These characters do not belong to me.

Choosing a Partner

Chapter 6

By Kenzie Kennedy

After an hour had gone by, Kagome was ready to leave. Her lessons with Kaede usually didn’t last too long. It was reading the book and seeing if she understood it enough to try. If it succeeded, fine, if it didn’t, she’d do it again the next day.

She’d been walking with Inuyasha along the streets when she noticed he looked uncomfortable. "Is it the sword?" she asked. "That’s making you uncomfortable, I mean."

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, Kagome."

She sighed. Kagome, again. "Then why are you acting so strangely if it isn’t the sword?"

"I am fine, Kagome."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Please tell me what’s wrong."

Inuyasha slumped. He moved over to her ear and whispered, "I am hungry, Kagome."

Kagome blinked at him. "Is that all? We’re headed to the shopping plaza down the next street. We can stop and get a slice of pizza or something." She grabbed his arm and started to run. "C’mon!"

They ran to the next corner and around it. Kagome pointed out the shop and bought Inuyasha three slices of pizza and got herself one. Sitting down, she pointed to his plate. "Do you think that’ll be enough?"

Inuyasha nodded. He began to eat the pizza and devoured it in the time it took Kagome to eat one slice.

"Wow," she breathed. "Are you still hungry?" He shook his head to signify no. "All right then. Mom gave me a list."

***

While Kagome was shopping and Inuyasha was being used as a pack mule, Sango and Miroku were out looking in various little shops. Sango oohed and ahhed over the computer equipment in one store, scowled at the shelf in the bookstore when they didn’t have the newest book by her favorite author, and ducked into an antique store for a look.

Sango was examining a nest of bowls when a sharp intake of breath made her look up. "What is it?" she asked following his gaze.

"It is a monk’s staff from the 1500’s, Sango," he said a little breathlessly.

Sango looked at it with renewed interest. "That’s pretty cool," she admitted. Not really seeing what made it so special, she moved away a few steps to look at something else. When she looked back, Miroku was still standing there admiring the staff.

Moving back to him, she said, "How’d you recognize it?"

"I read all the books in the center particularly the ones on religion, Sango. This was my favorite, Sango."

Sango looked at the wanting in his eyes. "Did you want it?" she asked.

Miroku’s eyes instantly moved away from the staff. "No, Sango."

"Why not? You obviously like it. You could keep it in your room. Once we get another one cleared out tomorrow." Sango amended.

"Slaves are not allowed possessions, Sango."

"Mine are," Sango said simply and picked up the staff. She carried it to the cash register where she paid for it and handed it back to Miroku. He accepted it gingerly as if it were made of glass.

They walked out of the store and straight home. Sango was getting frustrated with all these rules about having a slave.

***

Kagome greeted Sango when she got home. Her eyes lit up as they saw Miroku’s staff. "Nice," she said.

"Thank you, Kagome," Miroku said automatically.

"Kagome, if anyone asks, I’ll be in my room performing wizardry," Sango said.

Kagome nodded. "Okay."

Miroku followed Sango a few steps. She turned and shook her head. "Stay here," she told him. Miroku’s feet latched to the floor. Sango sighed. "Do whatever it is slaves do when they’re not under any orders." Sango walked off.

Kagome shrugged. "What happened?"

Miroku turned and looked at Kagome. "We went shopping, I saw this, and admired it, Kagome. She…bought it for me, Kagome."

"That’s nice," Kagome said absently. "Mom!"

"Yes?" she called from the next room.

"I’m going to go do my homework."

"I’ll call you for dinner."

"Thanks!" She turned to Inuyasha. "Stay here, do whatever it is slaves do." Kagome ran off to her room.

Inuyasha and Miroku stood there silently. What did slaves do when not under orders? Nothing, that’s what.

Fifteen minutes later, Rimiko came into the room. She seemed surprised to see the boys there. "Why are you still here?" she asked puzzled.

"Sango said to stay here, Rimiko."

"Kagome said to stay here, Rimiko."

Rimiko shook her head. "Come on then. I’d like some help in the backyard." The boys followed her.

***

After two hours of mild work, Rimiko started back indoors. When the three of them arrived in the house, Rimiko turned. "I want you two to go to the bathroom and clean up. That means take a bath and change into fresh clothes. Miroku first, then Inuyasha. When you are done, Miroku, wait for Inuyasha to be finished. Miroku, you will then go to Sango’s room and knock on it. Please tell her that dinner will be ready shortly. Inuyasha, you do the same with Kagome." She walked up the stairs and they followed.

***

Miroku knocked on Sango’s door at the same time that Inuyasha was knocking on Kagome’s door. "Come in," Sango called out.

When she heard someone step into the room, she said, "I’ll be done with this in just two seconds, okay?"

"Yes, Sango."

Sango typed in the last remaining sentence of code and swiveled her chair to look at Miroku. "What is it?"

"Rimiko said to tell you that dinner will be done shortly, Sango." His gaze flickered from her to the screen.

Sango grinned and swirled back to the machine. "I’m writing a computer program for my homework. Isn’t it a beauty?" She blew a kiss at the computer. "Oh, yes, this is going to get me such a good grade."
She turned around and got up. "Do you know how the female school system works?" she asked.

Miroku shook his head. "No, Sango."

"Well, until you’re fifteen, it’s just like a guy’s school. We learn the same things. After your fifteenth birthday you choose a field. You have to take a huge test that takes practically all day and it narrows down what you’d be good at. If the job training you choose really doesn’t fit you, then you choose another one. There are people who haven’t completed their training until they were thirty! Mine indicated I’d be great at hunting down viruses and writing programs. Kagome’s was chosen for her ever since she was born. She’s got miko powers so that’s why she has to go to Kaede’s."

"Thank you, Sango."

Sango frowned. "I’m going to go see if Rimiko needs some help with dinner. Want to come along?"

"If you want me to, Sango."

"Come on then," Sango said sadly.

**************