Future Uncertainties
Chapter 1
Bags and Bets
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“Is that everything you need?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“What about the ramen?”
“I have as much as I can carry, mom! Did you put in my medical supplies?”
“Yes.”
“My new shoes?”
“Yes.”
“What about my…”
“Yes, Kagome, yes. Everything you asked for is in the bag, although I don’t know how you’re going to carry all that,” added Mrs. Higurashi, as she helped her daughter pack to go to the feudal error for the umpteenth time. She had long since given up any hope of dissuading her daughter from carrying her favorite gigantic yellow sack, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t throw out a random attempt once in a while.
Kagome sighed loudly. No matter how many times they went through it, her mother always had to ask. “Mom, I told you. If it gets too heavy, I can always make Inuyasha carry it for me.” And she could too, whether he wanted to or not.
“Very well, dear,” Mrs. Higurashi surrendered.
“Can I help you pack, sis?” chirped Souta from his position in front of the TV. He was a sweet boy, but he could be rather annoying at times. That and he didn’t have the slightest clue what Kagome meant when she said essentials.
“Um, I guess, but only put in what I tell you, ok?”
“Ok,” Souta agreed, before promptly heading off up the stairs to find a bunch of things Kagome would surely need. Her hair dryer, slippers, a yo yo, gum, and his toy laser gun were the top priorities on his list.
“How long will you be gone this time,” asked Mrs. Higurashi, sobered by the idea of her daughter leaving to head off into the unknown and unsafe world of feudal Japan.
Kagome heard the worry in her mother’s voice, and smiled. “Mom,” she said as she patted her on the shoulder, “you don’t have to worry. I’ll be perfectly safe as long as Inuyasha there to protect me.” This is what she always said when she sensed her mother beginning to worry, but Kagome knew that that thought would calm her mother’s nerves, because she wholeheartedly believed in it.
Kagome believed it too.
By then, Souta had returned from his little scavenger hunt, and began loading his useless and unnecessary junk into her full to the bursting yellow knapsack. He added the hair dryer first.
“Souta, what are you doing?”
“Helping you pack.”
“Helping me pack what, exactly?”
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Souta sighed loudly. “I’m helping you pack the things you’ll need when you go see Inuyasha!” He explained as though her were talking to someone he considered a bit dim.
Kagome had noticed this. She snatched the hair dryer out of the bag and put it on the table.
“Souta, I don’t need a hair dryer. There isn’t even electricity in the feudal era! What would I plug it?”
“Jeez Kagome, I can’t think of everything!” Souta admonished, continuing to add things to the bag.
For several more minutes, Souta would add an item to the bag, and Kagome would take it out when he turned away to get another. That was, until Kagome’s grandfather walked in and distracted her. He did not, however, distract Souta, who slipped his favorite ray gun to the bottom of the bag where his sister wouldn’t notice it.
“Kagome, what’s all this? Are you leaving already?” Grandpa asked, as he came toddling into the house.
Mrs. Higurashi cut in before Kagome could answer. “Dad, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you all morning to tell you! Kagome has to back to the past to help her friends today.”
“What, so soon?” He asked, slightly put out. “Seems like she’s barely been home a day since her last trip.”
“Grandpa, I’ve been here two whole weeks without going back! It’s a school holiday, my friends need me, and if I know Inuyasha, he’s pacing outside the well right now wondering when the heck I’m finally going to be back!”
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“When the hell is she going to be back?” muttered a very annoyed, red clad hanyou. Inuyasha had been beside the well for over an hour, and Kagome had said she’d be back by then! What could be taking her so long? Inuyasha stopped for a moment to glare down into the dark depths of the well, before resuming his incessant pacing.
It was always the same story. Kagome would guilt him into letting her go back to her own time for however long, (well that or sit him when he argued) and then he’d spend days on end sulking around waiting for her to finally come back, at which point she’d always be laden with that god forsaken yellow bag that she overstuffed and made him carry.
This time he had not let her go without a fight, and he could still feel her angry sits in the back of his neck when he turned his head to the side. It was all he could do to keep himself jumping down the well to have it out with her. Two weeks! Two weeks she’d been gone. The nerve of that girl!
And, of course, the worst part was he was the only one who was angry about it. Sango, Miroku, and even Shippo had taken to glancing at him and rolling their eyes so often that he had to register surprise that they weren’t stuck permanently pointed at the ceiling. Of course, being alone in anger was nothing new for Inuyasha. When someone was angry as often as Inuyasha was, they had to get used to being the only one fuming from the ears the majority of the time.
He ceased his pacing the moment he caught sight of an odd light coming from the well. A very odd, very familiar light. Kagome was back! He stomped over to the side, so determined to giver her a piece of his mind that he reached down and easily lifted her and that stupid backpack right up and set them both on the ground
“Thanks, Inuyasha,” she chimed so happily that his anger ebbed and evaporated like water on a summer day. If any had been left after that, it would have disappeared without a trace the as Kagome wrapped her arms around his stoic form and squeezed gently.
Inuyasha only had time to look down at the top of her head before she released him. She wasn’t in the least perturbed the fact that he had been to stunned to respond. It was what she had expected after all.
“Um…hi Kagome,” He replied weakly. “Do you, um, need any help with that bag?”
Kagome’s smile widened happily. “Sure, if it’s much trouble,” she agreed, handing him the bag.
Ok, so maybe she hadn’t forced him to carry it, but she had definitely manipulated him into it. He was sure, although momentarily he forgot to give a damn.
“Where is everyone?” Kagome asked, looking around as though expecting them to jump out from behind a tree
“They’re back at Kaede’s. I was just out here ‘cause I was tired of them talking to me and all. Its not like I was waiting for you or nuthin’!” Ok, untrue, but he wasn’t about to admit to the fact that he’d been out there the last four days, counting down how long he had to wait until Kagome returned.
‘Yeah, sure you weren’t’ thought Kagome. But she smiled. “I know,” she said with a nod. “Come on, lets go say hi to them.”
She didn’t wait for his response before trotting happily off in the direction of Kaede’s village, leaving Inuyasha standing alone in a clearing with a very large yellow bag. He sighed loudly. Well, that hadn’t gone quite as he had hoped, but at least they weren’t in another fight. Suddenly, his sore neck was feeling a lot better. With a shrug to himself, he followed Kagome down the slope and off into the trees.
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Shippo groaned. Loudly. When nothing happened, he groaned again, although he didn’t really expect much. He’d been at it for nearly an hour, but his moans had yet to stir Miroku and Sango from their conversation. He had long ago stopped listening.
“Won’t be long now,” said Miroku, glancing up into the sky. “It’ll be sunset soon, and Kagome will surely be back by then.”
“I agree,” nodded Sango. “I bet she’s down by the well right now fighting with Inuyasha. “In fact, I bet they’ll both stomp in here in a minute angry and red-faced.”
Miroku shook his head. “I don’t think so. I bet she turns up all perky, and Inuyasha forgets he was even angry at her. I mean, he gets angry so often, he probably has a hard time keeping track.”
Sango snorted loudly. “Not a chance. They’ll barge in here screaming at the top of their lungs any moment now.” To add to her point she glanced expectantly at the door.
“My dear Sango, truly lovely as you are, I’m afraid we are in my area of expertise here. You see Sango, Inuyasha, the moment before Kagome arrives, will be fuming to himself, I admit. But the second she comes out of that well, all ills forgotten, he’ll be to happy to see her to start yelling. I bet he’ll come trailing in here after her, carrying her bag like a little puppy dog.”
“Oh yeah?” Sango grinned. “I bet you they’ll be fighting.”
“Dear Sango, how could you think me a betting man?” Miroku asked, feigning hurt.
“Well, why not monk?” she chided back. “You are a lecher.”
“You wound me Sango!”
She smiled wickedly. “And, somehow, I’m okay with that.”
Miroku sat back against the outer wall of Kaede’s hut behind him with a sulky ‘hmph’ that made Sango giggle.
“I’ll tell you what monk,” she said. “How about we make a little bet. If I’m right, then you can’t talk to any women for the next week. You can’t ask anyone to bear your child and you can’t grope anyone either. You can still talk to me and Kagome, as long as you refer to us as ‘your majesty’ or ‘your greatness’ when you do.”
Miroku, who was sure he was right, had his interest spiked by the deal. “Fine, but if I win, you can’t hit me for the whole week. No matter what I do, no slapping, no punching, kicking, or hitting me over the head with hiraikotsu…”
“Ok, deal.”
“No wait, I’m not done. You cant ask Shippo, Kirara, or Inuyasha, especially not Inuyasha, to hit me on your behalf either. I think that’s everything. Have we got a deal?”
Sango thought for a moment. She didn’t think she was wrong, but she didn’t like the idea of a weak of relentless groping if she was. Then again, she realized with a grin, he said no hitting. He said no kicking. But he hadn’t said a word about throwing, and she had very good aim.
“Ok, monk, you’ve got yourself a bet.” She extended a hand which he shook, and then pulled to his lips and kissed with a smirk.
“This,” he said, with his own note of wickedness, “Is going to be a fun week.”
At that very moment, Kagome ran inside excitedly. “Hi guys,” she squealed excitedly, hugging Sango and even Miroku, then sweeping Shippo into her arms and squeezing him tightly.
“Kagome …hi…can’t…breathe,” he gasped.
“Oh, sorry,” she said, putting him down. “I just missed you guys so much!”
A second later, Inuyasha tromped into the hut, smiling mildly, and set Kagome’s large yellow bag on the floor beside the door before sitting down himself.
“This,” smirked Miroku, “is going to be a very fun week.” And with that as warning, he reached behind Sango and grabbed her backside without hesitation. In response, she picked up the empty kettle and threw it at him, clocking him right in the head.
“And I’m going to need to go get some rocks,” replied Sango.
‘Damn it’ thought Miroku, as Inuyasha and Kagome watched the exchange with equally confused expressions. ‘Throwing, forgot to say no throwing.’ Well, it would still be a fun week, as long as he learned to duck