Notes: The beginning of this chapter starts off slow, but things will get funnier. I'm mostly trying to set the scene and get a feel for things. I also thank everyone for their lovely reviews, your encouragement means a lot to me.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha "Sengoku o-Togi Zoushi" and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

The First Incident or Why Sango May Be In Need of Counseling

Higurashi Kagome, the raven-haired reincarnation of the late miko Kikyou and a great miko in her own right was disappointed. For it was she who had insisted that they stop in this particular village to help free the hapless villagers from the grasp of the "terrible, horrible" youkai that she had tale of.

It was only after her arrival and a few hours of flushing the so-called "monstrous" youkai out with Sango, Kirara and Shippou, (Miroku had been strangely absent and due to his keen sense of smell, Inuyasha was sick as a…well…dog) that they discovered the truth.

And what a demeaning truth it was. Luckily the villagers were a grateful bunch and were happy to provide Sango, Kagome, Shippou (and after screaming in terror at) Inuyasha with a room set with a feast fit for an army.

"Who would have thought a little rabbit youkai would have caused so much trouble?" Kagome inquired from her position beside Sango.

"It may have been small," Shippou replied shuddering. "But its teeth were enormous! Did you see the way it tore through that temple?"

A muffled "Feh" caused everyone to turn and look downward where Inuyasha lay, looking annoyed and cocky. No different then he usually did, save for the redness of his nose.

"That's because you took too damn long to deal with it." Inuyasha reproached. "It would've been dead in seconds if I had been there."

"Oh really." Kagome began hotly, glaring at the hanyou. "Well you weren't there, so you shouldn't be talking."

Shippou rolled his eyes. "Inuyasha must be feeling better if he can lose an argument to Kagome."

"Whaduya mean lose?" Inuyasha growled. "Why don't you come over here and say that?" He shifted positions and proceeded to stand. "Or better yet," Inuyasha smiled evilly, "Why don't I come over there!"

Inuyasha lunged, causing Shippou to jump and run behind Kagome. The miko was far from impressed.

"Inuyasha, leave Shippou alone!" She spoke irately. Little did she know that the-far-from-innocent kitsune was making faces behind her back.

Inuyasha's froze. "Me? The brat's practically asking for it!" He argued, affronted.

Frowning slightly, Kagome glanced behind her, where Shippou was doing his best "I'm just a kawaii, loveable little youkai" impression. And unfortunately for Inuyasha, it succeeded.

Kagome turned back to face him, disbelief written clearly on her face. Meanwhile, Shippou smiled smugly, before he pulled down an eyelid and stuck out his tongue.

"You little-" Inuyasha lunged forward, neither knowing nor expecting (though you would think after all this time he would), IT.

"Osuwari!" Kagome shouted.

With that one little word, Inuyasha stopped moving and quickly and painfully, slammed down upon the hard, wooden floor. For the second time in one day, Inuyasha had ended up on his face. And what a difference wood chips made.

Kagome sighed wearily, then gazed at Sango, who had been oddly silent throughout the scene. Her Hiraikotsu positioned behind her and Kirara sitting contently on her lap, the taijiya looked unusually distracted.

"Sango-chan, is something wrong?" Kagome asked worriedly.

Sango looked up at her and frowned. "Houshi-sama has been gone for quite some time, hasn't he Kagome-sama?" She spoke carefully.

Suddenly uncomfortable, Kagome nodded slowly. "Yes…"

"He's probably still with that girl he was walking with earlier." Shippou added helpfully. Though his expression became considerably nervous when not only Kagome, but also Sango fixed him with suspicious looks.

"Houshi-sama was with…a girl?" Sango queried slowly.

Shippou nodded. "Much earlier. I saw him walking with her out of the village. She was very pretty…do you think that he asked her to bear his child?"

That was most likely the worst thing the kitsune could have said. But luckily (or perhaps most unluckily) the thin door slid open and revealed none other than…a slightly disheveled Miroku.

~*~

The handsome (and now doubly cursed) houshi had spent what he judged to be enough time brooding over his newest curse and returned to the village. It was no less quiet than when he had left it, but Miroku judged the sounds of revelry and glee to be the work of sake, rather than fear.

He had been able to find at least one man who wasn't completely dead of drink and managed to obtain the location of his fellow Shikon fragment hunters and Naraku haters alike. Upon his entry, he noticed Inuyasha and the floor getting better acquainted, Shippou looking in fear of his life and the exquisite Kagome and lovely Sango giving him the most familiar of looks…

Shaking himself of that…disturbing thought, Miroku gave his most charming smile.

"I see that you have started-and finished-without me." He spoke smoothly.

"Oi Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted irately (and slightly muffled). "Where the hell were you?"

"My apologies." Miroku responded sincerely. "I would have returned sooner had I not been…delayed."

"Delayed, huh?" Inuyasha snorted. "So who was she?"

Both Kagome and Sango's dark looks became frosty.

"She?" Miroku repeated innocently.

Inuyasha sat up warily and glared at him. "Yeah she. I can smell her all over you bouzu."

He had been caught. The very idea didn't sit well with Miroku. If not for his cunning and quick thinking, he might have been in trouble.

"Ah yes, she." Miroku waved a hand dismissively. "Merely another of Naraku's pawns that attempted to seduce and murder me." He sighed dramatically. "It's always the beautiful ones."

With that said, Miroku seated himself beside Sango and gazed at the feast before him intently. After his confusing (and disappointing) ordeal, he had developed an appetite. And yet… something was still amiss.

Miroku spared the sparsest of glimpses beside him and found what he had suspected. Kagome and Sango were still staring at him. He looked at Shippou curiously, and the kitsune shrugged.

"They're probably mad at you because you went with that girl rather than staying and helping us destroy the youkai."

"Which, given the outcome of your decision, wasn't the wisest thing to do houshi-sama." Sango murmured.

Miroku smiled and drew closer to her. "Knowing how important my well-being is to you moves me Sango-sama. Perhaps we could continue-"

Famous last words. Seconds later, the strangest of things happened. And though Sango would mentally swear that she had reached for her Hiraikotsu to give Miroku the knock on the head he so greatly deserved, what happened next was far from what anyone expected.

Sango had inexplicably moved forward and wrapped an arm tightly around the surprised Miroku. What she did next caused Kagome, Shippou and even Inuyasha to gasp in shock. It was these gasps that seemed to "awaken" Sango. She drew away from Miroku with rapid speed, her face glowing a brilliant red.

"Are you all right Sango-chan?" Asked Kagome when she found her voice once again.

Sango nodded ever so slowly. "Please forgive me houshi-sama. I don't know what came over me."

When Miroku didn't respond, Sango became even more flustered and Kagome and Shippou tried to get his attention.

"Miroku-sama?"

"Miroku?"

Still nothing. But little did everyone know the true reason for Miroku's silence. It wasn't embarrassment or horror he felt…it was amazement. The lovely, demure Sango had just touched…his rear.

So this is what the Lady Sakura meant…how very interesting…

Miroku gave a light laugh, hoping to ease the apparent discomfort around him. Meanwhile, Kagome was trying to comfort Sango, with Shippou doing his best to help her and Inuyasha was glaring at Miroku suspiciously. If only he knew…

~*~

In our next chapter, "The Second Incident or Does Miroku Have a Death Wish and Is Kagome a Hentai?"