InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Trick or Treat? ❯ Just One Night ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Blanket Disclaimer:

Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.

 

=======================

 

Original post date: 10/26/09

 

Greetings!

 

This story follows the manga canon and takes place between chapters 494 and 496. If you follow the manga to the letter, then chapter 494 is actually the first time Kagome returns home after Kikyou's death. After chapter 494, The Two Worlds, the story veers off to follow yet another 'new development' as Takahashi was so fond of throwing together back then, but the 'new development' of chapter 495, Further Thought, doesn't involve the inu-tachi, nor does it give any indication as to exactly how much time has passed between then and the preceding chapter. It's a Sesshoumaru chapter, a sort of 'meanwhile…' if you will, involving the daiyoukai going off to confront Totosai about Tenseiga.

 

This leaves Kohaku (with Rin and Jaken) vulnerable to attack by Naraku, who shows up in person to capture Kohaku's jewel shard while Sesshoumaru is away. The battle between Naraku and Kohaku continues on into chapter 496, Trick, in which Takahashi reveals what she'd had Kikyou do in her final moments regarding the speck of light that is her own power that she'd placed within the Shikon no Tama to foil Naraku, purifying the jewel at the touch of Kohaku's shard. Suddenly, cut to Inuyasha and the others who are rapidly closing in on the scene, Inuyasha declaring that he smells Naraku's scent.

 

So where did they come from? Last we saw them, Souta was barging in on what would've been Inuyasha and Kagome's first kiss. We know that they didn't return to the past right away after that, because Kagome had already told Inuyasha during their conversation in chapter 494 that she had to go to school the following morning, and when she'd first left Kaede's village, she had in fact told the others that she would be gone for around three days.

 

Because of the layout of these chapters, there is plenty of room for creative license for what might have happened in between when Kagome first returned to the past after her three days at school, and when Naraku suddenly showed up trying to take Kohaku's jewel shard but the inu-tachi were nearby and raced to the rescue, so this story takes place during that unspecified gap of time.

 

Okay, now that that’s settled…on with the show!

 

 

Chapter 1 – Just One Night

 

 

 

Fiddling with the top button of her pajama top, Kagome released a tired sigh before crossing her arms in front of her chest and shoving her hands in her armpits. It was a bit on the brisk side that evening, so forgoing with her school uniform for the night, which seemed to be her staple outfit as of late, the future-born miko had decided she would feel much more comfortable if her legs were covered in flannel. It was a good thing she'd gotten into the habit of always packing away a set of pajamas in her backpack, even though she'd hardly ever used them during the summer.

 

In fact, she hadn't been expecting to really need them until winter time came around, but the late October chill was worse than expected, even considering they were currently up in the local foothills. Fortunately, after spending so many months traveling back and forth to the Sengoku jidai, the future-born miko had learned to expect the unexpected...to a point, at least. It would be nice if her pajamas were a tad thicker.

 

Where's global warming when you need it? she thought sarcastically, desperately trying not to think about how chilly it was becoming while Inuyasha worked on building up their campfire.

 

I remember some pretty nippy Halloweens growing up, but this is ridiculous!

 

Of course, her childhood Halloweens were really probably nowhere near as cold as they had felt at the time. It was much easier to feel inordinately cold in even slightly cooler temperatures when one was dressed in nothing but spandex and nylon, after all. The makers of most Halloween costumes certainly didn't take the autumn season into consideration when manufacturing their designs, did they?

 

Thinking of the upcoming holiday provided a welcome distraction for the silently shivering miko, as she began contemplating just how to go about broaching the subject of going back home again. After all, it had only been four days since they'd first returned to Kaede's village after their last cross-country trek, and she had already spent three of those four days over in the future, having just returned to the Sengoku jidai with Inuyasha that very morning.

 

Thinking about everything that had happened while they'd been out on the road made Kagome's head spin and her heart ache. So much had changed.

 

I will not start thinking sad thoughts… the miko told herself with conviction. I made a promise to Kikyou, and she would want me to stay focused on the here and now.

 

Of course, that was the problem right there, wasn't it? How could she justify taking a break from their pursuit of Naraku, even for just one night, for something as trivial as Halloween? Just because she had been the one to take Souta Trick-or-Treating for the last two years in a row – once her mother had deemed that she had been old enough to go without adult supervision – didn't mean that Souta would miss out on Trick-or-Treating all together if she wasn't there. He would just have to get over the fact that their mother would be taking him this year, if she couldn't make it back to do it herself.

 

The fact of the matter was that Kagome had actually forgotten all about the rapidly approaching holiday when she'd first returned home, wanting only a few days to attempt to catch up on her schoolwork. It had come as a complete surprise to the miko to realize just how soon Halloween would actually be upon them.

 

I should have just told Mama I couldn't do it, instead of telling her I'd try, the fifteen-year-old realized belatedly.

 

Suddenly noticing that she had stopped shivering, Kagome looked up only to realize after the fact that she had apparently been staring at her feet for the last twenty minutes. Now directly in her line of vision was a nice hot, roaring fire that was guaranteed to last them well into the night. Glancing around their campsite, Kagome couldn't help but to notice how Sango and Miroku were sitting much closer together than usual, the houshi's arm wrapped tightly around the slayer's shoulder as Sango leaned into his taller frame, the couple talking quietly. So much had happened to them in recent weeks, too.

 

They were promised to wed after the defeat of Naraku, provided they both made it through the final battle alive and well. While neither of them were in a great hurry to die, they were both equally committed to sacrificing their own lives to save the other, if it ever truly came down to that, though they were also both as equally committed to preventing the other person from doing such a thing on their own behalf. It was always so much easier to die for somebody than it was to live for them, and together, with each other's support, Miroku and Sango were living for each other, now that they each had something in their lives worth living for.

 

Sighing quietly, Kagome glanced upward into the thick branches of the tree overhead, catching a glimpse of the person responsible for her newfound warmth as she sat by their fire. Inuyasha was gazing off into space, as he had been doing a lot lately, but at least his eyes no longer held the haunted look of torment that had rested just below the surface after Kikyou's passing.

 

If she had to put her finger on it, Kagome would definitely say that it was right after their near death experience with Kaou that his disposition had started to return back to normal. Since then, he'd had to fight a giant mirror-monster that had stolen and reflected all of Tetsusaiga's attacks back at him, he'd had to charge into battle in his human form when that bone-eating bitch had nearly killed Sango and Miroku, he'd been forced to sit back and watch helplessly while Sango literally battled her own demons inside Yakurou Doukusen's jar of poison-medicine – and Kagome didn't even know about the extra strain Miroku had placed on him back then as well by asking him to keep his own actions a secret – and then there was all that bullshit with Sesshoumaru and whether or not Tenseiga was truly their father's memento...

 

The miko sighed again. It was truly a wonder that Inuyasha was as well kept together as he was, all things considered. She knew he was terribly worried for her own life, on top of everything else, but she'd made a promise to Kikyou to finish what her predecessor had started, and even if she hadn't, she had already vowed long ago to stay by Inuyasha's side, no matter what.

 

Feeling her eyes upon him, the hanyou wanted to glance down Kagome's way, but he knew the girl would be embarrassed if he caught her openly staring at him like she was, and so instead he pretended not to notice, allowing the miko her moment of contemplation in peace. She had been through so much in recent weeks, and then on top of all the unbelievable craziness that seemed to be hitting their group non-stop lately, Kagome also had a completely separate life that existed on the other side of the well.

 

A life she had been virtually ignoring as of late, and he didn't know how he truly felt about that.

 

On the one hand, Inuyasha was happy to have her with him. Under any other circumstances, he would be silently rejoicing to have her choose to spend so much time with him in his world instead of staying in her own. But as things were, he was terrified, and he was also feeling a bit guilty.

 

If all of the nasty business with Naraku and the jewel were already over, then he wouldn't have to worry for her safety during every waking minute of their lives, for one thing, and he would also more easily believe that she was choosing to forgo her world in favor of his own of her own accord. If she were staying with him solely of her own free will, then he wouldn't feel responsible for taking her away from her old life, but as it was, even though she had made it very clear that her decision was to remain in the past with him and see their mission through to the end, that was just it, it was because of their mission.

 

Not that he believed for even half a second that she wouldn't want to be with him otherwise, he knew how she felt about him, but Inuyasha just didn't like the idea of Kagome being forced to spend so much time in his world for reasons other than her own. He hated that Kagome was constantly being forced to fight, constantly being forced to risk her own life for the 'greater good'. What if something happened to her?

 

Of course he would die to protect her, but then there was also the very real fact that were he actually to do such a thing, then she would immediately no longer have his protection after the fact, and he would die terrified that his sacrifice hadn't been enough, if their enemy still remained undefeated in that moment. If he merely jumped in front of an attack meant for Kagome, and then he died knowing she would probably be following him mere moments later, when their enemy struck again.

 

Not that he was the only one worrying about everything. He knew Kagome was worrying about everything, too, and not just about their mission in his time. Oh yes, the uncertainty of the outcome of it all was most definitely in the forefront of the miko's worries, but on top of all that, on top of worrying about how many more people could die if they didn't find and stop Naraku as soon as possible, on top of worrying about her friends and if any of them wouldn't make it past the battle to see Naraku-free days ahead, thanks to her double-life in both timelines, the future-born-miko also had to worry about passing her stupid entrance exams for high school. Inuyasha didn't really understand all of that, but he did understand that it had to do with honor, and whether or not her world viewed her as a failure to her family.

 

If she fails her family, it'll be all my fault, the hanyou thought forlornly, conveniently ignoring the skewed logic behind such thinking.   

 

That was why Inuyasha was seriously considering allowing Kagome to return home again for the upcoming holiday he had overheard her discussing with her mother. He'd only caught part of the women's conversation, but Mrs. Higurashi had asked her daughter if she would be back home again in time to take Souta on an upcoming night for something called Trick-or-Treating...whatever the hell that was.

 

Kagome's response had made his heart pang in his chest, having heard in her voice how she'd clearly not wanted to disappoint her mother, but also hadn't wanted to lie to her, either. He knew the miko well enough by that point to recognize when she was stalling, when she was angling to avoid committing to something she knew she couldn't do but just didn't have the heart to flat out tell the person 'no'. After a brief hesitation, the miko had responded to her mother that she didn't know for sure but she would most certainly try.

 

Liar... he thought with a snort, looking back on their conversation with the realization that Kagome had known, even then, that there was no way she'd be home again so soon.

 

 

Of course, Mrs. Higurashi's reaction had only been to try to convince her daughter further, reminding Kagome of how much Souta was looking forward to it, and how it would crush the boy if she were to disappoint him so badly. Inuyasha had barely suppressed his urge to growl long enough to disappear out behind the modern shrine, heading into what remained of the forest, angry at Kagome's mother for her attempts at guilting her daughter, yet knowing he had no right to truly be angry with the woman who had no idea what kind of bullshit her daughter had been forced to deal with lately.

 

Mrs. Higurashi's ignorance regarding the true severity of Kagome's mission in the past was by design, because neither Kagome nor Inuyasha felt comfortable sharing with the older woman just how many times her daughter had nearly died, or how many times she had been forced to witness, or partake in, the death of others. Still, the end result of keeping her mother in the dark meant that the woman had no idea why Kagome couldn't rightfully take the needed time off to fulfill her previous obligations in the 21st century.

 

Fuck it, I'll just take Kagome back through the well again, problem solved.

 

It wasn't like they were truly all that far away from Kaede's village yet, anyway.

 

Upon returning with Kagome to the past that morning, the elderly miko had informed them of a slowly spreading sickness in the neighboring village that rested on the other side of the foothills they were currently ascending; nothing that couldn't be cured, even by that day's standards, with the right medicine. Kaede had asked if they wouldn't mind delivering the medicine she had mixed up on their way back out on the road again, and all things considered, even Inuyasha had agreed without protest.

 

They would reach that village by mid-morning tomorrow, and if they turned right around after making their delivery, then he could have Kagome back home again by the following morning. Plenty of time to get ready for...whatever it was...that was coming up in four days.

 

Glancing down at where the miko sat below him, confirming his earlier beliefs of what would happen as Kagome immediately looked away with a light dusting of pink on her cheeks, Inuyasha allowed himself a tiny smile...now that she wasn't looking to see it, of course.

 

Scanning across their chosen campsite for the night, he took note of how Sango and Miroku were no longer speaking, but merely holding each other in silence. He had tried not to listen in on their conversation, distracting himself as much as he could with his own thoughts, but he would do right by the houshi by not teasing him over what he had heard. It was about time those two opened up enough to tell each other the 'L' word, considering their love for each was about as obvious to any outside observer as the ears on his head. He didn't care what was or wasn't done from a social point of view; if you loved somebody, then you should tell them.

 

That thought brought the hanyou's eyes back to where Kagome was settling herself into her sleeping bag, Shippou and Kirara curled up together down by her feet.

 

Keh, I'll tell her the good news in the morning.

 

He didn't think he could bring himself to say the 'L' word just yet, but he would do his very best to make sure that Kagome knew how he felt, regardless. Of course, he had very nearly shown Kagome how he felt before her little brother had walked in on them, but maybe if he helped his miko do this one favor for the squirt, then he'd get a second chance at that kiss.

 

Startling himself with where his thoughts had suddenly taken him, it was with a light dusting of pink on his own cheeks that the hanyou finally decided to get some sleep, as the monk and slayer also both settled themselves into their respective sleeping rolls for the night, which were presently placed much closer together than they ever used to be.

 

`````````````````````````````````````

 

Delivery of Kaede's medicine went smoothly, the headman of the neighboring village having become familiar through talk with the elderly miko of the hanyou that had been released from the Goshinboku, and who no longer desired the jewel for his own evil gain, but instead, was merely working alongside Kagome to restore the jewel and rescue it from Naraku's clutches. It was becoming less and less unusual for Inuyasha to experience mild feelings of welcome in human villages as he and his group continued to travel the countryside, word spreading of their good deeds and heroic acts. It was a far cry from the life he had lived prior to being pinned to the Goshinboku, and Inuyasha knew he owed it all to the strangely dressed miko from the future. It was only fair that he pay the girl back in some small way every now and then.

 

“Oi, Kagome, come're for a second,” Inuyasha said as casually as he could muster, while Miroku gave the village headman Kaede's instructions for administering the medicine.

 

Sharing a quick look with Sango that communicated she'd be right back, Kagome turned to follow the fire-rat clad hanyou who had already turned and headed off behind a row of houses after making his request.

 

“Yes, Inuyasha? What is it?”

 

Not sure how to go about saying this right, he decided to just plow on through.

 

“I heard you talking with your mother yesterday morning about some holiday coming up in your time,” he started, mentally cringing at the way Kagome flinched at the word 'holiday', immediately averting her eyes.

 

Did she think he was about to scold her on why wasting her time with such things would be stupid and pointless?

 

Sighing, Inuyasha made sure to keep his voice completely void of his usual gruffness, which he knew could ofttimes come off more hostilely than he'd intended. Nervously rubbing at the back of his head, he didn't wait for Kagome to meet his eyes before continuing with his speech.   

 

“So if you...that is…it sounded like you really needed to go do that thing, whatever it is, so...you know, if you wanted to go ahead and go do that thing, for your brother, a few more days' delay probably wouldn't hurt.”

 

Instantly, Kagome snapped her eyes up to meet Inuyasha's with a look of wonder, mixed with what he thought he could identify as concern and uncertainty. The miko confirmed his assumptions when she took that moment to respond.

 

“Do you really think that'd be okay, though? I mean, I want to go, but then part of me feels guilty over wanting to do something so silly, you know? But then on the other hand, I start arguing with myself over not wasting the opportunity to do something with my brother while I still can. Like, what if this is our last Halloween together? Then I think-”

 

“Stop right there,” the hanyou interrupted. “I won't let anything happen to you. If you want to go do this thing, then I'll take you back to your time, but don't you dare start thinking this might be your last Halloween, you should know me better than that.”

 

Closing the gap between them, which hadn't been very large to begin with, Inuyasha surprised the miko by fiercely taking her hand in his own, just like how he had held her hand in her room four nights prior.

 

Oh, Inuyasha...

 

Lost in the moment, Kagome found herself captivated by the determined look in her companion's golden-amber gaze, as she heard him proclaim yet again that he would protect her life with his own. Her eyes were just starting to drift closed, as she felt herself leaning slightly forward, when Shippou's voice sliced through the air, asking with innocent curiosity, “What's Halloween?”

 

`````````````````````````````````````

 

Eyebrow twitching in frustrated annoyance, Inuyasha was nonetheless paying avid attention from his spot in front of the others as they headed back down the hill towards Kaede's village, listening to every word Kagome said as the future-born miko continued to explain the many intricate layers that existed to the bizarre holiday he was taking her back home to celebrate.

 

Inuyasha should have known better than to think that his good deed could have possibly gone unpunished, as Miroku had immediately begun razzing him over the discovery that he was taking Kagome back home out of the kindness of his heart, simply so that she wouldn't miss being there for her little brother during some kind of anual festival.

 

Inuyasha had attempted to get the houshi back at his own game when instead of rising to the bait, because he knew Miroku's goal was to get him all flustered and in denial of his action having had any deeper meaning, he had instead shrugged off the monk's words, a non-argumentative “What of it?” being his only verbal response to the houshi's teasing that he was doing something nice for Kagome. Miroku had quieted for a moment after that, but then with a more genuine smile he had spoken back up with a confident, “Yes, indeed. It is merely good to see that you are no longer in denial of your feelings.”

 

And with that, everyone had felt Miroku mentally applying another line under his own name on the imaginary scoreboard, as Inuyasha's cheeks had burned bright red before the hanyou had silently stomped forward to walk ahead of the others.

 

Kagome might've wanted to come to Inuyasha's defense, embarrassed by Miroku's words herself, but Shippou's constant string of questions as one answer only led to more questions was keeping the miko thoroughly occupied. Even Sango chimed in asking her own questions from time to time, and the future-born miko happily gave her friends a thorough rundown of the October holiday and all of its various traditions.

 

Shippou was especially interested in hearing about Trick-or-Treat, which was the solitary reason for Kagome's return home in the first place.

 

“I wish I could go with you!” the kit whined, both thrilled to learn of the existence of a holiday in which children dressed up as monsters and went to all of the neighboring houses in their village to receive free candy, and devastated to know that he would not be able to participate in the celebration himself. It was thoroughly unfair that the Bone Eater's Well denied him entry into Kagome's world. Even the miko's promise that she would bring him back some Halloween candy of his very own only half appeased the boy.

 

“Tell you what,” Kagome stated then. “I don't already have an outfit picked out for myself, so what if I went dressed up as a kitsune, in your honor?” she asked the fox-child.

 

His eyes got huge at that, lit up with some kind of emotion the miko couldn't quite identify.

 

“You...you would do that, for me?” Shippou asked in a quiet, timid voice.

 

“Of course,” she answered with a smile.

 

“I love you, Kagome!” the kit bellowed as he launched himself into her waiting arms, the miko laughing happily all the while.

 

“I love you too, Shippou,” she replied to the boy, patting his head affectionately after settling him into her arms.

 

One of Inuyasha's ears turned backwards at the exchange, but he didn't otherwise acknowledge their dialogue. He didn't have to.

 

Jogging to catch up to the grumpy hanyou, whom Kagome happened to know for a fact had been listening to her the entire time, she greeted Inuyasha with a smile once she got herself into position right next to him, matching his stride.

 

“You know...I was thinking...” she started slowly.

 

“Uh-oh, everyone run for cover,” he teased good-naturedly, wanting to let Kagome know that his sour mood really had nothing to do with her directly.

 

The miko responded to his teasing by sticking her tongue out at him, earning herself a mild chuckle from the inu-hanyou before she continued.

 

“Well, you know that Souta absolutely idolizes you, so he definitely wouldn't complain if you, ya know...wanted to come along with us?”

 

Inuyasha gave her a sideways glance but kept on walking, diligently ignoring the sensation of Miroku and Sango's eyes boring into the back of his head as they awaited his response.

 

Nosy bastards...

 

“You think so?”

 

Delighted that he was willing to discuss this possibility with her, Kagome plowed forward, making sure to speak in 'Souta' code, considering their conversation wasn't exactly private.

 

“Yeah, in fact, I'm pretty sure Souta would really like it if you came along with us. He'd probably be thrilled.”

 

Say yes, you baka, thought the kitsune temporarily forgotten in her arms, as even little Shippou was sharp enough to catch on to the fact that Kagome never would've asked such a thing in the first place unless she were the one who truly wanted him to go.

 

Just because Shippou was bummed out that he couldn't go, himself, didn't mean he begrudged Inuyasha his ability to travel through the well. If Kagome wanted the hanyou with her, then Shippou wanted Inuyasha to go, for Kagome's sake, because he cared about the miko's happiness.

 

“And everyone on the streets is dressed up in some kinda costume?” Inuyasha asked her next, and it was clear to everyone from his question, plus his tone of voice, that he'd already made up his mind.

 

Beaming, Kagome nodded before answering, “Maybe not everyone, but almost, so you definitely wouldn't have to worry about wearing a hat.” She knew how they irritated his ears.

 

Said ears gave a wiggle at the prospect of roaming freely in Kagome's time without the need for some sort of concealing garment.

 

“I suppose, if the squirt really wants me there, then I shouldn't disappoint him.”

 

`````````````````````````````````````

 

Sitting on his favorite branch of the Goshinboku, Inuyasha gauged the position of the sun, figuring he would give the wench about another twenty minutes, tops, before making his appearance. Kagome had instructed him very specifically to make sure that he was in her time before sunset, but to also not show up too early because she wanted to have time to finish constructing her costume in private.

 

Feh, I already know she's going to be dressed like a kitsune, so why all the secrecy?

 

Honestly, he still didn't understand what all the hubbub was about, but looking back on why he'd originally made his decision to bring her back home for the holiday in the first place, the inu-hanyou knew that he didn't really need to understand. It was a holiday, plain and simple, and Inuyasha did understand the importance of celebrating a holiday with one's family.

 

He was happy to do this for Kagome, to allow her to take her brother out as per their family's tradition, and also to tag along with them, since they both wanted him to go so badly. Kagome hadn't been kidding about Souta being thrilled at the idea of having him accompany them on their trek through the neighborhood, but Inuyasha wasn't stupid, and he knew perfectly well that the wench had actually been referring to her own feelings while pleading her case on Souta's behalf.

 

Not that he minded all that much. Aside from all the pollution, and noise, and flashing lights, and fast-moving metal carts, and people staring at him strangely, Inuyasha actually found Kagome's world rather fascinating, and at least this time around he could eliminate the people staring at him strangely part. Instead, they would supposedly be staring at him in amazement, or at least that's what Souta had claimed would probably be most people's reactions, considering how 'real' his costume looked.

 

Feh.

 

But the hanyou was definitely curious to see this 'Halloween' thing for himself, especially after all the hype Kagome had given it, and the fact that she actually wanted to share it with him, well...he wouldn't have had it in him to turn her down, even if he hadn't been interested in the slightest.

 

Gauging the position of the sun once more, Inuyasha made sure not to lose track of time. He would jump through the well before much longer, and then just wait out the rest of the evening on the five-century-older version of his favorite branch over on her side, where he would at least be within earshot for when Kagome was ready for him to see her 'creation'. Honestly, how hard was it to tie on a fox mask? What was she doing, giving herself paws like the runt?

 

Heh, now that would actually be worth seeing...

 

```

 

In that same exact moment five hundred years into the future, the 21st century miko was just putting together the finishing touches on what had to have been the fasted Halloween costume she had ever constructed, yet it had also turned out to be the most beautiful, at the same time.

 

And I definitely won't have to worry about getting too cold this year, Kagome thought happily, examining herself in the mirror for the umpteenth time.

 

Dressed in a simple yet elegant heavy cotton yukata in an off-white shade of cream with dark pink floral print that she'd already had folded away in her closest for shrine festivities, Kagome had dolled up her look by having had her mother help style her hair up into an elaborate bun. A wig would've been better, but she didn't have that kind of money.

 

Thankfully, her hair was long enough to pull off the updo naturally. A secret curved brace-clip underneath gave her hair more volume as it was pulled up and around the styling tool, and her bangs were pulled back and discreetly held in place with one of the many ornaments adorning her hair, giving the illusion that she had no bangs at all. Several bobbles dangled from the numerous hairsticks and combs holding together her imprisoned tresses, and shaking her head in the mirror, Kagome gave a dainty giggle behind her hand at the jingling sound everything made.

 

This was going to be so much fun!

 

Oh what a difference a hairstyle made, for no longer was she a simple shrine maiden dressed for a Shinto festivity, but something much...much different. Kagome had never really been attracted to the scandalous elegance of the courtesan world, which made it all the better now, because such a getup was definitely nothing more than a costume for somebody like her. She could allow herself to get into it for one night because it was only harmless make-believe, and plus, she couldn't wait to see Inuyasha's face!

 

Synching her robe closed was a wide obi of rose pink, matching the floral print that danced across her skirt and sleeves. To complete her ensemble, a pair of simple wooden geta were waiting for her down in the genkan, which she had made sure to practice walking in the day before.

 

Suppressing her urge to squeal in delight, Kagome quickly began applying her makeup, knowing that Inuyasha would probably be arriving before too much longer. Deciding to avoid the chalk-white face of a traditional Geisha, the miko focused solely on her eye and lip color, choosing shades within the rose end of the spectrum for both. Lengthening black mascara was also applied to her lashes; a Western innovation that she had to agree did help to enhance eye beauty even more.

 

Taking one final spin in front of the mirror, Kagome had to nod to herself at a job well done. Even she didn't recognize herself! She matched Inuyasha, too, in that they were both wearing traditional dress, which hadn't been her original goal but was certainly an added bonus. The inu-hanyou definitely didn't have to worry about standing out in her time tonight. Kagome was glad that he had agreed to come along with them, knowing that with as hard of a life as she could only begin to fathom he had been forced to endure after his mother had passed, he definitely deserved as least one carefree night in which he belonged.

 

As if summoned by her thoughts, it was in that moment that Kagome felt the telltale tingling against her soul that she had come to associate with Inuyasha's use of the Bone Eater's Well. It was nearly the same sensation she got whenever she passed through the well herself, but only...subdued, and she could only feel it if she was within close enough proximity to the time portal. Whenever he had come through the well while she'd been at school, she had always been caught completely by surprise to discover him in her time.

 

Rushing over to her window, the miko made quick work of opening her friend's unconventional entrance for her bedroom, then calling out at a level only slightly above normal speaking she said “Come on in, Inuyasha!” knowing that he would have no trouble hearing her invitation.     

 

The hanyou was only mildly surprised to hear Kagome calling for him only moments after exiting the well-house. He could easily believe that she had actually sensed his arrival, but he was just amazed at what perfect timing he apparently had. Inuyasha had been noticing that about the two of them more and more lately, as their mission got more serious and their petty arguments grew fewer and farther between. It was as if there was an unexplainable connection that had been slowly developing between the two of them for months now, and it was finally reaching a level of maturity that they could simply no longer ignore. Well...either the bond between them was maturing, or they were, but either way...

 

Leaping effortlessly up to and through Kagome's bedroom window, the inu-hanyou landed on the tatami-covered floor without a sound. It took him a full five seconds to fully register the sight of the grinning miko before him, and his jaw would've most definitely made a sound as it hit the floor had he not somehow managed to catch it from falling with every last ounce of willpower he possessed.

 

Holy fucking shit!

 

The woman standing before him was not his sweet, innocent Kagome. Dressed like a server in a nobleman's teahouse, he relented that her kimono certainly covered much more skin than her indecently short skirt did, and yet...

 

Wow...

 

Then she giggled. She giggled, with her hand hiding her teeth, and her voice pitched a full octave higher than normal.

 

“What do you think?” she asked him then, gesturing to her person as she comically struck a pose.

 

Bound and determined to maintain at least some level of dignity, Inuyasha had no intention of telling the woman before him what he really thought of her outfit. Instead, he smirked in what he hoped was a close enough proximity to his usual cocky grin, before pointing out, “I thought you told the runt you were gonna dress like a kitsune?”

 

He feigned a disappointed tone before admonishing, “I never thought you would lie to a child, Kagome.”

 

Waving off his would-be scolding, Kagome answered matter-of-factly, “I am a kitsune. Kitsune can turn themselves into anything they want, after all, and it's common knowledge that one of the things they enjoy turning themselves into the most is beautiful young women, to fool unsuspecting men.”

 

Inuyasha nearly rose to the bait of her 'beautiful young women' remark, but seeing what a vixen she had truly become, he just didn't have the heart to insult her, even though he was pretty sure she knew by that point that he had never really meant any of the hurtful things he used to tell her, anyway. Still, that didn't mean he wouldn't rip on her for the cop-out.

 

“That's kinda convenient, don'tcha think?”

 

Crossing his arms, Inuyasha dared Kagome with his eyes to challenge his logic.

 

Secretly, Kagome was beaming inside, thoroughly complemented by his words. It hadn't really been her intention to test him, what she'd said had just come right out, but she couldn't be happier with his response.

 

Of course, even if he had tried to deny that she was beautiful, she wouldn't have taken the insult to heart. Not any longer. His eyes when he'd first entered her room had given away his thoughts in that regard. Still, the fact that he hadn't even bothered to deny it….. She was quite sure she could live off the 'happy' from that one for the rest of the night, no matter how deeply he might swallow his foot sometime later on.

 

Keeping that last thought in mind, she decided to show him just how kitsune-like she really was.

 

Awaiting Kagome's response, Inuyasha was wondering what she was going to say to talk herself out of her slip-up, when she surprised him for the second time in as many minutes by merely giggling again, before swiftly turning around and wiggling her backside at him. There, sticking precariously out from underneath her wide obi, resting just above her rump, was a long, bushy, auburn fox tail.

 

Well, it wasn't a real fox tail, or he would've noticed the scent immediately upon entering her room, and he would never believe that Kagome could actually have it in her to wear real fox fur, all things considered. But for a human observer, who couldn't detect the plastic-y scent of the artificial fur, it looked very realistic.

 

It took the girl turning back around again for his eyes to snap back into focus, and sluggishly raising his eyes back up to meet Kagome's gaze head-on, Inuyasha realized with a growing feeling of embarrassment that she'd just caught him staring at her ass. But...but she'd wanted him to look! Right?

 

Apparently he was the only one who noticed the potential inappropriateness of the situation, as the miko jumped right back into her explanation in that moment, adding how it was also common knowledge that one of the main problems some kitsune could have with their illusions was maintaining the invisibility of their tails. He had to hand it to her, Kagome was right about that one. With that tail sticking out of the back of her robe, she was dressed like a kitsune, but why did she have to mimic a kitsune that had turned itself into such a temptress?

 

Following said temptress downstairs and into the family room, Inuyasha politely put up with Mrs. Higurashi gushing over how cute the two of them looked together, even though he hadn't done a damn thing differently from how he usually looked. Still, he supposed he could see the older woman's point of view, since Kagome could now very easily pass for somebody from his own time. But she made it sound as if they were a couple, and that was a fantasy the hanyou knew he couldn't afford to get himself lost in while Naraku still roamed freely.

 

After snapping off several pictures, Mrs. Higurashi called Souta down from where he'd been passing the time playing video games up in his room, knowing that his sister's costume was going to take forever. True, it had taken a while to get her hair done right, but considering she'd only had two days to think of the entire concept and figure out how to go about it, the Higurashi women were both rightfully proud of their creation. Souta's costume was noticeably less complicated.

 

Thumping down the stairs two at a time, the boy walked with an exaggerated stride, proudly sporting his knee-length rolled up denim and red vest fastened with three brass buttons. Resting ostentatiously on his head was a straw hat shaped in a distinctively Western design, featuring a red hatband around the crown that matched his vest. Kagome merely rolled her eyes, but Inuyasha's attention was captured more thoroughly, as he cocked his head to the side in canine confusion before blurting out “What the hell are you supposed to be?”

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome scolded for cussing in front of her mother, though Mrs. Higurashi merely smiled, and, completely ignoring the hanyou's inappropriate vocabulary, went about taking several pictures of Souta.

 

“I'm Monkey D. Luffy,” the boy answered as though it were obvious, conveniently forgetting the fact that they didn't get the latest manga back in the Sengoku jidai, or any manga at all, for that matter.

 

“Keh, don't look like no monkey I've ever seen before,” Inuyasha shrugged off to himself, earning another, more subdued and realistic giggle from the 'kitsune' by his side.

 

Shooting a shy smile sideways as he dared glance Kagome's way, his lips developed more of a curve when the miko greeted his gaze with a smile of her own. He definitely would not regret allowing her to have this night off to celebrate the bizarre holiday, nor would he regret sharing it with her, and from the look in Kagome's eyes, it was clear to Inuyasha that her thoughts were running along similar lines.

 

Finally, after the girl was sure her mother had filled up the entire SD Card, the trio was allowed to depart into the rapidly approaching night, the last sliver of sunlight disappearing beyond the horizon just as they made it to the torii gate.

 

`````````````````````````````````````

 

“Trick or Treat!”

 

“Oh, goodness me! It's a pirate!” the woman at the door exclaimed in faux panic. Reaching into the bowl of candy she held in her arms, she selected a mini Hershey bar before reaching forward to drop it into Souta's bag. “Here you go, young man, you get one piece,” she snickered to herself before shutting the door.

 

Ha ha, lady, it was funny the first fifty times I heard it, the boy mentally grumbled as he turned to head back to the street, silently vowing never to wear that costume ever again.

 

Meeting back up with his sister and Inuyasha where they had been waiting for him at the end of the property, they continued down to the next house. Inuyasha waited until he was fairly sure Souta was out of hearing range before voicing his confusion.

 

“I thought he said he was a monkey, but that woman just called him a pirate.”

 

Kagome laughed a little at his confusion, which he didn't really appreciate, but it was thankfully her normal laugh, at least. Her fake, air-headed giggles could get really creepy really fast, but then again, he supposed 'creepy' was keeping with the spirit of the holiday, which was supposed to be about honoring the dead, from what he could recall of the miko's previous explanations. He quickly got his mind back on tract as said miko ceased her snickering long enough to actually answer his question.

 

“His character is a pirate, but that pirate's name is Monkey D. Luffy,” she explained.

 

Inuyasha's eyes lit up while his mouth opened in a sort of silent Oohhh in understanding, before his brows furrowed in confusion once more. “But...what's a pirate?”

 

That time Kagome didn't laugh, her smile softening as she remembered the man standing beside her was from five hundred years in the past. “A pirate is sort of like a bandit, but they mainly stay on or near the ocean, using boats to raid other people trying to travel across the ocean,” she explained. “Some pirates are crueler than others, as some groups are made up of people only really trying to survive, stealing what they need so that they don't starve, while others are very vicious and kill innocent people for fun.”

 

“Souta's not pretending to be one of those, is he?” he asked, not sure he liked the idea of Kagome's brother pretending to be an evil bandit for fun. What the hell kind of fun was that? But her smile didn't waver.

 

“No, actually, the character Souta is dressed up as is on a quest to seek a certain special treasure, so that's his main goal and purpose, not killing.”

 

“Heh, kind of like us then,” the hanyou reflected. Although, killing has certainly become a part of it, hasn't it?

 

He sighed.

 

Kagome didn't deserve the kind of life she had been thrust into.

 

Wondering what had caused his expression to darken in that moment, though she thought she might have a pretty good idea, Kagome took Inuyasha's hand in her own, waiting until she had his full attention to say her next piece. Seeing his eyes focus back on hers, the miko took a moment to notice how much closer to the same height they were while she was wearing the geta sandals, but shaking that distraction free, she plowed forward.

 

“Inuyasha, I know we've been through so much together, but just so you know, I don't regret a minute of it. I mean, well, of course I regret all the unnecessary death, but from my end of things, my life here in this time, I don't regret missing out on what 'could've been', okay?”

 

He just blinked at her, unable to form words.

 

Kagome...

 

Reading the emotions in his eyes, Kagome offered the hanyou a heartwarming smile before tugging on his hand so that the two of them could catch up to where her brother was now ahead of them by three houses. The last thing they needed was to let Souta get lost because they were too busy making eyes at each other.

 

Allowing Kagome to drag him up the street with her, Inuyasha couldn't have stopped the smile spreading across his face even if he had wanted to, and he was just about to say something touching in return when an unexpected brush against his senses caused his feet to come to a dead halt, jolting the miko to a stop along with him.

 

“Inuyasha?” Kagome questioned uncertainly, suddenly feeling nervous from the expression on his face, as the inu-hanyou diligently scanned the area all around them with a confused and mildly concerned look growing in his eyes, as he began sniffing wildly. “What is it?” she asked.

 

“I'm not sure, but I thought I smelled-” Interrupting himself mid-sentence, Inuyasha shook his head and called out, “Hey, Souta, let's skip that house! Something don't feel right!”

 

Having already rung the bell, the boy in question turned to look quizzically in Inuyasha's direction. Then, before he could respond, or even think to move away from the door, said door suddenly slid open and a brown fury hand complete with claws quickly yanked the boy inside.