Chapter 1 - Trouble comes, but does it go?

`I just wish for more, even when I have it all.' The young prince thought to himself. He was heir to the throne, he had plenty of beautiful ladies to entertain him, and yet he wanted more, more of something. But what? He continued to gather his thoughts as he walked around the nearby lake to his kingdom. He was dressed in normal clothing, like many of the villagers, wore no crown, and had his hair tied back in a simple and short ponytail. To tell the truth, he was quite handsome. That's when he noticed some voices from nearby hot springs that were secured by a circle of tall boulders.



“Ah…this feels so good. Don't you agree, Sango?” the first female voice said.



“Yes, it helps ease all of that battle pain from my body…and this …swim suit, you call it, is quite comfortable. What do you think houshi-sama? Are these suits Kagome gave us comfortable?”



“Yes, quite. Thanks to Lady Kagome”



“Oh, it was nothing. Hey, Miroku, where's Inuyasha? He hasn't come out yet.” The prince had, by then, reached the rocks and was looking in between them when he saw two ladies of fair beauty, a handsome monk, and a young fox demon. `A demon! These people are in danger!' The prince thought.



“I'm coming, I'm coming. This suit is just…odd, that's all.”



The people and the demon began to laugh. The girl named Kagome said to the voice in the woods “If you need assistance, we can send back Miroku…” And the monk looked disgusted. They all began to laugh. Then the one named Sango looked right at him.



“Ahhh!!! You spying pervert of a villager! How long have you been there?” Sango screamed. She ran and hid behind Miroku, for he was closest to her. Kagome and Miroku looked at where she was pointing, and then Miroku was in the prince's face.



“Kind sir, might I ask how long you have been there?” the monk said politely, “For you are scaring my companion, as you can see. And from the look on her face, she would like to slap you. And trust me, that's quite painful.”



The prince clapped his hands together and bowed while saying “P-please spare me. I am only a villager and I was walking around the lake when I heard your voices. I have not been here long, and I just was curious. Please spare me!”



“Well, Sango, should we spare this villager?” Miroku asked Sango.



“I think we should. I have a spare suit, so let's have him join us, and we can discover more about him.” Kagome said. She got up and went to her bag, and pulled out an extra swim suit and threw it at the prince. Then the one they called Inuyasha walked out of the woods with his sword in hand.



“What's all the ruckuss? And who is he?” He said, pointing at the prince.



“He's a spying, pervertive villager. He is going to go into the woods, change into Kagome's extra suit, and we are going to learn more about him, as of Kagome invited him to join us.” Sango said, still hiding behind Miroku, who then pushed her out from behind him and towards Kagome.



“You invited a villager to join us? What are you, nuts?” Inuyasha said to Kagome, while the villager went into the woods to change. `Two demons, two beautiful women, and a monk. What an odd group.' The prince thought. He came back out in time to see the dog demon smash into the ground while the girl called Kagome yelled “SIT, boy!”



“Well then, now that that's over…ah! You're done, come and sit with us.” Sango said, gesturing next to her and Kagome. But Miroku slid over and pointed next to him and shot him a stern glare. Inuyasha sat on the other side of Kagome, who looked at him with a stern glare, and then smiled. `Who is that beautiful woman? Why is she with these people?' the prince thought.



“I beg your pardon?” Kagome said, looking at the prince with a slight look of disgust on her face. Inuyasha was giving him a very cold glare, and the prince tried to back away from him, as if that would help. `I must have said that aloud. Oh no!!'



“I'm sorry, Kagome, is it?, but that must have slipped. And I must admit, you and Sango are very beautiful.” At this last sentence Inuyasha pulled Kagome towards him and Miroku did the same for Sango, both glaring at the prince with utmost loathing. They pushed away from the guys and looked at him with interest. Then Kagome asked him a question that he never expected.



“Excuse me, but aren't you the Prince or something? Most villagers don't have such manners, and there's been rumor that a prince from the nearby village has been acting as a villager. Why do you do that, Your Highness?” He looked shocked, then turned scarlet and looked at his hands underwater. How did she find out?



“Well, you assumed correctly that I am indeed the Prince. But I cannot answer your second question because I don't think I have a proper answer to it. I greatly apologize if I have caused you and your fellow travelers any trouble. And I'm sorry I scared you, Lady Sango. I was merely interested in the conversation and who knew about the hot springs here.” He took a deep breath and began to relax. That's when he noticed that everyone was looking at him in a shocked kind of way. The first to break this look was Inuyasha. He looked at Kagome and said “I told you that he wasn't just a villager. There was something about his smell that made me wonder.”



“Well, your nose isn't always right, Inuyasha. You said that there was a demon in this direction, and we haven't seen one yet!” Kagome replied back. Then the Prince decided to interrupt and make a comment.



“If I may, there is indeed a demon around these parts. It comes to my village every other night and attacks us. If you are here to slay the demon, I would be most honored to let you stay at our palace for a night or two.” Kagome looked at him, and then looked at the others.



“Miroku, you and Inuyasha can have a room together. Sango, Shippou, and I can have a separate one.” Then she whispered to Inuyasha “Don't let him out of your site. If the Prince has a sister, who knows what he might do!” Miroku, over hearing the last couple of words, glared at Inuyasha. Then they all turned to the prince. The little kitsune asked a question.



“Excuse me, Mr. Prince sir, where's your crown?” he asked, then looked at him with a tilt of his head. The Prince blushed, and said “I didn't wear it, not with my villager disguise on. It kind of ruins the disguise…” Then they sat quietly for a minute before Miroku asked him a question.



“Sir, what is your name?”



“My name? Uh…My name is…Sorry, I just don't normally give my name to people I just met…my name is Tomahakshi, but most call me Toma or Kshi. I don't care if you call me one of those either.” he said, then blushed again. Kagome looked at her fellow traveler's faces. Kagome stood up and stretched, and began to walk out of the little pool.



“Well, it's getting late, and if we're going to get to the village tonight then we better get going.” The others groaned, but they followed suit anyway. The Prince got up last and went after Inuyasha and Miroku to a spot in the woods. He went a little ways off and began to dress again. When he was done, he went back to the springs to wait for the rest, while thinking about why they could be traveling together. Kagome and Sango came out next, with little Shippou in their arms. Then Inuyasha and Miroku came out, and Miroku had quite a few large bumps on his head. That's when Prince Kshi noticed the look on Kagome and Sango's faces, and he knew what had happened. He pointed out the direction of the village and they went along their way. Kagome and Inuyasha talked with Sango about the Shikon Jewel, and he became interested in their conversation.



“Shikon Jewel? I heard about that…somebody said that it had been shattered and that the pieces were everywhere. They said that it happened around the Priestess Kikyo's village, in the forest or something.” He was looking at Kagome, who was looking at Inuyasha, who was looking at the ground. He then guessed that it was an embarrassing conversation for the Lady Kagome and the hanyou called Inuyasha, and he began to apologize. But before he could get anything out, Kagome looked at him.



“Don't worry, it's not your fault. Inuyasha, you have no reason to be embarrassed, so knock it off. I shattered it when I first got here, to the Federal Era, and Inuyasha and I have been searching for the shards to this day. Sango, Miroku, and Shippou here joined us along the way. I have Inuyasha slay demons for the people for practice when it comes to the time to slay the ultimate demon and monster, Naraku. So we really do appreciate your offer, and we are willing to help.” She then turned red and looked at the ground.



“It's not all your fault you know, Kagome. I didn't keep a good enough eye on you, of all people, and you went off on your own…you just have to stick your nose into other people's business, stupid girl, so it was at least half my fault.” Inuyasha said, all the while looking at Kagome for a certain response. Apparently, he got what he wanted, because Kagome lifted her face, pure anger written all over it. The prince backed away a step, with a fearful look on his face. Inuyasha had the same look, and seemed to get smaller the angrier that Kagome got.



“Inuyasha, for one thing, I am NOT a stupid girl, nor do I stick my nose in all other people's business. And for another thing, you would have gone off alone too if you just came to the strangest place ever, met you, and had been told that you were to protect some Jewel that you were raised to believe was a myth!!” She had her hands balled into fists, and she suddenly towered over Inuyasha. She then turned to Sango and Miroku, who had stopped to watch, a bemused look on their faces, and stomped past them farther along the road to the village.



“Hey, girl, get your hide back here!!! You cannot go wandering around here! You'll be killed! Do you REALLY think that I want that?” Inuyasha yelled after her, then realized what he said when she stopped. He stood for a moment, then she turned around, tears on her face, and yelled “SIT, boy!!!” She then took off running, her hands over her eyes. Sango raced after her, leaving the monk and the Prince to assist Inuyasha. The monk sighed, then reached down and pulled Inuyasha into an upright position. He had a bewildered look on his face, that what-did-I-do look on his face.



“Inuyasha, you really should choose what you say more wisely. Although I don't doubt that Sango has it under control, you should apologize. You really hurt her that time.” The monk had a thoughtful look upon his face. Inuyasha slapped him upside the face, then jumped up.



“Why do you think I should do that, eh monk? So you can have Sango all to yourself again? I think not!” Inuyasha stormed off a ways ahead, then turned back and said, “Aren't you coming, baka? We have to get to the village before dark!” Miroku realized that Inuyasha wanted to get there before dark so that he wouldn't have to deal with Kagome's anger much longer. It was the first day of the month, and Kagome would pity him and be with him. Little did the houshi know that he was very much mistaken.



~breeze blows, trees ruffle gently scene changes to night~



“Kagome, I am sure that Inuyasha didn't mean it. You know him, he always says the wrong things at the wrong time. Just apologize, you know that you want to.” Sango reassured Kagome, who was sitting in a room with Sango and had her head buried in hands. You could hear her gently sobbing and could see that her body was shaking uncontrollably from crying .



“W-why should I? He d-does this all the t-time. He's n-never apologized to m-me first, so why should *hiccup* I d-do that to him any l-longer?” she said in between sobs. She was really distressed.

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