Disclaimer:
Christa: I present to you, Santa Inuyasha! A special Christmas fanfic!
Naraku: I consider this Christmas a most depressing time really, from what I hear, a lot of the shows are about lost toys or lonely people. The only thing happy about them is that they all have a happy ending.
Christa: Oo; Whoa, Naraku, that was deep. But we need the disclaimer. And Sesshoumaru refuses to do it.
Naraku: So I'M supposed to do it.
Christa: Uh huh. Well, what are you waiting for?!
Naraku: Fine. Inuyasha does not belong to Christa no Akisame. Although she really wishes it did. (Bah.)
---
Kagome slumped over her desk, feeling completely and utterly frustrated. Of all times for Jii-chan to get sick! She screamed mentally. But then again, its not like its his fault… She thought, feeling slightly guilty. She sighed and slammed a fist down onto the desk. I'm so unfortunate…
How did I get myself into this anyway? Oh yeah…. I remember…
(Whoot! FLASHBACK TIME!!!)
Some days ago
"Higurashi! Please remain behind for a moment after class." A teacher spoke as the bell rang.
Kagome sighed, and began to move towards the teacher's desk, signaling to her friends that she would meet them outside the school once she was done. Hopefully the teacher would not want to question her about why she was absent so often. She had no idea what was the latest disease that her Grandpa had made up. Knowing him, it would be something weird.
"Ah, Higurashi!" The teacher exclaimed as Kagome stood before him. "As you know, you've been absent quite often…."
Kagome winced inwardly and opened her mouth to make an excuse.
The teacher held up a hand, "Wait, hear me out first, Ms. Higurashi. As I was saying, you've been absent for quite a number of days. At this rate, it will be quite difficult for you to pass with reasonably good results, so I thought you could do with a little extra credit."
Extra credit?
Kagome's eyes lit up joyfully. Trying hard to keep herself from grinning like an idiot, she began to thank her teacher, grateful tears streaming down her face in pure anime fashion.The teacher chuckled and spoke again. "I'll give you the extra credit only on the condition that you help the seniors with their Christmas event at the local shopping mall. They are short of helpers and would welcome your assistance most gratefully."
"Eh??!" Kagome blinked. Help the seniors? Her eye twitched as she remembered some of the stories her classmates had told her about the last time one of them had to help a senior with something. She began to visualize herself collapsing under a pile of extremely heavy boxes or ending up as a errand girl for drinks and refreshments. Suddenly the offer didn't seem so tempting after all.
But then again, extra credit would be a big help… Oh heck! Why not?
"Hai! Thank you very much! I'll accept your offer." She said, bowing to the teacher.
"Very well, I would suggest that you talk to them tomorrow. You are dismissed, Higurashi." The teacher spoke, and began to clear his desk.
Kagome sighed, and began to make her way out of the classroom. Oh please don't let them ask me to carry heavy stuff….. She prayed silently, awaiting her supposed doom on the next day.
---
The very next day after school, Kagome made her way down to the classroom where the seniors were having a discussion. Accompanied by her three sympathetic best friends, Kagome couldn't help but feel as though she had been forced into this.
Ahh! Darn that Inuyasha, if only he didn't come for me so often…. And curse that Naraku! Arrrghh….
Kagome sighed yet again. She felt guilty for blaming Inuyasha, (but not Naraku, of course). Well… how bad could it be? She tried to reason with herself. After all, its not like I'm going to get killed! This isn't the Sengoku Jidai after all…. Its not like they are out to get me…As Kagome tried to reassure herself with those cheerful thoughts, she did not notice that she had already arrived at the doorway of the classroom and that her friends were sneaking away.
"Bye Kagome! See you tomorrow!" Ayumi called as she and Kagome's two other friends went off in another direction.
Ayumi's voice shook Kagome out of her thoughts. "Wha..? No! Don't leave me!" She called out, only to discover that it was too late. "Evil… They're evil…" She muttered to herself as she watched them disappear.
Making a mental note to take some of her frustration out of the next youkai they came across in the Sengoku Jidai, Kagome knocked on the door. Please let them be friendly!
She waited for about fifteen minutes, then decided to try knocking again. This time, her knock was accompanied by a loud crash, then a few groans and more loud crashes before the door finally opened. Kagome found herself face to face with a rather clumsy looking girl with mousy brown hair.
The girl stared at her.
Kagome blinked.
Suddenly, recognition dawned on the girl's face and she grabbed Kagome's hand. Dragging her into the classroom, the girl slammed the door shut then turned to Kagome and grinned. "Hi! You must be our new assistant!"
Kagome sweatdropped. She glanced around the classroom. It was one hell of a messy place, with boxes everywhere and random Christmas decorations draped over windows or desks or even chairs. Besides the girl, there were four other senior students in the room. Most of whom had dropped what they were doing only to glare at the girl who had dragged her in. The loud crashes from a few minutes ago gave Kagome an idea of why they were doing so.
"You must be Kagome! I'm Chiaki! Everyone meet our new assistant, Kagome!" Chiaki practically yelled out.
"Hello, Kagome, I'm Ayato. Nice to meet you." A rather nice looking guy with short black hair and glasses greeted her. He was of slender build and he was rather…um… short. (He only reached up to Kagome's ear)
"Greetings lady! I'm Keitaro!" A somewhat sly looking boy with brownish hair nodded to her. He was draped all over in tinsel. It looked as if he was being tied up for some reason. Kagome eyed him suspiciously.
"Hi! I'm Hinako!" A girl with dark hair tied up in two pony tails hugged her. She seemed very cheerful and easygoing. Kagome rather liked her.
"Our new assistant, I see." A serious looking girl with shoulder-length reddish-brown hair surveyed her. "I'm Megumi. Hopefully, you'll be a great help to us."
Kagome looked around the room. "Is that all of you? I thought there were going to be a whole bunch of people!"
"There are a whole bunch of people." Replied Chiaki. "We're just in charge of planning. Its going to be a HUGE event!" Chiaki threw her hands up in the air for emphasis.
"Which probably means that we should be finding you a job to do." Added Megumi, pointing a finger at Kagome. "Otherwise we may never make it in time."
Kagome's eye twitched and she began desperately praying that she would not get anything too difficult.
Ayato picked up a list and began to scan through it. "Well… she could serve refreshments for us…"
Kagome's heart skipped a beat.
"…Or she could help the person chosen to be Santa for the event." He finished, and tossed the list carelessly to one side.
Kagome considered choosing the second option, but decided to question her seniors about it to make sure that she would be able to know what she would be doing. "What do I have to do if I choose to help Santa?"
"You stand beside him and makes sure no one pulls his beard or anything." replied Keitaro, who was desperately trying to get the tinsel off his body.
"Is that all?"
"And make sure he doesn't get tackled by kids."
"Do I have to wear an elf outfit?"
"No. You go in your uniform like the rest of us who aren't performing."
"Deal!"
Kagome nearly hugged herself in delight. She managed to avoid slave labour AND now she would have extra credit!
Just then, a girl dashed into the classroom. "Bad news people! No one is going to be available to play the part of Santa Claus!"
"Darn it." Ayato cursed. "But we need a Santa!"
"Oh dear." sighed Hinako. "Say, Kagome, would you happen to have any relatives or siblings willing to play the part of Santa Claus?" Hinako asked, looking pleadingly at Kagome.
"Well, I do have a Grandfather…." Kagome answered hesitantly.
"GREAT!" Hinako squealed. "Do you think he could play the part of Santa for us? It would be a great favor to us seniors…"
Kagome looked thoughtful. "I could ask him… By the way, when is this event?"
"Its on the 21st to the 23rd." Chiaki replied.
"Then I suppose I could ask him. I don't know if he'll do it though…"
"Please persuade him. Its very important to us." Megumi told her.
"I'll try."
---
That evening, Kagome went home and started to beg her grandfather.
"Jii-chan! Please do it for me! Its very important! PLEASE!" Kagome pleaded with her grandfather.
Grandpa Higurashi looked unsure. Although he didn't really want to do it, the pitiful expression on Kagome's face was enough to soften his resolve.
"Jii-chan! PLEASE! All you have to do is sit on a chair dressed up as Santa Claus and let kids tell you what they want for Christmas!" Kagome tried again, nagging her grandfather.
Grandpa Higurashi sweatdropped. "Let me consider…"
"Jii-chan!!!" Kagome wailed.
However, after a few hours of constant begging/pleading/sniffling/persuasion/nagging and bothering, Grandpa Higurashi finally gave in. If only to make Kagome shut up.
"All right! Fine! I'll act as this Santa Claus person. But only for the sake of your extra credit!"
Kagome had then been delighted and told her seniors of the good news.
And then Grandpa Higurashi got sick with a cold, preventing him from keeping his promise to play Santa Claus for the seniors' Christmas event.
End Flashback
Suddenly, Kagome heard a loud tapping noise at her window. She turned and saw a figure in red outside it. (Which was Inuyasha, of course.)
"Ne, Inuyasha, what are you here for?" She asked, opening the window so that Inuyasha could come in.
"Kagome, when are you going to be able to go back through the well?" Inuyasha asked impatiently. "We have a lot of things to do!"
"And I have plenty of things to do back here as well!" Kagome yelled at Inuyasha in frustration. All her worries and guilt about her promise to her seniors and the event finally became too much for her. Kagome started to cry.
Inuyasha backed away from her, his eye twitching. "Don't…. don't cry." He managed to say weakly. He did not like it whenever any girl cried. It reminded him too much of how his mother's tears used to fall whenever she felt worried about his future. "Kagome..?"
"Its not your fault!" Kagome snapped at him, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.
"Then why are you shouting at me?!" Inuyasha growled, glaring furiously at her.
"INUYASHA NO BAKA!!!" Kagome screamed out loud. "OSUWARI!!!!!"
Inuyasha crashed to the floor with a loud thump. Damn…. That… Kagome….. He cursed mentally and began to push himself back into a sitting position. "What was THAT for??!" He shouted, feeling most pissed and offended.
"Inuyasha..!" Kagome looked like she was going to start yelling at him again and telling him to sit. Just then, she noticed Inuyasha's red clothing and silvery hair. With a beard and a Santa hat and some pillows to make him look fatter, he could almost pass off as Santa Claus himself!
… …
Okay, so maybe it wouldn't be that much of resemblance, but he'd be able to masquerade as a pretty fair Santa. Kagome's frustrations disappeared in an instant. She turned on her pleadingly pitiful look with big pathetic looking eyes and stared at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha…. Could you please, please, please do a little something for me?"
Inuyasha sweatdropped and froze. "Uh… uh…"
---
Many… many minutes of loud arguments and pleading and 'osuwari's later, Inuyasha finally surrendered to Kagome's evil demands. He had donned a cute Santa hat and wore a Santa outfit with pillows tied around his stomach to make it seem as if he was fat. A white beard and red mittens to hide his claws completed the outfit.
Kagome wanted to fetch her camera and start taking photos. Inuyasha almost wanted to hide himself away and start crying like a little girl from pure embarrassment and humiliation.
"You look really good!" Kagome offered, wanting to lessen Inuyasha's pain. Inuyasha just sulked.
A few moments of tense silence passed as Inuyasha contemplated suicide….
Then he decided against it. He didn't want to die in this outfit looking like the stupid man Kagome called 'Santa Claus'. Better to endure this whole ordeal.
"So…" Inuyasha began to speak, "What am I supposed to do again?" He asked, feeling puzzled as to what he was supposed to do during this stupid 'event' thing.
"Well, you play an important part throughout the whole event. You stay on this platform. All the kids visiting will line up and each will take their turn and they'll talk to you about what they want for Christmas. So then you have to listen and pat them on the head and be nice to them and entertain them. Because you are playing the part of Santa Claus, a person who gives the good children presents every year. Oh, and don't forget to wish each child a Merry Christmas!" Kagome replied.
Inuyasha scratched his head and looked confused. "Kagome? Do you think you could explain to me about this whole Christmas thing?"
Kagome let out a sigh. 'Okay, Inuyasha, it's a long story, but as long as you listen, you'll be fine."
---
Some time later…
"Oh! I get it now!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "So Christmas is a time when everyone spends time with their families and give each other presents! And the fat Santa guy gives presents to all children who have been good."
Kagome smiled. "Very, good, Inuyasha! I knew you'd understand."
"It must be nice…" Inuyasha mumbled, staring out of Kagome's window.
"Inuyasha…?" Kagome glanced at him, noticing his sudden change of mood. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing… I'm glad we don't have festivals like this back in the Sengoku Jidai. I wouldn't have enjoyed it…" Inuyasha shook his head and started to pull off the false white beard and mittens.
"Inuyasha…. Are you thinking of your mother?" Kagome put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically.
"Yeah…" Inuyasha said, a sad look coming into his eyes as he relived the time he spent with his mother. "I never knew my old man, but I wish I could have had a little more time to spend with my mother. She was the only one that really cared for me. After she died, I was all alone."
"That's not true!" Kagome flung her arms around him and hugged. "You're not alone anymore! You have friends now, right? Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kirara and me! I care for you…. You're not alone anymore."
"You know what Kagome? Maybe, maybe you're right." Inuyasha lowered his head and muttered a thank you to Kagome softly under his breath. He wasn't so alone anymore.
"So, how many days so I have to act as this Santa person?" Inuyasha asked, his voice and mood suddenly changing.
Kagome let go of Inuyasha. "Eh… well. Three days." She said.
Inuyasha nearly choked on his own saliva. "WHAT??! I HAVE TO MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF FOR THREE DAYS??!"
Kagome glared furiously at him. "Well, you already promised! So you have to do it!"
"I changed my mind!"
"I don't care! You promised!"
"I didn't know it was for three days!!!!"
"A promise is a PROMISE!!"
"Well, I'm going to break that promise, right NOW!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"YES I WOULD!!!"
The argument raged on for several minutes. Finally, Kagome, feeling MOST annoyed and angry, clenched her fists and stared long and hard at Inuyasha. Waves of fury radiated off her and Inuyasha slowly backed away and made a mad dash for the window. He had only just jumped off the roof when there came a loud shout from Kagome in her room.
"INUYASHA, OSUWARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Inuyasha crashed face first into the ground.
The End.
Author's Note: A very Merry Christmas to everyone! I think this story is pretty soppy. Oh well, there's a first time for everything! I actually intended to make it much longer, but I figured I probably couldn't finish it on time. it's a pretty crappy piece of work, feel free to flame me, but please please please REVIEW! I'll love you if you do!
