Inuyasha looked up at the words 'final project', 'lyrics', and 'guidelines'. They were the first words all year long that had left Naraku's mouth that remotely interested him. This is something I can pass! He thought to himself excitedly.
"I'll be passing out guidelines at the end of class. You have two weeks to complete the project. If anyone is musically inclined, they may record their piece as well. I expect well-planned literate projects."
Inuyasha was grinning like his birthday had come early. He turned to grin at Kagome, who smirked at him.
Inuyasha took the guidelines from Naraku and skipped into the hallway. "I'm going to pass! I'm going to pass! Yay!"
He did a little dance while Kagome put her papers in her backpack, watching him the entire time with slight trepidation at his uncommon cheer.
"That's nice Inuyasha," she said, trying not to laugh.
"I don't even have to do any work! I just write down the lyrics to one of our songs, and voila! I'm done, I've passed! Woo-hoo!"
Kagome grinned and followed him towards the science lab.
Twenty minutes into class, a hall pass arrived for Kagome from the main office. Not suspecting anything, she got up and left class.
About halfway there, a certain someone blocked her path. Someone that was throwing a party. Someone with a grudge against Kagome.
"Um, Kagome? Can we talk?" Kikyo looked uncharacteristically nervous.
"Sure, Kikyo. What's up?" As class president, it was Kagome's job to be nurturing and listen to her fellow classmates. She unsuspectingly trotted after Kikyo, turning into the next hallway.
Before Kagome could register what was happening, a chloroform-laced towel was over her face and she passed out.
Inuyasha didn't know where Kagome was. He had searched everywhere—the ISS rooms, the main office, four different lockers, all of her classrooms, all the rooms that weren't her classrooms, the school pool, and lastly, her backpack. He had left about three hundred messages on her cell phone and even confronted Yuka Macaze in the main office for use of the PA system.
Yuka had told him that Kagome never came to the office when she got her pass.
"She wouldn't be skipping, would she?" Macaze asked, worried.
"I don't think so," Inuyasha replied. He shoved his hands into his pockets and thought back to their previous conversations. "No, Kagome doesn't skip class."
Where would you have gone to, idiot?
Kouga was feeling...manly. It was the end of weight-training class. He had run three miles, lifted the weight of two cheerleaders, and swam sixty laps around the pool. He was wired with adrenaline, ready to rip apart the opposing team at his game that night. Kouga was growling, flexing his muscles and strutting his stuff.
Or at least he was, until his feet landed on something squishy and warm. ...what is this?
Upon inspection, as a crowd of manly men gathered in a circle around him, the squish turned out to be a person. A female person. A female person he once considered his.
Kagome...!
There was a towel pinned over her hair, but the face was unmistakable. Unconscious and calm, his ex must have wanted to talk to him so badly that she braved detention and suspension to infiltrate his sacred locker room.
Alas, my woman is brave and cunning. To have overcome all of the obstacles in getting to my side, she is worthy of praise.
While he was thinking, Kouga struck a brave pose, pulling the rag-doll limp Kagome to his chest and holding one hand out for empathizes on his thoughts. Tears pooled in his eyes at the devotion of the woman in his arms.
He didn't notice that Kagome was A) drooling and B) coming to. Wondering where she was and why her face was stuck to hot, smelly, sweaty man-flesh, and also noticing that there was something on her head, her instinctual reaction was to scream.
So scream she did, startling all of the half-naked boys who were changing into school clothes. The daydreaming Kouga was snapped back to reality.
"Kagome! Why are you afraid? I am here!"
She stared at his grinning triumphant face for a moment. "Oh. My. God. I'm dreaming!"
"No, I am real! And I pledge you my love forever, sweet Kagome!"
She resisted the urge to slam her head on a few lockers and instead found her feet. "...um...okay. Kouga, I'm leaving. I have to go to the office."
"I will await you, fair Kagome!"
She debated weather or not to respond, staring at his pose. Deciding that she didn't want to goad him into another sweaty hug, she headed for the office.
She was met by a silver blur, which practically knocked her off her feet. "Kagome! Where were you? I've been calling you and looking for you—where'd you go?"
"I...um...I remember leaving class, and then...I woke up in the..."
"Why do you have a towel on your head?" Inuyasha interrupted.
"Towel?" Kagome asked, reaching up. There was indeed a towel on her head.
"It's safety-pinned to your hair," he observed, reaching up and undoing the pin. The towel fell to the floor, leaving Inuyasha stunned, his jaw joining the towel.
"My hair feels funny. Is there something wrong with it?" Kagome asked curiously, running her fingers through it.
"No, nothing's wrong. It's awesome!"
She stared at him for a moment. Turning and grabbing a random passing kid, she said, "Can I borrow a mirror?"
"Um..." the kid scooted away, staring at her like she was crazy.
She turned back to her insane boyfriend. "Inuyasha," she said patiently. "Inuyasha, what is different about my hair?"
"It's red!" he exclaimed cheerily.
Kagome's hands flew to her hair, yanking it in front of her face.
Her brunette head had been dyed cherry-apple red, the favorite color of a certain singer. Kagome, however, wasn't so thrilled.
"Inuyasha," she said patiently. "Do you have a hat I can borrow?"
"I have a couple of bandanas, why?"
Grabbing a bandana, she tied it to her head. "I'll see you later, okay?"
Bewildered, Inuyasha let her into the main office.
Twenty minutes later, Kagome was in her own home and not answering either of her phones.
"...Won't bleach just make her hair blonde though?" Sango asked curiously.
"That stuff stings, too," Miroku said, putting his hands over his head. "Must have been someone who really knew their stuff, a good hair stylist."
"I wonder if she's still going to the party then," Sango mused. She was pinning her hair up in sloppy pigtail buns while Miroku laid on her bedroom floor. Inuyasha had explained to them why Kagome wasn't answering her phone shortly after school.
Sango knew that her best friend was horrified. She wished that she could talk with her. Kagome had never done anything to alter her appearance permanently. She regretted hair cuts, balked at piercing her ears, and turned up her nose at hair dye. Sango wondered what it was that her friend was doing.
Almost like magic, her phone rang. Hoping that it was Kagome, Sango answered it.
"Mushi mushi," she said happily.
"Sango? I need your advice."
Sango sighed in relief. It was Kagome. And by the sounds of her voice, she wasn't panicking at all. She sounded...mischievous.
"Go on,"
"Listen, I know who dyed my hair..."
Kikyo Harishuma was by no means a patient girl. When she wanted something, she would pout and cry and irritate people until she got it. And if she couldn't have what she wanted, then she would take it herself.
She smirked to herself as she stared into her closet. Inuyasha had been too smart for his own good, thanks to his good-for-nothing brother. He had slipped through her fingers, running to none other than the Prep Queen, Kagome Higurashi. Kikyo had been angry beyond belief when she realized that they were an item. What was wrong with the Higurashi girl? Didn't she realize that Inuyasha belonged to Kikyo?
It had only taken a little work to convince her grandmother to attend the annual battle of the bands. Kikyo had begun running this years ago, just after she had met a young Inuyasha. Now that it had grown, she had earned respect in the world of musicians. She held power over her hanyou. But the shock of seeing him with Kagome had managed to render her angry enough to keep her from taking what was hers.
Her grandmother had signed them on to the summer tour. Kikyo viewed this as another opportunity for taking.
By the end of the night, Inuyasha would belong to her.
Kagome arrived home just in time to beat Inuyasha into her house. Running up the stairs, she left him to talk with her parents while she dumped the bag of clothes and jewelry that she had borrowed from Sango onto her bed.
The same tights that she had worn to the concert not too long ago were there, along with an imitation leather mini skirt and a pile of jewelry. The top that she had chosen was black with fishnet sleeves that only connected to the shirt under her arms. Leaving her horrendous hair down the way that it was, she pulled on Sango's boots and began to work at the jewelry.
Inuyasha sat on Kagome's couch waiting for her. It was the first time that he had been in her house outside of picking her up, when she was usually already ready and waiting at the door for him.
The décor was similar to his own, with cream colored walls and furniture that all matched. Someone cleaned a lot, because there wasn't any dust or dirt anywhere to be seen. A game counsel, obviously put to good use, was on pause. Inuyasha recognized the game, so it didn't hold his interest.
When his attention shifted to the things on the walls, he realized something important.
The walls were covered in ancient scrolls, swords, masks...things that only a family with a shrine would own. Pinned up in a large picture frame as the center display was even an ancient outfit. Inuyasha thought that it looked familiar, but couldn't place it very well. A red haori and hakama, a white kimono...and a set of prayer beads was half of the display. The other half was ancient miko garb, the things that they saw in their history books.
He was captivated staring at the things on the walls. It was as if he knew what each item was, where it belonged. The longer prayer beads and linen next to the clothes seemed important, as did the fragments of a boomerang just above it. There were ancient sealing scrolls and all sorts of things.
"Impressive, ne?" a voice said behind him. Inuyasha spun around.
A old man wearing shrine garb was also staring at the wall. "These are all things that used to be here. There are many legends surrounding this house and our family."
"Kagome is a miko?" Inuyasha blurted.
The old man looked amused. "Of sorts. I am her grandfather, young man. Who might you be?"
"Inuyasha Makahoto," Inuyasha said dutifully. "Kagome and I are dating,"
"I know," her grandfather's amused expression remained. "Take care of her, Inuyasha."
"Where are you going to?" A woman asked, walking in with a dish and rag in her hands. Obviously, she was Kagome's mother.
"My band's latest CD is being released. We're going to hear it for the first time tonight."
"I'm ready!" Kagome exclaimed cheerily, and he heard footsteps on the stairs.
Expecting Kagome, he was let down when nothing but a large, overfed cat came into view. Shortly after, she appeared.
Inuyasha grinned when he saw her. "Kagome, you're looking wonderful,"
Her family was silent, her mother's eyebrows raised. "Sango said the same thing about my hair. Let's go, we're going to be late."
Inuyasha took one last look at the wall. That funny feeling of nostalgia came over him once more, but he turned and followed Kagome instead of inspecting things closer.
Intriguing, no? wondering what happened here? Thinking I'm insane? (giggles) probly.
I want to thank all of my reviewers that pointed out (thank you thank you I'm so sorry) that I have TWO Shippous. This is a problem indeed. However, I've fixed it by making the first Shippou Kohaku. If you're confused, go back and read chapter...12.
I'm so sorry for the confusion, I should have remembered that I did that. However, since we're now on chapter...(glances at files in folder) 26, I expect to make more slips like that and I'm apologizing in advance.
All of this confusion and intrigue should come to an end fairly soon, along with some other things—but not the fic! I'm going to be cryptic and say... "You'll see,".
Recommended reading: Open Mouth, Insert Foot. It's on my favorites list, amongst others.