InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The 500 Year Engagement ❯ The 500 Year Engagement - Going Shopping and a Day at the Beach ( Chapter 18 )

The 500-Year Engagement

Going Shopping and a Day at the Beach

By Majicman55

 

Disclaimer: The characters from “InuYasha” are not mine; they are the intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not benefit financially from these writings. I just like to play with the characters.

 

 

Kagome and Sango walked into the mall. Mama had finally come home and, despite Miroku's vociferous entreaties to the contrary, the girls had pleaded modesty and gone swimsuit shopping without him.

 

It only took a few minutes to find a store with the latest swimwear. In fact, the store was having a fashion show when they walked in.

 

Sango observed the men hanging around the stage and snorted. “Houshi-sama would have loved this.” As the girls walked towards the stage, the taijiya was finally able to see past the men and get a good look at one of the models. “Girls wear that in public?”

 

“And a lot worse.” Kagome couldn't help giggling at the horrified expression on her friend's face. “Don't worry. All the young girls will be wearing that type of thing on the beach. You'll blend right in.”

 

“Gulp.”

 

“Come on. Let's try some on!”

 

“O-Okay, but you pick them out.”

 

Feeling a little devilish and spurred on by the resurgence of the taijiya's prudishness, Kagome picked out a couple of the skimpier suits from a rack marked “AS FEATURED IN TODAY'S SHOW.” Before Sango had a chance to protest, Kagome grabbed her arm and dragged her into the dressing room area.

 

“I'm used to these so I'll go first.” The miko shoved one suit into Sango's hand while she retained the other. “When I'm done, I'll help you get into yours.”

 

The taijiya stared at the tiny suit in her hand. “Is this all of it?”

 

The miko giggled again and retreated into the dressing room, closing the door behind her.

 

A long moment passed as Sango waited nervously.

 

“Oh, there you are!”

 

The taijiya turned to face the voice. It belonged to an older woman (Sango guessed she was in her 30's) who still had a reasonable good figure, but wore entirely too much make up. “Excuse me?”

 

“Let's get you into that suit!”

 

Was this some sort of store service? Kagome hadn't mentioned anything about this, but Sango, being nervous, decided that she should go along with it rather than risking being rude. “Okay.”

 

The woman led Sango over behind a folding screen, where other girls were hurriedly changing out of one suit and into another. “Take off your clothes!”

 

“H-Hai.”

 

The woman stood in front of the girl, examining the suit Sango had handed her. “Why did you get this one? You have a great figure, but you're big-chested and this particular suit doesn't provide much support in that area.”

 

The taijiya finished unbuttoning her top. She pointed to the door where Kagome was. “My friend picked it out. She's changing in that little room.”

 

“What's she doing over…?”

 

The woman's curiosity about the other girl was instantly forgotten when Sango took off her blouse.

 

“Impossible.”

 

The girls who were changing stopped and stared, most with scowls on their faces.

 

The older woman was examining Sango closely. The taijiya almost slapped her when she grabbed one of her breasts, lifted it and started looking underneath. “Where are the scars?”

 

At first Sango wondered how the woman could know about the scars Kagome had removed from her body, but then remembered that she had never had any scars there. “What scars?”

 

“Didn't you have a boob job? Nobody looks this good without a boob job! And who's your surgeon, anyway? I can't even find a scar!”

 

Sango didn't know what a boob job was, but she didn't like standing there, uncovered. “The suit?”

 

“Oh, yes, of course.” The woman helped Sango get the top on. “No, I guess you don't need support.” She then handed Sango the bottom half of the suit…of which there wasn't much…and waited for her to put it on.

 

It left the red-faced taijiya showing a lot of “cheek.”

 

Sango just wanted to find a quiet place where she could wait for Kagome. “Where should I go now?”

 

Just at that moment, another woman poked her head into the changing area. “Quick! Where's the next model?”

 

“Just follow that woman.”

 

 

******************

 

 

Kagome emerged from the dressing room wearing a two-piece suit only slightly more conservative than Sango's. Where was the taijiya? She wasn't at the door anymore. And who was the woman staring at her from the models' changing area?

 

Kagome thought she might know something. She walked up to the woman. “Excuse me, but have you seen my friend?” The miko described what Sango was wearing.

 

Just as the woman opened her mouth to answer, Sango's voice resounded from outside the dressing room area. “Hentai!” This was followed by a couple of dull thuds.

 

Both Kagome and the woman rushed over to the curtain and peered through. The taijiya was getting ready to nail her third victim. Oddly enough, the rest of the men seemed to take little or no notice and remained engrossed in taking photos.

 

The older woman sneered. “So your friend is one of those models who uses drugs to keep her figure.”

 

Kagome protested, “But she's not…”

 

“She most certainly is! How do you explain that?”

 

They both watched as the taijiya decked the third man.

 

“He grabbed her ankle!”

 

“I don't care if he grabbed her boob! You don't do that!” The woman took a close look at Kagome. “You're obviously a model, too. Now go out there and settle your friend down!”

 

Kagome was unceremoniously shoved through the curtains and onto the stage. For a moment she watched the enraged taijiya fending off groping hands. “At least she's got an excuse for wailing on them.” Finally, she rushed up to her friend. “Easy, Sango! This is all a misunderstanding!”

 

“Kagome!” The taijiya half-hid behind the miko. “I thought Miroku was bad!”

 

Kagome turned around to face her friend, which faced her away from the crowd of men. She spoke calmly. “They think you're a model, Sango. You shouldn't be hitting them for…”

 

“Hey! Look at the ass on that one!”

 

“What legs!”

 

“What a babe!”

 

Kagome felt a hand grab her ankle. When she turned, she reflexively accepted a piece of folded paper. Opening it, she found ¥50,000 and a phone number written on it. “Eep!”

 

“Yeah, I got those too.” Sango handed Kagome slips of paper that had phone numbers and amounts of money written on them. One of them had ¥100,000 written on it. “What do they mean?” The taijiya got a little nervous when she noticed red flecks in her friend's eyes.

 

“It means they're pigs, and we're both going to wail on them!” Kagome turned around…slowwwly.

 

Outside the store, passers-by stopped and wondered why a series of bright, purple flashes were coming from the store. This was followed by a hurried exodus of confused men clutching digital cameras.

 

Inside the store, Kagome and Sango retrieved their clothing and slipped it on over the bathing suits. On the way out, Kagome stopped at the register, where she presented the tags from the suits along with her credit card. “We'll take `em.”

 

The clerk, whose hair was standing up from residual static electricity in the air, waved the two girls along with a shaky, “on the house.”

 

Sango gave the clerk a half bow. “Arigatou.”

 

Kagome grabbed the taijiya's arm and yanked. “Come on!”

 

 

******************

 

 

The girls made one more stop - oddly enough at the sporting goods store where Kagome had purchased Sango's boomerangs - and purchased bathing suits for Miroku and InuYasha.

 

“What's a `Speedo,' Kagome?”

 

“You'll see.”

 

 

******************

 

 

Friday had finally come and, despite all Miroku's pleas, Sango hadn't modeled her new bathing suit for him. She had shown him the suit, but hadn't modeled it.

 

And speaking of pleadings, Kagome had not told Yuka, Eri and Ayumi anything, despite Yuka's constant prying…although the miko did let it drop that she was spending a “romantic weekend” at the beach with her boyfriend and another couple.

 

“Does this mean you're engaged,” asked Ayumi, who for once could not restrain her curiosity.

 

“Maybe,” Kagome had said, disappointing all three girls…yet when Yuka and Eri had turned away, she had graced Ayumi with a conspiratorial wink and smile.

 

Now Kagome and Sango stood by while Miroku put their bags in the trunk and InuYasha strapped Sango's Hiraikotsu to the roof of their car. “Keh. Why do you have to bring this thing?”

 

“I guess I just feel naked without it.”

 

The miko smiled. “If you want to see her feeling naked, wait till she puts on her swimsuit.”

 

“Kagome!”

 

“I wouldn't know,” pouted Miroku. “She wouldn't model it for me.

 

Everyone got into the car. “Oh, that reminds me,” said Kagome. She got a shopping bag out and pulled out an item which she tossed to Miroku. “We got this for you.”

 

The monk turned the small piece of blue cloth this way and that. “What is it?”

 

“It's your bathing suit.”

 

The monk gulped. “It's too small.”

 

“It stretches.”

 

Miroku pulled on the fabric. “I see that it does…but really.”

 

Sango smirked at him. “You don't seem to have much trouble asking me to model for you.”

 

“Uhhhhhhh.”

 

“I think she's got you there, bouzu.”

 

Kagome got one more of the suits out of the shopping bag. “The red one's for you, InuYasha.”

 

“Feh!”

 

 

******************

 

 

Ninety minutes later, the four travelers pulled up in front of the office for the beach resort. While Miroku and Sango waited in the car, Kagome and InuYasha went in (the hanyou being careful to use his glamour to appear as “human InuYasha),retrieved their keys and got back into the car. “We're in bungalows seven and eight.”

 

“Very good, InuYasha,” said the monk. “What's a bungalow?”

 

Before the hanyou could get frustrated, Kagome put her hand on his arm. “Just drive, InuYasha. It will be easier to show them.”

 

Kagome's tactic worked and the hanyou cooled down. It was just a short distance, anyway. A minute later, InuYasha parked the car and popped the trunk. “Oi. We're here.”

 

A minute later, everyone was out of the car and the luggage was sitting on the ground. InuYasha handed Miroku a key and pointed to the two bungalows. “That one is ours, and that one is yours.”

 

Miroku picked up his and Sango's bags and carried them to their door, where he set them down. He looked at the door, and then the key, and then the door again. Finally, he looked over to the other bungalow where the hanyou and the miko were letting themselves in. He was about to ask what he was supposed to do with the key (which didn't resemble any key he had ever seen) when he noticed the hanyou poke it against the doorknob. He placed his own key against his own doorknob, and noticed there was an irregular slot in it. The key fit into it.

 

Now what?

 

He looked over and found the hanyou staring back at him. InuYasha made a great show of demonstrating how to turn the key and the doorknob with it.

 

Miroku did the same and the door opened. He smiled at the hanyou, picked up the bags and walked in. Sango followed and closed the door behind them.

 

“What was that all about?” asked Kagome.

 

“Feh. It's a good thing we already showed `em how to use a toilet.”

 

 

******************

 

 

A short distance offshore, Kano swam near one of the buoys that had been placed to warn boaters not to venture too close to swimming areas. There was a low frequency buzz from a device that had been taped to the warning buoy.

 

“Good,” thought Kano. That meant that one of Mr. Sato's men had observed his targets checking in.

 

His stomach grumbled a little. He had resisted having a snack earlier because Mr. Sato had said that it would cause a “shark alert” and people (including his intended victims) would stay out of the water.

 

He knew that Mr. Sato and the receptionist from his office (who, for some reason, was wearing a bikini and bunny ears) were waiting in a boat, watching from a respectful distance.

 

He began a lazy patrol of the area off the beach that was directly in front of the bungalows.

 

 

******************

 

 

InuYasha and Kagome stood in front of the door to Miroku and Sango's bungalow.

 

<KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK>

 

“Y-Yes?”

 

Kagome noticed the nervousness in Sango's voice. “Is everything okay in there?” She reached for the doorknob. “Do you need help with your suit?”

 

“Everything's FINE.” That was Miroku.

 

“Nonsense. I'll be happy to…” Kagome stopped speaking when InuYasha grabbed her wrist as she started to turn the knob.

 

The hanyou smiled and tapped his nose; then pointed to the door - after which he started drawing his mate away and towards the . “Okay, you guys! We'll be on the beach!”

 

“Right!” came Miroku and Sango's voices in unison.

 

Kagome, slightly angry, stared at her mate, but calmed down when InuYasha made a circle with his thumb and forefinger and started moving his other forefinger back and forth through it. Came the dawn. “Ohh-h-h.”

 

InuYasha smiled and picked up their cooler, folding chairs and other supplies, and the two headed down to the beach.

 

 

******************

 

 

When Miroku and Sango arrived at the beach, they found a familiar sight. InuYasha and Kagome had a small fire going, over which several fish caught by the hanyou were spitted and roasting, together with a pot of water that was just then coming to a boil.

 

Kagome was getting several cups of ramen out. “Pick your flavor!” She smiled at the taijiya. “Just like old times, huh?”

 

“Oi. What took you two so long, bouzu?”

 

“Uhhh, Sango was nervous about going out in her suit.”

 

“Feh. I thought it was the sex.”

 

“InuYasha!” Kagome exclaimed in mock indignation. “How can you suggest my friend would be doing that?”

 

“Well, if she thinks keeping that towel wrapped around her lower half is going to keep me from smelling what they were up to…”

 

The poor taijiya looked like she was badly sunburned, and she had only been on the beech a few minutes.

 

The hanyou took pity on her. “Awww. Look, Sango. It's not like you can get any more pregnant.”

 

Kagome was doing her best to look indignant for her friend, but it wasn't working. “Just take a quick dip in the water, Sango. He won't be able to smell you after that.”

 

“Ri-Right.” The taijiya dropped her towel and charged off towards the water. “Be right back!”

 

Miroku watched Sango's retreating form and sighed.

 

“Oi. I can tell what you see in her.”

 

“Oh, InuYashaaa,” said Kagome in a sing-song voice.

 

“Her figure's almost as good as Kagome's.” The hanyou trotted over and sat next to his mate.

 

Kagome reached up and scratched InuYasha's ears. “Good boy.” She turned towards Miroku, who was obviously still wistfully staring at Sango's bottom. Kagome giggled. “Maybe you'd better follow her. It's not good to swim by yourself, you know.”

 

“Come to think of it, I'm not sure Sango knows how to swim.” Miroku, in his Speedo, sprang to his feet. “I'd better follow her!” The monk turned and took off after the taijiya.

 

“I think I see what Sango sees in Miroku.”

 

“Feh!”

 

 

******************

 

 

His patience had paid off!

 

Kano's sensitive sea youkai senses had detected the entry into the water of someone from the private beach in front of bungalows seven and eight…whatever bungalows were. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that his target might just be in the water.

 

He started swimming towards the beach while focusing his senses ahead of him.

 

Whoever it was…was female! And she smelled like sex. Very much like sex. For a moment, Kano debated whether he wanted to eat her or seduce her…then eat her.

 

He moved in closer. It was just beginning to be dusk, so he knew the humans' eyesight would be hampered. His was not. He transformed into his “human” form so that it would be easier to swim in place while holding his head out of the water.

 

He swam leisurely around the girl, keeping his distance so she wouldn't detect him. From what he could see of her, he tried to determine if this was Kagome.

 

“Large, firm breasts? Check.” He submerged and swam under her. Even in his “human” form, he could remain underwater for extended periods. “Great legs and ass? Check.” When he resurfaced on the other side of the girl, again far enough away that he wouldn't alert her to his presence, he found his mouth was watering.

 

He transformed back into shark form. Should I start with a breast or a leg.” Kano reminded himself that the stories said the Shikon no Tama would be lodged in her left side.

 

He began edging towards the girl. He had dismissed the idea of seducing her because it would be too dangerous to his plan, and because he had detected that the girl was already pregnant. The baby definitely had youkai characteristics.

 

He smiled at the thought of eating her. Not only would he gain the power of the jewel, but it would also play to his advantage. Youkai, and especially inu-youkai, were notoriously protective of their mates and recklessly vengeful if their mates were killed.

 

Doubtless, the hanyou would charge into the water after him after he ate Kagome…and even if he wouldn't have had a chance to realize the power of the jewel, he would still be able to fight InuYasha on his own terms.

 

He was just opening his jaws for the final attack when…

 

“Sango!”

 

“Miroku!” the girl called back.

 

“Sango?” He closed his jaws and moved off a bit. If he ate the wrong girl - even if he got both her and the man yelling out to her - he would give the whole plot away…and everything depended on the element of surprise.

 

He submerged again and began swimming back out to sea, in the direction of the accursed Mr. Sato's boat.

 

Miroku waded out to where Sango was. He needed a quick dip too, after all. “I thought I saw something in the water behind you.”

 

Sango was shivering. “I thought I felt something. It…It felt like youkai. Evil youkai. But I didn't see it. I think we should get out of the water.”

 

The two began striding in towards the beach.

 

“You know,” said Sango, “the weird thing is that I felt like…prey.”

 

 

******************

 

 

Back in the boat, Mr. Sato was already through half a bottle and was beginning to slur. “It'sh alright. Nobody can see ushh. Take the damned suit off.”

 

“Mr. Sato!” the receptionist said in mock indignation. Then, more quietly, “Does this mean I'll get the lead in your next movie?”

 

“Suurrrre. Jusht take off the suit!”

 

Having already removed the rabbit ears, the girl reached around behind herself and undid the top to her bathing suit…which soon found it's way to the deck of the boat, followed by the lower half of the suit. The girl struck several poses, some of which indicated that she had spent her share of time hanging off a pole. “You like?”

 

Mr. Sato stood up for a moment and pulled off his own bathing suit. “You know it, baby!” He sat down again and gestured for the naked girl to join him. “Come, sit on daddy's lap!”

 

All of a sudden the girl's eyes got very big and, just before he ducked and closed his eyes, Mr. Sato saw a gray shape fly through the air directly over him.

 

When he opened his eyes again, the girl was gone.

 

So was his erection. In fact, everything was pulled tightly into his groin. Not knowing quite what had happened or what to do, he pulled his swimsuit back on and looked out over the ocean. He couldn't see much as it was practically dark, so he got a flashlight out of stowage.

 

Katashi panned the beam over the water until Kano, in human form, poked his head up, swam over and climbed into the boat.

 

“Thanks for dinner. It's hungry work, swimming out there all day.”

 

“You ate her?”

 

“Why are you upset? Was I supposed to leave a piece for you?”

 

Katashi stared at Kano. “I finally get an erection…and HE eats my date!” Yet it wouldn't do to irritate Kano too much. Mr. Sato wasn't that drunk. “I take it that you didn't get her.”

 

“No. It was her friend, Sango, and someone named Miroku.”

 

“You ate them?”

 

“Baka!” snorted Kano. “Why do you think I was still hungry? If I had eaten them, it would have given everything away!” Kano's eyes narrowed. “You have been drinking too much, friend.”

 

“Or not enough,” thought Mr. Sato.

 

 

******************

 

 

“Keh. At least you two smell clean, now.”

 

Kagome gave her mate a quick “knock it off” glance. “Everything's ready now. I hope you like the fish. I couldn't resist using some modern spices…and there's some lemon. That's good on fish.”

 

The monk and the taijiya sat down to join their friends.

 

Miroku spoke first. “There's something we need to talk with you about. Something both Sango and I felt in the water.”

 

“Feh! I don't want to know about anything you felt in the water.”

 

Sango continued for the monk. “This is serious, InuYasha! Miroku and I aren't sure, but we think we have a youkai problem.”

 

“Feh. Are you sure? In the ocean?”

 

Kagome sat quietly, looking thoughtful.

 

“Pretty sure,” answered Sango.

 

“What's more, InuYasha, it seems intelligent. It could have attacked both of us, yet it withdrew.” Miroku sat back. “What could it mean?”

 

“It means it's a trap,” thought Kagome. She looked up to see her mate staring at her. She hadn't realized she had broadcast her thoughts.

 

“The contest?” thought InuYasha.

 

“Yeah. I can't believe I was so stupid! If that mail was legitimate, it would have gone to our home.” Kagome felt someone gripping her arm. “Huh?” She turned to find Sango looking into her eyes.

 

“Mind letting us into the conversation?”

 

 

 

A/N: So Kagome's finally figured it out. But what will they do? They could just leave, but that would leave their enemies still out there and anonymous.

 

I guess we found out what Miroku's reaction would be to Sango in her new swimwear. I wonder if Kagome remembered to use her miko powers to foul up the photos in those digital cameras at the fashion show.

 

As always, please read and review. Thanks! Oh, and again, more reviews = more inspiration for new chapters.