InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Do You Love Me? ❯ Gathering [Part One] ( Chapter 17 )

AN: Oh. My. God.

THANK YOU ELANTIS SEASALI! (ff.net) That is SUCH a good reason as to why my story is so mind boggling!!! [yeah…I didn't figure it out until she told me…]

~I'm still having a really hard time reading this story... but I've finally figured out why. It seems to me that you are writing TWO, seeminlgy unrelated, fanfics at once and putting them into one story... and it just isn't working for me. THe spaztic changes from Present to past is just that... spaztic and without much reason to it. These two things prevent the story from flowing smoothly.~

WAHAH! Well… see… it ISN'T two stories… but… it is…

Yeah… that's confusing no?

See… they ARE one story, but I haven't put it all together yet!!! Thank you Elantis!

The whole Kagome thing for instance… I've pretty much solved everything for my plots [in my head of course…]!

Hopefully the two [`spastic' parts of this fic] coming together will be soon… until then… continue going insane and flaming me!!! <~not really the second one… hopefully…

And I just want to thank everyone who has been reviewing. It is really nice to know that some people out there actually like what goes on in my twisted head… but they are really encouraging to know that people like this story… Especially with the amount of flames I've had… [note: only story to have flames. ::sniff::]

Yes, and I'm almost positive the title confuses the hell out of you. Shut up. I lost creativity there for a few… ::ahem::hours::ahem::

~*~

Do You Love Me?

Gathering

[part one]

By: bs~

As Souta trugded up the steps to the shrine, he sighed. How long ago was it that Kagome had sealed the well? Too bloody long if you asked him. But nobody had.

Shaking his head as he passed the `hidden' well house, Souta scuffled towards the house, and slid open to door. Only to look up from the black business suit in front of him to the owner's face, which included a pair of cat-like ears, white long hair with bangs, and… golden eyes.

"I-Inuyasha!" Souta squeaked before throwing his arms around Inuyasha's waist and squeezed. The hanyou half grinned, half grimaced. That kid was stronger than Inuyasha had given him credit for…

"H-heeeeeyy Souta." Inuyasha gritted through his teeth. Man that kid had a grip… "I have a question for you." Souta let go of the obviously in pain man and looked at him.

"What kind of question?"

Inuyasha mentally cringed. This was going to be a hard thing. Souta was being stubborn. Damn it! Damn those childish instincts to bash him on the head, and to bully him until he spit it out!

"Well…" Inuyasha began through gritted teeth. "I need to know if Kagome's here."

"What?" Souta asked. His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned. "Kagome hasn't been home for two days already. We thought you guys made up and went back," and he pointed to the old well house, "to your time Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head. "Well…" he began chuckling nervously, "she's…"

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!" Souta screamed rather suddenly, causing Inuyasha to clamp down on his ears. "INUYASHA'S HEREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! AND HE LOST KAGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! !!"

Gasping, Inuyasha quickly clamped down onto the boy's mouth like a vise. Souta struggled against his hold, yelling muffled screams. But it was too late.

Soon enough, a clattering sound filled Inuyasha's ears. "Oh no… anyone else but him…" Inuyasha moaned as the door slid open to reveal…

Grandpa. With hand made seals bunched up all in his hand.

But… that wasn't the worst part. As old man Higurashi caught his breath, he began yelling chants and throwing the seals in his hand all over the place. Most of them hit Inuyasha, while Souta got pelted with a few and the room was covered in white.

"Eh… Grandpa…" Souta muttered, "this wasn't what I called you for…"

The old man stopped tossing paper sutras with great abandon to look at his grandson. "Eh… Souta? Then what was it?"

Souta smiled in a rather crooked way, his eye twitching before he answered. "I thought there was a bug."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…what?" Souta looked at Inuyasha as the old man scuffled out of the room, muttering about toughening up Souta.

"That… has got to be the lamest excuse I have ever heard of." Inuyasha snorted. "A bug? A stinkin' bug? Man, that's just WIMPY."

Souta scowled. "So… what would have been a good excuse then?"

Inuyasha grabbed the boy and scooted him closer. Kneeling on one knee, he started to talk animatedly about his idea. "See… I would've used something like… there was a great big cat youkai with brown spots on tan fur who is overly huge…"

Souta looked at his so called superhero. "…you're describing Buyo…"

Inuyasha looked blankly at him. "…so?"

"Never mind! What's this about Kagome being gone?" Souta rushed. Inuyasha immediately snapped back up, but winced at the sudden sound of a loud `crack' that filled the room.

"…ow…"

"What's wrong with Kagome?" Souta repeated, impatient at his role model's lethargic movements. Inuyasha, who was still wincing, nodded before opening his mouth.

"…it still hurts… ow…"

"Inu-onii-chan!!" Souta whined.

Inuyasha held his hands up, as if to calm down the kid, and mouthed the word `ow' once more, much to Souta's annoyance, before actually speaking. "Well, see, Kagome… sorta sealed the well right?"

Souta nodded.

"And… I'm not the Inuyasha you think I am. Or was. Or yeah." Souta looked blankly at Inuyasha, who was scratching his head and smiling funny. "See… I'm from the future."

"…"

"I am!"

"…so am I." Souta said, now watching Inuyasha with a strange look in his eye.

"Ugh. Not like that! The past Inuyasha is still back in Sengoku Jidai, back where the well would have taken me now if it wasn't sealed!"

"Oh. And…?"

Inuyasha groaned and sat down, in the typical `Inuyasha stance'...

Souta sighed and leaned against the wall.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

Souta yawned.

Inuyasha glared.

Souta stared.

Grandpa ran into the room.

Souta jumped away from the wall, clutching his chest.

Inuyasha scowled and stood up slowly.

While Inyasha was standing up, Grandpa lunged forward with a handful of sutra wards. [that's what I call them, so be quiet!]

Souta groaned and closed his eyes.

Inuyasha smirked.

Grandpa yelled chants.

Inuyasha lept and sat onto the beam of the roof…

Grandpa kept running.

Souta peeked throug his hands to watch what happened.

Inuyasha turned around in his impromptu seat to finish watching.

Grandpa kept running…

…straight into the wall…

^.~

"Souta Higurashi! You know better than to let your grandfather run amuck like that!"

"But…"

"No buts young man! Your grandfather is lying in a hospital bed right now and you could have prevented that!"

"Hey…um… it wasn't his fault." Inuyasha butted in, half muttering and hoping that she wouldn't turn on him. Women were scary sometimes… mothers especially…

"Oh Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi turned and smiled pleasantly at him. When Souta saw this opportunity, he started to slink away from his mom and headed towards the door. When he had made his way all the way to his destination and his hand about to turn the doorknob…

"SOUTA HIGURASHI! GET BACK HERE THIS MINUTE!"

Souta turned, an innocent expression on his face. "Yes mom…?"

"I want you to stay with Inuyasha. Your grandfather needs to have some business taken care of for him at home and I don't want you in the way alright?" Mrs. Higurashi looked at Inuyasha with an expectant smile on her face. "I'm sorry to just put this in your face dear, but… it would be better if Souta stayed with you for awhile."

Inuyasha didn't know how to respond to this. Kagome's mom obviously wouldn't just do this unless it was important… but…

Kagome had been kidnapped by Hiten!

And he couldn't let Souta get dragged into such a dangerous situation!

But… what would he tell Mrs. Higurashi?

He couldn't watch her son because he had to go and rescue her daughter, who had just recently been kidnapped by a demon he thought he killed.

Yeah.

That would work. "Um… Mrs. Higurashi?" Inuyasha grunted, snapping himself out of his daze to look around and see… Souta standing before him, waving his hand.

"About time. My mom left five minutes ago. So where are we going?"

Inuyasha groaned. "Listen squirt… you can't come with me."

"Why not?!"

"Because… there's a big bad youkai out there that wants to eat you and I can't kill it if you're there to distract me now can I?" This made for an effective lie. Especially at the speed Inuyasha said it.

Inuyasha had grabbed the kid, shoved him roughly through the door, shut the door, and ran off towards the well house in the time it took Souta to realize exactly what Inuyasha had just said.

"HEY! That's not true!"

…too bad for Souta that Inuyasha couldn't care less…

^.~ sEngoKU jIDai ::kAGoME::

"LET ME GO! YOU STUPID IDIOT! LET ME GOOOO!!!!" Kagome screeched as she pounded away at Hiten's back.

"Will you shut up already?" Hiten snarled as he continued to sail through the air. Kagome shrieked even louder as the winds began to blow, making it seem like she was screaming a silent scream.

"NO! NOT UNTIL YOU LET ME GOOOOO!!!!" Kagome shrieked. Hiten sighed and did as she had said.

About fifty feet above land.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAA~" Kagome screamed as she plunged towards the ground, falling to her death.

Hiten grinned, counted til three and then leapt downwards, edging himself on while grinning.

As he came into the sight range of Kagome, she shrieked and reached out, clinging to him. Hiten smirked and grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled her back towards him roughly.

"NOW will you be quiet?" Hiten growled as he flew on to his destination.

Kagome stiffened, as if to let him know she was not giving up just yet. Hiten just smiled.

^.~ SeNGOku JidAI ::SaNGo::

Hebi sat there, staring into space. Sango sat on the opposite side of the campfire, watching her warily.

There was tension.

"We should have followed him." Hebi sighed. "This is just getting way out of hand…"

Sango replied by biting her lip. "Hey… are you okay?"

Sango just ignored her. "Listen… it's not your fault okay? It isn't. Running away is perfec - "

"I DIDN'T run away." Sango gritted out. Hebi knew at once the subject was rather sensitive to Sango and decided to just go along.

"It's a good thing we found you, otherwise you would have kept running. It's not good for you, with the baby and all." Hebi added in anyway, kneeling towards the fire to prod it with a stick to keep it alive.

The awkward silence filled the air with tension. The girls' attentions turned to a rustling bush, where they slowly reached for their weapons…

…as out of the bush…

…popped Sesshoumaru…

…with Rin clutching his hand…

They sighed in relief and relaxed. And immediately stiffened again as a worn Miroku burst out through the trees.

"Damn… you… gotta… stop… that… S-sango…" he panted as he leaned onto the ground, gasping for breathe.

"Catch your breath before speaking monk." Sesshoumaru growled as he knelt down, examining Rin for injuries. Satisfied, he stood up and grabbed Rin, stalking over only to put her down, right next to Sango.

"Wha - "

"Miroku, you and I shall go and look for my incompetent little brother."

"Okay." Miroku replied hesitating, shooting Sango a worried look before leaving quickly with the stoic youkai lord.

"My… that was quick. Shall we all rest now?" Hebi smiled. "We'll get back to that other issue tomorrow. I'm SURE Hiten didn't do anything…"

As Sango nodded, reassured by Hebi's words, she laid Rin next to her and soon both their breathing slowed down and they fell asleep.

"I hope he didn't do anything…" Hebi muttered as she scanned the sky.

^.~ pReSenT dAY ::InUyASha::

Inuyasha muttered a curse under his breath as he began to edge closer to the well house, anguish clear on his face.

…when had that old man start to make such strong wards…?

"It was me."

"DON'T DO THAT!" Inuyasha hissed after snapping around and narrowing his eyes, raising his hand to attack.

Souta looked at Inuyasha, apparently amused. "Listen, you take me with you or I'll tell mom that you lost Kagome."

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah. Sure…"

"I'm serious. Wanna see?" Souta flashed a grin that was disturbingly similar to Inuyasha's and turned, cupping his hands around his mouth as he took a deep breath and yelled out… "…"

Inuyasha had gotten behind Souta in the nick of time and snapped his jaw shut, practically gluing his claws into the kid's neck. "Mpmh!" was the sound of protest.

"I'll let you go if you shut up and LISTEN for once okay?" Inuyasha hissed into his ear. Souta shook his head slightly, since Inuyasha still had his claws dug into his neck…

"Okay, now LISTEN."

"Okay."

"I really am from this time. You see, when Kagome sealed off the well, I didn't have any other way to get through the well… so I stayed there. And Kagome… she sealed it off just for that reason I suppose…"

"But…"

"Don't interrupt me right now. Let me finish first. After that… I got really distressed. Okay… I can admit that now… five hundred years ago… I could have been drunk and I would still not admit it… I was stubborn."

"What do you mean WAS?"

"Hey! And NO more interrupting!"

"Sorry…"

"Alright… anyway… I just wandered for awhile… then the world started changing… more and more Europeans, yes I DO know who they are," Inuyasha snapped as Souta gave him a disbelieving look, "and it changed everything. In a snap, five hundred years had passed and Sesshoumaru and I are the bosses of Taiyoukai Corps."

"…t-taiyoukai… c-corps…?" Souta muttered.

"Yeah." Inuyasha replied casually, noting the astoundment on the boy's face.

"That. IS LIKE THE COOLEST BUSINESS COMPANY!!!" Souta screeched.

"…you know of it?" Inuyasha knew that his company was a hit, but he didn't think that Souta knew much about it… since Kagome had been really shocked about it… then again… did Kagome know the name of the company he was the C.E.O. of?

Probably not. She was still that naïve…

" - and it has the BEST advertisements! You're in them Inuyasha!" Souta was practically sqeauling like a crazed fan girl… it slightly disturbed Inuyasha.

"Yeah. So now, when I was talking to Kagome, a demon came and snatched her."

Souta sobered at the news. "..which demon?"

"Well…see the thing is I thought I killed him awhile ago… around five hundred years…"

"B-but… why now?"

"I don't know. But that's why I came back…" Inuyasha sighed. "But… he kidnapped her… and I don't have any idea of where else he would have taken her."

Souta stared at Inuyasha, who glared back at him. Did the kid believe him?

"That's so cool! And now you and me are going to go and rescue Kagome!"

"Yeah that's ri - wait! Where the hell do you come in this?"

Souta drew stood up straight and puffed up his chest. Inuyasha had to quench his desire to burst out laughing at the puffer fish imitation that Souta was so strongly representing.

"Well, I have to save Kagome after all. And besides, I'll tell mom."

Inuyasha snarled. Souta smirked. "Fine. Fine. When did you get to be the little tattle tale anyway?"

"Since I learned that I would get stuff."

Inuyasha mentally groaned and made a note to kill whoever taught Souta the words `blackmail'. "… welcome to the wonderful thing we adults can life. Now can you get those seals and destroy them?"

"Sure." Souta nodded and quickly went into the well house, returning seconds later with a bundle of paper scrolls in his arms.

"Now… I have to go and call Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha said.

Souta face dropped very noticeably. "What? Aren't we going to run into that well and go save Kagome now?"

Inuyasha grinned and gave Souta a pat on the head, much like as one would give to a dog. "Nope. Wait here. It's not like you can get through without me." Inuyasha called out as he started walking towards the house. Souta, who had been slinking closer to the doorway and was planning on going on without his `role model', pouted and sulked.

…who was that Sesshoumaru person anyway?

Souta grumbled. He HAD to be a better role model than Inuyasha was being right now…

^.~ PreSEnT dAy ::sESshouMAru::

A hand sliced through the tree in an instant…

:: CREAAAKKKK::

:: BOOOOM::

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE THROWING THOSE TREES SESSHOUMARU!"

"YOU ALMOST HIT ME!" [Sango]

"HE DID? HEY! STOP IT ALREADY!" [Miroku]

"SHUT UP MONK!" [Kouga]

"WHY IS HE DOING THAT ANYWAY?"

"I DON'T KNOW!!!"

Sango sighed and watched as her husband and Kouga began yelling at each other at the top of their lungs. Sesshoumaru was in the background, slicing neatly through a tree and grabbing it; tossing it behind him.

Ducking, Sango made her way towards the working youkai and got behind him. "Hey Sesshoumaru. That's enough. We need to catch up to Inuyasha now." Sesshoumaru stopped.

…For a second.

Sango sighed and continued to duck as trees flew overhead. A quick glance in Miroku's direction told her that the wolf and the monk were still at it.

Sighing, she went to pick up Rei, who was fast asleep in a makeshift bed made out of clothes.

"I'm leaving and I hope you all are happy with yourselves. I wonder what Rin would think of this." Sango said. She didn't try yelling. She didn't try to get anyone's attention.

But when those words left her mouth, all three men stopped.

Sango smiled. "The power that is shame and guilt."

^.~ pReSEnT daY ::rIN::

Rin sighed and looked out the window. It was rather boring, being locked up in the house.

Literally. Sesshoumaru had taken great measures to ensure that she stayed in the house, where he knew she would be safe. Those stupid wards of his… where did he find out how to use those?

She hadn't even known that there was such a thing until he told her!

"Ma~ Aren't you just the perfection of sad and lonely?" a airy voice behind Rin spoke. She spun around in a matter of a second, and there before her was a lady around her age, with a black dress that was rather short and had a plunging neckline, revealing more than what Rin wanted to see. Her hair was tied back with a simple red ribbon.

"Who are you?" Rin's eyes slanted. Surely one of the maids would have alerted her if there were any visitors…

"Ma~ I'm hurt! Did my dear Sesshoumaru not tell you who I was?" she mocked with a hurt expression on her face. "Well dear, I'm Yura. Sesshoumaru's fiance!"

Rin immediately snapped back at the woman. "No you aren't!"

Yura's eyes looked up and down Rin. A look of distaste spread across her face. "And what are YOU? His mistress? A whore more like it!" She sniffed in contempt. Rin thought her to be rather hypocritical about that comment. "Where is my Sesshy-poo anyway?"

Rin was shaking with anger. "I want you to get out of my house." She was surprised at how calm she sounded. "If you EVER come back, I will see to it that you are locked up."

To her surprise, Yura laughed. "Well… you see, that will be impossible for you to do."

Rin growled. Sesshoumaru was rubbing off on her… "And WHY is that?"

"Because you'll be dead."

^.~ sEnGOkU jIDaI ::INuyAsHa::

"DAMN IT!" Inuyasha yelled to the skies. He had lost the scent!

After tracking that damned Hiten for half the night, his scent had just stopped!

"GOT YOU!"

The world went black for Inuyasha.

^.~ SeNGOku JiDAi ::MiROkU::

Panting hard, the monk rolled off of the motionless body of Inuyasha. "That ::pant:: was ::pant:: easier ::pant:: than ::pant:: I ::pant:: thought." As he was about to begin another sentence, Sesshoumaru silenced him.

"Breath idiot. Then talk." Miroku nodded. Sesshoumaru knelt down next to Inuyasha and flipped him face up, and held two fingers up to Inuyasha's neck for a pulse. "You didn't have to knock him out. I highly doubt he would have gone crazy and attacked you." After a pause, Sesshoumaru added, "but maybe me," as an afterthought.

"…yeah…I would. But right now, that monk is number one on my list." Inuyasha growled, sitting up and rubbing his head. Sesshoumaru stood up. Miroku blanched.

"WAIT! HE TOLD ME TO! INUYASHA! Think about it! He told me to! I WASN'T - GOOD LORD! GET AWAY FROM MEEEEEE!!! BUDDHA HELP MEEEEE!!!" [I'm not sure if Miroku is a Shinto or Buddhist priest. -.-; Let's go with the flow people…]

Sesshoumaru grinned and ran ahead of Inuyasha, catching up quickly to Miroku, who was looking frantically at Sesshoumaru. "HELP ME! DON'T JUST SMIRK!"

"Follow me. We have done what we needed. Besides, what's a faster way to get to our destination than by running?"

"SESSHOUMARUUUU!!!"

But Miroku did it anyway. He'd rather run than become Monk a la mode.

^.~ PrESenT Day ::SEsShOuMAru::

Sesshoumaru growled at Miroku and Kouga, who were giving each other evil looks, and Sango sighed and flicked Sesshoumaru.

"Don't touch me."

"Then WALK AND DON'T STOP TO FREAKIN' GLARE!" Sango snapped back.

Being surrounded by so much testosterone was starting to affect her nerves.

"I think we should go to get Rin and then get to Inuyasha." Miroku reasoned after his wife had given them all and stony look.

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"Hurry up then!"

Sesshoumaru, upon hearing of their destination, began to snap at the other two men to hurry.

Sango grinned. FINALLY!

And after they got Rin… she could take care of Sesshoumaru and Sango would have FINALLY have someone else whose estrogen level was higher than their testosterone level!!!

[note: estrogen is the thing (can't remember scientific term) most woman have a high level of. it's what regulates periods and when our ovaries release their eggs. Testosterone is the thing that guys have. It give them hair. That's all I know. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW??? <~okay. That was just a result of me not paying attention and flicking eraser bits at my guy friend sitting next to me. It was much more fun!]

[…oh. and I hope anyone reading this is not confused by the scientific material I used. Oh wait - anyone reading this story is hard to confuse. Because you've obviously come a long way… ::sigh:: Stupid me and my randomness. I'm happy SOME people appreciate this.]

^.~ PresEnT DaY ::iNUyAsHa::

"Pick up you idiot!" Inuyasha muttered as he paced back and forth in front of the house, a cell phone in his hand, and a headset… on his head.

He had had one specially made for him… because of his… as his workers called it… his `genetic mutation'…

He had to remember to, yet again, thank Sesshoumaru for that.

"PICK UP DAMN IT!" Inuyasha yelled into his little microphone.

"…I'm guessing this Sesshoumaru guy isn't picking up is he?" Souta piped up from behind him.

"Get. Back. To. The. Well house." Inuyasha turned, and Souta swore he saw the dark aura flashing around the raging man… before scampering back to the well house.

"DAMN YOU SESSHOUMARU!" Inuyasha shouted once more into his headset before snatching it off of his head and tossed it onto the ground.

^.~ pReSEnT DAy ::SesSHouMAru::

"Um… aren't you going to pick that up?" Sango asked as they sat in the car with nothing but the phone ringing to fill the silence.

"It's Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru answered, as if that explained it.

Apparently, it did. Sango fell silent as she continued to rock Rei, who was cooing contentedly in her arms. Sango felt a pair of eyes on her and looked up as she let Rei continue to grasp her finger.

Sesshoumaru was watching her with an expression that pulled at her heartstrings. "I'm sure Rin will be good as a mother as I am." Sango uttered, blushing slightly.

She was certainly not used to the piercing stare that Sesshoumaru was giving her. "She lost the child."

The suddenness of the news made something worry flash across her eyes. "What happened Sesshoumaru? When? Where? And WHY?" Sango asked in a hush.

Sesshoumaru finally pulled his eyes away from Sango and regained his cold composure. "There was an accident at the hospital." Sesshoumaru ignored the gasp that Sango gave and the staring of Kouga and Miroku. "She miscarried the child."

"B-but… why?" Sango's voice had dropped down, up to the point where she was practically whispering.

"The doctor ran tests. He told me that it would be dangerous, if not fatal, for Rin to carry a child. Even if it were safe for her, it's too risky." Sesshoumaru said, avoiding eye contact. Then, in a hushed voice, he added, "It was because of the ceremony."

"No…" Sango uttered her eyes widened. Rei, sensing her mother's distress, began to wail. Sango snapped her attention back to her baby and began to rock her, calming her down.

It gave for a good distraction from the morbid news that Sesshoumaru had just given them. Kouga and Miroku exchanged worried glances as they watched Sesshoumaru out of the corners of their eyes, while trying to appear as if they were watching Sango.

"It will be difficult for Rin to conceive and tests must be run if she is ever to be with child to see if there is any danger for her to carry the child." Sesshoumaru added as Rei quieted down.

Sango went on rocking Rei, and Sesshoumaru was about to doubt that she had heard him when she spoke. What she said made his eyes widen and his body freeze up. "Don't blame yourself Sesshoumaru. Just… don't. Rin will still love you, you do know that right?"

The other males in the car found this topic to be rather uncomfortable and pretending to gaze out of the window. "She told me that. She even told me that she thought I would not care for her anymore after learning of this."

"What did you say?"

"I don't care."

Sango smiled at this and a tear leaked down her cheek. Sesshoumaru's instinct kicked in, courtesy of his father, who was also a sap for a woman in distress. "Why are you crying?" He was more controlled than his brother or father in situations like these though.

But still… they made him feel guilty, even if he wasn't the one to cause her to cry. However, he did in this case.

"…b-because it's so romantic…" Sango blubbered as she began to cry. Miroku, alarmed, rose in his seat, only to hit the car roof and seat himself next to Sango. [it's a limo ^_^]

"Want me to take Rei?" Miroku offered. He, for one, knew that sometimes women just needed a good cry.

It kept them from being destructive towards the opposite gender… For a while anyway.

"Miroku…" Sango spoke after awhile of a good sobbing. The tears had made Sesshoumaru a bit antsy though.

Kouga was shifting uncomfortably in his seat too.

"Yes Sango?" Miroku turned to her, grinning from ear to ear.

"Would you still love me if you found out I couldn't have any more children either?" Sango asked sweetly, gazing into Miroku's eyes.

Miroku paused in his answer.

Big mistake.

Sango suddenly turned from her sappy self into a scowling mass of dark, dark aura. "Sango, my answer is yes." Miroku, who didn't notice Sango's sudden mood swing, announced and looked at his wife. He smiled cheerily.

"…" Sango gave him a glare.

"What's wrong?" he asked with a confused mask on his face.

"…" Sango decided on not replying and staring out the window, jaw jutted out.

"…" Kouga rolled his eyes, a bit embarrassed for the monk.

"…" Sesshoumaru was just relieve that Sango wasn't crying anymore. This situation proved to be entertaining. But he felt a bit sympathetic for the monk. But just a little.

The awkward silence in the car was filled with doubts, worries, and pity.

Sesshoumaru and Kouga could see the reason that Sango was upset at Miroku.

Too bad the monk himself couldn't.

^.~ PreSEnT DaY ::iNUyAshA::

Souta sat there, picking small stones and flicking them at the birds pecking at the dirt ground.

And then the sun over him went dark. Souta turned and looked up, seeing Inuyasha.

Smiling, he hopped up and grinned. "So now we get to go!"

"Go inside." Inuyasha said. The monotonous tone of his voice made Souta frown. What was wrong?

"Let me repeat. Go inside or I'll make sure you won't ever be able to properly use those lungs again."

Before Souta could even think about what Inuyasha could possibly do to make him not scream so loud anymore, Souta was in his room.

"Stay in here. Don't leave."

Souta nodded. But as Inuyasha headed towards the window, he couldn't help but ask. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find that bastard of a half-brother of mine."

Souta blinked. "Well… as long as you get back in time for us to go save Kagome!"

Inuyasha mentally groaned. "Yeah, yeah." He'd just go without the kid.

"I'm putting the seals back on, just in case. I'm not that stupid."

"Damn whoever taught you things like that." Inuyasha sulked.

"My teachers."

"Damn teachers and damn education. Why can't everyone just be stupid and ignorant and be godsdamned HAPPY for once?" Inuyasha snarled before leaping away.

Souta grinned. And headed back for the well house to re-seal the wards.

^.~ sENgoKU JidAI ::sUMi::

"This is boring!"

"…"

"I'm hungry!"

"…"

"Are you listening to me?"

"…"

"HEY!"

"…WHAT?" the man turned and snapped. He glared at Sumi, who put a smile on her face.

"I'm tired!"

::THUNK::

"OWWWW!"

"Serves you RIGHT!" The man grunted.

"Why'd you drop me?" Sumi whined. The man rolled his eyes before kneeling down in front of the whimpering girl.

"Because YOU are complaining to be tired and I'm CARRYING you! You're whining is driving me insane!'

"Oh." Sumi said softly, her mouth forming a perfect little `o'.

"Yeah `oh'" he mimicked. "Anyway, your foot still hurt?" he reached down to examine it, but she slapped his hand. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I can walk now, thankyouverymuch." She sniffed and stood up and started walking in the direction he was headed for before they stopped.

The man dropped his jaw as she strode onward. After a few more steps, she looked back at him and sighed. "Are you coming or not?"

"Y-your ankle was strained. It couldn't have healed THAT quick!" The man exclaimed as he caught up to her.

"Then you probably guess wrong then."

The man was still in a daze as they continued walking. After about an hour at a steady pace, Sumi spoke. "Yo. What's your name? I never found it out."

"I never told you." the man replied back, "but if you really want to know, it's Hatori."

"Mmm… Hatori. Nice name."

"What's yours?"

"What's mine?" Sumi asked. "These babies of course!" She grinned wickedly as she stuck her chest out and gestured. Hatori sighed.

"Name."

"Ah." She shook her head, still grinning. "It's Sumi."

"Hm…funny name."

"Oh shut it!" she snapped, but she laughed along with him. Night soon began to fall and they found a cave to rest in peacefully and away from any danger.

Well, it was peaceful until Naraku found them.

~*~

::sigh:: So much for that really long chapter…

but it's the longest I've done… so… gotta have credit for that.

Well… I'm sorry for the lack of updates. ::sigh:: But this story, if I have it planned out right, will not last for much more than twenty chapters.

so three more to go.

^_^ I'm pretty sure I'm right this time… I hope.

it's taking too long to finish! But as a treat, I posted up this one-shot called Promise and the first chapter of a comedic relief.

Parody of Aladdin. Wait - better way to describe it. How Aladdin would be if I was directing it and Inuyasha characters were the cast members. It's like a video documentary of the filming of it. no edits~ ^_^

Pure chaotic hell in other words -.-

Oh and in case anyone was wondering [which I highly doubt…]

I named the dude after Hatori Sohma from Fruits Basket! I LOVE that show! So tight!