Readers--Here we go! Chapter 13, the Christmas orientated episode of this most beloved story. I must say that I am really loving this story. It might be my favorite story that I've written, but that would be bias to my other stories, lol. Anyway, this chapter will be the last for a little while. I have to get working on my other stuff. This chapter uses American Hi-Fi's song Safer on the Outside. I will also be using a lot of other songs in this chapter, so I'll list them all at the end. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, but I do use him as a mail-order bride for extra Christmas funds.
Whyndancer Sez:
Hi! You remember me? I'm Jesse's beta-reader. I just want to say how much Jesse has improved, so much so that I really have to work to do any editing. We should all give her a big round of applause. Go Jesse!
Chapter 13: Karaoke Mayhem
"I'm no good
I feel too small"
Kagome slept all day on Thursday. Her body and mind were both exhausted to the breaking point. Souta and Shippou curled up in bed with her during the day, both disappointed that they came all the way to see Kagome and she was either sick or sleeping. Sayaka would check on Kagome every now and then, but mostly she stayed away from everyone. Now that most of her powers were drained, she felt vulnerable and flighty. Kaede went about the dojo as if business was usual, but she's go upstairs to check on Kagome every hour or so.
When Kagome finally rejoined the realm of the living, it was after sundown. Souta and Shippou had departed from her room for dinner, so Kagome followed the smell of food. She was surprised by how starving she was. Her mouth watered when she reached the kitchen.
"Kagome!" Shippou cried, leaping into her arms.
"You're awake," Souta exclaimed happily, leaving his chair and latching on to her waist. "You've been asleep all day!"
"I'm sorry boys," Kagome said with a smile, hugging Shippou with one arm and running her fingers through Souta's hair with her free hand. "But I'm awake now."
"Yes you are," Kaede exclaimed, steering her granddaughter to a chair. "And you are sitting down to have a good meal."
"You read my mind Grams," Kagome laughed as she filled her plate with food and cracked her knuckles before diving in.
"I've been taking messages for you all afternoon," Kaede commented, placing a heaping wad of mashed potatoes on Souta, Shippou, and Kagome's plates.
"Muzzahs froom hau" Kagome asked while chewing. The boys snickered to themselves when Kaede rounded on her.
"Don't speak with your mouth full," she said in the most grandmotherly way possible. "And let me see, Rin has been calling every hour to see how you are. Sango called three times. Miroku called twice. Even Inuyasha called about you, for which I was very surprised."
"Inuyasha called?" Shock much have registered on her face because Kaede smiled and nodded.
"Just a little while ago actually. They are all rather worried." Kagome winced and rubbed her temples.
"I wish they wouldn't worry."
"But they do, which is what makes them good friends for you my dear." Kaede had a point and they all knew it. After Kagome finished eating, she played around with the boys until the phone rang. "Kagome, it's Rin."
"I'll be right back," she promised her brothers as she went to the phone. "Rin?"
"Kagome! You're awake, thank the lord!"
"Hi love, how are you?"
"How am I? How are you? Is everything ok?"
"I'm fine Rin, really. The ceremony was successful. I'm the High Miko now. Grams just said that I needed the rest because of all the new power." Kagome explained it all in a soothing voice. Truth be told, she was a little awed by her new power. "It'll take me a few days to get used to the new level of my power. I went my entire life with a certain limitation, and then, pow, now I'm this super human. It's cosmic really."
"Yeah, but you were born for this power," Rin said rationally.
"I know," Kagome laughed. "That's why the power is freakily familiar as well as overwhelming." After a pause for breath, Kagome came back with a slight whisper. "For a minute, I thought about running away."
"Running away from your mother?"
"From everything. From the ceremony, from being the High Miko, from mother…just running away."
"What stopped you?"
"Oddly enough, it was my mother." Rin was silent for a moment. Kagome knew what her cousin was thinking, and wanted to discredit it. This was not a revenge play. Kagome Higurashi was not a woman of spite, she was a being of honor. "I didn't do it to get back at her, if that's what you think."
"Then why did you?" her cousin asked in a small voice.
"Because I wanted this," Kagome said slowly. She sighed a moment. "Listen Rin, the boys are waiting. I'm fine, I'll be in school tomorrow."
"That's great." Rin's voice conveyed her relief, but Kagome still heard a little apprehension. "We've all be worried about you."
"So I've heard, everyone's been calling. Grams is now officially my secretary." Rin giggled and Kagome smiled. Rin was always the person who could make her feel better. "Can you believe that Inuyasha called my house?"
"Well, you did crash his house the other day," Rin said slyly. Kagome paled.
"He told you?"
"He was really worried about you yesterday, that you weren't in school."
"Well you saw me. I was lost and delirious."
"Yeah, but when you show up on someone's front step in the middle of the night, they worry when you aren't around two days later."
"What did you tell him?" Kagome asked fiercely.
"Only that there ceremony took a lot out of you and you'd need to rest. Don't worry, I didn't say anything about your mother or what went on during the ceremony. It's against the rules."
"Rin, seriously--"
"Seriously, I didn't give him any specifics. He was really worried, so I gave him some info to keep him from having a panic attack." Kagome let out a breath of air, but wasn't sure if it was relief or guilt that made her stomach flip. "So tell me," Rin said with a smile. "Will you be able to go out tomorrow, after school?"
"Yeah," Kagome said slowly, suspiciously. "Why?"
"Well, me and Sango and Miroku have come up with a birthday present for you."
"Oh lord, I can only imagine what this is."
"Kag, don't get dramatic." Kagome laughed and Rin smiled to herself, twinning one of her braids around her finger. "So can we steal you away for a few hours?"
"Sure, but not too long since Mother and the boys are here until Sunday."
"Of course," Rin said happily. There were mutual goodbyes, then Kagome went back to her room and her brothers. The next person to call was Inuyasha, and it was Kagome who picked up the phone.
"'Lo?" Kagome greeted cheerily.
"Kagome?"
"Hi Inuyasha." There was a brief pause. "What can I do you for?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you were ok," he said lamely. There was a little pause before he asked her, "Are you ok?"
Kagome smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm touched that you are so worried over my safety." She could almost feel Inuyasha's scowl and that made her smile.
"Well if you're just going to mock me--"
Kagome laughed. "Please, is there ever a time where I don't mock you?"
"Not really," he conceded.
"See? There you go."
"Will you be in school tomorrow?"
"Yep, then Rin, Sango, and Miroku are kidnapping me. You gonna come too?"
"You want me to come?" The question caught her off guard. What surprised her even more was the fact that the answer came unbidden and was a resounding yes. She wanted him to come. She wanted to see him.
"Yeah, come."
"Then I'll be there."
"Good," Kagome said, suddenly out of things to talk about. She sat in her chair, twirling a piece of hair around her index finger nervously.
"Are things okay with you and your mom?" Inuyasha asked suddenly. Kagome nearly jumped at the heat in his voice. He really had been worried for her. Kagome expected the guilt to flow, expected to feel horrible and angry, but instead, she just felt warm and comforted. Inuyasha had such a strange effect on her.
"Pretty much," Kagome admitted. "Mother hasn't really talked to me since last night, but the ceremony took a lot from her as well." She paused a minute. "I was tempted to stay in bed last night."
"Duty called," he said rationally. Kagome let out a little breath and smiled. Of all people to understand her freakishly unorganized logic and mind, she knew Inuyasha would. "From what I hear, this Miko rituals are all voluntary on the official. Are you at liberty to say what exactly motivated you to accept this title? I mean, you told us you didn't want it."
"No, I really didn't," Kagome agreed with a sigh. "My entire life everyone told me that I had to be this one thing, I never really thought of having a different life. The older I got, the more I started fearing what exactly I was born to become. This won't be easy, I know that, but I chose to accept this burden on my own."
"I don't think I could have ever done that," Inuyasha said ruefully.
"You don't work well with others," Kagome laughed. "You'd probably end up hanging yourself if you had this job."
"Will people really be bothering you a lot now?"
"They might," she said in all honesty. "There haven't been many problems lately within the family, so I think the beginning of my reign will go fairly smooth."
"It still blows my mind that for, like, a lot of years, people will have to listen to you," he laughed.
"Oh, fuck you dog-boy," she growled. "I'm trying to have a serious conversation here."
"With me?" he taunted. Kagome rolled her eyes at the phone.
"Point taken." He started laughing and Kagome found herself quickly following suit. When their laughter died down, Kagome let out a little sigh, but was still smiling. "I'm glad that everything is over for right now."
"Me too," he agreed. "Now I don't have to beat on Kouga."
"What?" Kagome asked in surprise.
"Long story, boring and stuff," he said quickly. "I'll tell you about it another time. Right now, tell me what it was like. What happened on your birthday, really?"
"I applaud you on your tactful switching of subjects," Kagome said dryly.
"I'm just a smooth talker, now tell me," he insisted eagerly.
Kagome paused a minute, thinking of what exactly to tell him. "Like I said, I was seriously thinking of blowing out after I left your house, but I didn't. And all of my birthday I was in a sort of dream state, you know, not really awake but not really sleeping. So much power was surging in my body, it was just abnormal. But then I had this dream, and I just knew that I had to get through it. I had to go to that ceremony and I had to get it done."
"What dream?" Inuyasha asked, interested. He was even leaning forward in his chair eagerly, as if she was sitting in front of him rather than telling him over the phone.
"I saw my Dad," Kagome said with a smile. "He came through all these wild dreams, through fire and lightning, dressed in a white tunic." He voice took on a faraway tone and her eyes glazed over. "He was a vision, just like I remembered him to be. And once he came, all the fear and pain in me just sort of melted away. I felt safe and warm, just like I always did when Papa was around."
Inuyasha was silent as he listened. He would never tell her of the pain that began growing in his own chest, making it painful to breathe as he thought of his own father. The love and memory in her voice made him envious, and sympathetic at the same time. He had forgotten, in the midst of things, that they were both without fathers. And it was painfully clear that Kagome had loved her father as much as Inuyasha had loved his own, perhaps even a little more.
"And we just spoke for a while. Papa told me that I had to overcome my fear and my doubts. He said that my path was laid before my feet, and that it would be hard and long, but all the struggle would be worth it. He told me that this was my destiny and I had to face it. He said that I was strong and that I had to endure no matter what because others depended on me, and it might seem like a burden, but it was my gift. Papa told me that it was my nature to take care of people, and that all of this, it would only help me do that better. And you know what?"
"What?"
"He was right." Kagome smiled brilliantly, reaching up to brush away the tears that had suddenly fallen from her eyes. "I went through the ceremony, and I have all this power, and all I want to do is help. It took a dream to make me understand that I really did want this path, because I finally got the chance to chose it."
"That's weird…" Inuyasha said at last. Kagome laughed and sniffed.
"Yes, but we are talking about me."
"True, well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ok. Goodnight Inuyasha."
"'Night Kagome."
"Something's gonna burn
Sink on you"
The silver wrapping paper fell away from the small black box. It was smooth, not the velvety kind that rings come it. Kagome lifted the lid and emitted a small gasp. Laying on a velvet bed was a silver charm bracelet. There were five tiny silver charms already hanging on the chain and Kagome studied each one. Each were tiny astrology symbols. One was her sign, Sagittarius, another was a rabbit symbol, for the year she was born in. The other three were symbols for love, beauty, and intelligence.
"Kouga gave me this?" she asked, looking up at Sango.
"Yeah, is it something good?" she replied, craning her neck to see the box.
"It's beautiful! I can't accept it though, it's...it's too much." Kagome ran her fingers over the cold piece of jewelry and shook her head sternly, placing it back in the box. Though, she couldn't bring herself to close the box.
"Aw, he wanted you to have it," Miroku said with a shrug. "He was very adamant about it. I think he likes you."
Kagome blushed and traced one of the charms with her fingers. "He's a really nice guy, and I like him too, I guess." Inuyasha grunted from his seat in the front seat, next to Rin, who was driving. Sango, Miroku and Kagome were sitting in the backseat. School had been over for hours now, and the martial arts team had kidnapped Kagome to take her to their surprise.
"Put it on Kagome," Sango urged. Kagome shook her head, ready to close the box, but Sango stopped her. "Come on, it'll look great on you."
"Don't you think it's a little much?"
"Not at all." So Kagome took the chain from the box and placed it around her wrist, letting the charms fall just across her pulsing vein. Anyone could see that through her show of good manners, she really wanted the bracelet. "See, I told you it'd look great."
Kagome scoffed and shook her head, but she was smiling brilliantly. She was truly content. Her birthday had been kind of a gyp. Her mother hadn't bothered with a gift. The boys were still boys, and couldn't afford gifts. Kaede, bless her heart, didn't know what to give the teenager so cash was in no short supply for the eighteen-year-old. Rin had given her a couple new graphic novels, a series she had just started reading called Chobits. The others all said they'd give her combination Christmas/birthday, except for Inuyasha, who said nothing.
"You are an astrology buff, Kag," Rin said from her seat. "Kouga asked me a few days ago what year you were born in, and if you liked silver or gold better. He'd been a little worried when you weren't in school, so I told him that you were recovering and all and we got to talking. He saw you reading an astrology guide and I said that you can't leave the house in the morning without checking your horoscope."
"You talked to that reject?" Inuyasha cried in shock. "Rin! I thought better of you!"
"Let it go 'Yash," Rin said, rolling her eyes. "He's a good guy, who likes my cousin. We had a few conversations and he asked my opinion of his present for Kagome."
"Rin," Kagome laughed. "You're such a funny girl."
Rin smiled happily. "I know. I knew you'd love it too."
"I do," Kagome admitted. "You have to remind me to give Kouga a huge thanks when I see him next."
"We'll remind you," Sango said with a suggestive raise of her eyebrows. Kagome laughed and elbowed her.
"We're here!" Rin announced, pulling into a parking space and hopping out of the car. Everyone piled out, but before Kagome could see where they were exactly, her eyes were covered and she knew exactly who it was from the smell of cheap cologne.
"Miroku, what are you doing?" she asked in a bored tone.
"It's a surprise, right?" he questioned.
"Yes," Kagome sighed.
"Well, until Rin gives me the okay, you are to remain deaf and blind."
"There's a problem with that Miroku," Kagome laughed.
"What? There's nothing wrong with that plan!"
"I can still hear you, you numb-skull!"
"Oh," was all he said before snickers came from all the others. They led Kagome through a parking lot and then to the front of a building. She stumbled only once, but Miroku didn't let her fall.
"Ok Miroku, release the hostage!" Rin announced. The blindfold was lifted from Kagome's eyes and she blinked upon seeing a flashing neon sign hanging in the window of a rather shady looking place.
"A karaoke club?" Kagome said with a frown. "This is your big surprise?"
"What?" Sango said defensively. "It not good enough for you, miss High Miko?" Kagome stuck out her tongue.
"Come on people," Inuyasha grumbled. "Let's get inside."
"Spoil sport," Kagome teased, following him inside the club, the other three trailing after them.
The club was dimly lit and smelled of smoke and juice. It was a teen bar, so they didn't sell alcohol. There was a small stage in the back of the club with a microphone set up for those who would be singing. There were small wooden tables set up all over the club, and there was a juice bar on the side with stools. That was where the martial arts team headed, all of them sat in a row along the bar and ordered juice.
When they were served their drinks, Rin grabbed hers and lifted it in the air. "I propose a toast." Everyone looked up and smiled.
"I bet I know what this means," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. Kagome, who heard him, snickered.
"Happy Birthday Kagome," Rin continued, just glaring at the offending hanyou. "May you grace us with your presence for a long time."
"And may you always bring with you the sunshine in your step," Miroku added before draining his glass.
"And the power to slash anyone with that wicked tongue of yours," Sango said before sipping her juice and smiling.
"And may your path be bright," Inuyasha said in all seriousness as he drank. Kagome looked at him and smiled before raising her own glass and gulping down the sugary fruit juice. Once she was done, she reached into her pocket for a few bills to get another glass. Rin placed her hand on Kagome's elbow and smiled.
"Your tab is on me Kag," Rin said with a wink. "Happy Birthday." Kagome hugged her around the shoulders.
"Thanks Rinny-kins. You really are too good to me."
"I know," she laughed. "Now go sing something for me."
"I don't know…"
"Do it Kag," Sango urged, pushing her off the stool.
"Nope, I'll go second. Someone else has to go now," Kagome insisted. "I refuse to sacrifice myself on the alter of dignity until someone does it first. This is my birthday celebration after all."
"Oh, oh! I'll do it!" Miroku volunteered. Somehow, no one was surprised. Miroku lopped up to the stage and over to the small TV screen that flashed the lyrics. There was a box with CDs next to the TV and flipped through the music selection until he triumphantly held up the one he decided upon. Miroku inserted the CD into the player behind the stage and the music began to play. The lyrics appeared on the screen as Miroku grabbed the microphone.
"I heard your doing okay but I want you to know,
I'm a dick,
I'm addicted to you,
I can't pretend I don't care when you don't think about me,
Do you think I deserve this?
I tried to make you happy but you left anyway,
I'm trying to forget that I'm addicted to you,
But I want it and I need it,
I'm addicted to you,
Now it's over,
Can't forget what you said and I never want to do this again,
Heartbreaker,
Since the day I met you and after all we've been through,
I'm still a dick,
I'm still addicted to you,
I think you know that it's true,
I'd run a thousand miles to get you,
Do you think I deserve this?
I tried to make you happy
I did all that I could just to keep you,
But you left anyway."
The words paused as the music break came over and Miroku hopped down from the stage to move amongst the crowd. Some of the people sitting at the tables were eyeing him weirdly, but there were some flirtatious glances given him by a few girls. The martial arts team were cheering, especially the girls.
"Shake what you Momma gave you Miroku!" Rin yelled.
"Sing, you perverted backstreet boy!" Kagome laughed, dancing along with the music.
As the lyrics picked up again, Miroku pointed over at Sango. She raised an eyebrow and flushed a little. Rin and Kagome 'ooo'ed and cackled when she glared. Miroku acted as though he never noticed, turning a few times and striking some out-dated but still classic dance moves.
"How long will I be waiting?
Until the end of time,
I don't know why I'm still waiting,
I can't make you mine,
Heartbreaker,
I'm addicted to you."
When the song ended, everyone leapt to their feet and cheered. The martial arts team cheered the hardest as Miroku rejoined their ranks looking pleased and flustered at the same time.
"Never let anyone tell you that singing in public is easy," he confided.
"But you make it look that way," Kagome teased. "I think I'm ready now."
"Go for it Kag," Sango said, pushing her toward the stage again. This time Kagome scampered up there and searched the music selection. She found one she liked and popped it in, turning to the microphone.
"This song," Kagome said into the microphone, "is dedicated to my friends. I love you guys." There was a loud 'aww' that came from the bar and Kagome laughed as the lyrics flashed on the screen.
"This is my life,
It's not what it was before,
All these feelings I've shared,
And these are my dreams,
That I've never lived before,
Somebody shake me cause I,
I must be sleeping,
Now that we're here, it's so far away,
All the struggle we thought was in vain,
And all the mistakes, one life contained,
They all finally start to go away,
And I feel like I can face the day,
And I can forgive and I'm not ashamed to be,
The person that I am today.
These are my words,
That I've never said before,
I think I'm doing okay,
And this is the smile,
That I've never shown before,
Somebody shake me cause I,
I must be sleeping.
Now that we're here, it's so far away,
All the struggle we thought was in vain,
And all the mistakes, one life contained,
They all finally start to go away,
And now that we're here, it's so far away,
And I feel like I can face the day,
I can forgive and I'm not ashamed to be,
The person that I am today.
I'm so afraid of waking,
Please don't shake me,
Afraid of waking,
Please don't shake me,
Now that we're here, it's so far away,
All the struggle we thought was in vain,
And all the mistakes, one life contained,
They all finally start to go away,
And I feel like I can face the day,
And I can forgive and I'm not ashamed to be,
The person that I am today."
Once Kagome finished her heartwarming ballad, everyone in the club applauded. It wasn't the fun-filled cheering they gave to Miroku for his foolish display to Simple Plan. This was more an appreciation to a good song sung by a good voice. After all, Kagome was a good singer and the song she sang came from the heart for the friends who had come to mean so much to her.
"Wow, that was beautiful Kagome," Sango said with a smile. "You ever come here before?"
"Nope, this is my first time," Kagome confirmed. "I guess you could call me a karaoke virgin."
"Well, that just goes to show that the first time can be the best," Miroku said with a nod. "Unlike my own horror."
"You weren't a horror," Inuyasha said with a grin. "You were just acting like the gay freak you are."
"I resent that," Miroku said. "I thought what we had was special!"
Inuyasha balked on that. "I told you never to talk about that!" he yelled dramatically.
"Boys," Rin said with a smile. "Can your yaoi moment wait until after Kagome's outing?"
Kagome grinned and hugged Miroku around the shoulders casually. "You were good when you were up there, Miroku, and don't let the dog-boy put you down. I wasn't even trying right there, my dear. You should hear me when I put a little effort into it." Kagome gave him a wink and took her seat again. "So who is our next victim?"
"I've got to try this," Sango volunteered bravely. "Any musical suggestions?"
"You need to pick something that you know, or at least have heard before," Rin said with a laugh. "Otherwise you'll be like those assholes on MTV."
Sango snickered and set off for the stage. "I think I know what I'll do." Once at the stage, Sango went a few minutes thumbing through the CDs until she found the one she had obviously been searching for. This bar had a remarkably good selection for such a hole in the wall place. Obviously it was populated by a lot of the High School underground.
Sango popped in her disk and took a stance in front of the microphone, trying to find a comfortable place. When the music began flowing, she nodded her head along and then picked up with the words in a confident voice.
"Time does tell that even if they say so,
She'd be the one that would know,
That I did do what I've done,
And I, I wouldn't call it cheating,
I'd just say that I was leading her on,
Why walk when I run a-way?
You-you ask me what went wrong,
Me-I'll write you this last song,
Please-just tell me one way we can win,
One-more thing before I go,
Two-the one who loves me so,
Three-don't make me count to three again,
Happy endings,
Just what did you do, if you're a dream then come true,
Stop pretending,
That what you mean isn't what you say,
Hopeful dreaming,
Of times before the pain, wishing it was still the same,
Loving, leaving,
Round and round and round we go again
Sango danced around the stage, winking at patrons and really getting into the singer bit. The martial arts team howled and whistled, especially Miroku. For someone as usually laid back as Sango, she liked her little taste of spotlight.
Walks a-lone, have often lead to thinking,
My love for you is sinking to what seems an all time low,
Or high, the limits' never ending,
And don't you know I'm sending,
There's no venture I won't go,
For you,
She walks away, she talks away,
She walks away,
She walks away, she talks away,
Away, away…
You-you ask me what went wrong,
Me-I'll write you this last song,
Please-just tell me one way we can win,
One-more thing before I go,
Two-the one who loves me so,
Three-don't make me count to three again,
Happy endings,
Just what did you do, if you're a dream then come true,
Stop pretending,
That what you mean isn't what you say,
Hopeful dreaming,
Of times before the pain, wishing it was still the same,
Loving, leaving,
Round and round and round we go again."
Sango wasn't a soloist, and she wasn't vain enough to tell herself that she was, but she did enjoy it. When she sang, no glass shattered, no one covered their ears. Sure, she couldn't hit all the notes exactly perfect, but she wasn't horrible. When the song ended, applause was given and cheers went up among the martial arts team. She was blushing when she went back to them.
"Aw, Sango, why didn't you tell me you could sing that good?" Kagome teased. "You're making me look bad."
"Nuh-uh, Kag," Sango joked with a smile. "No one here is as good as you are." Kagome blushed and smiled. She elbowed Sango good-naturedly and they laughed together, getting another round of juice.
"You did wonderfully, Sango my flower," Miroku remarked, falling to his knees dramatically and kissing the back of her hand gallantly. Sango raised an eyebrow two second before pushing him over. Everyone laughed and pointed, especially when a waiter passing by tripped over him and nearly caused him to drop a tray of juice on a pair of drinks at a table next to the bar. Kagome and Inuyasha grabbed the tray in time to avert disaster.
"I guess it's my turn now," Rin laughed when no other volunteered ventured to the stage to follow the last three acts.
"Go for it Rin," Kagome encouraged.
"Yeah, do it Rin," Inuyasha agreed.
"I think I will," she said with a cute smile and a flip of her braid over her shoulder. Rin skipped to the stage, thumbed through the disks and found one that pleased her. She popped it in and positioned herself just right, lowering the microphone to reach her smaller stature. With a slow rhythm, she got into the song.
"I tried to kill the pain,
But only brought more,
I lay dying,
And I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal,
I'm dying praying bleeding and screaming,
Am I too lost to be saved,
Am I too lost?
My God my tourniquet,
Return to me salvation,
My God my tourniquet,
Return to me salvation,
Do you remember me,
Lost for so long,
Will you be on the other side,
Or will you forget me,
I'm dying praying bleeding and screaming,
Am I too lost to be saved,
Am I too lost?
My God my tourniquet,
Return to me salvation,
My God my tourniquet,
Return to me salvation,
My wounds cry for the grave,
My soul cries for deliverance,
Will I be denied,
Christ,
Tourniquet
My suicide"
Rin had a pretty voice, one of those soft sounds that could always carry a melody but was better for lullabies then for rock/alternative. But still, she belted the song beautifully. The entire club roared when she was done and Rin was not a girl who wouldn't play to the crowd. She waved, she bowed, she flirted, but then she returned to her team and let them buy her a celebratory drink.
"Never let it be said that Rin is not a prima dona," Kagome commented to Sango and Miroku.
"I heard that," her cousin teased. Everyone laughed.
"It looks like everyone has gone," Sango said with a sigh.
"Everyone but Inuyasha," Kagome said with a smile. "Come dog-boy, perform your stunning rendition of Cry Me A River for us!" Miroku almost choked on his juice.
"I will go," the hanyou replied, not biting at her insult. "But I have another song in mind."
And so he went forth to the stage, in all his brooding glory, and rummaged the music until he found something that made something of a dark smile light his face. When he began to play it, Kagome recognized the music immediately. It was her favorite song of all time. It wasn't by American Hi-Fi, even though they were her favorite band, but this was a song that she loved more than any other. And the one person to sing it had to be the one person she was trying not to fall in love with.
"Today is one fire,
The sky is bleeding above me, and I am blistered,
I walk these lines of blasphemy, everyday,
And still…
Like a bad star,
I'm falling faster down to her,
She's the only one who knows,
What it is to burn,
I feel diseased,
Is there no sympathy from the sun,
The sky still fire,
But I am safe in here, from the world outside,
So tell me,
What's the price to pay for glory,
Like a bad star,
I'm falling faster down to her,
She's the only one who knows,
What it is to burn,
Today is fire, and she burns,
Today is fire, and she burns,
She burns,
She burns,
She burns,
She burns,
She burns,
She burns,
Like a bad star,
I'm falling faster down to her,
She's the only one who knows,
What it is to burn."
Inuyasha was a raw singer, the kind that you looked for to front a band. He may not have had the years of experience and top-notch ability, but he song with emotion, from the heart. His voice was strong and clear, and he song that song as if it had been written for him alone. When he ended, people cheered. Applause and shouts and calls for an encore rang out, but Kagome was silent as she watched him, almost bewitched. Could this really be? Could the person her mother really wanted her to kill be a person who was so much like herself? How was she ever supposed to end the life of a person who was so…beautiful…as Inuyasha? How could she even have ever considered the possibility? It didn't make any sense to her, not at all.
When he joined the group again, he smiled at their pokes of fun and their compliments. What he did was go to Kagome. "Try," he said.
"What?" was her oh-so-intelligent reply.
"Try to top that," he challenged, a gleam in his eyes that made her heart beat faster. Oh yes, she would beat him.
"You've just doomed yourself," Kagome spoke softly, with a smile. Then she brushed passed him and to the stage once again. Some of the listens cheered at her reappearance. Kagome had been one of their favorite acts so far. This time, she aimed to kill. So the song she chose was more of a fun song, one she could dance to and walks amongst the crowd while singing.
Before popping in the song, she removed her duster and tossed it across the single stool they had set up on the stage. She loosened her shoulder and cracked her neck, she ran her fingers through her hair, taking out of the braid it had been in and shaking it out around her shoulders, then she took the microphone from the holder and Kagome was ready to sing.
"No, don't just walk away,
Pretending everything's ok,
And you don't care about me,
And I know there's just no use,
When all your lies become your truths and I don't care."
Just as the chorus began, Kagome hopped from the stage and started her way through the crowd, mingling and greeting. She smiled, she winked, she even flirted a few times, stopping to sing a line or two to a specific person. All the time, she made her way closer to the bar, and to the martial arts team.
"Could you look me in the eye,
And tell me that you're happy now,
Would you tell it to my face or have I been erased,
Are you happy now?
Are you happy now?
You took all there was to take,
And left me with an empty plate,
And you don't care about it,
And I've given up this game,
And I'm leaving you with all the blame cause I don't care,
Could you look me in the eye,
And tell me that you're happy now,
Would you tell it to my face or have I been erased,
Are you happy now?
Are you happy now?
The music slowed to a point where she was speaking the words in a sing-song voice, barely above a whisper. Kagome had reached the martial arts team, and each of the lines were sung to a member of her friends. The first was to Miroku.
"Do you really have everything you want?"
The next was to Sango.
"You can never give somethin' you ain't got."
The third line was for Rin, who was smiling happy. Kagome could really get into the moment, that was for sure.
"You can't run away from yourself."
The last line was for Inuyasha, and she spared him no courtesy. In fact, she made it a point to tease him the most, leaning into him and speaking so close that their noses almost touched.
"Could you look me in the eye and tell me that you're happy now?" Just when she got so close that the rest of the martial arts team gasped, Kagome spun, singing stronger now, and headed back to the stage as if nothing had happened at all. Inuyasha watched, wide-eyed at what had just happened while the other three smirked. Oh, she was good.
"Come on tell it to me face or have I been erased,
Are you happy now?
Are you happy now?
Would you look me in the eye?
Could you look me in the eye?
I've had all that I can take,
And I'm not about to break,
Cause I'm happy now,
Are you happy now?"
That was when the song ended, and everyone just went wild. Kagome smiled serenely and left the stage in a graceful display of nerves and breathlessness. Never, in all of her life, had she worked harder to impress a boy. But the satisfaction came when she noticed the look on his face. Her goal was accomplish, because he was awestricken.
Her friends couldn't complement her enough when she rejoined them, and she became so embarrassed she blushed harder than ever. She tried, and that made all the difference in her performance. Just like she had told Miroku. Once they died down a little, a few new people got up to sing, and they quieted to listen. After a little while, someone tugged on Kagome's arm. She looked next to her to see Inuyasha motion for her to follow.
"I'm going to get some air," she whispered to Rin, who was watching the performer singing a Metallica song.
"Okay, don't be long though," she replied.
"No worries," Kagome quipped, then followed Inuyasha. He didn't speak to her as they wove their way toward the nearest exit. "So where are we going?" she asked once they were nearing their escape route.
"Just outside, so no one will interrupt," he answered, holding the door open for her.
"Interrupt what?" she said with suspicious. Inuyasha blushed crimson once she got a good look at him, and he fidgeted nervously. "Are you alright Inuyasha? You look like you're about to ask me to prom or something."
"Nothing that drastic," he assured her. "Just wanted to give you your present, but not where anyone could see. Those three would never let me live it down."
"You got me a present?" Kagome asked in shock. In truth, she hadn't expected one at all.
"Well, Kouga got you one, and I didn't want to seem like I was some kind of asshole who'll kiss a girl and then not even get her a card for her birthday. I'm not that low."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like that," Kagome said apologetically, blushing a little. "I just, well you know, didn't think you'd get me something is all."
"Well I did," he said roughly, handing her a small, thin box with a ribbon on it, taken from the inside pocket of his jacket. "Happy Birthday."
Kagome smiled and eagerly opened the gift box. It must have been the year of jewelry because laying inside was another piece. This was a necklace, on a thin silver chain, but the charm was what drew her eyes. And Kagome had never seen anything as beautiful. It was a silver and gold engraved medallion with the insignia of Rei Yue on it.
"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed, running a finger over the medallion. "It's beautiful."
"I thought you'd like it," he said, smiling shyly. "Put it on, I didn't buy it so you could stare at it." Kagome looked up at him, biting her bottom lip to keep from smiling, but she quickly pulled the necklace around her neck and clasped it. The medallion fell just below her throat. Kagome placed a hand over it and smiled. Maybe she didn't have her father's form anymore, but she could still surround herself with little bits of him. No finding words to say, Kagome just threw her arms around Inuyasha's neck and hugged him gratefully.
"Thank you."
When she pulled back, she saw Inuyasha was blushing brightly. "It's no problem you know," he said uncomfortably. She laughed at him. That's when the glare came back to his eye and he smirked. "You just had to upstage me inside, didn't you?" he accused, backing her up so she was pinned against the outside wall of the club.
"You just had to sing my favorite song, didn't you?" she shot back, a smug smile on her face.
"I asked you first," he retorted.
"You're easy to upstage," Kagome said softly.
"It's a good song," Inuyasha commented. She smiled lightly, and then he kissed her. It was something he had been dying to do all night – no, even longer than that – he'd wanted to kiss her since he saw her at school that morning. When he was finally sure that she was safe and unharmed. He hadn't really known just how worried he had been until that moment. And he showed her just how happy he was that she was safe. Kagome was more than willing to accept the affection, and to show her appreciation of his protectiveness. It was nice to have someone else worry, so she didn't have to. She also thanked him for his gift, an even rarer show of affection that she had not expected from him in the least. It just went to show that there was still a lot for her to know about Inuyasha, and she wanted to know it all.
Now, it may be in bad taste to go outside and kiss a boy when you're supposed to be enjoy an outing in your honor with a group of friends. This was why Rin went in search of Kagome when she didn't return after a few minutes. When the curious teen poked her head out the door to look for Kagome, and beheld the sight of Kagome and Inuyasha kissing like there was no tomorrow, she walked back inside looking as though she had just seen a ghost. She was pale and quiet, her body moving stiffly as she took a seat next to Sango and shook her head.
"Rin, are you ok?" Sango asked worriedly. Rin looked stunned and pale when she took her seat.
"I just saw something I never thought I'd see," she said in a small voice.
"What did you see?" Miroku asked, very interested now.
"Look for yourselves," was all she said. So they did, Miroku humming the Mission: Impossible theme as they made their way outside, and returned to the bar in much the same state. No one could find words after that.
When Inuyasha and Kagome returned to the bar, the other three stared at them. Kagome smiled sheepishly, instantly knowing that they had seen, and pulled up the collar on her shirt so they wouldn't see the necklace. Inuyasha only shrugged. He never liked to hide anything, anyway.
"All I have to say," Miroku said after a while. "Is that you two better come to my party as a date, or I'll not let either of you in." So Inuyasha and Kagome arranged for their first date to be at Miroku's Christmas Party.
"Drunken Highways,
Someone take the wheel"
In no time at all, it was Christmas Eve. Sayaka and the boys had returned home to spend Christmas, and Kagome had promised to go visit during her week off after the holiday itself. Instead of returning with them, she had opted for a Christmas in the city with Kaede, and to attend the fabulous Christmas party hosted by Miroku. Of course, she neglected to tell her mother about the party and who she was going with. Namely, Inuyasha.
She was really looking forward to the party, and the date. Since the karaoke club incident, she and Inuyasha had been talking a lot on the phone, and other times he'd come to the dojo and they'd hang out. Kaede was suspicious, but she liked that they were becoming closer. Kagome also tried to spend every minute she could with her friends, in between school and the visits from distant relatives and family friends. Since her ascension, many had come to pay homage to the new High Miko, and ask advice. The walk-ins took up much of Kagome's once-empty schedule.
When Christmas had come, officially, Kagome told all those who were coming for her that she wished solitude for the holidays, and that they should seek her out afterwards unless it was an emergency.
So, on Christmas Eve, Kagome was just finishing her decorating around the dojo for Christmas-garlands around the doors and banisters, ornaments hanging from lights and shelves, little festive touches that she loved to do while blaring some Christmas music-when Inuyasha arrived to pick her up for the party.
"What are you doing here?" she asked from her perch on the ladder, just finishing with the last garland. "The party isn't for another two hours. I'm not ready!"
"Yeah, but I have a Christmas present for you first," he said with a shy smile. It was one that Kagome liked. One would hardly think that Inuyasha would be shy, considering how pompous and confident he always acted, but he'd never had a girlfriend before and a lot of his experience was limited. Kagome thought he was endearing, because he was unsure of himself in certain situations.
"A present, for me," she said dramatically, placing a hand to her chest. "You shouldn't have."
He chuckled. "Come on, it's getting dark and I want to get there before it's too late."
"Oh, now I'm intrigued," Kagome laughed, climbing down.
"Wow," Inuyasha commented as he looked around. "You really made this place look festive."
"Christmas is my favorite holiday," she explained. "I guess because it's so close to my birthday. When I was little, my Dad and I used to go really gung-ho on all of our decorations, lights and ribbons and tinsel everywhere."
"That must have been nice," he said with a smile, leaning against the table.
"Yeah," she said with a smile. "It was." With a sigh, she shook her head. "Before we go, I gotta grab some stuff. Hold on a second." Without further ado, she bounded up the stairs just as Kaede walked in from the front rooms.
"Oh, hello Inuyasha," she said with a smile. "Merry Christmas, dear."
"Merry Christmas, mistress," he said with a bow.
"I'm very happy that you and Kagome have been getting along better lately," she said after a brief moment. "I know the two of you got off to a rocky start."
"I think she kinda likes me now," he said with a half-smile.
"I know. She didn't want to get to know you at first, but now that she has, I think that she realizes that the two of you really aren't all that different."
"We've got a lot in common, but she's different all right."
"But in a good way," Kaede laughed. "That is just Kagome. There will never be another like her."
Inuyasha nodded, and looked to the stairs as Kagome raced back down. She was now wearing a Santa hat, dressed all in red and white--except for the duster because it was her only coat--and carrying a bag of brightly wrapped presents. Inuyasha went to investigate, but she denied him. "Your gift isn't in there," she said with a smirk, just as she dropped a hat on to his head.
"What the--?" It was green and pointed, an elf's hat, and it just about covered his ears, but not in an uncomfortable way. "How come you get to be Santa?"
"I bought them," she teased, sticking out her tongue. "I have one for everybody, along with a gift. So let's go party." Inuyasha nodded with a smile as he adjusted his hat. "Bye Grams," Kagome said, kissing her grandmother on the cheek. "I'll be back before midnight."
"Have fun you two," Kaede waved as they left.
"We will," Inuyasha replied as they made their way to his car.
"Faded in the blackout you left me in,
I'm safer on the outside"
"So you gonna tell me where we're going?" Kagome asked after they had been driving for a while.
"Nope, it's a surprise," Inuyasha said with a smile.
"You aren't going to blindfold me this time, are you?" she asked.
"No," he laughed. "But I might gag you."
"Jerk."
"Hey, it's our first date, it's not polite to call me a jerk," Inuyasha jokingly scolded.
"'Yash, we've already made-out in public, I think we can skip first date pleasantries," Kagome said sweetly. He rolled his eyes.
"We're almost there, just hold on."
The sky was just about dark when they pulled into a parking lot. Kagome didn't recognize where they were, but it looked like some kind of park. There was a lake in front of them that was almost dark, and she couldn't make out anything else because they were so far from the lights of the street.
"Where are we?"
"The park," Inuyasha said with a smile. "My Dad used to take me here when I was little. We'd go fishing and stuff. Every Christmas, the park keepers decorate all the gazebos around the lake on a timer, and the lights go on at the same time every Christmas Eve." He looked at the clock on his car dashboard. It read 7:59. "Eight," he said as the number flashed. Suddenly there was a flash of white light as all the decorated gazebos that surrounded the lake went off in a domino effect, causing the surface of the nearly-frozen water to reflect the light with a diamond glow. Kagome gasped and smiled, getting out of the car to watch.
"It's so beautiful," she whispered.
"I thought you'd like it," Inuyasha said, watching her reaction.
"Did you ask Rin?"
"Didn't have to," he said. Kagome looked over at him. "I know you enough by now. You like simple things, elegant and tasteful." Kagome blushed and smiled warmly.
"Truth to tell, my family is almost as rich as yours, but we never spend what we don't have to. Dad didn't grow up with a lot of money, he liked things pretty and simple. I do too," she explained, looking back to the water. Her breath hung in the air before her for a moment before disappearing into the night. "You don't need extravagance when you can have this."
Inuyasha was in perfect agreement, which was why his gift was not quite complete yet. He leaned back into the car and pushed the CD that had been half sticking out of his player all the way in. Then he turned the volume up as high as he dared before walking over to Kagome and taking her hand. The music played from the open doors as he led her into the gazebo only a few feet away.
"What are we doing now?" she asked.
"I thought I'd be romantic," he said with a grin. "It being Christmas and our first date."
"Okay, but I still don't know what we're doing," she laughed.
"Simple," he commented, taking her hand and placing it on his shoulder, then taking her other hand in his. "We will dance."
Kagome laughed, biting her bottom lip. "I'm not a very good dancer," she confided.
"Neither am I," he admitted. "But we'll get through it together." Kagome nodded, and as Fuel began their song. Inuyasha smiled reassuringly at her, placing both of her arms around his neck, and then wrapping his arms loosely around her waist. "Trust me." And Kagome did, so she went with the flow.
"You see me hanging round,
Starting to swear about this black hole of a dark field,
And silently within hands touching skin sharp,
Breaks my disease and I can breath,
And all of your ways,
All you dream falls on me,
It falls on me,
And your beautiful sky,
The light you breath,
Falls on me,
It falls on me ahha,
I feel like a pain,
It draws me in again,
Squashes all my worst of me,
Darkness in my veins,
I never could explain,
And I wonder if you have ever seen,
And still believe,
And all of your ways,
And all that you dream,
Falls on me,
It falls on me,
And your beautiful sky,
The light you breath,
Falls on me,
It falls on me,
"One…two…three…" Inuyasha recited, looking down at his feet to make sure he didn't step on Kagome's foot. She laughed and made him look up at her.
"You can't hurt me, Inutoya," she grinned. "I'm invulnerable." Then she pulled her arms tighter and rested her head against his. And the song played on.
Am I that strong,
To carry on,
Have I changed your life,
Have I changed my world,
Could you save me ahhhhha,
And all of your ways,
All you dream,
Falls on me,
It falls on me,
And you beautiful sky,
The light you breath,
Falls on me,
It falls on me,
And all of your ways,
All you dream falls on me,
It falls on me,
And your beautiful sky,
The light you breath,
Falls on me,
It falls on me,
Ahhhhaha yea ahhhah yea."
Kagome decided right then, as the snow outside started to fall, and the lights on the icy water shimmered brightly, that she had never had a better Christmas then the one where Inuyasha danced with her. It was best present that anyone had ever given her. And that was the moment, just as the song died away and Inuyasha smiled his most perfect half-smile while still wearing the stupid elf hat she had bought him, that was the true moment where Kagome Higurashi knew that she had fallen in love.
Okay, because I wanted to get this done, the Christmas Party and the after will be in the next chapter. And I know I promised that I'd name the songs, but if anyone could give me the list of all the songs I used in this chapter (song title and artist that is) I will give you a special prize! Yes, I will! I even named some of the bands already. Give me band and title of the song, it's really not that hard. Please? Review and guess! A few shout outs...
pruning shears: My old friend! 1.) I LOVE Final Fantasy 8, it's my favorite video game of all time next to Kingdom Hearts and right there with Spryo the Dragon. (who can resist a cute purple quadruped?) 2.) I have a subscription to Shonen Jump so I was reading my new issue while writing. It's great, I just love that manga book, hehe. As you read in this chapter, Kagome made the choice to remain rather than run. It would have been a twist if she had refused, but the point I was trying to make was that Kagome is destined for this mission by more than just her mother's say so. She knows that this is what she wants to do. You'll see just what she has to do in the next chapter a little more. Thanks for the review!
Demon angel: Thanks a lot for the review, I'm glad you like my story. Yes, it is a little sad that Kagome had to lose her demon part, but it was a trade, power for power. Kagome is beginning to learn that she doesn't need something tangible to remember her father.
SarahlovesDBZ: Yay, I'm happy you approve of my chapter, lol. Inuyasha doesn't find out for another two of three chapters yet. I have to string Kagome's stress and her inner turmoil. It's all pure angst, my friend. And angst sells! I have so much still planned for this story, it's going to be at least 20 chapters--but probably more. Thanks for the encouragement.
NightstarAngel: I wanted to make the ascension chapter more of a moving piece than a violent or sarcastic chapter. I may be getting too philosophical here, but I wanted it to show the real transition between child and adult. Oh, so you've noticed the scar on Sayaka's neck! I'm proud of you! Tell your brother and sister they'll have to wait another three chapters before they find out the truth about Sayaka. I'm happy that I hooked you and your siblings on to my stuff! Keep on reading and I'll type….type type type!
Moonlight-angel2003: I have midterms next week so I'm trying to get this and the next chapter out before it's too late! Thanks for the review, you're encouragement helps a lot! Keep the love alive and survive!
Mirokus-grl: Maybe you should take a sedative? I'm glad you like the updates--sorry they come when you're sick. Keep strong and I'll one day update when you are well!
PurpleOboe: I love your name! It reminds me of the talking crow from Violinist of Hameln. I'm so happy that you like my writing! I have dial-up too so I feel your pain there, lol. Here is the next installment for you. Thanks for reading and come again! (P.S. Do you want fries with that?)
Sakura: Why don't you sign on? Oh well, a review is a review so I won't nit-pick, lol. Keep your voice down, we don't know who could be listening to you. Talk of cults only when there are no witnesses….and if there are? Silence them, muhaha! Poison jell-o!
Jaded Hanyou Girl: I've been missing your sparkling reviews! Everyone hates her mom, I know this. I feel bad, making her mom out to be such a monster, but I had to do it. Drama! Yes, Kagome is now the High Miko. In the next chapter, you'll start seeing some stuff, hehe! Review, and I'll slip you some pocky, ok?