The EPILOGUE

"WHO'S IDEA WAS THIS?"

To say I was running like I've never ran before would be an understatement. I was screwed, to say the least.

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Ayame flew past, because she'd been literally thrown away. She landed in a pile of rosebushes and madly waved her hand as I neared her. "GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!

I angrily screamed and pounded the pavement. The informant had been wrong. Dead wrong. There wasn't just one creepy tentacle demon in this abandoned village. There were FIVE-FREAKING-HUNDRED OF THEM.

Stupid, uninformed, overpaid informant.

I rounded a fallen oak tree and jumped over a skeleton.

Of all the days to wear my Miko outfit.

Of all the places to get the jewel for the wedding ring.

Of all the "small favors" to accept for the sake of Sango's wedding.

I felt something around my ankle and before I could scream timber and fall on my face I was way up in the air, upside-down and arms dangling down, one hand tightly clasped around the precious jewel that was swiped from the cursed mines.

Cursed mines should've been a hint to why the village was abandoned.

Stupid favors and stupid friendships.

"Need a hand?"

In an upside-down world, all I saw was a giant feather right next to my face and chunks of tentacles falling up. Before I knew it, I'd fallen onto said feather and was astonishingly looking at the face of someone I thought I would never see again.

"Kagura?"

"This village is a haven for outcasts. As long as you don't enter the mines." She shot me a questioning glance and opened her fan.

I sat up and self-consciously rubbed the back of my head. "Uh...well, it was sort of...a favor."

Kagura murmured a "hmm," and I didn't see it but she must've rolled her eyes. "I suppose I still owe you for your part in my freedom." She waved her fan and there was a flash of light. All the nasty, wiggling tentacles were blown away.

"There're more of 'em if you're cleaning up!" Ayame screamed from below as she dashed past the feather in the air and into the clearing.

Kagura took one look at the other 499 tentacle monsters, said "No," and turned her feather around, following after Ayame.

"...I don't know what to say." Sango was staring at us on the ground, exhausted from the chase.

"Ninety-six miles. Ninety-six," Ayame gasped.

I couldn't even say anything. Too tired. Too sleepy.

"They were persistent," Kagura nonchalantly agreed, the only one who wasn't out of breath.

Sango blinked and stared at Kagura, who was busy brushing her bangs. "Where did you come from?"

"We...picked her up...from the village..." Ayame said.

"I am not a stray dog," Kagura muttered.

"I do need someone to help set up the camps for the reception." Sango was already deep in thought, ignoring Kagura's glares and protests.

Personally, I think Sango wanted a shock factor in her wedding. Why not make people gasp by having Kagura as one of the bride's maids? I smiled to myself as I got up. Who knew that I would end up helping this woman plan her wedding. Not too long ago I was a wandering Miko who faked her death―I did actually die. And it hurt. Before that I was the traitorous Miko on the run. And before that I was a lonely maid, sister of the would-be prince. Well, I was still technically dead, thanks to Naraku's defamation. I still have to use fake names if I want to travel, though as of late I've been traveling with a rather strange group of castle folk.

"If we're gonna have a bachelorette party then we need real strippers!" Ayame proudly declared.

What are friends for?

Bachelorette party aside (wherein there was much mayhem, chaos, and the flight of alcoholic beverages and strippers), the wedding was a small, peaceful affair with a strangely obedient Miroku and the blushing bride. She had settled for a traditional wedding at Kaede's shrine, and insisted on family and friends with no outsiders.

I spied from my spot next to Kagura―she seriously ended up being a bride's maid―the men standing next to Miroku looked very tired. In fact, Miroku had made it to the ceremony just in time. Kouga had apparently lost several fangs. Inuyasha looked...

Said half-demon shot a glance my way and winked, smiling in a rather painful way. He must've drunk a lot if a half-demon like him got a hangover.

Rings were exchanged and marriages were made. I never stopped smiling. It was a good day.

Then the drinking began.

"Look at her go!" Ayame laughed and clapped, pushing Sango and Miroku to continue their routine. How anyone could dance wearing such a thick and heavy kimono was beyond me. Ayame immediately joined in when the dance floor was opened to all and grabbed the first men she saw.

"Uh, I don't―" Kouga hesitated, until Ayame flung him across the dance floor and practically pounced on him, doing a rather naughty version of the waltz.

"How very creative," Kagura commented. I could never tell if she was being sarcastic or not. "Has mixing Western and Eastern weddings become the norm?" Kagura and I were relegated to the corner. Kagura being a former member of a now defunct court made infamous by Naraku, and me being a disguised Miko visiting under a pseudonym. Despite Souta and Kaede attending as guests, they've only been able to greet me from a distance and send a few notes my way.

"Maybe it's the new court fashion."

"Mm." Kagura took a sip and set her glass down. "I think it's time for me to make my leave."

I watched Kagura's retreating figure, deep in thought. Just as she pulled a feather out of her hair to make her leave, I called out. "Hey, Kagura."

She paused and turned her head ever so slightly.

I approached her with a sly smile on my face. "You wanna try faking your death too?"

She raised a brow. Considering she wasn't trying to make a run for it, I figured this was now or never.

"Why don't you try asking Sesshomaru for a favor? I've been able to travel on my own, doing whatever I want without any notoriety." Never mind the fact that asking Sesshomaru for a favor was enough of a daunting task as it is.

"On your own?" Kagura turned to face me. "It looks like you've been in their company for a while."

That's because I'm unofficially engaged to one of them. But no need for you to know that... "I come and go. Made all the easier by the miracle of faking your death! By actually dying!" I said, adding a toothy smile at the end. Now I felt like a salesman pitching her a product.

She looked unsure. She eventually changed her expression to that of the typical uncaring Kagura. "I'll think about it." She turned around.

"Don't be a stranger now!" I called as she shot up into the air on her giant feather. "And gimme a ride sometime!" I think I heard a faint "No!" as the giant feather disappeared into the night sky.

Oh well.

Now that my talking buddy was gone, I sauntered away from the noisy tent and wandered over to the lake. Little did I know that some of the men had began their own entertainment by the lakeside.

Dear lord, they were skinny dipping.

I went the opposite way, until I noticed a familiar set clothing by the waters.

Inuyasha's clothes.

He was out there in the lake. Naked.

A devilish grin spread on my face and I immediately dove for his clothes. Now just imagine me, cackling to myself, throwing his outer kimono here, his outer obi there, all the while running in circles, zigzags, and every which way; not because I was trying to throw his scent off. I was just enjoying myself a little too much.

Which was the only reason―no, really, the only reason―that a half-naked half-demon was able to sneak up on me and block my escape route in all his wet and wild glory.

I slammed right into his dripping wet chest (not going to describe his six-pack, his toned abs or his chiseled chest, no way) and would've fallen over had he not grabbed my waist.

I looked up at his amused face.

"Being a little naughty now, aren't we?"

"I was...a little bored," I confessed, a little embarrassed all of a sudden. Thank goodness he found his pants first.

"I think you're a little tired. Too sleepy to think things through. Need to wake up, Princess?"

Eyes widened and a gasp escaped before Inuyasha caught my lips with his, plunging his tongue into my mouth all too gleefully.

"Mmphmm!" I protested, though I was a bit too shocked to grab and pull his face away. I could feel the idiot smile against my face. "Nmmph!"

He pulled away but rested his forehead against my own and grabbed the small of my back to pull me closer.

"I missed you."

I looked away, red as a tomato. Not too long ago, he would've been too embarrassed to say that too.

"Want to go somewhere? To catch up?"

To catch up my butt―no, not my butt. Wrong expression. "You know we can't."

"We're engaged."

"Not officially."

His smile dropped a little. "You accepted. Are you taking it back?"

"I'm a traveling Miko. And I'm technically dead. You're a prince and..." I hesitated when he began to look displeased. "You'll need to take over some of your dad's duties soon. Take care of the human side of things, you know."

"So you are taking it back." Any sort of silly joy was erased from his face. What replaced it was a strange, predatory sort of gaze. Heated, and...very threatening. Especially since he was still missing a shirt.

Not good for a Miko.

I was busy trying to think of the right thing to say when his head moved closer and his fangs suddenly dug into my neck. My eyes bulged as he began nibbling.

"Uh...Inu...ya-wait, I," I put my hands on his shoulders.

He stopped the attack against my poor flesh. "They'll understand." He said and nuzzled my neck. His arms engulfed me and he hugged me tightly. "We'll work it out."

That sounded overly optimistic. Then again, his half-brother was the one who killed and then revived me. Mind you, he revived me ages before I was reunited with Inuyasha again, but that's beyond the point. And Inuyasha didn't need to know that. A girl needed to keep a few secrets, you see.

Taking my silence as acquiescing, he unceremoniously picked me up bridal style and leapt into the air.

"WHOA!" I cried involuntarily. "What're you doing?"

"Jumping the broom!"

"WHAT!"

He meant jumping into the lake. I watched with dread as the trees parted and the dark waters approached.

"NOT AGAIN!" That was the last thing I managed to say before we were both underwater in the cold, cold depths.

Our heads broke the surface and I gasped for air, clinging onto Inuyasha for my dear life. Stupid sexy Inuyasha!

"Hey now!" Miroku called from the lakeside. The nude men had apparently put some of their clothes back on. "Don't go having fun without the bride and groom!"

"Oh no!" Sango laughed as Miroku picked her up and carried her to the waters. She was still laughing when he practically dove into the lake. This was quickly followed by a very drunk Ayame throwing Kouga into the waters and her canon-balling after him. Someone really needed to keep her away from the alcohol.

This simple glee quickly, but not surprisingly, turned into a full on battle wherein much splashing, shoving, swearing, and even more drinking occurred (because Ayame went back to get the coolers and threw them into the lake too).

"It's official, the next wedding needs skinny dipping," Inuyasha declared and pulled me closer.

"Oh, shush," I covered his mouth and looked at where Souta and Kaede were. Kohaku and Rin should be around somewhere, and that Shippo always was the sneaky one. They didn't hear it, but boy Ayame sure did.

"Skinny dipping time!" Ayame howled and began drunkenly pulling her top off. Kouga, who'd been trying to make a quick exit, came back splashing into the waters and grabbed her arms, yelling, "Not in front of the kids!"

And for a moment, I completely forgot about my anonymity and pseudonym. I rested the back of my head against Inuyasha's chest and let him rest his chin on my forehead. I watched the mayhem unfold as Kouga struggled to keep Ayame clothed and Sango tried to ride Miroku like a horse, though the latter couldn't take the full weight of Sango's wet wedding kimono and looked like he was beginning to drown.

I imagined what my wedding would be like, what marriage would entail, what our kids would look like...however...

"No skinny dipping at our wedding," I murmured.

"Why not?" Inuyasha pouted.

"We don't need it. We're not nudists."

"One of us could be an exhibitionist." He wiggled his eyebrows.

I decked him.

Oh, our marriage would be one to tell tales about. (Please insert evil grin here.)

AN: Thought it would be nice to add an epilogue. Happy reading!