Full Summary: (AU)(SessKag) Kagome is an ice skater striving for success. Kikyo is her rival. Sango and Miroku are her ever supportive friends, and Inuyasha is her coach. Now there's a new judge in town for the annual Figure Skating Competition - by the name of Sesshoumaru. What first began as an awkward acquaintance quickly blossoms into something more and as things progress, Kagome finds herself wondering whether the rule forbidding judge/contestant relationships could be broken.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine. Nor are any of the songs or the song names I use as chapter titles. This applies to my entire fanfiction.
A/N:
I do figure skating, so I decided it'd be nice to write a story about it. However, a year or so after the first (and second, I think) chapter(s) I read them over and though – OH MAI. This is an insult to figure skating. Look at these mistakes! This impossible-ness! I won't mention all my mistakes, but I must say they made me feel like bashing my head on my table. (And I did, a couple of times. Not hard. Don't worry :P)
So here is my reposted, improved (I hope) chapter of On Thin Ice. The edited second chapter will be coming soon.
Also: I like reviews :]
Thank you and enjoy!
On Thin Ice
Chapter 1
Viva la Vida
Sesshoumaru paused for a moment to listen to the silence. Arriving at Shikon District two hours late had been bad enough, but now he also had to 'inspect' the skating rink – just because he'd be judging the competition.
But at least it gave him more time away from his worthless half brother, Inuyasha. Their father had foolishly given Inuyasha the job of 'showing your dearest older brother around town', purposely disregarding their relationship.
The fact that it was nonexistent, of course.
Idiot, his brain automatically supplied the word.
The building was dark and completely silent, not to mention cold. Sesshoumaru didn't mind cold – he'd grown up with this kind of temperature. Walking into the building with just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt wasn't exactly advisable, though, so he shrugged on a jacket and made his way in, leaving his long, silver locks cascading down his back.
He ventured deeper into the building. The rink was nearly in sight.
All the lights flickered on.
If Sesshoumaru had been a less composed individual, he would have started with surprise or perhaps even fright, but this man simply cocked his head and wandered farther towards the unknown source of a sound he could now hear emitting from the depths of the building.
Soon, however, the sound became clearer. It was music.
He recognized the song, but what he didn't recognize, as he stepped into the control room and the rink came into sight, was the girl skating upon the ice.
She'd apparently been somewhere in the control room fiddling with the lights, because they were on and blindingly bright, and the speakers were playing the song she seemed to have placed in the music player. He spotted a large yellow bag specially used for skates that was unmistakably hers lying in the corner of the room before the notes caught his attention and he looked up to watch her through the mirrored window. (So that the people in the control room can see the skaters but yet can't be seen by skaters and audience alike.)
I used to rule the world,
Seas would rise when I gave the word.
Now in the morning I sweep alone,
Sweep the streets I used to roam.
Sesshoumaru looked on as the young woman, perhaps 18 or so, moved fluidly with the tune, arms rising and falling gracefully, almost as if she was flying across the surface. She was wearing even less than he was, a black tank top with formfitting dark blue tights. Her skates were a glossy black and obviously well cared for, and even from the distance he was at, he could see that they were laced tightly, and well. She was no beginner.
I used to roll the dice,
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes.
Listen as the crowd would sing,
"Now the old king is gone, long live the king."
One minute I held the key,
Next the walls were closed on me.
And I discovered that my castles stand,
Upon pillars of salt, pillars of sand.
The girl performed a graceful catch-foot, gliding across the ice smoothly holding the blade of one skate in the opposite hand, the leg extended upwards. Then she let go of the blade and spun till she was skating backwards, then forwards again, speeding round the curve of the rink, her long raven hair – with electric blue highlights – blowing out behind her.
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing,
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing.
Be my mirror, my sword, my shield,
My missionaries in a foreign field.
For some reason I can't explain,
Once you know it was never, never an honest word,
That was when I ruled the world.
He edged closer to the mirrored window and resisted the urge to quirk an eyebrow as she executed a perfect double axle (a jump in which you make two and a half rotations in midair) before landing lightly and smoothly and skating to the center of the rink with several more moves, twisting and turning as she went. Despite the plain clothes she was wearing, he could almost see her performing on the rink during a competition. Magnificent. As he watched, she launched into a Biellmann spin, pulling one leg above her head from behind by the blade of the skate.
It was the wicked and wild wind,
Blew down the doors to let me in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums,
People couldn't believe what I'd become.
Revolutionaries wait,
For my head on a silver plate.
Just a puppet on a lonely string,
Oh, who would ever want to be king?
She spun faster, her hair floating almost angelically, and he noticed that her eyes matched her hair, cerulean blue in colour. She slowed down again and, letting go of her leg, swung it forwards to progress into a sit spin (both hands extended forward with one leg – kind of like a crouch with two arms and a leg held forwards), then up again to spin on one foot and then finished it off with a nice flourish.
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing,
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing,
Be my mirror my, sword and shield,
My missionaries in a foreign field.
For some reason I can't explain,
I know Saint Peter will call my name,
Never an honest word,
But that was when I ruled the world.
(Ohhhhh Ohhh Ohhh)
The young woman skated out of the centre of the rink and around the edge, arms flung out and face alive with determination and happiness. It was almost a look of fierce bliss, Sesshoumaru mused. It almost moved him. Almost.
The girl used her arms expressively as well, throwing herself into this performance with no audience (except for him, but she didn't have to know that) and rapidly executing a nearly flawless series of twists, turns and leg movements. He saw her trip once, but she covered it up with a swift move of her leg to counteract the loss of balance.
Hear Jerusalem bells are ringing,
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing,
Be my mirror, my, sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field.
For some reason I can't explain,
I know Saint Peter will call my name,
Never an honest word,
But that was when I ruled the world.
(Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh)
He watched expectantly as she launched herself into a triple axle…
And fell.
It wasn't a neat fall, either. She fell hard, backwards, having launched herself into the jump at too steep a slant. Sesshoumaru felt the urge to wince (but he didn't, of course) as he spotted her head making contact with the ice. She slid across the surface on her back for a metre or two, eyes closed, face contorted in pain and disappointment. Sesshoumaru pursed his lips. A truly expert skater would have just gotten up and finished the routine. Obviously what this girl lacked in technique, she made up in expression, but she needed to be more persistent.
The girl raised a foot and struck the ice with the heel of the blade on her skate, sending a spray of ice chips into the air. She opened her eyes, striking blue irises staring upwards towards the ceiling. He saw the bitterness and disappointment in those eyes as she picked herself up and skated to the doorway, disappearing somewhere on the far side of the rink.
An interesting performance nonetheless, Sesshoumaru decided. He'd never seen a skater act out about a simple fall as much as she had, and her expressiveness was rather nice, if she did lack in technique. He stood there for several minutes, barely noticing that the music had stopped playing, re-enacting the entire routine in his mind.
Then he turned and exited out of the door.
"Intriguing… "Sesshoumaru murmured to himself (A/N: But Sesshy never murmers! –Gasp- :P)
He expected that she was a contestant in this year's Shikon District Ice Skating Competition. What he didn't expect, however, was for the girl who had been skating to pop out of a side door and nearly shock the living bejesus out of him.
But seeing as Sesshoumaru was Sesshoumaru, not one hair on his head ruffled as he turned almost serenely to look at the girl.
She walked along nonchalantly like she hadn't even seen him, whistling a tune idly as she ran a hand through her brightly streaked hair.
"Skaters should tie up their hair when practicing," Sesshoumaru told her, adopting a rather teacher-ly tone. Well, he had to start somewhere, didn't he?
The girl turned slowly, frowned a bit and took in his appearance. He felt her size him up from head to toe, and smirked inwardly at the way her eyes lingered on his face, and what she could see of his chest under the jacket.
"So you saw me skating."
"Yes."
"How was it?"
"Interesting."
She looked like she was about to smile, but she didn't. "It's not everyday someone sees me throw a temper tantrum on ice."
"No," Sesshoumaru admitted graciously. "I hope that isn't something that happens often."
"No." She mumbled shortly, her cheeks flushing a bit.
"That is good."
There was an awkward silence.
"Who are you?" The girl blurted out suddenly. He raised an eyebrow at her forwardness but she stared brazenly into his face and waited for an answer.
So he gave one. "Sesshoumaru Takahashi. Moved from America a short while ago to judge the Annual Shikon District Figure Skating Competition. I assume you are a contestant?"
"Yep. Kagome Higurashi. 19 years old – freshmon as Shikon University." She extended her hand.
He looked at it.
She put it back at her side.
There was another awkward silence.
"How old are you, Sesshoumaru-san?" Kagome stared at his face inquisitively. "You look like you can't be more than twenty."
He nearly smirked. "24."
"Huh."
"Hn."
"Could you possibly be Inuyasha Takahashi's relative? You look just a tad like him, with the hair and … yeah."
"He is my half-brother."
"Cool."
"Not really."
"… Not close, huh?" Kagome remarked knowingly.
"Hn."
She bit her lip, as if holding something back, but then decided to say it anyway – "Inuyasha's my coach." She smiled as if it was something to be proud of.
Sesshoumaru felt his lip curling involuntarily in a sneer. Disgust welled up in him. "No wonder you are unable to complete the triple axle."
The girl's eyes flashed in hurt, then in defiance. "I'll get it with practice. Inuyasha's an impressive skater. Judge or no, even you can't deny that."
"Hn." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the girl. She was filled with spirit, no doubt about that, but he was good at reading people and when he dug a little deeper, staring at those interesting blue eyes, he could feel she was repressing her emotions. Despite the tough act she put on, she was unsure of herself, and it showed in small things like the way she scuffed her shoes or fiddled with a lock of hair.
He'd find out more about her at the competition, probably, he thought, and looked up – to find that she had already walked out of the rink, leaving the double doors swinging in her wake. People usually didn't leave in the middle of talking to him. With guys, it was usually some kind of awestruck expression the whole time. He could never fathom why they were so intimidated around him. With girls… well, he didn't know where to start. And he didn't even want to think about some of the stuff they tried… or the drooling.
He sifted through his memories of the conversation he'd just had with this Kagome Higurashi. Nope, no signs of drooling or fainting or those stupid giggles that always seemed to overcome them when he was within a 5-mile radius. Kagome Higurashi hadn't even appeared to know who he was. And he was rather famous.
"Hn." He repeated.
Intriguing indeed.
A/N:
Right, I hope you liked it! I know it's a bit short but it's the first chapter – the story will definitely escalate and you'll get to meet Sango, Miroku and the gang in the next few chapters.
The song is by Coldplay.
Hope you liked it and reviews are always appreciated!
Just take some time. The button's right there. It used to be purple (now it's not, but the position hasn't changed much).
Thanks for reading!
Until later,
~UnImpossible