Hey guys! Welcome to chapter 3 of Blood Heritage, and I'm pretty proud of the response it's got so far! Thank you so much for all the support, I know the story's moving kind of slowly right now, and we have ONE more set up chapter before you get to the real point of the story!
However, that doesn't mean you should ignore this chapter, as it is going to tell you some very cool and important things about how Tessaiga Inc. operates and you are going to get to understand a little more about the Academy either. But NOT what Miroku's history is with the school; if you want to guess just have a peek for the clue in Chapter 1 (it's not hard, or anything, creating complexities ahead of time is NOT my strong point), trust me : ) )
It's a nice, long chapter, with just a little more family bonding, I promise, a nice fluffy moment at the end, and then (THANK GOD) Kagome and the school come in and the fun really gets started. THE LAST SET UP CHAPTER, I PROMISE. BEAR WITH ME, PLEASE.
There's going to be my usual humor here, and I really want you to see just how close Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha are, because it will be important when Kagome gets sucked into the fold, so to speak.
Disclaimer: I'm sure you all already know my status on owning Inuyasha, and that status is currently stationed at nonexistent.
Anyways, enough of my babble, on with the story:
Chapter 3: Welcome to The Academy"Which school are we headed to anyway?" Sango asked, towelling her sweaty body off.
Oh, to be that towel…Miroku thought wistfully, cocking his head as he followed the towel down Sango's toned, tan back.
"Got a glance on the computer screen," Inuyasha quipped. "The Academy, whatever the hell that is."
All the color drained from Miroku's strong face immediately. His eyes darkened and flashed in disbelief, his jaw went slack. A tremor shook his gloved hand, his breathing shortened and quickened.
"The…The Academy?" he whispered in shock.
"What about it?" Inuyasha asked, concerned. Well, as concerned as I generally get…I mean, Sango hasn't even hit him…so far.
"It's…it's where I…
"Miroku?" Sango asked, brow furrowing as Miroku's trembling intensified.
Inuyasha watched violet eyes darken and well with years of unshed tears. Despite his intense curiosity, he could hear the beads rattle on Miroku's shaking hand, and could feel the waves of deep, sharp memories of pain rolling off him like the fog off a cold ocean. He knew what this was. He didn't know why, but even he recognised raw, untouchable emotion when he saw it. And he knew he couldn't interfere. It just wasn't his battle to fight.
With this thought in his mind, Inuyasha backed away, eyes lidded beneath his silver bangs.
Meanwhile, Sango could hear her heart pounding as she watched Miroku's lip tremble, his breathing become short and laboured, and his muscular form shake. She had no idea how to help him, no idea how he'd changed into this wreck so fast and so hard, but knew, just knew, she had to fix it. And she didn't know why, but she felt she was the only one who could.
"I…I didn't mean to…" Miroku gasped, huddling on the floor, bringing his knees to his bare, sweaty chest and rocking back and forth, back and forth.
Sango dropped to her own knees, wrapping her long arms around Miroku's stricken form. She instantly realized that what had happened to Miroku couldn't have been what he had told them was his reason for leaving high school, which was that his parents died in a car accident and he was expelled for going off the rails after that. Inuyasha watched, forgotten by the sidelines, touched by the scene unfolding before him.
"Whatever, whoever, whenever this happened to you Miroku, know that it wasn't it your fault. It can't have been. I know you better than that. What happened Miroku?" Sango whispered urgently into the ear she could only just reach because Miroku had buried his head in his hands.
Miroku's head lifted up, and he looked at Sango, his gaze watery.
"I...I'm not ready…Sango, I just ….I can't…I'm sorry, I'll…" Miroku cut off, shaking his head sadly, as his brilliant irises swam out of focus with the tears that had not fallen.
"Miroku, hush. I don't need to know yet, not if you can't tell me. We won't go to the Academy, not if it hurts you this much." Sango cooed, stroking his hair as soothingly as she knew how.
She locked eyes with Inuyasha over Miroku's head, knowing they had to help him. A silent agreement was forged between the two. This would not go without investigation.
"No." a firm reply was sought, as Miroku's jaw set and he untangled himself from his tense position on the floor.
Sango looked at him quizzically, arms still loosely around him. If somewhere could cause him to break down like this, why would he want to go back?
"I have never given up on anything. Never. Not since my days…my days at the Academy…"Miroku muttered firmly.
"But you-", Sango started. She was silenced by a rough finger on her protesting lips.
"Giving up meant my coming here with you," Miroku said throatily. "Yes, it was the best thing I ever did, but I will NEVER experience that weakness again. You will never see it, my dear Sango." Miroku continued. "I won't let you."
Sango searched Miroku's face, reading into every youthful crease and pore. Then she saw what was strange.
"Miroku?" Sango asked, squinting at his eyes.
"Hm?" Miroku asked, between deep breaths.
"Why…why won't you cry? Why do you keep those tears in your eyes?" Sango asked, worry creasing her brow.
"I won't shed tears for myself, Sango," Miroku replied darkly, looking into Sango's eyes. "I just won't."
"I need sleep." Inuyasha piped up from the corner, not liking where Sango's questions were leading her. "I think we all do." He added pointedly.
"Will you be okay, Miroku?" Sango asked.
"Sango dear, you know me. We all have our moments of insanity, and you just happened to be here in one of mine. It'll be fine." Miroku replied, mustering a small smile for his love's benefit.
"The hell you will be." Sango replied, setting her jaw stubbornly.
"Oh come on, I wouldn't me if I stayed miserable too long, would I?" Miroku replied, cocking an eyebrow, glad to feel the unease pass. For now. "Your fine rear will be crying out for my attentions again in no time!" Miroku replied, his smile becoming more genuine.
"But I can't help but think that – " Sango started, only to be hushed again.
"Shh." Miroku placed a finger to her lips once more. "It's a part of my past I'm just not ready to share yet. You guys will know. But know that I can take it. The Academy definitely isn't what it used to be when I was there two years ago." Miroku finished.
After one more searching view of Miroku's face, Sango placed a light kiss on his forehead and stood, hauling a stunned Miroku up with her.
"We're meeting with Izayoi and Tai tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon we have a quick ambush and shooting of a kiddie-seller in the afternoon, and the next morning we're locating at The Academy." Sango said in a low voice, shooting both boys a small smile, and walking swiftly from the room.
Miroku kept his eyes low until he reached Inuyasha, where they shared the briefest merge of violet and gold, before Miroku squeezed Inuyasha's shoulder in thanks. He knew that Inuyasha would understand.
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"I swear to Kami, I'll just grab him by his little-" Tai threatened, shaking his fist out of the vast window in Conference Room 5.
"Tai, hon, I swear to Kami that if you create one more vicious, illegal way to haul Inuyasha, Sango or Miroku from their beds, I will have to hurt you," Izayoi replied serenely, smiling and winking at her mate.
"As if you could, woman." Tai said, smirking across the wide oak table.
"Do you really want to test that?" Izayoi challenged, standing up, hands on her jeans clad hips.
"Oh, my love, we tested that twice last night, and I believe I won." Tai whispered hoarsely, grabbing her around her curved waist and pulling her close.
"Sh…Shut up…" Izayoi muttered, attempting and failing to ignore her mate's gentle ministrations on her throat.
"If only you would…"Tai chuckled, nibbling the mate mark at his mate's collarbone.
Izayoi's hands shot up to cling to Tai's arms as her knees shook at the feeling of his rough tongue flickering over her mark.
"The…the kids…"Izayoi stammered, beautiful brown eyes dilating, her bangs flopping into them.
"Are so not coming." Tai interrupted, lifting his wife to sit on the table. Positioning himself between her legs, he lunged in, capturing her lips with his own.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A masculine yell of horror thundered through the room as the door slammed open and three grossed-out looking teenagers stood in the doorway.
"Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew." Sango kept repeating to herself, keeping her eyes to the floor.
"Way to go, guys!" Miroku cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "Glad to see you're both getting' hit on the reg!" he winked mischievously.
Tai and Izayoi broke apart like a couple of guilty teenagers, both strawberry colored in the face.
"Uh…" Tai stammered.
"I told you they'd turn up!" Izayoi snapped, slapping Tai lightly on the arm.
"That's disgusting." Inuyasha rasped, hoarse from screaming.
"Ditto." Sango said, raising her hand and wrinkling her straight nose.
"Are you kidding?" Miroku argued, looking incredulous at his friends' reactions. "This is great! It's so nice to know Tai and Izayoi are still sexual-" he was cut off by Inuyasha sticking his fingers in the fluffy puppy ears atop his head and go "La la la la la la la, I'm didn't hear that, la la la la la!"
From the nearest plushy chair at the table, Sango buried her head in her arms and clamped her biceps tight around her ears.
Tai was giving Miroku a dirty look, and Izayoi's glare actually made him wish he had just shut up. And Miroku never regretted a single thing he said. Ever. Well, until this second right here.
"Finish that sentence, and your alibi will be changed to that of a hermaphrodite, Miroku." Izayoi's eyes narrowed, as she pointed a French manicured nail at her would-be son.
A snigger left Sango's mouth as she raised her flushed face from her arms and laughed at Miroku's crushed face.
"Alright, alright, joke's over…" Tai called out bad-temperedly.
"Too right it is," Izayoi harrumphed, plopping into a seat across from the now-seated teenagers.
"I don't think I'll ever truly recover…"Inuyasha whispered, his eyes wide and glassy.
"Somehow, I think you'll bounce back." Tai replied sarcastically. Teenagers…so melodramatic…
"So you'd think…" Inuyasha muttered stubbornly, determined to have the last word.
"Can I go first? I want my death to be swift thank you." Sango groaned, grimacing in anticipation.
"What?" Tai asked in confusion. "You get to keep your name and everything!"
"I do?" Sango gasped. Last time, she'd been forced to spend two days as a pole dancer called Peaches 'n' Cream. And yes, the cream did mean exactly what you think it does. Miroku was still throwing that in her face.
"Yup." Izayoi chimed in, handing a small, flat turquoise folder to Sango with a few sheets of paper inside. "Your name is Sango Ryoku still, you're still 17, and your family history is identical."
"Score!" Sango whooped, glad she wouldn't have to remember a whole different person this mission.
"Yeah, that's the same for you all," Izayoi said, handing a red folder to Inuyasha and a purple one to Miroku.
"Yeah, I don't buy it," Inuyasha growled, eyeing his parents suspiciously. This was just a little too easy, and just a little too nice of them. They LOVED making them look like idiots. He'd never forget Sango as Peaches 'n' Cream…oh, that was a good two days…
Well, until he'd ended up as Ashley Wednesdae and Miroku'd had to be Blu Mondae. Yeah, not so fun…
"What could we possibly be hiding, Inuyasha?" Izayoi asked, aware her son knew she was lying through her teeth.
"I'll find out…" Inuyasha swore. "Mark my words."
"Oh please," Miroku scoffed from his corner. "Who do you think you are?"
"We have weapons!" Izayoi singsonged, glad to get off the topic of the little secret they were harbouring.
"What weapons???" Sango asked excitedly, recognition lighting up her face.
Every mission they went on, the small team were given new weapon prototypes to use, and these had ranged from lipstick Swiss knives for Sango to a focusing lens for Miroku's kazaana, which he still liked to use now.
"You know, Sango dear, I wonder why we let you have dangerous weapons anymore. You get so excited around them, I wonder at your sanity sometimes." Izayoi quipped smiling at Sango as she rummaged through a large knapsack at her feet.
"Miroku, you get the focusing lens back for your kazaana, gives you some aim and size control, right?" Tai checked, handing Miroku a small round object.
The lens for Miroku's kazaana slotted directly into the hole in his palm, and stopped the sucking action once put in place. Just like a camera lens, with the small, round, silver device, Miroku could rotate the protruding edges to increase or decrease the size and magnitude of the kazaana. It proved invaluable where he needed to dispose
of evidence left at executed assignment sites and not suck the entire block into oblivion.
"Oh come on, you'll give me something else, right???" Miroku whined plaintively, turning quickly to slot the lens in. Everyone ignored the quick blast of wind from Miroku's hand.
"Oh, for the love of God, we could give him…" Izayoi wondered, rooting through her bag-of-tricks.
"Nothing." Tai insisted. "This is the Academy, Miroku. Remember, we know the truth, and we can't have you there with anything more than the Kazaana lens." He warned, eyeing Miroku pointedly.
Somber for a moment, Miroku nodded and began to rewrap his hand after winding the lens completely shut.
"Come on; I want my new gun," Inuyasha huffed expectantly.
"Ladies first," Sango replied, grinning angelically at Tai and Izayoi.
"Sango, we've made you a mascara tube that squirts laughing gas." Tai said, handing the slim black tube to Sango, who took it reluctantly.
"Why????" Sango asked, shaking her head incredulously. This isn't even lethal…
"Well…" Izayoi started, before jumping when Tai meaningfully poked her in the thigh.
"Inuyasha, before your mother says something she shouldn't, you get to take Tessaiga in," Tai said, shaking his head mock-scornfully at Izayoi.
The massive sword slid across the shiny glass table, the scabbard of gold embossed leather glinting in the April sun.
"What." Inuyasha asked, it being more a disbelieving statement than a question.
"Just what I said." Tai replied.
"Look." Inuyasha said, standing up and drawing the rusted fang from its equally shitty sheath. "It does nothing."
"I've told you, time and again, son, if Sesshoumaru managed Tenseiga, you can handle Tessaiga. It's up to you, and you alone, to learn how to make it transform." Tai said, eyeing Izayoi.
"Schools don't let you carry around weapons, not even fucked up ones like this," Inuyasha grumbled, pissed at not getting another palm-sized machine gun.
"Not if you join the kendo club!" Izayoi chirped, praying Inuyasha would just accept this and be good.
As she watched Inuyasha's eyes widen and heard the growl bubble up from his chest, she slumped forward hopelessly. I got my hopes up…
"WHO said ANYTHING about clubs? I don't actually have to DO anything at this school, do I?" Inuyasha asked, furiously, almost slamming Tessaiga through the glass table.
"Uh, yeah." Tai said, stating what he figured was the obvious. Judging by the two other slack teenage jaws across from him, it wasn't that obvious.
"Wait." Sango said, realization dawning. "Wait up. Are we going to actually get an education there?"
"Well, we wouldn't send you to one of the best schools in the world if we didn't want you to get something out of it!" Izayoi said.
"We could have just sent anyone to crack security and shoot the guy, you know that," Tai said, getting angry. " But we wanted you to…well…if you must know, we were sort of, kind of, maybe hoping you would get into college. And go. Izzy?"
"What your imbecile father means is…we were hoping to get you out of this. Away from Tessaiga Inc. Do whatever it is you want to do." Izayoi said softly. "At least, provide you with a high school diploma, and an excellent one, if nothing else."
"But, why would you want us to leave?" Miroku asked, still confused.
"We realize how hard being in an environment like this is going to be, but so many people say high school and college were the best years of their lives. We thought we were being a little selfish, you know?" Izayoi continued.
"But this is our life. We love it." Sango said simply, understanding what her adoptive parents meant.
"But we don't want this to be all you remember, honey. We want you to have a chance to become a doctor, like I know you've always wanted Sango. I do pick up the mail sometimes, I've seen the journals." Tai cut in.
Sango blushed sheepishly, and looked into her lap.
"Miroku, I know what a flair you have for teaching people things, and for helping people." Izayoi encouraged. "This way, you hit two birds with one stone. Do this hugely important mission, and be able to go to college."
"Yeah, she's right," Tai agreed. "Inuyasha has such a head for money he should be doing the company accounts, instead of us paying thousands of dollars to an accountancy service to do it."
"What?" Inuyasha defended. "I like money. Counting money's even better. Preferably into the high hundred thousands."
"You see?" Izayoi pointed at Inuyasha. "You all have hopes and dreams away from this company. You've all done so well, and you have no idea what this has made you into, but I want you to experience new things. Get out there, and do what you want to do."
The two adults were greeted by a silence from the teenagers in front of them.
"Okay kids, remember, you have that quickie hit to do round the back of Benjy's Coffee Cabana, on the corner of Rye and Juniper." Tai said, stacking papers and preferring to leave this oddly serious moment. We're NEVER serious…
"Yay!" Sango cheered lightly, pumping a fist in the air, "I get to use my crummy mascara! Maybe I can get the nasty heroin dealer beastie to run in fear as I tell him to stop shooting at me so I can double the volume of my lashes, and kill him with laughter!!!!" she finished sarcastically, rolling the tube between her fingers.
"Smartass." Izayoi said.
"Hey, I thought that was me," Inuyasha piped up.
"No honey," Izayoi said as she got up to leave the room. "You're my dumbass."
"HEY!"
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"Hey, beautiful," a husky voice rumbled through Kagome's ears as she punched the keypad and fingerprint combination dial on her titanium locker.
She threw up inside, pasted a bright grin on her face as she turned around to face her…boyfriend (funny how saying that made her a little more nauseous) of four months now.
Before Kagome stood a tall youkai, with raven hair and unusual cobalt blue eyes, a few shades darker than her own. He was well built and strong, possessed good grades, was a generally nice person and had a big heart. All this drove Kagome crazy.
"Hi, Kouga," Kagome said, hugging him tightly to her as her friends, Ayame and Rin, pointed and laughed at her pained expression.
Kagome grimaced as she flipped a laughing Ayame and Rin the bird.
"Did you have a good weekend?" Kagome asked casually, shooting Kouga a genuine smile this time.
I mean, she really did like him, just not when he did –
Kouga slid a clawed hand down her hip to her butt, and squeezed gently, leaning in to peck Kagome's lips gently.
That.
"I didn't see you, babe, then, it would've been perfect," Kouga replied, turning hideous puppy eyes on her.
"I told you, Kouga-kun, I was sick!" Kagome reminded him, throwing in the honority she knew he'd appreciate.
"But I just heard Rin talking about what she bought when you, her and Ayame went shopping downtown," Kouga replied, cocking a curious brow.
"Well, I only went with them because…" Kagome began to wring her hands as she struggled to come with a valid excuse. "Because I needed some more cough syrup, and no one else was around to get it for me!"
Cough cough. Just for effect, Kagome thought.
"Hmm," Kouga hedged, not really believing her. "Next time, babe, call me. No one is going to let my woman suffer any longer than she has to, okay?"
Kagome fought the huge urge to roll her eyes. His woman, I mean, what is this, the Middle Ages?
"Aw, thanks, Kouga," she replied. "That's really… sweet (controlling) of you."
"Anyways, babe, I gotta get to football practice, it's free period first," Kouga said, hoisting his bagged uniform onto his broad shoulders. "See you at lunch?"
"Of course," Kagome agreed, planting a kiss on Kouga's cheek before he dashed off down the chrome hall with the rest of his team, the Academy Angels.
Ayame and Rin had dissolved so hard into their land of ridicule that they were clutching each other for support.
Kagome scowled at them and smacked their conjoined bodies with irritation, standing with her hands on her hips.
"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Kagome asked, looking mildly hurt but slightly amused.
She was faced by two very guilty-looking, and two very different looking teenage girls. Seventeen, just as she was, she, Ayame and Rin were totally different. Rin was short and curvy, and enjoyed pouring herself into fun and funky outfits with colours that made her stand out. She had waist length black hair, and cinnamon colored eyes that were constantly sparkling. Rough and ready, Ayame possessed naturally flaming red hair and standout emerald eyes, and wore whatever she found on the floor in the morning, and looked fantastic every time. Kagome liked to put it down to being a wolf youkai.
If there was one thing Kagome liked about her school, it's that youkai and human constantly interacted, and there was no difference between them.
I mean, it was one good thing in comparison to the sky high security measures, so much so that school even knew her bra size, the crazed backgrounds of everyone there, and the militant teachers.
"There's nothing wrong with us, honey," Rin scoffed. "He gets on your nerves so much; why are you still with him??"
"You look like you would rather claw your eyes out with a fork that be with him most of the time, Kags," Ayame chipped in helpfully.
Kagome busied herself taking her Asian Literature binder out of her locker after tapping in the PIN code that would release it, avoiding the question. Again.
"Well," she started, feeling Rin's accusing glare on her back. "He's just so persistent and I felt so bad blowing him off again, I mean after the fiasco with Hojo in middle school…" Kagome trailed off forlornly.
"What fiasco?" Ayame asked, not having gone to Academy Prep with Rin and Kagome.
"Ahhh," Rin started gleefully, grinning and rubbing her hands together as they started strolling down the busy hall.
"Don't ahhh this story, Rin," Kagome warned, pointing at her. "You tell it how it happened, not how you saw it!"
"But I don't even have to exaggerate!" Rin exclaimed, holding up her hands in surrender.
Kagome rolled her eyes and set her jaw as she prepared for a retelling worthy of the Brothers Grimm from Rin.
"See, what happened is in the eighth grade, they-" Rin was cut off by a loud tone from the intercom.
"Would Kagome Higurashi, repeat, Kagome Higurashi, report to the principal's office immediately, repeat, immediately." The static voice of the chief receptionist, Tomoya-san rang over the PA system.
"OOPS," Kagome practically cheered as she turned around. "Guess, you can't tell Ayame what happened, not without me, can you Rin?" Kagome said mock sympathetically, before waving brightly and striding away.
It was when she got outside the office door of Principal Kaede that she realized, What the hell did I do wrong?
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"Miss Kaede?" Kagome inquired nervously as she placed her hand on the sensor affixed to the glass partition between her and her principal. The partition buzzed loudly, said "KAGOME HIGURASHI, ENTRY PERMITTED", and then slid down into the floor, allowing her entry.
"Yes, child," Kaede grinned, beckoning Kagome in.
Kagome self-consciously tweaked her short, flared kilt down, feeling a little exposed around the matronly old woman.
Kaede was dressed elegantly, but modestly, in a plum colored skirt suit, with a colourful green scarf and emerald brooch in the shape of a sprig of deadly nightshade. She had a curious black eye-patch over her right eye, but a kind smile, and steel gray hair swept back in a bun.
She stood as Kagome came in, behind her large mahogany desk, in her disturbingly homey wooden office. The room was large, with several armchairs around for staff meetings, and came complete with bookshelves, a cabinet full of knickknacks and a huge marble fireplace. In the school made of chrome and glass, this was very odd indeed.
"Have I done something wrong?" Kagome asked timidly, sitting in the leather chair Kaede offered her.
"No, child, ye have done nothing wrong," Kaede replied, sitting down herself. "In fact, ye have done the exact opposite. I need you to perform a favor for me, and you were the first student I thought of."
Kagome exhaled with relief.
"I'm up for whatever, Miss Kaede," Kagome said, relaxing for the first time since she had walked into the room.
"Good girl," Kaede replied approvingly. " I need you to be the escort for a small group of new students for the rest of the semester. You did such a good job with Ayame last fall."
"Thank you, and sure I'll do it. Can I see their pictures, please?" Kagome asked charmingly, comfortable now with the principal.
"I have them here for ye, my dear," Kaede said, handing Kagome three freshly printed student bios.
Kagome's blues landed on the first picture, of a boy with a roguish grin and striking violet eyes. Attractive, he had a strong face, a tiny ponytail and a small gold hoop in each ear. Somehow, Kagome felt he'd make her laugh. She scanned his name, Miroku Yamada, and 17 years old.
She looked approvingly at the next picture, of a beautiful girl with a shy smile gracing her angular features. Sango Ryoku, as the bio said, 17 years old, had warm magenta eyes, that struck Kagome as odd as well, and a bright, if slightly secretive smile. She liked her already.
And last, but not least, Kagome's eyes widened and jaw dropped as her eyes landed on the stunning specimen of inu-hanyou before her. Long, wild silver hair, and chiselled face with high cheekbones and soft, full, as yet unsmiling lips. Long, lush dark eyelashes that bore a strong contrast to his silver brows. The sweetest puppy ears Kagome had ever seen peeking out from the top of his head. The last thing that poor Kagome noticed were the large, expressive golden coloured eyes that seemed to leap out to meet her own. An Inuyasha…
"Kagome?" Kaede asked, waving a hand in front of Kagome's glazed eyes.
"Huh?" Kagome asked, snapping out of her little trance. "Oh yeah… When..when is he, I mean, they arriving?"
"Tomorrow morning, dear, meet them in the lobby will you?" Kaede asked Kagome, standing and walking towards the returned glass partition.
"Of course," Kagome nodded, pressing her hand to the sensor again.
"KAGOME HIGURASHI, EXIT PERMITTED." The machine beeped, and the partition slid down, allowing Kagome out.
"Goodbye, Miss Kaede," she said. "I promise I'll take good care of them."
Kagome couldn't believe it. Three people, including two humans with unusual eye colors too were coming and she got to watch them. Another excuse to keep her from Kouga!
As she crashed into her AP Chemistry class, she barrelled into the seat next to Ayame and Rin, explaining herself to the teacher as she went past, and started talking.
"Guys, you will never believe what I have to tell you…" Kagome started excitedly, brandishing her bios.
The teacher shot Kagome a stern look that clearly warned her that if she wanted out of school before dark today, she should shut up.
She rolled her eyes and made do with passing a quick note to Ayame and Rin:
I'll meet you after school, and we'll head straight to Benjy's Coffee Cabana, and discuss this without half the senior year listening. You guys are gonna LOVE it!
xXxKagomexXx
Ayame and Rin grinned as they scrawled one back.
You're on.
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"Miroku, for the last time, get your hand off my butt!" Sango snapped, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes as her voice cut through the earpiece he was wearing. "It does not help you get cell phone signal!!"
Of all the fucked up excuses…Inuyasha thought.
"Guys, I can hear you," Inuyasha cut in. "Shut the hell up, or else he'll hear us and not come out this way, then you can run after them whilst I get coffee at this place."
He jerked his head towards Benjy's Coffee Cabana, forgetting they were stationed around the large alleyway, and couldn't see him anyway.
As the creaky wooden door opened into the dank smelling alleyway, Inuyasha unlocked the safety on his Glock 11mm, and took aim at a fat old man, in a lurid yellow velvet suit, shaking hands with a secretive, shaky looking man stood shivering in the doorway of the brothel he had just delivered his latest perverted shipment to.
"Hakkaku-san, it's my pleasure to be killing you today," Inuyasha muttered darkly to himself, glaring at the ruddy-faced man as he turned and began to walk slowly from the door, coughing self-consciously.
His muscles twitched readily, as he whispered quickly in his earpiece, "Sango, Miroku, be ready to get the guy in the door AS I shoot Hakkaku, NOT before. He gets that door shut, we're not getting in before the police get here. I don't want those lttle girls in there any longer than they have to be. We might be able to save the last shipment this way."
"Got it," Sango replied, as Miroku crept slowly towards the rotting wood door, cocking his own Smith and Wesson 9mm.
Twisting the silencer quickly onto the gun barrel, Inuyasha took one clear shot at the back of Hakkaku's head, and he grinned in satisfaction as the man fell silently, dead before he even hit the ground.
"GET IN!" He yelled to Sango and Miroku, ignoring the noise he was making, who it seemed were well ahead of him, as he could hear shots ringing and girlish screams ringing out.
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"I know, look at those adorable little ears, and they look so-", Kagome was cut off by a resounding yell of "GET IN!" from the alleyway behind Benjy's, followed by a series of muffled gunshots from the abandoned building backing onto Benjy's.
She took one look at her friends, and replaced her white caffé mocha on the table and got up to investigate.
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Inuyasha waited with bated breath as he pushed the police call button in his pocket, expecting them here to clear up within minutes.
Suddenly, and with a rush of relief, Inuyasha watched a flood of half naked, and clothed preteens and teenagers rush from the brothel, pouring into the alleyway and relishing their new found freedom.
He could hear the sirens were close already, and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw a blood-spattered Sango and Miroku exit the brothel, each with one of a pair of twins, who couldn't have been more than eight years old, in their arms.
Inuyasha kicked the flaccid body at his feet as he saw those sobbing little girls. Monster…
"Sonny, good job this time," a manly voice spoke from behind him, holding out a friendly hand.
Inuyasha recognised Officer Taro from NYPD, and shook his hand, with a small smile.
"No problem, glad it was me to get him," Inuyasha said.
"Been tryin' to catch this motherfucker for months." The officer said wistfully. "You saved lives, son."
"Thanks," Inuyasha said sheepishly, releasing the officer's hand.
"See you next time?" the officer said, pulling out a clipboard.
"Definitely, Taro." Inuyasha agreed.
As the detective turned and started ushering the girls into a secure police van, Miroku making gestures at the top of his wrist caught his eye.
Momentarily confused, Inuyasha checked his watch.
Fuck, he thought. They were gonna be late for the clothes shopping if they didn't hurry, and he sure as hell wasn't in the mood for a long lecture on punctuality from his mother.
He caught the eye of his two companions, who started jogging discreetly from the alley, to the waiting black Jeep just around the corner.
Inuyasha started on his way, and then remembered something, doubling back towards the kiddie-seller's body.
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Kagome peeked around the corner, leaning over the yellow crime scene tape with her equally curious classmates. Almost the entire shop had cleared out to see what the gunshots were about.
As Kagome searched the scene, seeing crying girls and a lot of police, something caught her eye in the furthest corner of her vision.
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In the corner where Hakkaku's corpse still lay, blood pooling beneath his shiny, bald head, Inuyasha stood over the man, holding a small Polaroid camera, kicking his head over.
Asshole, he thought, you're taking pride of place on that board tonight.
As the shutter closed on the camera, Inuyasha immediately felt as though he was being watched, and made a run for it, not even looking to see if his instincts were right.
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As Kagome turned her head to follow the flash of color in the corner of her eye, all she caught was the tail end of what looked like…
A mane of silver hair?
No. I mean please, as if a 17 year old hanyou could be taking pictures of dead paedophiles.
Could he? Kagome shook the thought from her head.
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NEXT MORNING… (Come on, we're onto page 16 already, shopping can't be THAT interesting…)
Inuyasha scowled out of the window, as did Miroku from the other one, as Izayoi drove them to school in an unmarked red Jeep, singing loudly to the radio, hoping to cheer them up.
Sango sat awkwardly in the middle chewing her nails. She was convinced something would happen today, and it pissed her off that she didn't know what.
Inuyasha wore a black cotton button down thrown over a ribbed white wifebeater, with baggy blue jeans and black Timberland boots. A red backpack was tossed on the floor at his feet.
Miroku was clothes in a purple t-shirt that read, "It isn't homework until it's due tomorrow", black jeans and white Nike sneakers. He had a purple backpack laid carelessly on his lap.
Sango wore a short denim mini skirt, with mid length, carved cowboy boots, a tight white t-shirt and a button down fitted gold shirt, with heavy wooden bangles and her hair down, for a change.
They got out of the car, and nervously hugged Izayoi goodbye, except for Inuyasha, who hated hugs, with a fiery passion, and all three watched her drive away.
All shared a silent look, and took a deep breath, and walked into the building, typing in their student ID codes to get in the three sets of glass doors.
Once in, and consumed by the gaggle of students who looked just like them, Sango and Miroku relaxed, Miroku so much so that his hand strayed over Sango's round behind, and all nerves seemed to be forgotten. As Sango was currently planting her heavy wooden heel onto Miroku's toes, and a satisfying squeak of agony was heard, along with a muttered "Hentai."
Inuyasha figured all was normal until-
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Kagome was a little nervous about meeting her new escortees, and took one last look at her outfit. She wore a pair of straight cut black jeans, comfy blue wedge heels, and a loose blue flowered smock top that showed a considerable amount of cleavage. She hadn't forgotten those puppy ears, you see…
She then keyed in her student ID code, and walked in the doors, as usual.
It all seemed normal, until-
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Kagome's eyes locked onto the cognac colored ones of the tall hanyou opposite her. She couldn't read all the emotion that swam in them, but something in her implored that she had to know more.
Inuyasha could see beautiful blue eyes looking directly into his own, and was confused by the feeling of total confusion within him. He didn't know what he felt when he looked into those eyes, but something in him implored that he had to know more.
"You know, I'm the escort, I suppose I should go up first" Kagome thought, quickening her step, just a tiny bit.
"She's the escort; is she going first? Maybe we should…" Inuyasha pondered, his stride lengthening.
"What the hell do I say to him? Just "hello, I'm your escort for the rest of the semester? Or do I," Kagome began to panic urgently.
"How in fuck's name do you greet not only the person whose father you are going to kill, but your escort until Spring Break? Do I just say, like, "Hey, I'm Inuyasha, and this is…"Inuyasha griped hurriedly in his mind.
You know," Kagome decided.
"Maybe I should," Inuyasha thought firmly.
"Just say," Kagome shrugged nonchalantly.
"Hi." They both said, tiny smiles raising the corners of their lips.
AN: OMG. Thank GOD that's over. You have NO idea how long this took me. Or you might, considering it's 18 pages long! Last set up chapter, storyline gets started in earnest after this people. Thanks for your amazing support so far, cause it really has been amazing. See you next time, and review!!!
CLICK THE DAMN BUTTON!
Lots of love,
Inukagchick 11 xxxxxxxxxxxxxx