Miroku is vastly outnumbered.

Disclaimer: Do I look Japanese?? Oh…you can't see me! Well, Rumiko Takahashi, I ain't!

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Chapter 12: The Trap Is Set

Kagome took great care to keep her tone even when she 'unexpectedly' announced her intention to return to the feudal era. Miroku, she was pleased to note, didn't look exactly thrilled about her going. But then again, he didn't try to stop her either.

"Have a nice time," was all he said. She nearly 'feh-ed' in his face. But by some miracle, she kept her composure.

Shortly after her announcement, Miroku went upstairs, uncharacteristically somber. Risa offered to help him, but he refused politely. 'And that's just lucky for you,' she thought disparagingly. 'I might just have let you trip!' Nobody cheated on her daughter and got away with it - no matter how polite they were!

As soon as the moody monk had left, Kagome leaned towards her family. "Alright - you know what you have to do?" They all nodded. "Great! I'll be back tomorrow...unless Inuyasha has other ideas. Well, ja ne!"

***

"Kagomeeee!"

"Kagome-chan? Oh, it's good to see you, how - OOF!" The demon exterminator exhaled in a rush as she was suddenly glomped.

"Gotta talk to you," Kagome muttered quickly before pulling away. Smile still firmly in place, she turned to see Inuyasha glaring at her. "What?"

"Stupid wench, what took you so long?"

She glared right back at him. "Inuyasha...SIT!"

Hmm...speaking of Inuyasha, wasn't she supposed to be in love with him? Yes. Then what was this NOTHING that she was feeling? Could her heart really have changed so drastically in a few short weeks?

Apparently it could.

Rather than feeling sad, or even guilty for 'betraying' him - the strangest thing was happening. She was feeling very sorry for Kikyo, and even indignant on her behalf. She hadn't been able to imagine it before - having your love turn their attention to someone else - and so she hadn't really understood. But now...now she knew. And she didn't blame the miko for being mad. Not in the slightest!

A giggle escaped her at the picture of herself and Kikyo sitting down for a good rant/consolation session, bemoaning the infidelity of men, and two in particular.

At her laugh Sango looked at her curiously. "Kagome-chan," she improvised, "there's a hot spring nearby that I've been dying to visit. Shall we?"

Kagome rolled her eyes inwardly. No points for creativity, but at least it worked.

Inuyasha scowled. "What about the shards? There's-"

"I can't stay long enough to go on a hunt, Inuyasha. This is just a 'hi there, how are you?' kind of thing. I'm going back tomorrow, whether you like it or not." Without waiting to hear his reply, she grabbed Sango by the arm and dragged her away.

Shippo watched them go, confused. "She came here to take a bath? She can do that in her own time! What's going on?"

***

Once the girls were comfortably in the steaming water, Kagome told her story - not without many blushes on her part. Sango's face looked shocked, amused, and finally outraged. "He did WHAT?" When it looked as though Sango was going to jump up and attack the libidinous monk on sight (whenever she next saw him - who knew when that would be?) Kagome hurried to calm her down. "Don't worry, Sango-chan. You can still knock him out later if you want to, but I've got this all planned out." One quickly whispered conversation - and a lot of giggling - later, Sango was suitably impressed.

"That's a lot of work, Kagome-chan. But why are you here, if you're going to set this up in your time?"

Kagome beamed. "Did I ever tell you my family is very...helpful? Well, the whole idea is that he musn't find out. And obviously, if I'm here, then I can't be planning stuff there. He has no clue that all the Higurashis are working together..."

Sango chuckled in satisfaction. "Ooh, he's going to regret this!"

Kagome paused. "So...you're not mad?"

Sango sighed. "No not really. Besides, we would have driven each other mad eventually." She grinned. "I just wish I could see his face when-"

"Shh!" Kagome hissed, hearing footsteps coming closer. "The guys can't find out - they'll tell! Oh, man, who's coming?..."

Shippo popped out of the bushes, brushing dead leaves out of his red hair. "Kagome?"

The girls slumped in sudden relief. Not busted.

***

Meanwhile, Miroku was wrestling with two very intimidating things.

Using the telephone without help.

Finding out exactly what he had gotten himself into with that nurse.

All he knew was 'Friday, seven o'clock.' There were other things he needed to know - where, how much, how to get there...ugh. Briefly he considered not going. The woman seemed nice enough (it certainly didn't hurt that she was...um, well built) but he didn't know her. Not like Kagome.

Then he thought of Kagome...and Inuyasha...and his resolve strengthened. He looked at the 'phone number' on the wrinkled paper in his hand an dialed quickly. While he was waiting for an answer, Souta wandered into the room. "What'cha doing?"

"Calling Yoko," the monk mumbled, preoccupied. He didn't see the boy's ears prick up - someone on the other end had picked up. 'Ah, finally...'

"Hello?" Wow. She even sounded bouncy.

"Ah...hello, Yoko-san. I-"

"Oh, Miroku! I recognizedyour voice! You know, I'm just so looking forward to Friday night! They say that Zapulla's is a fantastic place."

"Zapulla's," Miroku repeated, relieved. At least he didn't have to ask!

"Yeah, apparently the food there is awesome! You don't mind if I pick you up a little early? Say, around 6:30? I want to get a good park close to the restaurant."

Ah. She was picking him up. "No, no, that's fine," he assured her dutifully. "6:30 is fine."

"Great!" she squealed; he held the receiver away from his ear, wincing. She babbled something about 'see you Friday' and hung up. He blinked at the phone still in his hand, non-plussed. 'Well. That was...quick.'

Souta watched him walk out, mentally reviewing what he had heard. 'Zapulla's, 6:30 pick up, dinner at 7. Too easy - mission accomplished!'

***

Kagome literally bounded through the door and nearly crashed straight into her startled grandfather. "Oops! Sorry, Grandpa! Did I hurt you?"

"No. Keep it down, your mother is on the phone - oh, no!" The old man scuttled over to Miroku, who had just entered the room near Risa. "Miroku! As a monk, I'm sure you would be interested in what I found today. Come and look-" he latched onto Miroku's shoulder "-at these. Sacred teacups! I first heard of them..." His voice faded as he pulled the bemused monk away.

Risa heaved a sigh of relief. She put one hand over the mouthpiece to talk to her daughter. "I think Miroku is suspicious - every time he sees me on the phone, Dad rushes over and starts babbling." She frowned. "He's overdoing it, perhaps, but it's working." She suddenly remembered that she was on the phone and hurriedly took her hand away. "Hello? Yes, sorry about that." She listened for a moment. "Well, actually, she's right here, if you would like to talk to her yourself." Risa listened again, then smiled and handed the phone to her daughter. "It's him."

Kagome gulped, suddenly reluctant. "Really? You found him?"

Her mother just smiled indulgently. "If you really want to do this...talk to him."

Kagome took a deep breath - and began her career as a pathological liar. "Hi, Maruku. It's me, Kagome Higurashi. You remember me, the strange girl with a fiancé?"

"Yes, I remember. I'm just curious - but why did you call me at the taxi company?"

"Well, I couldn't look you up at home, because I didn't know your full name. And, well, my mother has been calling around for me, trying to find you. The only thing we knew was that you worked there." She fidgeted anxiously. 'Please let this work - and don't let me lose my nerve!'

"Ah. So...what are you calling about?" The voice was definitely curious...

She swallowed. "You remember that coffee you asked me out for? Well, how would you like to upgrade it to dinner?"

Silence on the line. Then, "What about your fiancé?"

Time to win that Academy award. "He -" she choked convincingly "- he cheated on me!" Sniffle.

"He WHAT?" Ooh, he sounded mad. "I'll kill him! Well, maybe not KILL him, but...he's an idiot."

She 'brightened'. "Yeah. And now I just want to get over him, and you already asked, so I thought...well, would you like to?" She spotted Souta and motioned him over quickly. "Details?" she whispered urgently.

"Zapulla's, pick up here at 6:30, dinner at 7."

"I was thinking, maybe we could go to that new restaurant, Zapulla's?" she said into the phone.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Umm...7:30 Friday?" The poor kid sounded stunned.

"Hmm, that's a bit late." She pretended to think. "How about 7?"

"Oh, okay. 7 o'clock. I'll pick you up?"

She pondered for a second. Wait - Miroku was getting picked up by Nurse Spongebath then! That wouldn't do at all. "No, I'll meet you there, okay?"

"Right. Meet there at 7. I - aw, man. I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow night, okay Kagome?" She could practically see him beaming at her.

"Okay, Maruku. See you then." She listened to the click of the phone hanging up, then put the receiver down.

Souta grinned at her. "All set?"

"Yep. You? Got everything ready for the big night?"

"Of course!" he said, acting offended.

Risa looked at her concernedly. "Kagome, I know I helped you with this, but I just have to make sure. Are you certain you know what you're doing? This Maruku seems nice - but if you wanted nice, why not go with Houjo? It would have been much easier."

Kagome sighed. "Not Houjo. My friends know him, and I have to see him at school! Besides, Miroku was already jealous of Maruku from the beginning. This will drive him crazy!" She rubbed her hands in anticipation. "Thanks to Souta here," she grinned at her brother conspiratorially, "his so-called date will be a catastrophe...and I'll be there to see it."

"This isn't like you," Risa shook her head worriedly. "It's almost...cruel."

"But he deserves it," Kagome told her. "And as for Nurse 'here's my number if you want private assistance', well..." Her eyes narrowed. "She's going down!"

___________________________

Next Author: Ms. Videl Son

Due Date: May 8, 2004

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