Chapter 2: Flying out of windows; A beautiful day it is!
Cracking his knuckles eagerly, Souta stood from his seat and turned to face Yoko, who was rolling up his sleeves and shoving students from their chairs, the express line to get to where you want to go. The teacher stopped his lesson, obviously used to such disruptions. Students quickly cleared out the center of the room with practiced effectiveness; they too, were used to it, especially between Inu Yasha's gang and Naraku's.
Yoko lunged at Souta, hoping to take the more lean-looking boy down by force and weight alone, but Souta's excited gleam in his eyes only brightened. Kagome stood off to the side, a neutral expression sprinkled with a pleased smirk on his delicate face. Grabbing Yoko by the back of his collar, Souta lifted him as if he weighed as much as an eight year old, and then, still with only one arm, flung the poor gangster through and out the window, the shattering glass warning students below to clear the way for yet another falling body.
By this time, both siblings were grinning freely, and soon let out roars of helpless laughter. Cursed were heard down below, where Yoko had landed in a giant indentation, but this only served to set the siblings off more. Some students couldn't hold it anymore, not caring if they were to pay the consequences later, and they joined in. Soon, the whole class was laughing, minus Naraku and his men, of course.
Through that whole ordeal, Naraku had remained seated by the window, but his attention was now trained on the two newcomers. He was well aware of his followers' growls and eager waits for his command, upon which they would certainly devour the two, but he had other plans. He saw through their calm faces and knew they were great fighters; a very good weapon to use against the needle in his eye... make that two weapons against the needles in his eye... the two against Inu Yasha and Co. Smirking, he turned back to the window, casually ordering his men to shut up and sit down, of which they obeyed, sitting down on the bare floor, still glaring daggers at the two.
The door banged open, and there in the doorway, a huffing, puffing, fuming, Satan-possessed Yoko stood, looking like he could tear the school down. The room quieted immediately, knowing that Yoko pissed is the whole Right Wing Gang pissed. Well, Kagome and Souta just burst out in newly found laughter, supporting one another and grabbing their stomaches.
"You.... heheh.... you-should.... s...see.... yourself! Ahahah!...."
"Souta.... y-you... did-great!... Couldn't... couldn't-have... done better!....Heheheh!...."
"Th-thanks, K-kag! I-agree! Hehehehahahah!...."
With an enraged snarl, Yoko lunged once more at Souta and Kagome, this time with his fist extended. Souta, still hanging onto Kagome for support lest he fall to the ground, had his back turned to Yoko, and so did not see it coming. With a surprised "Oof!" he accidentally pushed a startled Kagome into the edge of a desk, the later crying out in pain. Whirling around and no longer a laughing, joyous youth but a dangerous predator, Souta's eyes blazed as he stood protectively over his younger brother, a vicious snarl on his face.
Breathing heavily and holding his injured hip tightly, Kagome strained to get past the haze of pain and tell his brother he was fine. 'Yea, right. Like opening such a deep sword wound was ever going to leave someone "okay," as people put it!' Kagome grimaced and called out to Souta.
"I'm fine, let it be."
"One sec, Kag."
Dutifully walking over to the now bouncing Yoko (and bouncing as in, he was in his cheap version of a boxing sance), he punched the poor gangster bullseye in the face... and sent him sailing out the window once more. A sudden, joyous expression donned Souta's face once more, and he saluted to the receeding figure of Yoko with a happy chirp of a voice: "Have a good trip!"
The Right Wing Gangsters had jumped on their feet, ready to pound the living daylights out of the elder of the siblings, when Naraku's silky voice commanded: "Stay!"
"But Naraku-sama! We can't let them give us such a bad imag-"
Swinging his arm back powerfully to the second-in-command of the Right Wing, Naraku sent his own man flying into the window and out the building from the third floor. Calmly getting up and ignoring all the other pathetic students, Naraku walked to the two siblings. Souta was fussing over the bit of blood that had seeped through Kagome's bandages, while Kagome had recovered from the shock and pain of it all, and was reassuring his protective older brother that he was fine.
"You're going to spill a lot more blood than that if you don't agree."
Raising an eyebrw, Souta turned to Naraku and inquired, "Agree to what, may I ask?"
"You will follow my orders and work for me. Or else, I will make your lives miserable, and you'll regret ever setting foot in this lifetime."
"Hmm, you're Naraku, heh?" Kagome spoke up, looking as disinterested as Souta, as if the threats didn't mean a thing. And frankly, to them it didn't.
"What of it?"
"We heard you're pretty powerful in this school. Is that true?" (Souta)
"Hmph. What you hear is true. Are you considering working for me?"
"Nah. We go on our own, right, Souta?"
Nodding in agreement, Souta turned back to his younger brother. "You sure you don't need that looked at? Maybe change the bandages at least."
"Sure, why not. Sensei, we'll be gone for a while, please excuse us." With that, the two left, as if nothing had transpired within the classroom. Naraku's mouth tightened into a thin line, eyes narrowing.
He'd find a way....
** ** **
Word had spread extraordinarily quick about the two siblings, and as the two walked outside to go for a lunch break ride on their cycles, they were amused at what they saw....
Lots and lots of motorcycles.
Lots and lots of people waiting for a fight.
Lots and lots of gangsters waiting for a fight.
More motorcycles.
No motorcycles that belonged to them.
A big, scroched circle of ground where their motorcycles used to be.
Souta was getting rather annoyed at the scene, and loudly demanded: "Oi! Where're our motorcycles?!"
"Blown to Hawaii, ya bastards." Chuckling and raising the beer bottle to toast to his peers, the apparent leader of them laughed.
"You owe us two motorcycles." Now, both brothers were angry, but they still maintained the calm air around them.
"You mess'in with Naraku's men, boy?"
"Oi! Stay away from them, unless you want your head ripped off!"
Everyone turned to the shout that came from the crowd, and parted immediately after the source was located: Inu Yasha.
Behind him, Sango had her human-sized boomerang Hiraikotsu at the ready, Kikyou with her bow drawn tight, a brightly shining purifying arrow fitted in place, Miroku with his gleaming staff, and Kouga and Shippou looking ready to kick some Naraku-following-asses, the same expression as Inu Yasha. These three were armed with katanas, their personal ones, but obviously didn't need them as much as their human companions did, if the knuckle-cracking and the fang-revealing grins had anything to do with it.
"Stay out of this, halfling!" The leader of the gangsters snarled at the group, and Inu Yasha flashed the now-nervous dimwits a self-confident smirk.
"Now since when have I ever followed the rules, hn?"
With a flying leap and claws extended, he took the lead and led his group into battle with Naraku's men.
Ah, the feelings that were triggered! Such joy in watching Naraku's men scatter and hide. All just because of his glorious little group.
To the side, Kagome and Souta watched, amusement playing on their faces, as they watched the battle end relatively quickly. After it did, they walked up to the motorcycles, and proceeded in trying to pick two out. None, however, fit either of their tastes, and so, letting out heartfelt sighs and defeated shrugs, started to jog home, to the Shrine.
"Oi!" Turning back but not stopping, they slowed their pace to let the hanyou's group catch up before resuming the fast-paced jog. "Don't you guys say thank you?"
"We never asked for help. Besides, you had fun; we weren't bothering you." Kagome replied calmly.
"True, Inu Yasha. Anyhow, I'm Saikiya Sango, and moody here is Tanyoi Inu Yasha. You're both guys, so you don't have to worry about the perverted Koushki Miroku over there, a.k.a Houshi-sama. This is Hito Kikyou and Gitsukebi Shippou, and Tesstou Kouga. Nice to meet you two."
It was odd, introducing the whole group while jogging to God knows where, but the two leading figures didn't seem to mind. It was also odd that they grinned at one another when Sango said "you're both guys," and how they seemed to be eyeing Kikyou. Miroku didn't particularily like the way Sango was blushing as she looked at Kagome and Souta, which could only mean one thing if she was blushing and looking at a guy...
Miroku was most definitely jealous, but decided to stay on everyone's good side and get to know the two better before jumping to conclusions. Maybe they were both already taken? Taking on the negotiating role, he asked, "Mou, where are we going?"
"Home." Still not bothering to turn back to look at them, the brothers ran on, and after about ten more minutes, they reached the tall steps of the Sunset Shrine.
"Ah, Higurashi! So, I see that you two are priests as well?"
Grinning, Souta replied, "You could say that, but not necessarily priests."
Confused but deciding not to waste breath while bounding up the stairs, the group watched as the two brothers effortlessly ascended the stairs. Kikyou was the first to break the silence once they got to the top.
"As you proabably already know, my family is the leading shrine in the other half of the city. May I assume that your family is the owner of the leading shrine, the Sunset Shrine, in this half of the city?"
"Well, duh. I didn't think it would be so hard to figure out, since our names are Higurashi Kagome and Souta, and you're such a pretty and intelligent miko yourself, right, Hito-san?" Kagome took the liberty to turn and bow to Kikyou, and Souta followed suit.
Kikyou hastily returned the bow, and smiled softly when she heard the jealous growl emitted from Inu Yasha, who was not happy about the way the siblings were so warm and friendly with Kikyou, and how she was returning it.
Chuckling as the two continued on their way toward the large, modern house on the right side of the shrine grounds — much like Kikyou's home landscape-wise, — Souta offered, "You guys should come in, and we'll make you some lunch."
"Sure. And, you can just use our first names, it's not a problem." Sango replied for them all, earning a beaming smile from Souta.
"Kagome, Souta, is that you?"
"Hai! Okaa-san!" The two replied in unison, and gleefully bounded towards their mother, who had emerged from behind the house, holding her sword in one hand, and Souta's and Kagome's in the other. "Are you here to practice a bit after lunch?" (AN: okaa-san = mother)
"Of course! But I think Kagome'll need to take a bath and change first, which means I get to practice first."
"Huh? Hey, what the--eek!" With a loud splash, Souta had shoved his poor younger brother into the pond next to the path, and grinned mischieviously down at him as he took his sword from his mother and turned to the visitors.
"Guys, this is our mother.
Okaa-san, this is Tanyoi Inu Yasha, second son of the honorable Tanyoi household; Koushki Miroku, skilled priest of the Faith Shrine; Hito Kikyou of the Shikon Shrine; Gitsukebi Shippou of the respected Gitsukebi household; and Tesstou Kouga, heir of the Wolf Clans."
Turning their surprised gazes from the now out-of-the-pond Kagome briefly to give respectful bows to the two's mother, they didn't even realise that Souta had listed their background information. All were too intent on a glaring Kagome.... a female Kagome.
"Sou~TA!" With an annoyed yet good-natured snarl, Kagome launched herself at a laughing Souta, and they proceeded to wrestle each other, until their mother cleared her throat and said authoritively: " Kagome, Souta's right; you'll have to go shower and change. Souta, no lunch till you practice first, thanks to your little prank, and please, make yourselves at home!"
The siblings stopped, now both smiling, but the group of guests still stood dumbstruck.
"What, never seen a girl in guy's clothes before?" Swiping a strand of hair out of her eyes, Kagome grinned at the group, their jaws hanging at their feet.
Miroku was the first to recover, stepping out and holding Kagome's hand in his own.
Then he was the first one to experience just how much they had guessed right when they all concluded after the morning that these two "brothers" were good fighters.
Soon, the group went inside, dragging a dilerious houshi in as well. (AN: houshi= priest/monk, forgot which)
After they ate and Souta came in huffing and puffing from a quick but tiring practice, Kagome descended the stairs in her traditional japanese priestess robes, and once more the guests' jaws dropped to the floors.
Acting as if the gaping guests weren't even there, Kagome walked over to Kikyou, who was the first to recover. "Hey, we look like twins!" Happily, Kagome pointed out the similarities of the two, more apparent now that they were both wearing the same type of clothing. Kagome's hair, though, was kept down and loose. Smiling softly, Kikyou literally went around the dining table, clicking everyone's jaws back into place.
AN: hey! how ya pples doing? good? me too. hope you enjoyed this chapter, and are looking forward to more! cause i am! just to clarify, Kagome is younger in this fic, but only a bit, since they're still in the same class. And yes, Kagome is a GIRL (not guy turned girl like in ranma, either). you'll learn more next chapter! ^^ as for more updates, i'm EXTREMELY busy right now, and exams are coming up, so i honestly can't say when the next ones will be. Gomen!
you know the drill for disclaimers, no need for me to waste my time. ^^