"Who or what are you looking for Kagome?" Ayame asked.
"I was just checking if my family was here or even Mr. Silvermoon, but that is alright though."
"I don't know, I didn't see him." Sango said.
"Which one SIlvermoon? My father or my brother?" Inuyasha asked.
"I guess your father because I know your brother would not of came to this." Kagome answered.
"Actually they were both here. They watched the whole thing and left after you received your award." Inuyasha said.
"Did either of them say anything?" Kagome asked as she looked at Inuyasha.
"No. Where they supposed to?" Inuyasha returned a question for a question.
"I think why she asked is because she gave them a invitation and though they might of said something to you before leaving." Sango stated. The group heard a yawn.
"We should get going it's getting late and I am sure Kagome and Kouga would like to change clothes." Ayame stated.
"Even though Kagome looks stunning." Inuyasha said. "I will say good-night and thank you for the invite." Inuyasha stepped away and both Menomaru and Rin said their good-byes and followed Inuyasha out of the building. Then Kagome and the other three left the building. Sango went to her car and the other three went to Kouga's car. By the time Kouga got the two women home Kagome was asleep in the back seat.
"Kagome we are home." Ayame shook Kagome's leg, opened the car door and got out. Kagome got out of the car and walked up the steps and unlocked the door then walked in leaving Ayame down by the car with Kouga.
"You know that last dance was a real struggle, but we could not of pulled out of the contest because she is on her time of the month." Kouga stated.
"So that is why your concealing spell had slipped showing your claws, fangs, and your pointed ears. Do you think she saw the way you looked?" Ayame asked.
"I don't think so, but I am not totally sure. Well love, I will say good-night." Kouga kissed Ayame before she turned and headed over to the stairs and headed up to her apartment. Once inside she found a place for her award then head to her room and went to bed.
The next morning when it was time for Kagome to get up for work she was really tired and did not want to get up for work, but finally she got out of bed and went over to her closet to pick something out to wear to work. When she closed her closet she had what she wanted and headed to take a shower. After her shower she made herself a quick lunch.
Looking at the clock she picked up her purse and lunch and headed to the door. Opening it to walk out she saw a paper on the door mat but as she was about to open the paper Sango pulled up and honked her horn so she placed the paper with her lunch and walked to Sango's car.
"Morning Kagome. How did you sleep?" Sango backed her car up and headed out of the parking lot.
"So well that I didn't want to wake up this morning." Kagome answered while stifling a yawn.
"I know what your saying there. It's happened many times with me as well. So your going to read the paper at work! So what else did you bring?"
"Might as well since it was outside the door this morning. Nothing really." Kagome answered as they pulled up to park outside their work and got out of the car. After clocking in Kagome went to her work area and placed the newspaper on her desk and grabbed the files that need to be put away then started on the typing that needed to be done.
"Morning Kagome. Congratulations on winning last night. The events were rather interesting during the dances."
"Thank you sir," she said to InuTaisho as he walked to his office. Finishing up the typing she took the papers to the right places then came back to her desk. As she was sitting down her elbow knocked the newspaper onto the floor. She pushed her chair back and bent down in her chair to pick up the newspaper and put it on the desk.
She noticed that the top part of the paper was facing down so she turned it over and noticed the title of the headlines in bold. "STRANGE HAPPENINGS AT LAST NIGHTS DANCE CONTEST!" Trying to understand what the headlines meant she looked at the picture below the headlines. The picture that was in the paper was her and Kouga. Kagome looked at the picture and at first she did not notice anything wrong then as she was about to move down to read the article something caught her eye.
Looking closer Kagome noticed the pointy ears. After seeing that she looked to see if there was anything else and noticed claws and lastly what looked like fangs. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? Got to be some kind of trick photography!" She voiced out loud. A few minutes later Sango showed up at her desk.
"What's wrong Kagome?"
"Look at this picture and you tell me." Kagome handed the paper to Sango.
"I agree with you. It has to be a trick caused by the lights. No body has fangs, claws, and pointy ears like that." Sango laid the paper on Kagome's desk as she heard the main door open so she hurried back to her desk.
"If only she knew who she's working for." Mr. Silvermoon said to himself as he placed a page with names on it on Kagome's desk. "Miss Higurashi when your through reading the newspaper I would like the files for these names on my desk. If there are no files then create a file and bring them to my office." As InuTaisho left Kagome's desk he heard her pick up the receiver and push some buttons.
"Hello may I speak with Mr. Kouga Renjiro please."
"Please hold and I'll transfer you."
The person put her on hold. While on hold Kagome listened to the music that was playing in the background then the music stopped.
"Hello this is Kouga Renjiro. How may I help you?"
"So is there anything that you would like to tell me? That photographer did something to the picture and we should talk to the manager about this."
"I take it that you saw the newspaper. Listen when is your lunch?"
"It is at 12:00 pm. That is when everyone leaves for lunch."
"We need to talk so I'll pick you up."
"See you then." Kagome hung up the phone.
Hanging up the phone Kagome took the list of names that InuTaisho had put on her desk and looked them up. She found all but three names so she got a file started for each of the names she did not find and took them to InuTaisho.
"Here you are sir. The three on top there where no files for." Walking back to her desk she got ready for the interesting lunch that was about to happen in fifteen minutes. She put her purse on her desk with the newspaper under it. As the time got closer she clocked out for lunch and walked up to Sango's desk in time to see someone come in behind Kouga with flowers.
"You ready to go?" Kouga asked. Kagome nodded and walked out with Kouga.
"So do you have anything to say about this picture? I think we should go to the newspaper office and complain about the poor work." Kagome slid the newspaper in front of Kouga. "Sango believes that it is caused by the lights."
"If only it was a trick of the lights." Kouga said softly.
"What? I didn't catch what you said."
"I said that I wished Ayame would of been able to be here to help explain what needs to be explained." Kouga rubbed his forehead.
"What do you mean by 'needs to be explained.' How does Ayame fit into this?"
"What you see in the picture in not fake and not caused by the lights. Ayame knew what I was." Kouga looked at Kagome.
"What do you mean what you are?"
"Have you heard of the term or word Youkai before?"
"Yes I remember my grandfather telling fables about such creatures and how they were ugly and horrific to look upon."
"Youkai are not mere fables and not all youkai are horrific to look at. Take what you saw of me for instance did I look horrifying? What about Ayame is she?"
"Your saying that Ayame is a youkai? She looks human."
"So do I when I have my concealing spell is on. You have talked to other youkai and even a halfing which we full bloods call hanyous."
"Could you tell me who these others are?" Kagome asked.
"That I can not do. I very much value my life. They will let you know if they choose to."
"Are there ways to tell if someone is one or not?"
"That again it is up to the individuals. We should eat up before our lunch time is up."
"One more thing. You said 'what I saw of you!' So your saying there is more then what is shown in this picture?"
"Yes, there is more to what I look like then in the picture. It is time we left to return to our work." Kouga and Kagome walked to his vehicle. Getting to Kagome's work, Kagome opened the car door and got out. She walked into the building and clocked in not hearing Sango saying something to her. Sango touched Kagome on the arm.
"Are you alright Kagome?" Sango asked.
"Yes just thinking about the information that I found out at lunch." They walked out of the lunch room. "That picture is real."
"Of course it is real. The only thing that is not real is the way your friend Kouga looked."
"Have you heard of the word Youkai?" Kagome asked Sango not noticing two males close to a doorway.
"Youkai's. Yes they are fables." Sango answered.
"I thought they were fables as well, but you and I both know two people who are those that are supposed to be fables."
"Two? Who else are you talking about?"
"The other one is Ayame. Just think she's kept this secret from her own friends. Well we better get back to work." They walked to Kagome's desk. When she went to her desk she saw two bouquets of flowers. "Where did these come from?"
"They were delivered as you and Kouga left for lunch." Sango watched as Kagome looked at the first bouquet of pure black roses then she took the card and read it.
Signed Someone Who Knows Your Every Move."
Sango watched as Kagome's face faltered. Before Kagome could throw that card away Sango took the card from Kagome.
"What does your card say?" She said as she started to read the card. Sango's face faltered as well. "Kagome you've got to do something about this!" But Kagome payed no mind to Sango as she picked up the next bouquet card and read that one as well.
Bankotsu"
Kagome crumpled up the card then took both bouquets and threw them in the garbage. After they were thrown out she walked to the lunch room and into the bathroom. While Kagome was in the bathroom Sango fished the other card out of the garbage and read that one as well. When she was reading it some of the things that were written sounded the same. Seeing this Sango walked down the hall and knocked on InuTaisho's door.
"Sorry to bother you sir, but I was wondering if you would take a look at something?"
"What needs to be looked at?"
"You see sir while reading these two cards that Kagome got with two bouquets something caught my eye. There are things that are said on one card and is basically said the same way on the other, but worded different." Sango laid the two cards down in front of him. "These parts caught my eye. See where it says 'dead to feelings and probably smelled like dead fish.' Then on this card where it says 'surprises me that a dead fish who won't let a guy touch her!' Could the flowers be from the same person and he is trying to make it look like two different people?" Sango asked.
"Where is Kagome at this moment?"
"When I brought these to you sir she had thrown the flowers in the garbage then went into the bathroom."
"Return to your desk and upon returning there call around to the different flower shops to locate the flower shop that the two bouquets came from and bring the phone number and address to me."
"Yes sir." Sango left the office to head to her desk. When she passed Kagome's desk there was no one there. Getting to her own desk she pulled out the phone book and looked up floral shops. When she found the right page she saw that there were seven floral shops listed. She called the first one. "Good afternoon. I was wondering if you could tell me if anyone had two bouquets made and delivered?" Sango gave the address. "They would of been delivered around the noon hour today." Sango waited while the person looked up the information. Alright thank you."
She hung up and called the next one. As she called it turned up as a no so she called the third one and that one ended up the same. She called the fourth one and when the person came back with the information it was positive. A positive that two bouquets came from their floral shop so Sango wrote down the name of the shop, the address, and the phone number as she was talking to the lady then hung up and headed down the hall.
"Did you retrieve the information?"
"Yes here it is." Sango handed the paper with the name of the shop and the phone number to InuTaisho and left the office. When she left he dialed the number.
"Hello is the manager of this shop there?" He waited for the girl to answer. "Yes my name is InuTaisho Silvermoon and I am a attorney. I'm calling to see if some information could be given." He listened to the owner of the floral shop. "Around the noon hour two bouquets of flowers were delivered for one of my employee's that had cards with some rather questionable statements written within them. The information that I am seeking is that of how many people had these bouquets delivered? Was it one person or two? As well as the gender of the person's responsible of having them delivered."
"Let me ask the girl who took the order." The owner put the phone on hold. A short time later InuTaisho heard the hold button be released. "Mr. Silvermoon my employee who took the order stated that there was only one person in here ordering the two bouquets. She did not get a good look at the person because the person had a cap and sunglasses on, but she seems to think that the way the person looked she would say the person was male."
"Is that all that your employee can remember?" He asked as he wrote the information down.
"She says that is all she can remember." The manager stated.
"Alright thank you for the information. Here is the number that your employee can call if she remembers anything else." He gave the manager the number then hung up and headed out of his office and down the hall to the filing cabinets by Kagome's desk. He laid the floral cards on Kagome's desk then looked through the filing cabinets. As he was looking through different files Kagome returned to her desk.
"I'm sorry sir. If you give me the name or names of the people I will take over looking for the files."
"That is alright Kagome. I am able to look up files as well, but thank you." InuTaisho went back looking through the files as Kagome saw the cards and picked them up and read them again then looked at the clock to see it was time to ready herself to go home so she shut down her computer.
"Are you ready to go home?" Sango came up to Kagome's desk.
"You bet." Kagome stood up and both walked to the time clock and clocked out then walked back towards the front of the building. "Wait a minute. Sango I need to do something so could I meet you at your car?"
"Sure thing Kagome." Sango walked out of the building towards her car as Kagome walked back towards her desk but when she got there she stopped in the middle of the hall.