A/N:

So… FINALLY, right?

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Crystal Leaves

X: Friends Close, Enemies Closer

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'Why is there never a gun around when you need it?'

a very modern mind mused. Sitting cross-legged, chin resting on her palm, the modern girl sighed and shut off her vision, eyelids were the only safety from the dark bangs tossing with the wind, constantly pricking her eyeballs. Long ebon hair flowed behind her, as wisps of a cloud held her aloft and sped a long journey.

'I wouldn't complain about some sunglasses either… especially those sporty ones that, like, shape around your head and stuff…' But as the image entered her mind, she grimaced. No, she definitely would not look fetching in a pair of those, but comfort over beauty is a thing. A real thing, as far as she was concerned.

Events playing out as they did, she had agreed to hop on that little cloud after Lord Sesshoumaru informed her of their new plans. She was regretting it more and more as her discomfort increased and his normal silence drug on, but she wasn't exactly given much of a choice. Though his memories and the extremity of his pride may have been lacking, she was quick to find out that she had a challenger for MVP in the stubbornness competition.

'So, he IS InuYasha's brother! If ever I doubted before… NEVER again!' Mock astonishment took over and she peered up at him with a hand blocking the wind from her eyes, then she gave a coy smile, but she accidentally let her thoughts color her voice as a giggle escaped.

Said brother gazed down at her with a slowly arching brow, 'The elevation must be affecting her.' He nodded slightly to himself, but hadn't realized that it was visible to her until he heard a gasping laugh as the miko imagined him simply agreeing with her thoughts. She quickly waved his curiosity away, not wanting to tarnish the moment comedy she enjoyed in her mind's eye.

Before long, their journey came to an unexpected stop. And Kagome found herself launched airborne, her body one with the momentum. But lucky for her, a pair of hands grasped her hips and forced her ornery body to the ground upright. But before the hands let go, a squeal broke loose and the little miko body lurched precariously close to a spot that the demon found himself not prone to needing to protect.

"It—it tiiickle—stop!"

And unbeknownst to him, he had never found himself so close to a bucking bronco in his life, had he a clue what one even was. He relinquished his hold and stepped away, eyeing the creature writhing on the ground that once resembled a human. Had he not heard the uncontrolled laughter emitting from her, alarm bells surely would have gone off, signaling the dangers associated with such an unknown being.

She breathed harshly for a moment longer before pushing herself off the ground with a huff, eyes throwing daggers at the still confused demon.

"You don't just touch a girl like that!" she bounced an index finger his direction as her other hand tried to replace her disarranged attire.

As a secondary thought stole its way through her recently-tickled brain fog, "But… thanks for saving me…"

And she stalked off with much purpose, hoping it the correct direction toward their quarry. Any doubts assuaged as she felt his presence following suit behind her.

Two separate energies pricked at her senses not long into her walking, and before long the pair fell upon a wind demoness and a wolf youkai. But had she not been aware of their youki, the loud bickering would have certainly been enough to give their presence away. That also probably explained the silence of the surrounding forest, as angry demons oftentimes heralded the flight of lesser creatures bent on distancing themselves from the danger.

The miko cleared her throat, immediately interrupting what looked like a fresh onslaught of curses from the wolf demon, as well as something a little more than unexpected. The wind demoness with her normally perfect updo was looking more than a little undone. She was unabashedly straddling the wolf, her kimono riding up higher and higher as she stretched across him, the tops of her ivory breasts shone from the disheveled attire. And she was livid.

"Stupid ookami! Give me back my FAN!"

A wolfish grin stole his face then, before he was cursing and laughing so hard he almost caused her to topple off from him as he continued to hold the prized possession just out of her reach.

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