InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blue Skies and Little Fishes ❯ Blue Skies and Little Fishes ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha (that honor goes to Rumiko Takahashi) and I make no money from this or any other fanfic I write.

Pairings: Inu Yasha + Kagome, Miroku + Sango

Category: General

Rating: PG

Warnings: Bullying and mild violence/language

Title: Blue Skies and Little Fishes

Author: yellowhorde

You can visit my humble web page `yellowhorde's house' at http://www.webspawner.com/users/yellowhorde/index.html or simply feel free to send comments/constructive criticism to me at yellowhorde@hotmail.com

BLUE SKIES AND LITTLE FISHES

The sun was high in the sky as Kagome dashed towards the beach clad only in her swimming suit with Shippo close on her heels. The river water was a deep crystalline blue and beckoned with promises of cool relief from the oppressive heat. With utter abandonment the two threw themselves into the sparkling water and erupted from the water moments later, sputtering.

"WOW! That's COLD!" Kagome cried shrilly.

"I know!" Shippo agreed. "Isn't it wonderful!"

"Sure is!" Kagome laughed merrily and splashed playfully at Shippo. In no time at all they were engaged in a full-fledged water battle.

A short distance up the riverbed, Miroku looked on from his spot on a nearby rock. With a happy sigh he settled himself more comfortably on his perch. The barest puff of a breeze, hot as a dragon's breath, fluttered his jet-black bangs but offered no real relief.

(This is proving to be a most spectacular day.) Miroku marveled as he watched the water antics from the safety of his rock. (Ah, yes indeed! A dazzlingly blue sky, gentle breezes, and scantily clad women running around all over the place. Life is wonderful.)

With an innocent smile he glanced at the demon slayer, Sango, who was busy cleaning her large boomerang with a certain grim determination. Beads of sweat trickled from her brow and the back of her kimono was wet with sweat. She cast one long wistful glance towards the beckoning water.

"Sango," Miroku asked, "why aren't you enjoying the water with the others?"

Sango narrowed her eyes and returned her gaze to her weapons. "I don't swim." she replied tightly, "when there are perverts nearby."

"Perverts?" Miroku shielded the sun from his eyes with his hand as he scanned the surrounding territory in mock seriousness. "I don't see any perverts around here."

Abruptly, Inu Yasha appeared behind Miroku and whapped him upside the back of his head with one clenched fist.

"That's because you're not looking in a mirror!!" Inu Yasha snapped as he sat cross-legged on the ground besides Sango. "The only pervert around here is you, you dirty old monk!"

Inu Yasha glanced towards the river to where Kagome and Shippo were trying to drown each other. Kagome's hair hung thick and wet along her back and the swimming suit, although a perfectly modest one-piece, molded to her curvaceous figure leaving no doubt that she was a fully matured woman. Well, in body at least, if not entirely in mind. A small blush crept up over Inu Yasha's checks and he felt more than a little over heated. He quickly looked away and blamed these feelings on sitting too long in the sun.

Miroku had not missed Inu Yasha's reaction and he couldn't help but tease the young dog demon just a little bit. "Are you feeling all right there, Inu Yasha?" He asked, his tone one of light concern. "You're looking awfully flushed!"

Uncomfortable at his uncontrollable physical reactions to the sight of the scantily clad Kagome, and embarrassed that Miroku had noticed and had undoubtedly been able to read his mind, Inu Yasha stood abruptly.

"I guess I've been in the sun too long, that's all." He then stomped off towards the cool shelter of the forest.

"Heh, looks like I'm not the only pervert around here," Miroku smirked to himself. "Still, I'd say it's about time Inu Yasha told her how he felt." Grinning, Miroku returned his lecherous eyes to the water.

*****

Angrily, Inu Yasha stalked through the trees, grateful for the shade they provided. It was hot and more than anything he would have enjoyed joining Kagome and Shippo in their water fun. Unfortunately that just wasn't an option.

Mental images from that one fateful day from his childhood surfaced in Inu Yasha's mind. It had been a beautiful summer day much the same as this one. It had been sweltering hot and the humidity had pressed down on the world like a thick wool blanket making even the act of breathing almost unbearable. After the noon meal, his mother had settled down for a quiet nap and had encouraged her five-year-old son to do the same. But sleep had been the farthest thing from the boy's mind.

He feigned sleep until he was sure that his mother wouldn't wake, then he crept of bed and snuck out of their hut. He made his way silently through the surrounding woods until he came upon the river. The azure surface of the water glimmered with a thousand dazzling jewels of light and in moments he had stripped down to his loincloth and was running along its sandy bank.

He plunged into the watery depths and the feeling of the cool water against his bare skin was a blessing. It washed away the grime and sweat leaving him deliciously refreshed. He swam for a while then moved close to shore where the water was clear and relatively shallow. He marveled at the colorful pebbles beneath his feet.

Suddenly he gasped as he felt something nibbling at one of his toes. It was a tiny goldfish! Delighted, he tried to scoop the fish from the water but it easily skimmed away with the grace of one born of that element. This, however, didn't deter Inu Yasha from trying to catch the slippery creature again...and again...and again.

Inu Yasha was so intent upon catching the wriggling fish that he was caught off guard when three village boys appeared a short while later with their clothes bundled in their arms.

"Well, lookie what we have here!" Sneered one of the boys. "Some half-breed mutt is dirtying up our swimming hole!"

The boy, whose name was Toshiyuki, was the ironsmith's son. He was very tall and, at fifteen, was stronger than most men. His thick black hair was in a topknot and his eyes were cold and hard as the pebbles beneath Inu Yasha's feet. The other two boys were of a similar age but were not nearly as strong as their friend and leader. All three were deeply tanned from long hours laboring in the rice fields.

Inu Yasha immediately forgot about how good the water felt and how fun it was to chase tiny shining fish. With big fearful eyes he stared up at the three older boys and remembered suddenly that his mother was at home napping and that she had no idea where he was. Dread pooled inside his stomach and the little dog demon suddenly wished he had stayed home.

"Don't you know that dogs aren't allowed here, you mutt?" Toshiyuki snapped.

Although he was very afraid, Inu Yasha could not squelch the anger that rose up inside of him at being called a mutt. "It's not your river and I can be here if I want to be! So why don't you buzz off?" Instantly, he regretted his rash words when he saw the faces of the three villagers darken in anger.

Toshiyuki growled low in his throat and his long calloused fingers bunched into tight fists. "You've got quite a mouth on you, you little half-breed. Looks like we're going to have to teach you some manners!"

The three boys leapt into the water and quickly surrounded Inu Yasha, who attempted to flee. His small feet twisted out from under him as the treacherous sand shifted beneath his weight. His arms pin wheeled helplessly as he lost his balance and found himself suddenly below the surface sucking water instead of air.

TO BE CONTINUED…