Disclaimer: *grabs foghorn and blasts out any one's ears that
happened to be nearby* Hey! I do not own any of these characters, no matter
how much I want them. *goes off to sulk*
The day dawned bright and clear, with birds chirping and happy, fluffy squirrels scuttling through the trees. A butterfly floated past a village that was sleeping, then was followed by a batch of glowing white ones similar in size and exact in color.
Yes, this was the kind of day that nothing could ruin, and Kaede planned to enjoy it to the fullest. Though the ancient woman hated to admit it, things were ever more peaceful with Kagome around the other side of the well; Inuyasha would disappear for days, Miroku would wander off for a bit, and Sango kept Shippou, the little rascal of a kitsune that he was, out of trouble.
Well, most trouble. Lady Kaede shifted on her cushion facing the window and sighed gratefully over her cup of steaming tea. Kagome was not due back for another day, which meant she could enjoy this peace by herself and get back to the ritual of daily life in the village.
Taking a delicate sip of the frothy substance that filled her cup, the kimono-clad woman relaxed fully, swallowed, and breathed in the fresh, clean air of her home. The kettle was already bubbling cheerily, and she just closed her eyes and listened to the serene surroundings of this wonderful village.
Kagome hopped out of the well with a broad grin on her face.
They're going to be so surprised when I pop up, I just know it! Thought the miko gleefully. She wasn't due to return until tomorrow, but her teacher had canceled the test she was going to have, and after a day of hanging out wither her brother Sota, her senile old grandfather, and her wonderful mother, she was returning to the Warring States period a day early.
A slightly malicious and frightening gleam made its way into her eyes as she thought about what she had come with. The usual instant ramen, some of her make-up, a textbook or two, and something that she never would have thought of before. A wonderful, brand-new deck of cards.
Oh yes, she was going to have a lot of fun teaching everyone how to play 'Go-Fish'. (Which happened to be the only game that she knew, but that did not put her out at all) One day of not hunting for shards in the much cleaner, much less polluted place was high on her list of priorities, not to mention spending some time with her favorite half dog-demon.
Setting out at a run, Kagome eagerly headed in the direction of her favorite priestess's house and her favorite little village.
Inuyasha's nose woke him form a peaceful slumber atop the tree he was currently perched in, even though he was not all that close to the well. Kagome? It couldn't be! Though that scent was unmistakable.
But. but. she's not due back until tomorrow, and she had a 'test'! Thought the demon despairingly. But he knew, he knew quite well, actually, that his nose was never wrong. With a little sigh, the dog demon leapt out of his tree and bound off in the direction of Kaede's house.
That was where Kagome headed every time she came to this side of the well, why would this time be any different? For that matter, why would anything be different? As soon as I get there, thought the youkai, we'll go hunting for shards.
Shippou stopped suddenly in the middle of chasing a butterfly- with an annoyed Sango trailing behind him- to smell the air. For the past few minutes he had been catching whiffs of something that couldn't be true.
That's. Kagome? His child's mind tried to rationalize, but the little kitsune youngster couldn't. But she wasn't supposed to come until tomorrow! Then the small fox grinned to himself, baring pointy fangs.
"Kagome-chan!" shouted Shippou gleefully, just before a kitty-sized Kirara pounced on him from behind, leaping off his head unnecessarily to catch a butterfly, but taking a half-hearted swipe and letting the bug fly away.
The fox growled at the cat-demon, then Sango scooped him up. "What are you talking about, Shippou-chan?"
Shippou looked up at the demon exterminator with a meaningful pouty lip and great big eyes. "I smell Kagome-chan." He said flatly, and pointed east. "That way."
Sango sighed, then turned with the fox still in her arms at the sound of footsteps. Miroku stood there, grinning and holding his staff in one hand while the other hand rested at his side.
"Hey, Sango," he said casually. "What's this I hear about Kagome?"
The said woman shrugged. "I don't honestly know. Shippou said-"
"I said that I smell Kagome-chan, and Sango-chan doesn't believe me!" interrupted the little fox with a wail. Miroku winced as the little fox hit a high pitch, then sighed.
"Well," the priest said, his tone not showing any reluctance, "I guess that the best thing is to go the Kaede's hut. She always goes there first, ne?"
Shippou launched himself from Sango's arms and into the tall green and very flower-laden grass and scampered off without being prompted. Kirara, of course, followed happily, and the two turned it into a race.
Miroku came up behind Sango and before he had a chance to try anything he found himself with a lump on his head. "Not a chance," growled Sango, and set out at a trot, keeping pace with the little kitsune, was wasn't much taller than the grass.
"Owww." whined the staff-bearing priest, rubbing the sore spot. He looked around balefully at the bright sun and the hilly area as if it had something to do with it. Realizing that no matter how much he glared it wasn't going to do any good, Miroku set after the three forms in front of him, who were growing smaller by the second.
Kaede nearly choked on her tea when an overly cheerful Kagome burst into her hut, bearing a laden backpack and a huge grin.
"Hey, Kaede-san," she crowed gleefully. Once she was done coughing, the older woman eyed the younger to see if she had some sort of spell on her. When her aura proved to be normal, the woman raised an eyebrow.
Bowing, Kagome made herself comfortable. "The others will be coming soon, probably," she remarked happily.
Kaede groaned mentally. Not them! Not now, at least! Where would her peaceful morning go?
As if on cue, a moment later Inuyasha, Shippou, Sango, then finally Miroku came to the door. Kirara had leapt off after another butterfly earlier.
The first youkai stared for a moment then slumped down in a corner, sitting Indian-style. The little kitsune launched into Kagome's arms, who giggled and caught him with the ease of practice. Sango bowed to Kaede and smiled at Kagome with a hint of uncertainty. Miroku, panting, didn't bow but instead slouched against the wall.
Kaede just stared. Mentally she was just shaking her head, over and over and over. Finally, she managed to croak out, trying not to sound unkind, "What are you doing here, Kagome?"
The said girl smiled indulgently. "I came a day early, and I guess everybody smelled me." She giggled. Kaede tried not to goggle.
"Why?" managed the elderly woman again. Her peaceful morning. Not that she didn't enjoy this young girl's company.
"Because," announced Kagome triumphantly, rummaging in her pack, "my teacher canceled the test and I decided that spending a day with my favorite group of friends would be great fun!"
"Besides," she added smugly after a small pause, "I have decided to teach you all how to play 'Go Fish'!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Heh heh heh. I know, there's ooc-ness running around a bit, I hope not too much! Well, aside from Kagome, that is. She's. what shall we say. caffeine high? Something like that. Or maybe it's me o_0 One of the two. Suggestions, praise, constructive criticism. pretty much anything is good for me.
Press the review button. you know you want to.
The day dawned bright and clear, with birds chirping and happy, fluffy squirrels scuttling through the trees. A butterfly floated past a village that was sleeping, then was followed by a batch of glowing white ones similar in size and exact in color.
Yes, this was the kind of day that nothing could ruin, and Kaede planned to enjoy it to the fullest. Though the ancient woman hated to admit it, things were ever more peaceful with Kagome around the other side of the well; Inuyasha would disappear for days, Miroku would wander off for a bit, and Sango kept Shippou, the little rascal of a kitsune that he was, out of trouble.
Well, most trouble. Lady Kaede shifted on her cushion facing the window and sighed gratefully over her cup of steaming tea. Kagome was not due back for another day, which meant she could enjoy this peace by herself and get back to the ritual of daily life in the village.
Taking a delicate sip of the frothy substance that filled her cup, the kimono-clad woman relaxed fully, swallowed, and breathed in the fresh, clean air of her home. The kettle was already bubbling cheerily, and she just closed her eyes and listened to the serene surroundings of this wonderful village.
Kagome hopped out of the well with a broad grin on her face.
They're going to be so surprised when I pop up, I just know it! Thought the miko gleefully. She wasn't due to return until tomorrow, but her teacher had canceled the test she was going to have, and after a day of hanging out wither her brother Sota, her senile old grandfather, and her wonderful mother, she was returning to the Warring States period a day early.
A slightly malicious and frightening gleam made its way into her eyes as she thought about what she had come with. The usual instant ramen, some of her make-up, a textbook or two, and something that she never would have thought of before. A wonderful, brand-new deck of cards.
Oh yes, she was going to have a lot of fun teaching everyone how to play 'Go-Fish'. (Which happened to be the only game that she knew, but that did not put her out at all) One day of not hunting for shards in the much cleaner, much less polluted place was high on her list of priorities, not to mention spending some time with her favorite half dog-demon.
Setting out at a run, Kagome eagerly headed in the direction of her favorite priestess's house and her favorite little village.
Inuyasha's nose woke him form a peaceful slumber atop the tree he was currently perched in, even though he was not all that close to the well. Kagome? It couldn't be! Though that scent was unmistakable.
But. but. she's not due back until tomorrow, and she had a 'test'! Thought the demon despairingly. But he knew, he knew quite well, actually, that his nose was never wrong. With a little sigh, the dog demon leapt out of his tree and bound off in the direction of Kaede's house.
That was where Kagome headed every time she came to this side of the well, why would this time be any different? For that matter, why would anything be different? As soon as I get there, thought the youkai, we'll go hunting for shards.
Shippou stopped suddenly in the middle of chasing a butterfly- with an annoyed Sango trailing behind him- to smell the air. For the past few minutes he had been catching whiffs of something that couldn't be true.
That's. Kagome? His child's mind tried to rationalize, but the little kitsune youngster couldn't. But she wasn't supposed to come until tomorrow! Then the small fox grinned to himself, baring pointy fangs.
"Kagome-chan!" shouted Shippou gleefully, just before a kitty-sized Kirara pounced on him from behind, leaping off his head unnecessarily to catch a butterfly, but taking a half-hearted swipe and letting the bug fly away.
The fox growled at the cat-demon, then Sango scooped him up. "What are you talking about, Shippou-chan?"
Shippou looked up at the demon exterminator with a meaningful pouty lip and great big eyes. "I smell Kagome-chan." He said flatly, and pointed east. "That way."
Sango sighed, then turned with the fox still in her arms at the sound of footsteps. Miroku stood there, grinning and holding his staff in one hand while the other hand rested at his side.
"Hey, Sango," he said casually. "What's this I hear about Kagome?"
The said woman shrugged. "I don't honestly know. Shippou said-"
"I said that I smell Kagome-chan, and Sango-chan doesn't believe me!" interrupted the little fox with a wail. Miroku winced as the little fox hit a high pitch, then sighed.
"Well," the priest said, his tone not showing any reluctance, "I guess that the best thing is to go the Kaede's hut. She always goes there first, ne?"
Shippou launched himself from Sango's arms and into the tall green and very flower-laden grass and scampered off without being prompted. Kirara, of course, followed happily, and the two turned it into a race.
Miroku came up behind Sango and before he had a chance to try anything he found himself with a lump on his head. "Not a chance," growled Sango, and set out at a trot, keeping pace with the little kitsune, was wasn't much taller than the grass.
"Owww." whined the staff-bearing priest, rubbing the sore spot. He looked around balefully at the bright sun and the hilly area as if it had something to do with it. Realizing that no matter how much he glared it wasn't going to do any good, Miroku set after the three forms in front of him, who were growing smaller by the second.
Kaede nearly choked on her tea when an overly cheerful Kagome burst into her hut, bearing a laden backpack and a huge grin.
"Hey, Kaede-san," she crowed gleefully. Once she was done coughing, the older woman eyed the younger to see if she had some sort of spell on her. When her aura proved to be normal, the woman raised an eyebrow.
Bowing, Kagome made herself comfortable. "The others will be coming soon, probably," she remarked happily.
Kaede groaned mentally. Not them! Not now, at least! Where would her peaceful morning go?
As if on cue, a moment later Inuyasha, Shippou, Sango, then finally Miroku came to the door. Kirara had leapt off after another butterfly earlier.
The first youkai stared for a moment then slumped down in a corner, sitting Indian-style. The little kitsune launched into Kagome's arms, who giggled and caught him with the ease of practice. Sango bowed to Kaede and smiled at Kagome with a hint of uncertainty. Miroku, panting, didn't bow but instead slouched against the wall.
Kaede just stared. Mentally she was just shaking her head, over and over and over. Finally, she managed to croak out, trying not to sound unkind, "What are you doing here, Kagome?"
The said girl smiled indulgently. "I came a day early, and I guess everybody smelled me." She giggled. Kaede tried not to goggle.
"Why?" managed the elderly woman again. Her peaceful morning. Not that she didn't enjoy this young girl's company.
"Because," announced Kagome triumphantly, rummaging in her pack, "my teacher canceled the test and I decided that spending a day with my favorite group of friends would be great fun!"
"Besides," she added smugly after a small pause, "I have decided to teach you all how to play 'Go Fish'!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Heh heh heh. I know, there's ooc-ness running around a bit, I hope not too much! Well, aside from Kagome, that is. She's. what shall we say. caffeine high? Something like that. Or maybe it's me o_0 One of the two. Suggestions, praise, constructive criticism. pretty much anything is good for me.
Press the review button. you know you want to.