DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything to do with Inu Yasha, as I'm sure you already know.
Whoever said that you'd find trouble if you looked for it, was telling a half truth. He seemed to find trouble whether he was looking for it or not. The man in the corner never lifted his eyes as a group of men, made invincible in their minds by the amount of alcohol in their system, approached him.
They believed he was dozing, if things got serious then that would work in his favor. So he allowed them to believe it a little longer.
"Looks normal. Don't know what makes him so special. He don't look like no tough guy, looks more like a woman to me." Drunken laughter followed the slurred speech.
Sesshoumaru suppressed his anger. Not moving or giving any indication that he had heard the insult. He had, had enough he would leave before he was pushed to kill this baka. He lifted his eyes and began to dig in the back pocket of his expensive black pants for his wallet. The drunk man was not finish, it would seem, with his insults.
"I heard the stage gives a man false courage."
This affront was spoken eloquently and Sesshoumaru wondered briefly how drunk this man really was. He was beyond caring, however. He had come to this back water pub to get away from the chaos that he and his chosen career had caused. He just wanted peace and quiet for once, no nagging fans, no fake friends, no misguided men trying to get there fifteen minutes of fame for beating up the toughest lead singer to grace the music industry in a long time.
Sesshoumaru stood up slowly and the looked the man dead in the eyes. His cool glare was enough to send icicles down a man's back. When coupled with the squint and half smile that appeared on Sesshoumaru's fair features the icicles traveled down into a man's pants, shrinking his balls to the size of peas. The man standing before Sesshoumaru gulped, now wishing he would have eaten his words. He was torn between a rock and a hard place. His logic was screaming at him to flee while his pride held his legs still.
Sesshoumaru admired the man's bravery. Usually the men foolish enough to challenge him were running by now. This always angered Sesshoumaru more. Making his blood boil, adrenaline racing through his body as he chased after them pounding some respect and courage into them, so that they would later know the folly of challenging their betters. He would go easy on this man and his companions as a show of appreciation to the man for standing still and making it easier to hit him.
Sesshoumaru smiled, he was beginning to like the idea of a fight. His expression disappeared and his face became a cold mask. The transformation was terrifying in the most extreme sense. And the poor man frozen to his spot saw his doom.
***********************
"Four men! FOUR! all in the hospital. Don't you know when to quit?! We have the cops breathing down our necks, and only the fact that a majority of them are fans of yours is what's keeps you out of jail. This isn't the feudal era you know, you can't go around trying to kill other people because they displease you." Sesshoumaru's agent spluttered, so caught up in her own upset that she could no longer speak. However, as with most agents this small amount of blessed silence didn't last for very long. It was pushed aside by the rising anger of the woman who couldn't get her client to give a rat's ass about what she was saying.
As his agent, Kagura had nothing but the utmost respect for Sesshoumaru's abilities. Sesshoumaru had something most punk rockers could never hope to have. A truly good singing voice. It wasn't necessary to the genre of music he was known for but it certainly made his music more likable to the masses. He had crossed all types of musical barriers, even if one did not like punk rock they tended to like the Poison Claws, Sesshoumaru's band. He racked in a lot of money, and if there was one thing Kagura loved, it was money and lots of it. She also didn't mind a tussle or two in the bed every once in a while, and she had been trying to talk Sesshoumaru into some meaningless sex for a long time. But the man was determined not to mix business with pleasure.
Sesshoumaru finally turned his head, he had come to a decision.
"Kagura, I'm taking a hiatus."
"A hiatus?"
"A break."
"I know what a hiatus is. I . . . I just don't understand. Do you have a problem with the contract. I'm sure if you have a problem we could work it out . . ."
"I'm taking a break. I never said it was permanent. I will go back to college and finish up my last year there. Then if I am ready I will return." He was already walking towards the door.
"Sesshoumaru wait, there is the problem with the police . . ."
"Deal with it." He didn't turn around or pause in his steady steps.
"I already have, they've agreed not to arrest you and make you do time, but only if you agree to see a psychiatrist." This was all said in a rush, seeing as Sesshoumaru wasn't going to stop to hear her out.
The last statement caught his attention, however, A psychiatrist?
*************************
The class was filling out of the room. All except a group of students, who surrounded a serene looking girl standing by her desk.
"Kagome! I wasn't in class yesterday and I need the notes for . . ."
"Kagome I couldn't solve this particular problem and I was wondering . . ."
"Kagome Professor Oyamada wanted me to tell you . . ."
"Kagome!"
"Kagome?"
"Kagome . . ."
"ONE AT A TIME!" Kagome shocked even herself with this outburst. The others around her were just as astonished. Their eyes bugged, their mouths hanging open. Ms. goody-two-shoes, never raises her voice, always on top of everything, no temper to speak of, Kagome.
Kagome blushed and immediately tried to make amends.
"I'm sorry about shouting. But please, could you take turns?" Her voice was back to normal. Her tone pleasant.
The first group of people simply needed notes or answers to certain problems. Kagome dealt with them quickly. Giving some of them notes and making arrangements as to when she could pick them up. The ones wanting answers she made arrangements to tutor them, refusing to give them a quick fix, that wouldn't help them in the long run.
The last person to approach her handed her a piece of paper.
"Professor Oyamada told me to give this to you and to tell you he has canceled all of your classes for today." The man brushed away Kagome's thanks and walked on to his class.
Kagome unfolded the piece of paper, confused as to why the professor would go to the trouble of canceling all her classes. She became nervous searching her brain for any wrongs she might have committed. None came to mind. As far as academics and behavior went Kagome was just what she had been working for all these years. Perfect.
She opened the letter, it read . . .
Kagome I have an urgent request. I would like to see you in my office
at 12:00.
Professor Oyamada.
Kagome refolded the paper and glanced at her watch ten till twelve. She had enough time to walk to the other side of the campus where all of the psychology classes were held. She ran just in case.
Five minutes later Kagome stood in front of an intimidating solid oak door. The plaque nailed to the door read . . .
'Professor Oyamada: Head of Psychology department.'
Kagome smoothed down the hair that had gotten blown out of place by her mad dash. Straitened her clothes, and plastered a bright smile on her face. She knocked. There was a moment of silence.
"Enter."
Kagome floated inside, a perfect picture of confidence and humble admiration, which had her Professor raising his eyebrows.
"Ms. Higurashi, I should have known that you would have been early." He looked neither unhappy nor happy about this fact.
He straightened some papers on his desk and Kagome resisted the urge to scream at him to hurry up and spit whatever he had to say out. She got the impression that this reaction is one he would have enjoyed seeing. It made her a little uneasy because she had always thought that he had a fondness for her.
The professor peeked at Kagome over his glasses. Upon seeing her unchanging expression he continued.
"You are the most level headed young lady I have ever known and you are my best student. You might not know this, but I wont be here for a couple of weeks, due to severe family problems. I have arranged for a very competent young man to take my place and teach the class. However, he is not equipped for a job I've been asked to do by a friend of mine."
He paused and seemed to be looking for the right words for what he was going to say next. Kagome was completely clueless. She couldn't fathom what the Professor could possibly want from her.
"I would like you to try your hand at some hands-on experience. The friend I mentioned has a client that has been ordered by law enforcement to see a psychiatrist. She just called me an hour ago. It appears that the young man refuses flat out to seek professional help and she has come up with the idea of getting me or one of my students to council him. It seems he wants to return to school and get his degree. It's a rather simple case, more anger management than someone who is really mentally ill. And I would never place one of my students in danger of any kind. Normally this would be given to one of my graduate students, but this case is slightly informal upon the request of my colleague. Do you understand or have any objections?"
Kagome was speechless. This was a great opportunity, one that she would be foolish to turn down. And yet she didn't want to take this great opportunity. Kagome shook this thought aside as she had been doing for a large portion of her life.
"I would be honored to have this job professor."
"Wonderful. I think you could benefit from it greatly as well. And I don't mean academically."
"Sir?"
Professor Oyamada studied her for a while and then decided against something.
"Excuse me Ms. Higurashi, it's just that cynical psychiatrist in me that believes that everyone, who is by all intents and purposes, perfect are hiding something."
Kagome felt the sudden urge to leave.
"I assure you Professor, I'm not hiding anything."
"Good, Higurashi. You will be called when the young man has enrolled. His identity is to be kept secret until then, but I believe you know someone close to him."
Kagome could tell by the changing tone that this was a dismissal. She got up and headed to the door.
"Oh and Ms. Higurashi, I'm sure I don't need to remind you that everything from when you first walked into this room and on, dealing with this particular case, is confidential."
"Yes sir." Kagome closed the door behind her as she left.
*********************
"So what you're telling me is that instead of having to deal with a so-called professional who will never truly know me, but deems to tell me the source of all my problems by a few sorted events and aspects of my life. I'm getting counseled by a mixed-up college student who probably cannot even deal with their own petty problems, let alone any problem they assume I have?"
If Sesshoumaru had learned to show emotion in his voice and expression, his tone would have incredulous. As it was it was just superior and haughty.
Kagura resisted the urge to laugh. He looked so good when he was being lordly.
"Listen, it was the best I could do. I'm trying to keep you out of jail. Plus this is perfect, I cut the sentence down to one month. You can put up with this student for one month. Look at it this way, it'll be that much easier to intimidate an unsuspecting student than a professor."
'Not that he would have that much trouble intimidating the professors.' Kagura thought silently.
Sesshoumaru stood up from the small table of the cafe they were relaxing at. He reached in his pockets and pulled out enough money for both drinks and a healthy tip.
"I'll think about it." It was all he said as he strode away. His long impressive strides not the only thing drawing attention to him.
Kagura smiled that was the most she would get from him. But she new him well enough to know that "I'll think about it" was a yes.
Sesshoumaru wasn't stupid, she thought as she stared at his backside as he walked away. Luscious yes, but not stupid.
What do you think so far, does it sound like you might be interested?
Whoever said that you'd find trouble if you looked for it, was telling a half truth. He seemed to find trouble whether he was looking for it or not. The man in the corner never lifted his eyes as a group of men, made invincible in their minds by the amount of alcohol in their system, approached him.
They believed he was dozing, if things got serious then that would work in his favor. So he allowed them to believe it a little longer.
"Looks normal. Don't know what makes him so special. He don't look like no tough guy, looks more like a woman to me." Drunken laughter followed the slurred speech.
Sesshoumaru suppressed his anger. Not moving or giving any indication that he had heard the insult. He had, had enough he would leave before he was pushed to kill this baka. He lifted his eyes and began to dig in the back pocket of his expensive black pants for his wallet. The drunk man was not finish, it would seem, with his insults.
"I heard the stage gives a man false courage."
This affront was spoken eloquently and Sesshoumaru wondered briefly how drunk this man really was. He was beyond caring, however. He had come to this back water pub to get away from the chaos that he and his chosen career had caused. He just wanted peace and quiet for once, no nagging fans, no fake friends, no misguided men trying to get there fifteen minutes of fame for beating up the toughest lead singer to grace the music industry in a long time.
Sesshoumaru stood up slowly and the looked the man dead in the eyes. His cool glare was enough to send icicles down a man's back. When coupled with the squint and half smile that appeared on Sesshoumaru's fair features the icicles traveled down into a man's pants, shrinking his balls to the size of peas. The man standing before Sesshoumaru gulped, now wishing he would have eaten his words. He was torn between a rock and a hard place. His logic was screaming at him to flee while his pride held his legs still.
Sesshoumaru admired the man's bravery. Usually the men foolish enough to challenge him were running by now. This always angered Sesshoumaru more. Making his blood boil, adrenaline racing through his body as he chased after them pounding some respect and courage into them, so that they would later know the folly of challenging their betters. He would go easy on this man and his companions as a show of appreciation to the man for standing still and making it easier to hit him.
Sesshoumaru smiled, he was beginning to like the idea of a fight. His expression disappeared and his face became a cold mask. The transformation was terrifying in the most extreme sense. And the poor man frozen to his spot saw his doom.
***********************
"Four men! FOUR! all in the hospital. Don't you know when to quit?! We have the cops breathing down our necks, and only the fact that a majority of them are fans of yours is what's keeps you out of jail. This isn't the feudal era you know, you can't go around trying to kill other people because they displease you." Sesshoumaru's agent spluttered, so caught up in her own upset that she could no longer speak. However, as with most agents this small amount of blessed silence didn't last for very long. It was pushed aside by the rising anger of the woman who couldn't get her client to give a rat's ass about what she was saying.
As his agent, Kagura had nothing but the utmost respect for Sesshoumaru's abilities. Sesshoumaru had something most punk rockers could never hope to have. A truly good singing voice. It wasn't necessary to the genre of music he was known for but it certainly made his music more likable to the masses. He had crossed all types of musical barriers, even if one did not like punk rock they tended to like the Poison Claws, Sesshoumaru's band. He racked in a lot of money, and if there was one thing Kagura loved, it was money and lots of it. She also didn't mind a tussle or two in the bed every once in a while, and she had been trying to talk Sesshoumaru into some meaningless sex for a long time. But the man was determined not to mix business with pleasure.
Sesshoumaru finally turned his head, he had come to a decision.
"Kagura, I'm taking a hiatus."
"A hiatus?"
"A break."
"I know what a hiatus is. I . . . I just don't understand. Do you have a problem with the contract. I'm sure if you have a problem we could work it out . . ."
"I'm taking a break. I never said it was permanent. I will go back to college and finish up my last year there. Then if I am ready I will return." He was already walking towards the door.
"Sesshoumaru wait, there is the problem with the police . . ."
"Deal with it." He didn't turn around or pause in his steady steps.
"I already have, they've agreed not to arrest you and make you do time, but only if you agree to see a psychiatrist." This was all said in a rush, seeing as Sesshoumaru wasn't going to stop to hear her out.
The last statement caught his attention, however, A psychiatrist?
*************************
The class was filling out of the room. All except a group of students, who surrounded a serene looking girl standing by her desk.
"Kagome! I wasn't in class yesterday and I need the notes for . . ."
"Kagome I couldn't solve this particular problem and I was wondering . . ."
"Kagome Professor Oyamada wanted me to tell you . . ."
"Kagome!"
"Kagome?"
"Kagome . . ."
"ONE AT A TIME!" Kagome shocked even herself with this outburst. The others around her were just as astonished. Their eyes bugged, their mouths hanging open. Ms. goody-two-shoes, never raises her voice, always on top of everything, no temper to speak of, Kagome.
Kagome blushed and immediately tried to make amends.
"I'm sorry about shouting. But please, could you take turns?" Her voice was back to normal. Her tone pleasant.
The first group of people simply needed notes or answers to certain problems. Kagome dealt with them quickly. Giving some of them notes and making arrangements as to when she could pick them up. The ones wanting answers she made arrangements to tutor them, refusing to give them a quick fix, that wouldn't help them in the long run.
The last person to approach her handed her a piece of paper.
"Professor Oyamada told me to give this to you and to tell you he has canceled all of your classes for today." The man brushed away Kagome's thanks and walked on to his class.
Kagome unfolded the piece of paper, confused as to why the professor would go to the trouble of canceling all her classes. She became nervous searching her brain for any wrongs she might have committed. None came to mind. As far as academics and behavior went Kagome was just what she had been working for all these years. Perfect.
She opened the letter, it read . . .
Kagome I have an urgent request. I would like to see you in my office
at 12:00.
Professor Oyamada.
Kagome refolded the paper and glanced at her watch ten till twelve. She had enough time to walk to the other side of the campus where all of the psychology classes were held. She ran just in case.
Five minutes later Kagome stood in front of an intimidating solid oak door. The plaque nailed to the door read . . .
'Professor Oyamada: Head of Psychology department.'
Kagome smoothed down the hair that had gotten blown out of place by her mad dash. Straitened her clothes, and plastered a bright smile on her face. She knocked. There was a moment of silence.
"Enter."
Kagome floated inside, a perfect picture of confidence and humble admiration, which had her Professor raising his eyebrows.
"Ms. Higurashi, I should have known that you would have been early." He looked neither unhappy nor happy about this fact.
He straightened some papers on his desk and Kagome resisted the urge to scream at him to hurry up and spit whatever he had to say out. She got the impression that this reaction is one he would have enjoyed seeing. It made her a little uneasy because she had always thought that he had a fondness for her.
The professor peeked at Kagome over his glasses. Upon seeing her unchanging expression he continued.
"You are the most level headed young lady I have ever known and you are my best student. You might not know this, but I wont be here for a couple of weeks, due to severe family problems. I have arranged for a very competent young man to take my place and teach the class. However, he is not equipped for a job I've been asked to do by a friend of mine."
He paused and seemed to be looking for the right words for what he was going to say next. Kagome was completely clueless. She couldn't fathom what the Professor could possibly want from her.
"I would like you to try your hand at some hands-on experience. The friend I mentioned has a client that has been ordered by law enforcement to see a psychiatrist. She just called me an hour ago. It appears that the young man refuses flat out to seek professional help and she has come up with the idea of getting me or one of my students to council him. It seems he wants to return to school and get his degree. It's a rather simple case, more anger management than someone who is really mentally ill. And I would never place one of my students in danger of any kind. Normally this would be given to one of my graduate students, but this case is slightly informal upon the request of my colleague. Do you understand or have any objections?"
Kagome was speechless. This was a great opportunity, one that she would be foolish to turn down. And yet she didn't want to take this great opportunity. Kagome shook this thought aside as she had been doing for a large portion of her life.
"I would be honored to have this job professor."
"Wonderful. I think you could benefit from it greatly as well. And I don't mean academically."
"Sir?"
Professor Oyamada studied her for a while and then decided against something.
"Excuse me Ms. Higurashi, it's just that cynical psychiatrist in me that believes that everyone, who is by all intents and purposes, perfect are hiding something."
Kagome felt the sudden urge to leave.
"I assure you Professor, I'm not hiding anything."
"Good, Higurashi. You will be called when the young man has enrolled. His identity is to be kept secret until then, but I believe you know someone close to him."
Kagome could tell by the changing tone that this was a dismissal. She got up and headed to the door.
"Oh and Ms. Higurashi, I'm sure I don't need to remind you that everything from when you first walked into this room and on, dealing with this particular case, is confidential."
"Yes sir." Kagome closed the door behind her as she left.
*********************
"So what you're telling me is that instead of having to deal with a so-called professional who will never truly know me, but deems to tell me the source of all my problems by a few sorted events and aspects of my life. I'm getting counseled by a mixed-up college student who probably cannot even deal with their own petty problems, let alone any problem they assume I have?"
If Sesshoumaru had learned to show emotion in his voice and expression, his tone would have incredulous. As it was it was just superior and haughty.
Kagura resisted the urge to laugh. He looked so good when he was being lordly.
"Listen, it was the best I could do. I'm trying to keep you out of jail. Plus this is perfect, I cut the sentence down to one month. You can put up with this student for one month. Look at it this way, it'll be that much easier to intimidate an unsuspecting student than a professor."
'Not that he would have that much trouble intimidating the professors.' Kagura thought silently.
Sesshoumaru stood up from the small table of the cafe they were relaxing at. He reached in his pockets and pulled out enough money for both drinks and a healthy tip.
"I'll think about it." It was all he said as he strode away. His long impressive strides not the only thing drawing attention to him.
Kagura smiled that was the most she would get from him. But she new him well enough to know that "I'll think about it" was a yes.
Sesshoumaru wasn't stupid, she thought as she stared at his backside as he walked away. Luscious yes, but not stupid.
What do you think so far, does it sound like you might be interested?