A/N: Hi. This is my first InuYasha fan fiction, not minding the fact that my sister is feeding me all the juicy details since I'm on like Episode 50 and she's on like Episode 145. It's a present-day story. But tune in. This is sappy-sweet. And please, prepare a barf bag and breathing device before reading. The atrocious phrasing and bad pairings will make you barf, and the lack of facts will make you red in the face with laughter. At me.
Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. It's not mine, thank God. I'd ruin it, and make it so that there is no InuYasha, since I'd just make it that Onigumo never existed, and Kikyo and InuYasha led a happy peaceful life. Excuse me while I lock myself in that unbreakable fireproof box over there before I am mauled by Kagome/InuYasha fans.
Note: In this story, the Higurashi family goes in this order: Grandfather, Mom, Kikyo (16), Kagome (16), Sota (12) and Kaede (6). All other characters' ages go this way: Sesshoumaru (18), InuYasha (17), Koga (17), and Ayame (16). This is purely InuKag, SessKik and KogAya, and Miroku and Sango will show up very much later. And hey, if Koga likes Kagome that much and Kikyo looks like Kagome, why doesn't Koga take a fancy to Kikyo, too? And also…after much debating…I have decided InuYasha's hair is like Hojo's, and Sesshoumaru's is collar long and not even ended like Haku's.
As Higurashi Kikyo was exiting her front door, she suddenly stopped, turning sharply and scanning the courtyard with her chocolate eyes. Her younger twin sister paused, too, looking up at her. "What's wrong?" she asked. Slowly, Kikyo turned. "…Nothing. Let's go, we're already late." Kagome nodded unsurely, but, with a reassuring smile from her sister, continued skipping down the steps leading to Sunset Shrine. With one final, quick look to the well house, Kikyo ran to catch up with Kagome.
In the darkness of the small hut containing a wooden well, two red slits opened. She didn't see him, but the miko knew he was there. Slowly, the slits faded away slowly. No matter. He would find the girl soon, and he would leave this stinking place.
What It Takes
Chapter One
Maybe
Ayame entered the park cautiously. Her face brightened when she saw the two girls. "Kagome! Kikyo!" Kagome squealed an "Ayame!" while Kikyo smiled, saying quietly, "Good afternoon, Ayame."
Kikyo was wearing a pale blue halter top and mid-calf length white caprice, with her hair tied up in its usual way in a white ribbon. She had white sandals on, and carried a small white shoulder bag. Kagome wore a tight green three-quarter sleeved top with "Sweet Sixteen" across the chest in glittering silver letters. She wore white short shorts and running shoes, with a forest green handbag.
Ayame wore a pair of red Khaki slacks and a tight, orange-yellow tie-dye tank top. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, though the iris still laying its usual place in front of her left ear. She had a tiny red backpack with a buckle made of crystals in the shape of an iris.
Skipping over to the cherry tree under which Kagome was sitting and where Kikyo was propped against the trunk, Ayame squatted down. They sat in silence for a while. "Onee-san, I thought you said we were late." Kikyo looked at the watch. "We were. They're later."
After about seven minutes, a black Mercedes-Benz and a red sports car pulled up, parking. Two men slowly exited the black front doors, while the door of the red sports car was promptly kicked open. A boy of seventeen with a long black ponytail with brown slacks and a white shirt jumped out, immediately speeding off. A millionth of a second later, he was in front of Kagome, holding her hands. "Did you miss me?" he asked. Ayame sighed sadly while Kikyo watched amusedly. Kagome laughed nervously.
Suddenly, Koga's head was smashed into the ground. A boy about the same age with silver hair in red sweatpants and a white muscle shirt stood triumphantly with one foot on Koga's head. "Keep your greasy hands off my Kagome!" Kikyo laughed softly. "InuYasha, you are too possessive." Koga eyed her silently. "And how are you, Kikyo? You look as beautiful as ever." Kikyo watched him for a few moments. Kagome and Ayame did, too, clearly expecting something. So if what they were waiting for were both InuYasha and Sesshoumaru slamming their fists into random parts of his anatomy, they would've been pleased.
Sesshoumaru glared at Koga silently. "She's taken." InuYasha glared too. "Keep your greasy hands off the ex-girlfriend, too, you mangy wolf!" "Shut up, mutt! What do you know about girls?" "I know to keep them away from you!" As an argument began, Sesshoumaru, in a white polo shirt and silver-gray khakis handed Kikyo a small but pretty bouquet of violets and lilies, dotted with little white flowers and leaves. Kikyo smiled, taking the bouquet into her arms and smelling the flowers. Setting it down beside her, she commented, "You're late." Sesshoumaru moved beside her swiftly. "I know."
Ayame watched this exchange a little sadly. Kikyo and Kagome seemed to notice, as Sesshoumaru was watching the argument-turned-fight with remote interest. Standing up, Kikyo helped Ayame and Kagome up, announcing, "We're already late. You two break it off and let's go!" Reluctantly, and somehow without bruises, the two stalked off to their respective rides. Ayame smiled at them and skipped after Koga, while Kikyo, Kagome and Sesshoumaru left to the direction of the Mercedes.
After a short drive, the group arrived at the largest mall in Tokyo. The girls jumped out first, rushing in, one with excitement, one with anticipation and one with indifference, leaving the guys to follow in dread, misery and…indifference.
Koga scratched his head. "We're carrying the bags again?" InuYasha nodded glumly. "Bro, you are so lucky. Kagome and Ayame can clear out my bank account in less than three minutes flat. Kikyo hardly buys anything at all, and if she does most of the time they're either antiques or art pieces that are delivered, or small things she carries herself in that shoulder bag." Sesshoumaru smirked. "I know."
It turns out InuYasha was right. Kagome had already cleared $1000 yen in one store, forcing InuYasha himself to carry everything. In the next shop, a jewelry shop, Ayame and Kagome ravished their credit cards, topping $2500 each minimum. If InuYasha hadn't owned 25 of his father's property (the other 75 going to Sesshoumaru) and if Koga hadn't been the heir of his own mother and Ayame's grandfather, they'd have been broke in one hour flat (Ayame peeling off Koga's bank account and her own).
Kikyo, however, had been so far only interested in a silver necklace with a pendant. The pendant portrayed a pink tinted diamond bellflower with a short emerald stem/vine curling around the flower, with sapphire water drops and jade leaves. A tiny silver loop allowed it to hang from a thin silver chain. This Sesshoumaru paid for, hiding something close to laughter at his brother and brother's friend's pained faces-and the large, heavy bags.
Kikyo stored the velvet covered box into her shoulder bag after putting on the necklace and giving her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. Then she turned to Koga and InuYasha. "Really, you two should set a budget. Those two really go crazy." Koga watched Sesshoumaru with an evil eye. "Does he set a budget?" he asked. Kikyo looked mildly surprised. "No, why would he?"
Koga and InuYasha both fell over-either due to dramatic impulse or the fact that they had recently moved on into a shoe shop, and their were being loaded with boxes. Setting the bags and boxes down, they looked at Kikyo as if she were crazy. "You hardly buy anything!" Kikyo examined a pair of dark blue silk covered high heeled strappy sandals that were glittery under light. "Is that a crime?" she asked as she took the pair and tried them on. Koga looked at InuYasha. "Is that only the second thing she's looked at today?" his silver-haired friend nodded grimly. "It's still a wonder to me why you went after Kagome instead." Kikyo set the shoes down. The younger boys' eyes lit up with hope. Maybe Sesshoumaru would have to carry something after all!
"Too small. They don't have any more in this color," she informed them. The two boys sighed. Sesshoumaru, however, frowned. "Do you like them?" he asked. Kikyo considered, and nodded slowly. Sesshoumaru called the clerk and asked for the shoes to be delivered in Kikyo's size when a pair arrived. Koga gawked. InuYasha stared. Kikyo smiled and gave a small thank-you (to which Sesshoumaru answered with a nod) and set off to find the other girls. Sesshoumaru smirked at Koga and InuYasha.
"I don't know why you two insist on betting that Kikyo would spend as much or buy as much as your girlfriend and your fiancée, but it seems you two will be owing me quite a bit of money."
Kikyo had immediately found Kagome in the ladies' boots department. She informed her younger sister of the risks of spending too much money ("If he goes bankrupt because of your frequent visits to the mall, you won't get that gargantuan wedding you wanted if you marry him."), how so many shoes will be unnecessary ("If you change your shoes too often your feet can't adjust to them and they'll turn wonky, and if you only wear some pairs the others will be just left there and will eventually be too small, on which occasion you will be donating them without using them, which isn't that much of a bad thing now that I think of it..."), what other wonderful things you can do with money ("Instead of buying these stuff you can take us all to Australia for a three-week vacation, or you can donate to charities and save the lives of countless people.") and managed to convince her to move on ("And if you don't hurry up I'll tell Sota where your jelly worm stash is.")
Ayame, on the other hand, was a bit difficult. Knowing Ayame's hot color and fur likings, she checked the boots collection and the heels, to no avail. Finally, she found her friend in a change room.
Ayame was crouched in the hollow in the wall where the cushioned seat was. She was curled up in a little ball, trembling, her bangs covering her eyes. Kikyo blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. Walking over slowly, she knelt in front of Ayame. "What's wrong?" Ayame looked up, startled. Then, seeing it was only Kikyo, she sighed.
"It's Koga," she said, "I don't think he even wants to marry me. Whenever I'm around all he cares about are you, Kagome and his money. I think the only reason he didn't break off the engagement is because he'll be Grandpa's heir if he marries me."
Kikyo frowned, considering the situation. "Well," she reasoned, "Why did he propose to you in the first place?" Ayame rested her chin on her knees. "I met him when I was twelve…"
----
A girl with red hair and a purple Dutch iris clutched in one hand ran as fast as she could. Behind her shouts of "Hey, you!" and "Get back here, twit!" rang out.
Suddenly the little girl tripped, falling underneath a tree in the park. Her white clothes were stained with mud, as it was raining.
Three older boys appeared around the corner. One was tall, with greasy blonde hair and a yellow-toothed sneer. Another was short and muscular, with dark hair covering his eyes and untied shoes. The third was of medium height with brown hair and grey eyes that was fairly good-looking. He was smirking. "So, the little princess, stealing from my garden…"
The girl trembled. "I-I didn't know it was yours! I-I just saw it and thought it was just there, so I took it!"
The short boy guffawed. "Children shouldn't steal, should they? Now you need to be punished!" With a shout of "Yeah!" from both him and the blonde, they jumped at her.
"Hey! Pick on someone your own size!" Somebody kicked the short boy in midair while punching the other in the face at the same time. The redhead girl watched amazed as they stood and ran away with the brown-haired boy. The person turned.
"Koga!" The dark-haired 14-year-old boy looked a bit confused, then his blue eyes widened. "Ayame! What are you doing here?"
Moments later, Koga had picked up his umbrella-which he had left when he ran to rescue Ayame-and began to walk her home. "So, why were you after that flower? And why were those idiots chasing after you, since the west forest is your grandfather's land?" he asked. Ayame fidgeted. "Tomorrow is my thirteenth birthday," she finally said. "I'm moving to the mountains to live with Grandpa. He's going to train me to fight, since that's what children of my clan learn to do at coming-of-age. This flower is the same as my name. I want to take it with me, since the mountains don't have them."
Koga looked a bit worried. "Well, don't stress yourself, okay? And if it doesn't work out, don't you worry, because when you come down from the mountains, I'll take you to be my wife."
Ayame smiled, and the two continued walking in the rain.
----
Kikyo nodded sadly. "Don't worry," she told her friend, "If he said that, he'll mean it. And he does care about you. I mean, you tell him you want to go to the mall and spend everything in his credit card, and sure, he complains, but he lets you, doesn't he? He wants you happy."
Ayame smiled, nodding. She quickly wiped her eyed. "Yeah," she said quietly, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Kikyo." Kikyo stood, helping Ayame up. "So let's go. Everyone's waiting."
When Kikyo and Ayame arrived, InuYasha was just off his cell phone. He spotted Kikyo. "Hey! What took you a millennium?" Ayame rolled her eyes. "We had a little problem with a zipper." Ayame looked at Kikyo in surprise. She lied and brushed it away so easily!
InuYasha rolled his eyes. "Feh. Sesshoumaru left about three minutes after you did. He just remembered to call a few seconds ago. He told me he went to some business meeting about that agreement we made in Majorca about taking up our business there too. He said he transferred enough dough into your account to last the rest of the day."
Kikyo took out her bank card-which she hadn't used so far-and walked out of the shoe store. Everyone else followed a few minutes later in curiosity.
They found Kikyo walking out of a bank, holding a receipt. Everyone crowded around. "Well?" Koga demanded, "How much?" Kikyo read the receipt over again, then, smiling and shaking her head, she passed it around.
InuYasha and Koga both blanched and muttered something sounding very much like 'bet money'. Kagome almost screamed and Ayame squealed.
"62,000!" Kikyo nodded. "He transferred 50,000; I had about 12,000 originally…" Kikyo smiled, looking up at everyone. "Well, I guess I'm buying presents then!"
Everyone cheered.
Ayame sighed, flopping down onto her bed. Her white wolfhound had already gone to sleep.
She reflected slowly.
Kikyo had gone to a bookstore first, a North American one called 'Chapters'. She had bought full collections of manga, such as Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, Yu Yu Hakusho, Fushigi Yugi, Fruits Basket, Chobits, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, XXXHolic, Card Captor Sakura and Rurouni Kenshin. They, of course, were online shopping and were to be delivered.
Ayame rummaged in one of the bags Koga had brought home for her. Wrapped in layers and layers of tissue paper was Kikyo's present.
It was a figurine: a tinted lavender glass iris with a green stem and leaves, with tiny water droplets of diamond. It was connected into a clear glass vase with diamond water droplets, artistically leaning on one side to touch the lip of the vase. It stood on a purple-pink tinted glass platform, a bit off centered, that let it stand. "AYAME" was engraved on top of the platform in the larger space before the vase in violet-blue.
Kikyo. As Ayame took her shower, she thought about her friend: the never needing, the silent, the helpful, and the kind. Kikyo, who always offered a shoulder to cry on, yet never needing one herself. Ayame vaguely wondered if Kikyo was perfect. But Kagome was so different: kind, yes, helpful, yes. But her joy of spending and receiving overcame her joy of giving, and she always needed a shoulder for any reason. But Kagome was a nice girl: loud and proud, but nice. No wonder Koga liked them.
They were much better than her.
Ayame pulled her silk lavender coverlet over her warm body. She reflected sleepily Kikyo's words.
"Don't worry, if he said that, he'll mean it. And he does care about you. I mean, you tell him you want to go to the mall and spend everything in his credit card, and sure, he complains, but he lets you, doesn't he? He wants you happy."
Ayame laughed softly. "If I'm less of a burden to you…" she murmured, "If I spend less and squeal less, if I'm not so clingy and needy and loud and bratty, then maybe, just maybe…"
Her eyes closed.
"Maybe you might love me."
A/N: Say it sucks. Say Sesshoumaru's OOC. Say it's sappy. Say I'm nuts. Say I should be in a mental house. Say I need a straightjacket. Say I should vote for the Conservatives-wait, sorry, that's not supposed to be in here…Say I should just give up writing and go hang myself over London bridge. I don't care what you say. Compliment, revise, correction or flame, I DON'T CARE. Just review.