UpaInu

By Icka! M. Chif

"Nijuusan... Nijuushi.... Nijuugo.... Nijuuroku... Nijuunana... Nijuuhachi.... Nijuukyuu..."

The sound of someone counting greeted Kagome as she stepped out of the well. Looking beside her, she spotted Sango and Miroku sitting next to the well. 

Miroku looked up and smiled at her. "Welcome back, Kagome-sama!" He said with a small wave.

"Thanks. What's going on?" She asked, setting the pack down and stepping out. Sango gave her a partial wave, never stopping her counting.

"We have a visitor. Kagome-sama, may I introduce you to Iori-san? He says he's from your time." Miroku motioned to a small brown haired boy she hadn't noticed. He bowed politely to her. 

"Pleased to meet you. Your friends were kind enough to offer to keep me company while I wait for my friends to fix the malfunction in the Digiport." He explained with a quiet, serious voice. She bowed back, setting her pack down. 

"Nice to meet you as well." She paused a second. "Digiport?"

"My friends and I are Chosen Children, we travel between the real world and the Digital World." Iori explained. "That is my Digital Partner, Upamon."

He motioned to a small bouncing head with either large ears or tufts on either side of it's face. And behind him was- "Look out!!!" Kagome shouted.

A second later, she wasn't sure if she had been attempting to warn Inuyasha, who had missed when he attempted to pounce the Digimon or Upamon, who was now cheerfully bouncing on the upside down grumpy dog-deamon. 

"Oh."

She paused, tilting her head to the side. "Where's Shippou?" She asked, realising that the kitsune wasn't laughing at the potentially humourous scene.

"Upamon wore him out." Iori explained, looking down next to Miroku. The kit was curled up next to the monk, fast asleep. 

"I see."

"Hyaku." Sango announced. Miroku made a line in the dirt. Sango then continued to count, starting over. "Ichi... Ni... San..."

Kagome looked over their shoulders at the lines in the dirt. There was over a handful. "Ah."

Inuyasha let out a growl, on his feet again and attempting to capture the bouncing head. And missing. Repeatedly.

Kagome watched for a second, then shrugged and sat down. Reaching into her bag she rummaged around a second then pulled out a box of pocky.

"Pocky?" She offered, passing it around. 

"Thank you."

They all took a few sticks and quietly munched as they watched Inuyasha stalk Upamon with the same sort of air one has when watching an action pack movie or a really bloody accident scene.

"Gojuuroku... Gojuunana... Gojuuhachi... Gojukyuu... Rokujuu..."

Fin.