Disclaimer: I do not own these characters except the old ladies. they're mine. And the professor isn't mine, he's based on a real person.
A/N: Hee! I couldn't resist! I came up with this idea this morning and I just had to write this! Its nothing amazing, but I think it'll be worth it in the long run! Let's hope, right?
I was gonna have my sis beta for me, but she doesn't want to wake up since she went to bed around 4:30 this morning. Whatever.
Read it! Review it! Stuff!
02-23-06 A/N: Hello! I'm going through all the chapters and sprucing 'em up a bit and re-posting them. Hopefully this'll help to get the creative juices flowing so I can write some more!
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Kagome was beyond bored. This was NOT what she'd signed up for!
She'd moved to America as part of an overseas program her college offered-- thinking this would be a great opportunity for her. She wanted to teach English to little kids, so she needed total emersion to hone her skills. She'd always been good at English, and interested in its culture, so going to America didn't sound like such a bad idea. It sounded like fun. After all, the university she was going to attend was in New York City! She didn't know oodles about Americans, but she did know that NYC was a cool place to live.
Or so she thought.
When she arrived a few months ago, she expected... well, she wasn't sure what she expected. But she knew she didn't expect to what she found: filth. Everywhere! This was the dirtiest place she'd ever seen in her life. Not that Tokyo wasn't dirty, too…
But here there were no friendly faces like home.
There was nothing like home.
With the money she was forking over for her new apartment, she expected some ritzy neighborhood. Well... "ritzy" was not the word to describe the complex. It was more along the lines of... "Hellhole."
She had to get a part-time job while she was there, to pay for school. This was a problem. She would need to be in America for an equivalent of two full-time semesters before she could go back to Japan and receive full credit... On one hand, she could starve for a year and get this over with, or she could go part-time for at least the first semester so she could earn a bit of extra money to cushion the harder times to follow.
While pondering what to do on that first day, she walked to the nearby corner store to get some basic necessities. After a few minutes, she unconsciously found herself counting the number of homeless people along the way... by the time she reached the store, she'd made her choice and opted for plan "b"... it wouldn't be too terrible to work and go to school, right?
And that was another issue. The brochure had promised she would be provided with a job upon arrival, since she didn't want to stay in the dormitories with all the party animals and needed to support herself. But when she went to the administration her first day, they just looked at her like she had a third breast sprouting from her forehead.
After hunting around for a week or so, she got a lucky break and noticed the Department of Motor Vehicles was looking for a part-timer. Perfect! After speaking with them, taking a few proficiency tests and passing with better scores than most Americans, Kagome found herself as the newest staff member. It would be her job to take people out on the actual driving tests. And that was it. She would sit at her nice little desk and do homework until some one showed up to take the test. And they real beauty of it was that they had to do so by appointment, so no surprises!
Humph. No surprises, my foot. I should have taken the job at Mc Donald's...
This was Kagome's third walk-in of the day and she was really getting tired of the other two old bats always leaving for "lunch" and not coming back for three hours, leaving her to deal with these weirdoes who wanted to know why their cat can't take the driving test.
And it was a Monday. Kagome hated—no, loathed Mondays. And as if things weren't frustrating enough, she was counting on having some time to study for a test she had the next class. And this wasn't any test. This was the mid-term for her math class.
Just the thought of it made her shudder. Kagome was not the greatest at math, although she was better than a lot of others. She had no idea what she was getting herself into when she signed up to take Advanced College Algebra II with Professor Hunting.
There were many things Kagome didn't care for about the class—and the professor.
The worst thing about the class was that it started at 8 a.m.. That wasn't fun, and it made it difficult for her to stay awake. But it wasn't really the class she didn't like. It was hard, but she knew she could handle it. It was the professor that was the problem.
For one thing-- she wasn't racist or anything-- but there weren't that many black people in Japan. She just wasn't comfortable around him! Then, there was the fact that he was from the southern part of the United States, so he had a terrible accent. She couldn't understand half of what came out of his floppy, hairy mouth. And then, there was the fact that Professor Hunting had been teaching at this school for longer than Kagome had been alive. And Professor Hunting was also crazy.
Her first day of class, when he asked a question, she raised her hand to answer. When she did so, he looked at her like she had just stood on top of her seat and begun to shout profanities at the top of her lungs. So she timidly lowered her hand.
I guess it was rhetorical...
Hunting (that's how he referred to himself) looked at her pointedly for another moment, repeated the question and proceeded to answer it himself. He thought about what he'd just said and apparently satisfied with himself, gave a quick nod of his head while pursing his lips together in a highly comical fashion.
Kagome had to try really hard to keep from laughing. What was this guy doing? It was odd enough how he was dressed... when he walked in, she thought for certain that he was another student. A very old and odd student, but a student none-the-less. He wore an old pair of blue-jean pants with a pair of black suspenders to keep his beer-belly from overpowering the fabric completely. With this he wore an old T-shirt with the insignia of what she assumed to be another college. She looked to his feet, expecting to find tennis shoes or maybe even house slippers, but found instead a pair of well-shined black loafers. They were really nice shoes.
Odd... why would anyone wear that to class?
But when he went up to the board and began writing their first assignment down, Kagome felt her heart catch in her throat.
This is the PROFESSOR? Good grief!
Things had only gone down-hill from there.
After they had the first of the four tests comprising their ultimate grade, Kagome was seriously tempted to go to the administration to complain.
This jerk gave her a 52! 52! She knew how to do everything on the test! She'd studied for hours and worked so hard only to have this decrepit old man take off 10 points from a problem she got right. Off to the side, he'd scribbled, "Don't mark on my typing!"... and it wasn't just on one problem... he'd done similar things to her entire test!
But when she tried to complain, they just laughed at her. "You took Hunting? Are you crazy! What do you want me to do about it? You dug the grave, not me."
"So you just let him do this to students!" Kagome was beyond indignant. This was ridiculous!
"Honey, there's this little thing called 'tenure'. That means that no matter what he does, we can't fire him."
"Why on earth would you people do a thing like that!"
What she wanted to do was to just drop the stupid course and take another teacher the next semester. But if she did that, she'd fall below the required minimum number of hours she was supposed to be taking. Not only that, but she had to pass all of her classes this semester. If not, she'd have to go back to Japan after wasting all that time and money.
So here she was, sitting in the moldy smelling DMV, listening to crazy Americans complain to her about things she didn't understand or care about. It wasn't that she wasn't a nice person, but everyone has their breaking point.
And Kagome was rapidly approaching it.
She told the crazy cat lady to just sit quietly and wait for one of the other ladies to return, since she had an appointment due in a few minutes to take a test.
With the office once again quiet enough to think coherently, Kagome checked her appointment book again.
12:00... "Inu Yasha" driving test. Huh. That's Japanese... I wonder if the genius realizes that the first part of his name means "dog"... heh. I wouldn't be surprised if it suited him perfectly. Or maybe its just another crazy person who wants their DOG to get its license...
When she heard the tell-tale tinkle of the door, she looked up, expecting to see an old man with his pants up to his armpits carrying a yippy dog under his arm.
The fact that she did not see this was only half of the reason why she thought her chin would hit the desk as her jaw dropped.
The creature that walked in was no old man—oh, no. This was one beautiful person. He was young, for one thing. He looked to be a year or so older than Kagome. He had lightly tanned skin of a perfect complexion, golden eyes and long, luscious, herbal essence-worthy hair.
He wore a tight, solid red shirt with black jeans and a red baseball cap on his head. She only vaguely noted the long bag thrown over his shoulder before moving on to better things. Looking him over, Kagome noticed there wasn't an ounce of fat on him. She felt like she'd been hit by a ton of bricks. This guy... was indescribable. But to try and sum him up in one sentence:
He was gorgeous.
If only there were more who looked like him, I might think about staying in America... She found herself beginning to daydream about this boy... he was walking towards her, slowly, as though with a purpose. His eyes softened at the sight of her as he quietly sucked in a breath—awed by her beauty.
Oh... my goddess of the DMV! Will you run away with me? I am terribly rich and lonely and tired of this country! I want to move to Japan and live the rest of my life satisfying your every whim! Please, dearest angel, speak! Let me hear the name of she who is to be my love from her own sweet, sweet lips!
While Kagome began to plan the wedding, the boy had been looking around the office and finally noticed the girl sitting in the corner, staring at him like he was a slab of meat.
"Oi! Wench! Whatta ya lookin' at?"
Taken aback, Kagome saw the image of her Adonis giving her a manicure shatter into a million pieces at the sound of his voice.
That was more a bark than a comment.
Recovering from her shock, her anger quickly grew. "Excuse me? Who're you calling a 'wench'? I have a name! And I wasn't staring at you! So don't flatter yourself!"
He just laughed. Kagome noticed how bitter it was before he continued. "Uh-uh. Right. Whatever. What's with the funny accent, anyway? I've lived in New York for a while and I thought I'd heard them all!"
Kagome bristled at the quasi-insult. "I am an exchange student from Japan, thank you very much!"
"Ah. Your English is pretty crappy, just so ya know."
"WHAT!" How dare he! "I'll have you know that you are the first person to think so and I've been here for a few months! Besides, I don't think you're in the position to be criticizing, since I speak the language better than you!"
He opened his mouth for another retort when the door he was still standing in front of flew open, hitting him in the back of the head, knocking off his hat, revealing two triangular, fuzzy ears perched on the top of his head and leaving him in a confused pile on the floor.
It seemed as though Kagome's co-workers had returned.
Kagome noted the strange ears the boy had. Hmm. Must be a demon or maybe hanyou. Depends... I can't tell, exactly, though. He must be a wolf one or maybe a cat? He doesn't have a tail, though.
As Kagome pondered the mysterious boy, the first elderly woman looked down at the heap of boy she'd knocked over. She was about five feet tall with her heels on and looked like someone had left her in the tub for too long, she was so wrinkled. The diminutive lady cocked her head to one side and smiled as she eyed the prime view she had of this fine specimen's rump.
"JesusMarynJoseph! Dearie, wha on earth mae ya sten inna midda a da darway?" It took him a moment to process what the woman was trying to say to him but he finally got off the floor, wiped his hands on his pantleg, replaced his cap cockily.
Kagome was almost rolling on the floor, she was laughing so hard. She had to remember to treat the older woman to lunch sometime...
"Keh. Whatever. I just want to take my driving test."
"Si, Si... Mejo, choo 'ave tu 'ave an appointmen!" A second woman had entered, this one speaking another dialect almost so thick he couldn't understand it.
She was the same height as the first woman and just as wrinkled. The only difference was that her coloring was darker than the first woman. Kagome still remembered their first meeting and introductions. It took nearly half an hour to try to get them to correctly butcher her name. Then another ten minutes or so of them trying to tell her their names were both Mary. So Kagome developed an indentification system: Mary 1 had the lighter coloring and Mary 2 had the darker. Simple enough.
"An appointment? Yeah, I have one. Today at 12:30... didn't you write it down somewhere? The name is 'Inu Yasha'..."
That was when Kagome stopped laughing.
"What did you say?"
"Oi! Are you deaf? I said my name is I-n-u... Y-a-sh-a! Got it? Now lets get this stupid test over with already!" He looked expectantly at the two pint-sized prunes, who just giggled and pointed at Kagome who had a deer-in-headlights look on her face.
No way... I guess that solves the mystery... he's a dog demon!
"What? Hey! Answer me, dammit!"
Kagome cleared her throat as an evil grin spread across her face. "12:30, Inu Yasha? Well what do you know? You're up!"
She grabbed her clipboard and red pen—she'd need it! This jerk was going to pay for... well... being a jerk!
"Whoa! Hold it, toots. I don't want you. You're gonna fail me cuz I made fun of you!"
"Excuse me! Do you think I'm that petty!" Damn, he catches on quickly! But he can't prove a thing. If he fails, he fails. That's not my fault.
"Yes. Yes, I do! Now, I want one of the old bitties to take me!"
"Too bad. It's my job to do the tests. Those two don't even have their licenses anymore! They are both blind and deaf. They'd pass anyone who came in here!"
After considering this and solemnly nodding in agreement, Inu Yasha spoke again. "...I want one of the old bitties to take me!"
"Tough. Now where's your vehicle?" Kagome was already looking over the check list she'd be grading him by and noting what she'd take off for...
"In the parking lot. Duh."
"Don't be like that! I just wanted you to point it out, so I could write down the plate number."
"Keh. Why didn't you just ask me what it was? I can tell you."
"I need to see it for myself, so I can make sure it isn't stolen."
His eye twitched in agitation. "You sayin' I'm a thief!"
Kagome looked at him with feigned shock. "I was kidding. But I do have to see the plate for myself, before I give the test. They need to know it in case you go crazy and drive off with me."
"Ha ha ha. You're so funny. NOT!"
"That one wasn't a joke. Now which car is it?"
Sighing, Inu Yasha pointed mutely to a faded red mustang.
"Oh. What year is that? '68, '69?" Kagome asked absently as she wrote down the plate number. She didn't notice him staring at her dumbly for a second before responding.
"Heh. You know cars?"
"Hmm? Oh. My brother back home had an obsession with American sports cars. He has about a million little models in his room."
"Right. It's a '68. It's my—" he had that annoyingly cocky look and tone in his voice that Kagome knew all too well.
"...your baby, I know, I know." She finished for him.
"What do you mean, 'you know'?"
"I know your type. Real 'macho'. Think you're a 'stud' and a 'babe magnet.'"
The look that flashed across his face said she'd hit it right on the head, but he just folded his arms across his chest and muttered, "Keh! Whatever."
"Indeed, Mr. Yasha. Now if I could..." Kagome stopped when she realized he was laughing at her. "What is so funny?"
"My... ha! My last name is not... whooo-hoo... Not 'Yasha'... that's part of my first name, genius!"
She felt her cheeks glow and fought in vain to control her temper. "WELL. I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW MORE ABOUT A COMPLETE STRANGER! OR DO HANYOU'S EVEN HAVE LAST NAMES!"
That stopped his laughter. His face hardened instantly and Kagome regretted her angry words.
"...Let's just get this over with."
"Uh... right. Ahem... sir, I need to see your learner's permit please. And while you get that for me, if I could get your age, please?"
"Now you're polite... Keh... I just turned 140 last week." He mumbled as he waded through the jungle of his wallet. "... I know I put it in here somewhere..."
"... I'm sorry, how old did you say you were?" Surely I just heard him wrong. Even if he isn't human, he can't be that old and look that good!
"I just said! I'm one... hundred... and... for-ty years old! Is that so hard? Or do I need to use littler words for ya?"
"There is no need to be rude! It's just that... you... you don't—"
"...'look that old.' I know. I thought you knew that we don't age the same as you humans? ...where is that damn thing!" With the last statement, Inu Yasha dumped a wad of papers onto Kagome's previously organized and clean desk.
"Hey! You'd better pick all that up again!"
"... I know its here!...It has to be here!"
"What are you looking for?"
"What do you think, moron? My permit!"
"... You don't have your PERMIT!"
"Easy, wench! I have sensitive ears, ya know!" he rubbed at two spots through his hat with a pained expression on his face.
So that's how he knew I wasn't an English speaker...
"Dammit! Its not here!"
"You don't have your permit?"
He just stared at her.
"Then you'll have to re-schedule, I'm afraid. When did you want to come in again?"
"Can't I go get it real quick and come back!"
"I have another appointment at 1 o'clock. You couldn't make it back in time!"
He grinned, exposing pearly fangs just longer than a human's canines. "Heh. That sounds like a bet to me..." Kagome had had enough of this.
"I'm so sorry!" Kagome pressed one hand to her chest and the other gently on his hand. Flustered by this unexpected reaction, Inu Yasha felt blood rush to his face and yanked his hand away like hers would burn it.
"Oi! 'Sorry' about what!"
"...That you are stupid enough to hear things that weren't said. Now what time would be good for you, say, tomorrow? I've got a few openings..."
"Wench! Don't make fun of me!"
"How about the same time as today? Sounds good. Alright, then. See you tomorrow! Have a nice day!" and with that she stood, took his arm and escorted him out the door. He was too surprised to fight. He didn't realize what had just happened until the door slammed behind him.
Wench! I'll show her... hmm... he noted her smell lingered on the arm she was holding. Smells nice... wait! What the hell! No way I'm gonna think about the bitch like that!
As he got in his car and drove off, Kagome couldn't help but notice that he kept sniffing his arm...
Weirdo.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. She got off work at five, as usual and had just enough time to stop by her place and grab a quick cup-o-noodles for supper before leaving for her evening classes.
God bless whoever invented instant noodles! Precious, life giving, 20 cent noodles!
When she got out of her last class at 10, Kagome nearly collapsed on the bench to wait for her train. That was the one thing she didn't mind about New York: the subway.
It had been much worse at home! Here, it wasn't crowded! There were none of those jerks who had to shove people into the stupid train just to close the door!
She sighed and whipped out her cell phone to text message Sango. There had been two others who'd come from her school to study in America, another girl, named Sango, and a boy named Miroku. She'd never met them before, seeing as the school was so large. But they had to stick together now that they were in this strange country.
She and Sango became fast friends and Kagome wondered how she'd gotten this far in life without her. Miroku, on the other hand, was a completely different story. He'd earned the nickname, "Ruroni Te", which means "wandering hands" or "masterless hands"... spending more than ten minutes with him told you why. While it was nice to be admired, it was quite another thing to be constantly groped.
Especially when its by your best friend's boyfriend.
Kagome never understood why Sango put up with him. They'd been high school sweethearts, dating on and off for almost five years. Every time he'd screw up, for some reason, Sango always took him back.
Thinking about it always ended with Kagome muttering, "Whatever."
Sango, nvr guess! Hottie at work: jerk! Details 2 come! –K
After she put her phone away, she quietly speculated about Inu Yasha.
He was really good looking until he started talking... sigh... oh well, I'm not here for love, I'm here to learn! But I wish I could show this guy to Sango! She'd flip! She's never seen a half-breed before. Huh... half-breed... I was just guessing when I called him a hanyou. He didn't deny it was true but... I wonder...
She was wondering so much, so nearly missed her train.
Stay focused, girl! Just get home and do your homework. Talk with Sango and GO- TO- BED!
Smiling to herself, she got settled on the train and looked out the window at the lights of the city.
It had been a long day.
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A/N: Well? What do you think? This is only my second fic ever, so I'm blissfully unaware if I'm doing something cliché or not... that would really suck. But I don't think I am! Hopefully, you guys'll have liked this and will review!
Hint, hint!
(man, I've never written this much in one chapter! Its kinda cool...)