Chapter 4 - The Love Interests part 2
Kagome felt like she could finally get some semblance of peace when she rounded the side of the schools sports hall. She'd used to go this way to watch the Archery club, who used the smaller pavilion a little further away. While she hadn't taken part because she knew she'd be too busy in the feudal era, Kagome had liked to watch their technique and tried to imitate it when she was fighting demons.
She glanced into the sports hall on her way there, but who she saw inside made her stop dead in her tracks. "I guess I should have expected to see you here too Koga." She said to the wolf demon, who expertly flipped over the high jump.
He was dressed in shorts and T-shirt, and the miko found that he looked right at home among the sports equipment. Koga looked up, and when he saw it was her, gave a large smile.
"Hey Kagome, how's my woman doing?"
"Still not your woman Koga. But I'm fine, thanks." She replied automatically, well used to their routine. She wondered why he and Hojo seemed to know her yet none of the others did. Though it wasn't like she was a new student in the games scenario so she supposed it made sense. If any of it made sense.
"Heh, I heard that dog breath was giving you a hard time about a project of some sort. Want me to rough him up a little?" His smile widened at the thought as he cracked his knuckles.
Where did he hear that? She smiled gently and shook her head, blue eyes watching the Love Meter carefully. "Don't be silly, Inuyasha was just being his usual grumpy self. You know, I'm sure if you two actually sat down and talked you could work out your differences and even become close."
Koga threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing off the sports halls tall ceiling. Kagome frowned, blushing furiously. She wasn't joking though, Koga and Inuyasha really had become more civil around each other after the defeat of Naraku. They still swore at each other and fought like wolf and well...dog, but they talked and even got drunk together, sometimes with Miroku too.
Kogas chuckles died down. "Ahhh, that was a good one. You're funny and smart Kagome, just what I like in a mate." He suddenly sobered and the miko found she didn't like the glimmer in his cobalt blue eyes.
The wolf stepped closer, his voice infinitely softer, though still holding a gravelly edge. He grabbed her hand and held it in his two larger ones. "How about you and I become closer instead? I guarantee I'd treat you allot better than some of the other morons around here."
One major flaw about Koga was that he never listened. Though he was charming in a roguish kind of way, Kagome knew that she and the wolf wouldn't have worked out because of the gap in communication. That, and he'd also promised to wed a fellow wolf under a lunar rainbow...whichever excuse worked fine.
"For the last time Koga, I'm not-"
"There you are!" A high pitched voice cut her off.
Koga tensed, his expression morphing into one of panic as he slowly turned, revealing Ayame standing behind him. Her hands were on her hips, red hair fanning around her as if she'd been running.
"I've been looking for you, you slacker. I see you're taking an unscheduled break. That'll be 20 laps around the school yard." Ayame was also wearing sports gear, but she had a whistle around her neck which she picked up, looking threateningly at Koga.
Koga backed away and put his hands up. "L-look Ayame I wasn't goofing off I was just-"
"Insubordination? Make it 40 laps!" She then promptly blew her whistle and Koga swiftly turned on his heel, saying a quick goodbye to Kagome before disappearing out the door. Ayame was right behind him, green eyes ablaze.
Kagome was left standing in an empty sports hall, wondering how exactly two mates in real life had become a sports star and a drill sergeant over night.
OOO
It was with hesitant steps that Kagome finally approached the Archery pavilion. The Kendo clubs one was right next-door, and as she passed it, Kagome could remember hearing their shouts and the clank of bamboo swords. Now though, there was nothing but silence as she gratefully sat down, eager to write down her thoughts without any distractions.
It was also strange not to hear the soft 'thunk' of arrows hitting the targets. She sat facing them as she brought out a pen and note book, comforted by the familiarity of the place even if it was fake.
"Speaking of." Kagome murmured, writing down 'Illusion' and circling it. She then wrote the facts of the situation; That she'd found herself in an otome game environment and had been in contact with mostly people she knew from the feudal era, and everyone she knew seemed to have had their memories changed.
Her first thought was that whoever put her in here was a demon or something else from the past. Hiten and Bankostu had died so long ago that only someone from their era would care to remember them. She then underlined Hojo's name, wondering how he fit into all this.
"So who exactly put me here?" She wondered aloud, tapping her pen against her chin and thinning her lips. Hmm, maybe that's not the right question. What I should be asking is, what do they want to gain from this?
She wrote down 'Amusement', 'Power' and frowning softly, added 'Personal Vendetta?'
Kagome sighed, looking at the words again. Something just wasn't right. How did the modern era fit into all this?
Otome game...her eyes widened as she gripped the notepad. If her theory was right and it was someone from the feudal era doing this, did that mean then that it was her fault?
With shaking fingers, she clasped the pen tight and wrote; 'Mocking Moon Walk through guide.'
She stared at the words, feeling tears sting her eyes. What if they'd gotten the idea from her when she'd left that book behind in the past? Am I to blame for all this?
"You there. Girl."
Kagomes shoulders stiffened, and blinking back the tears, she raised her head.
Sesshoumaru stood in the entrance to the pavilion, silver hair as enviously long as she remembered it and golden eyes just as intense. He was the first one she'd seen who was not wearing any type of uniform from her school. Instead he just wore a simple white shirt and black dress pants, the overall effect being pleasing to the eye.
Kagome balked, had she really just thought that about him?
"Why am I not surprised to see you here Sesshoumaru?" She sighed wearily, glancing at the Love Meter next to him. It was the lowest one she'd seen, just barely above the minimum marker.
He rose a brow, sharp eyes intent on her face. "Perhaps it is because I work on Mondays."
Kagome sweat dropped and brushed her hair away from her face, watching as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. She noted that his left arm still looked slightly thinner than the other. Have to give the creator of this game an A+ for commitment to detail if Sesshoumaru turns out to be an illusion too.
His markings looked out of place in the modern setting, and Kagome found that out of all the men, he stood out the most because of this. The demonic heritage marking his brow had no place in this time, and oddly, she felt a little sad for him.
"The Kendo club will be starting in 10 minutes." He looked at her pointedly, but Kagome for the life of her couldn't figure out why.
"That's nice," she smiled lamely.
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, an icy contempt in them that she hadn't seen for a long time. His voice was deadly calm and collected. "I do not tolerate bystanders, so I suggest you find somewhere else to skip class. Leave this pavilion to students who can actually use a bow."
Kagome felt her ire rise and warmth flood her face. It was true she'd ignored the bell for class but she hadn't thought it would matter if she skipped, the school wasn't real after all.
She packed her things away with a little more force than necessary and played dumb. "I'll have you know I didn't hear the bell thank you very much, and I can use a bow perfectly fine."
She stood up and matched his glare, wondering what exactly his problem was.
He gave her a flat look and she inwardly cursed. Of course; Dog demon = Excellent lie detector.
"A likely story. I trust you can find your own way back to class." He then dismissed her, as easily as if she were some insect to be ignored or stepped on. She gripped her book bag tightly and turned on her heel, logic and decorum forgotten. If anything got Kagome more annoyed it was being snubbed, and she dove into the fleeting feeling if only to distract from the heavy thoughts she'd been immersed in just moments before.
She grabbed the first bow she could find and notched an arrow in record time, aiming it at the target board and firing with ease. When it landed dead in the center, she turned satisfied eyes back to where Sesshoumaru lingered in the doorway.
He looked unimpressed, and she watched in amazement as the Love Meter next to him sank lower.
She didn't know why, but watching it sink actually stung a little. Lowering her bow, she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Well...at least you know I wasn't lying about my archery skills."
"Hn, though you lack proper technique."
Kagome frowned and set the bow aside, preparing to leave. Of all the arrogant, urgh! Though really, should I have expected any different coming from him?
As she passed him in the doorway she fought to keep her eyes firmly locked with his. Though his burning golden eyes were intimating as hell, she refused to back down until she was out the door and walking away.
"Oh, and Girl."
Her feet stopped automatically and she cursed herself for not ignoring him. She turned back slightly to look at him, annoyance marking her features.
"Do not refer to me by first name again." He watched her quietly, and it took a moment for Kagome to catch onto the situation at hand. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't meant to use his name so easily, yet she didn't even know if he had a last name. In this scenario it would only look worse if he worked here, was he a teacher?
Despite this, his rudeness earlier made her think twice about apologizing and instead she made her answer as flippant as possible. "I didn't think you cared about what other people thought of you."
"You presume to know me?" Those sharp eyes were now watching her a little too intently, and his stillness reminded her of back in the feudal era. If they were there now, she'd be reaching for her bow, having sensed his intimidating aura brush feather light against her.
"...No." She answered carefully.
"Curious, since you called me by first name yet we have never met. It is after all, my first day teaching here."
Kagome felt a thrill of panic rattle her senses and an instinct told her to flee before she got caught in any more lies. She tried to mask her features and reply as calmly as possible. "O-oh? I guess I heard it from someone else."
"Hn, a likely story." He said, deathly quiet.
She turned slowly, now eager to get away but not wanting to show that he'd spooked her. He'd caught her in a lie so easily, it was dangerous to stay any longer. She just knew it was pointless to tell the truth, he'd never believe her.
"For future reference miss Higurashi, you may call me Mr. Taisho."
Kagome gaped and whipped her head back to look at him. "Wait, how do you know my name?"
But he was already walking away, and even stranger, the Love Meter next to him had risen slightly.
OOO
Exhausted from the stress of the situation, Kagome wearily made her way to class. This is just fantastic, she thought to herself sarcastically. On top of everything else, she now had to worry about not slipping up anymore around her...potential suitors. The thought made her wince. If it wasn't a best friend then it was a dead guy and if it wasn't a dead guy then it was Sesshoumaru. Couldn't the creator have thought of one man who wasn't any of the above?
Kagome got her answer when she met her last love interest.
She stared at him. Countless acts of murder and sabotage went through her mind as she thought of every cruel thing he'd ever done to her group of friends. She then thought about doing them to whichever sadist had sent her there, because this, this was not ok.
All in all, Kagome rounded up her thoughts on the matter in a single word; "No."
"I'm sorry?" Naraku looked up from his book, watching her with unreadable crimson eyes.
"No." She repeated, before turning on her heel and marching away.
Hysteria was beginning to build, she could feel it bubbling up in her chest, but she refused to let it out until she found somewhere devoid of past villains who haunted her nightmares.
She walked through the schools exit, having past the courtyard where Naraku had been enjoying a Stephan King book, and made her way back home. She wasn't skipping per say, it was more that she needed a pillow to scream into until her sanity came back.
So it was with a heavy heart that Kagome found herself back home, jumping onto her bed and burying her face in the pillows. Yet before she could immerse herself in the comfort of her blankets, an upbeat tune began ringing in her ears. Lifting her head groggily, Kagome blinked up at her laptop. The open screen was glowing pink, and was obviously the source of the garish music.
She stood up to turn it off, but when she moved the mouse to close the window, a message popped onto the screen.
It read, in bubbly pink letters - 'Welcome to Feudal Fairy tale! We hope you enjoy the game! Now that you've met your Love Interests, please refer to this guide for any help or instruction.'
Kagome stared in shock, reading and re-reading the title. This was definite proof that whoever had kidnapped her was pure evil, because no one in their right mind would use Comic Sans as a font. We're not even in the feudal era, how does this title make any sense?
So this was really it, she really was in an otome game, and whats more, she was the star. Rage shook her shoulders, and she rigidly clicked onto the next screen. It hadn't been quite so apparent before, but now it occurred to her that she wasn't so much playing this game as she was being played with.
Someone was acting like God here, and she was determined not to be their puppet.
Yet when she read the next passage, and found that this was the only page in the so called guide, Kagome couldn't stifle the stream of curses that fell from her lips.
It read - 'The Instructions are as follows: Choose a Love Interest and win his heart by raising the Love Meter to the Maximum marker. Do so, and he will keep all of his memories of your time together and you will be set free.'
'If you refuse or fail, you will remain here indefinitely.'
ooo
Sooo, what do you think? Please send your thoughts to this amateur writer so that she may improve. Eh who am I kidding? This isn't really supposed to be a serious read, but it always helps to have constructive criticism even if its kind of a crack fanfiction. ^^
The wonderful Sesshoumaru's Secret Admirer made this story a banner and you can see it on my Dokuga page. The link is on my profile :)
Thank you for the reviews so far! The SessKag scenes might be slow going at first but later on they pick up speed and I can promise a Sesshoumaru fanservice scene in the future muohahaha!