I DO NOT own…peace!!!
Kagome woke that morning and wondered exactly why she was awake at daybreak. The answer came to her slowly.
"Oh yea…Kiba and his flowers of death. How shall I destroy them this time?" The girl, no woman sat up, stretching. She slipped off the bed, flinching when her bare feet hit the cold floor. "Last time, I uprooted all the little bastards. Then they grew back." She frowned as she thought about her evil action for the day. Kagome walked to her kitchen slowly. She began to pull out bread only to replace it. Shrugging, she settled for a glass of water. Had anyone been there, they would have wondered about the bright flash of silver that surrounded the glass before she drank from it. Finishing her drink, she set the cup on her counter and stared out her window. Then an idea hit her.
"I haven't used my flamethrower in a while." Had anyone been in the room with her, they would have shivered as the t-shirt clad woman skipped to the bathroom, a deadly smirk on her face.
At precisely six o'clock, Kagome stepped out of her shower. She walked across her room as she prepared for the day. Humming softly to herself, she pulled out a pair of capris and a halter top. She added matching underwear to the pile and then got began to get dressed. Reaching for her capris she frowned. Kagome walked back to her closet and rifled through it again, pulling out a miniskirt and a pair of tights. Grinning madly, she put them on. She kneeled down in front of her bed and looked under it, looking for her favorite pair of boots. With a happy cry, she pulled them out. She put them on and smiled. Flouncing over to the mirror in the corner of the room, she eyed her outfit for the day. She wore a dark green halter top with matching tight and a black miniskirt. Her black boots stopped at mid-calf. A sad smile appeared on her face as she slipped a silver chain over her head. The chain was the only thing she wore everyday. Unlike what most people thought, it wasn't because it was a gift from someone she loved dearly. Nope, instead, it was a jewel she was cursed to forever protect.
Her smile faded momentarily as she pulled her knee length hair into a braid. It returned full force when she opened her special room to retrieve her weapons. The twin swords were perched on their respective sides of her hips. She dragged out her flamethrower with a grin. She placed it by the kitchen table as she searched for her sun glasses. Finding them in her bathroom, she put them on. Kagome looked at the time again.
"Hey, not bad. It's almost six twenty." She searched for a tube of lip gloss. Putting it on, she smirked deviously at her reflection. Leaving the bathroom, she picked up the keys for her motorcycle and put the flamethrower on her back. She left her giant apartment and went down the stairs. On the way, she passed by a couple of people setting out chairs for the morning's entertainment. She waved to a pair of twins as they ogled her. The two boys blushed identically. She blew them a kiss.
"Mornin' Kiba!!" The green eyed man glared at her.
"What is that?"
"My flamethrower?" Kagome's grin widened. "Nothin' much." Kiba's eyes widened.
"There is no way in hell I'm letting you near my flowers!!"
"I don't need to be in hell Kiba." She smiled at him as she prepared her flamethrower. "Besides, only in Midgar can I blow your weeds clear out of the ground!" Evilly laughter erupted from the girl as she blew flames onto the poor man's unwary garden. Minutes later, her task done, she pretended to blow smoke off her flamethrower's nozzle.
"You crazy bitch!!!" Kagome's eyes flashed behind her sunglasses.
"I told you already Kiba. Your weeds are killing my flowers. They don't share the ground, and they don't share water. They are slowly killing everything in this garden. I'll kill them every time you grow them." She smiled cheekily. "Thanks for letting me use my flamethrower again though." On that note, she left the stupefied man with his burning flowers. She stopped at the edge of her plot of land and expertly cut a couple of the flowers down. She walked over to her bike and pressed a button, grabbing her bag when it appeared. She lay the flowers in it gently before shrugging the flamethrower off her back. She replaced it with her backpack.
"You can't do this!!"
"I already did." Kagome put the flamethrower where her bag used to be and pressed the button again. She turned as the compartment closed. "If you try killing my garden again, I'll kill you Kiba. Got it?" She pressed another button and another part of her bike opened. She pulled her swords off her hips and placed them where they belonged. The compartment closed on its own. "Good." Without waiting for a reply, she slipped the key into the ignition and turned it on. The motorcycle revved to life. She jumped on it and was stopped by a hand on her wrist. She turned to stare into the angry eyes of her neighbor.
"Make no mistake, you'll pay for this."
"When you finally prove what you've been threatening, maybe I'll fear ya." She smiled. "Until then, don't you touch me again." Not waiting for a reply, she pressed the gas and was gone. She snickered when Kiba was dragged the first couple of steps before he let go of her arm. Without a backward glance, she zoomed off into the city.
An hour later, she pulled up in front of a shop.
"I wonder if I'll ever meet this Strife guy." Kagome pushed her sun glasses back, onto her head. She slipped off the bike in a fluid motion. She smiled at a boy who was staring at her before walking into the shop. "Tifa!!!! Where are you my sweet little booger bear?"
"Kagome!!" Kagome followed the disgruntled yell. She paused at the door when she saw a man standing in the room.
"Well, had I known you had company over, I wouldn't have visited today." She blinked when Tifa blushed. "Was I…interrupting something?"
"No!!"
"You sure?"
"Yes!!"
"Who is this Tifa?" Tifa blinked in surprise.
"Oh. Cloud meet Kagome. She visits Denzel and Marlene. They took a liking to her. Kagome this is Cloud."
"Pleasure to meet you." Kagome smiled and held out her hand.
"Hn." Kagome twitched when her hand was ignored. She lowered it.
"I think I'll go see Denzel now." She walked past Tifa. "Little bastard just had to ruin my otherwise good day. Hn he says. Hn." She mumbled softly as she ascended the stairs. Tifa giggled nervously when the temperature of the room dropped.
"I'm sure she didn't mean it Cloud."
"Sure." The blue eyed man picked up his sun glasses from the counter.
"Will you come back again soon?"
"Maybe next week."
"Denzel and Marlene will see you then."
"I guess." He slipped his sun glasses on and left. Tifa watched from the window as he got on his motorcycle and left. Sighing, she walked up the stairs to Denzel's room, unsurprised to hear the two children laughing wildly.
Six hours later Kagome left the house. She smiled softly as she looked up into the window where Denzel and Marlene stood watching her.
"I'll visit again next week!"
"Promise?" Marlene called down doubtfully.
"When those flowers of mine begin to wilt, I'll be back." Marlene grinned.
"We'll be waiting Kagome! Have a safe trip home!"
"Bye Kagome! We'll miss you!!" Denzel and Marlene waved at her until she was out of sight. The duo turned to the vase of delicate white flowers simultaneously. "Do you think they'll wilt soon?" Marlene shook her head at Denzel's question. "Aww, too bad."
"She promised to come back though Denzel and you know she never breaks her promises."
"True."
(the next week)
Kagome parked outside Tifa's shop again. She smirked when she noticed the window was empty.
"I wonder where those two are." Shrugging, she climbed off her bike and entered the shop. She wandered around the front room pointlessly and then shrugged. Putting on a sad face, she walked into the next room. The sad expression flickered when she saw Cloud but was quickly replaced when she saw the two children. Kagome sniffled sadly.
"You weren't waiting for me!!" She wailed suddenly. Tifa, Denzel and Marlene all jumped. Kagome grinned. "I didn't scare you, did I?"
"Kagome!!!" Denzel ran towards Kagome. Cloud watched with interest as the girl was tackled to the ground. He noticed her bag had been placed down behind the doorway. "You came!!"
"A-air!!"
"You're silly. I know you can still breathe." Kagome sat up suddenly, toppling the boy to the side where she caught him before he hit the ground.
"Such accusations wound me." She carried the boy into the room like a piece of luggage. He giggled madly. "I thought you loved me Marlene? What's wrong?" Marlene pouted.
"I don't like you anymore!" Cloud blinked when Kagome's face actually looked hurt for a second. The look quickly vanished.
"Okay. Well then, I guess me and Denzel are going to have to eat your share of this cake I brought over. I mean seeing as you don't like me and all."
"You remembered?"
"The anniversary of the day we met? How could I forget? You did accidentally drop flour on me. I even wore white for the occasion, seeing as you won't be dropping flour on me today." Blue gray eyes twinkled in amusement. Cloud decided to assess this girl who was in his companion's life. She was wearing all white, ribbon in her hair to her boots, it was all white. He was surprised she had let herself be tackled to the ground. Few people he knew would willingly let their clothes be marred. His gaze drifted to her face absently and his breath caught. This woman was beautiful. Suddenly, he realized that she was staring at him, a brow quirked in an all to familiar look of arrogance.
"Cloud was it?"
"Cloud Strife is my name."
"Good, be a good little delivery man then and stop staring at me!" Blue gray eyes turned pewter gray. "You'd swear all men ever see is the face." She turned suddenly, still carrying the orphan boy. She stopped by the doorway and bent to get her bag. She scooped it up and stood again and made her way towards the table. Dropping the bag there, she gently set Denzel on his feet.
"What'd you bring us this time?"
"Marlene!"
"It's okay Tifa. She has a right to ask me that." Kagome opened the bag and pulled out a couple of boxes.
"I never understand how you stick so much junk in that bag."
"Magic?" Tifa rolled her eyes.
"Nice save Kagome." Kagome grinned before her eye twitched.
"Stop staring at me!" She stomped out of the room angrily and returned with a knife and a stack of plates.
"What are those for Kagome?"
"Why Marlene, have you forgotten about the cake already?" Marlene blushed. "You did? How sad. I guess Denzel and I really will have to eat your share."
"No!!!" Kagome stuck her tongue out at the younger girl. Suddenly, Denzel dropped to the ground.
"Denzel?" Kagome crouched next to him. "Denzel?" She brushed back his bangs with a sigh. "Tifa, get me some water please? Marlene? He'll be okay honey. Promise." Kagome scooped up the young boy and left the room in favor for the boys. She set him on his bed the exact moment Tifa entered with a pitcher of water.
"It's the geostigma again isn't it?"
"Isn't it always?" Kagome reached over to the bedside table and picked up the glass that was waiting there. Tifa poured water into the glass without prompt. "Could you go get my bag? I want to replace the flowers in here." Tifa nodded and placed the pitcher on the table before leaving the room. The glass in Kagome's hand flared silver. She touched the pitcher as well and smiled when it to flared silver. She placed the cup on the bedside table and moved to the flowers that stood alone. The once white flowers were now a pale gray and hung there limply.
"What do you know of the stigma?"
"What does anyone know?" Kagome retorted, not even looking back as Cloud entered the room. She had felt him when he had come up the stairs, reaching Denzel's room seconds after she had touched the pitcher. She removed the dead flowers from the vase, offering them a silent apology as she placed them in a waiting trash bag. No one ever touched the flowers but her. Tifa walked into the room with Kagome's bag. Kagome smiled softly as she replaced the flowers. She patted the pure white blossoms sadly.
"I still don't know why you just don't take him with you."
"It would be asking him to choose. I couldn't do that to him." Kagome turned to Tifa. "We talked about this already Tifa." She walked past the other female and sat next to Denzel. "Denzel? Little one? Wake up."
"I don't wanna."
"But you already are." She smiled when he opened his eyes.
"Did I pass out again?"
"No, you fainted."
"Uh-uh. Only girls faint!"
"Denzel!" Marlene ran into the room. "You woke up again!" She threw herself onto the boy eagerly.
"He said that only girls faint."
"That's not true Denzel! You just fainted!"
'I did not! I passed out!"
"Fainted!"
"Passed out!" Kagome snickered as Marlene and Denzel yelled at each other. Tifa rolled her eyes.
"How about he blacked out?"
"Fine!" Both children yelled at the same time. Kagome giggled.
"Silly children." Her phone rang. Kagome picked it up. "Hello?" She froze suddenly. A second later, she was out of the room. Minutes later she returned. "I'm sorry to cut this visit short, but my garden was just set aflame."
"Did Kiba do it?"
"Seems so." Kagome smiled. "Don't worry, I'll have more flowers for you next week Denzel. I promise."
"What do I care about some girly flowers?" Denzel turned away from her.
"Denzel!"
"Denzel!" Marlene's voice was cut off by Tifa's. "Don't be so rude."
"No one cares about her stupid flowers!" Kagome smiled softly.
"Then I won't bring any next time."
"You won't?" Denzel turned to face her quickly. "Please bring them. I'm just angry you're leaving so soon."
"I'll come back tomorrow then. Would you like that?"
"Can we eat the cake then?"
"Of course we can Denzel." A brilliant smile lit up Kagome's face. "And I'll have another story to tell you about the war between me and Kiba."
"Really?"
"Promise." Kagome bent and hugged Denzel. "I'll see you tomorrow." She let go of him and caught Marlene in a hug. "Same goes for you." Grinning, she placed Marlene down.
"You don't have to come Kagome."
"Now, now booger bear Tifa. What have I told you about my promises?" Kagome picked up her bag and walked to the door. She looked over her shoulder when she was given no reply. "I always keep them." She left the room with a wave. Tifa sighed and sat next to Denzel.
"Are you going too Cloud?"
"Yes Marlene."
"Oh. Will you come tomorrow to eat cake with us? Kagome's cooking is really good!"
"I may."
"Please?"
"I will."
"Yay! Tifa! Cloud says he'll come tomorrow!"
"So I heard Marlene. But hush now, it looks like Denzel went back to sleep."
"Awww."
C'mon Marlene. Let's leave him to rest." Cloud left the room even as Tifa spoke the words. The front door slammed shut below them. "There goes Kagome." Marlene sighed as she watched Cloud leave as well.
"And there goes Cloud. You think he'll really come Tifa?"
"I don't know Marlene. I don't know." The pair sat at the dining table glumly.
Meanwhile, upstairs in Denzel's room, a single flower in the twenty that sat in the vase turned gray. On the bed, Denzel's breathing took a turn for the better and his brow smoothed out. Whatever bad dream that had been haunting him was gone now.
Like no like? Shall I write more? I will anyway so who cares?
Peace and love and yes I know another story, again? Won't she ever finish the other ones? What can I tell ya? Bye!!