Disclaimer: Inuyasha and Co. come from the motherland of anime and manga
(aka Japan!) Yay for Japan and all it's majesty! I unfortunately don't own
the rights to the characters (though I do own a kawaii Inuyasha plushie
signed by Richard Cox (Inuyasha's English voice actor!)
A/N: INUYASHA IS BACK ON CARTOON NETWORK (HUZZAH!!!) I have to honestly confess though that I prefer the subbed version. Reviewers, which do you prefer? Well, join me now in the center ring for the next installment of The Greatest Show on Earth!
Chapter Seven: Kagome's many suitors
The day had finally come where Kagome and the Higurashi trapeze troupe would make their first appearance in the Sengoku Jidai Circus. The morning was spent working on their routine and the triple twist and flip. Kagome was determined to make the stunt absolutely perfect since it was their debut. After a training session that lasted from 6am-11am, Kagome was ready to relax with the elephants and Inuyasha. Although the pair spent all day with each other yesterday Kagome still knew very little about him. After all, all she knew about his past was that he was Sesshoumaru's brother. She also knew that extracting this information from him would be difficult since he wasn't a very open person, the cause of that being-as Kagome assumed-his unorthodox looks. Nonetheless, even if he didn't open up today, he would someday. She simply enjoyed herself with Inuyasha and preferred his company to Sesshoumaru's. Kagome wiped her sweaty brow with a towel that Hojo handed her. She smiled to Hojo and he smiled back.
"Kagome, you did a good job in practice today! I have a feeling that you're gonna knock them dead tonight." stated Hojo encouragingly.
"I suppose that without a talented young star like myself, you guys would be lost. But really Hojo-kun, we are gonna knock them dead! Remember we're a team."
Hojo threw another towel and her and said with a seriousness in his eyes, "My, after such a poetic statement about yourself, you feel that that after thought of teamwork is believable? What's the matter, has the stardom already gone to your before our first performance?"
Kagome threw the towel back at Hojo-kun and responded, "You know I'm kidding. I am a team player. I won't let Sesshoumaru's praises go to my head, as you should also not take his one-sided praises too seriously. Hojo- kun, you've known me since we were four. We were practically learning the trapeze in bibs and with bottles! Believe me that you and every other member of the team are as equally talented as I am."
"Sorry Kagome, but all Sesshoumaru could talk about yesterday was you. It's like that guy is obsessed with you or something. Your mom described Sango's impressive circus lineage, and Sesshoumaru followed with a question about you! All of us got really annoyed and sort of offended. I should have never attacked you that way. Since I have known you all these years, I should have known that stardom doesn't enter your mind until AFTER the first show." offered Hojo.
Kagome moved toward Hojo and thanked him for the information and apology with a hug. Hojo blushed a nice pastel pink and returned the hug. However, Kagome ended the hug abruptly with, "Well Hojo, I got to! I meeting someone for Lunch?"
Kagome turned to leave but Hojo stopped her and asked, "By the way, what did you do all day yesterday. Once we got back, the other performers said that you walked explored the grounds yesterday while we were at dinner."
Kagome panicked at first because the possibility of her and Inuyasha being seen together was a probability but she quickly composed herself and reported, "I decided to explore the rest of the circus when I felt a little better." Kagome was telling the truth but conveniently left out the part about meeting a dog boy peeping at her in dressing room and spending the rest of the day and evening with him.
Hojo looked suspiciously at Kagome but swallowed her story with a smile and a reminder not to be late for their act tonight.
Kagome turned and walked from the tent in the direction of her dressing room. But by not looking where she was going, she ran into someone's chest. A bit embarrassed by her clumsiness, she looked up with a slight blush on her cheeks to find out the person that she ran into was Sesshoumaru. He smiled down and her as she quickly moved away from him. "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru.I wasn't looking where I was going," reported Kagome shyly.
"Your still flushed Kagome.are you still feeling ill?" inquired Sesshoumaru. "No, I'm just a bit embarrassed." responded Kagome.
"Don't worry about.after all, I was looking for you any way to give you these," said Sesshoumaru as he handed a box of chocolate covered roses and a bouquet of flowers to Kagome. "I know that it's wasn't customary in your old circus to give you these things before the show, but I decided that they can also serve as get well gifts as well good luck."
"Thank you but it really wasn't necessary, I can't take these." Kagome retorted. "No, I insist." reassured Sesshoumaru. "Thank you again, but I'm really in a hurry." yelled Kagome hurriedly as she dashed away from Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru looked in her direction and smiled at the girl that he was determined to make his own.
As Kagome was walking to her dressing she was contemplating Sesshoumaru's obvious obsession with her. She looked at the roses that were exquisite and lavish but really not her favorite flower and huge box of chocolates that she couldn't even eat because of her mother's strict diet. As she walked toward her dressing room, she saw a gray dog waiting by the door. As she got closer about four feet from her dressing room, she noticed that it wasn't a dog at all but a wolf. She froze and panicked. There was one of Kouga's viscous wolves blocking her only means of safety. Had the wolf escaped? If that was the case, Kagome thought that she had to get away from the as slowly as possible so not to excite the creature. Kagome started to inch back when the wolf got and moved toward Kagome. He trotted closer to her and Kagome fell back. She looked away sure that the wolf was going to maul her. She felt his wet nose brush her neck as he took in her scent. She was a goner, she was sure of it. She started to pray silently as she felt the wolf now proceed to lick her neck. She then felt him nudge his head into her side like a dog would when it wanted to be petted. She slowly brought her gaze back to the wolf and saw that he was anxiously waiting to be petted. She brought her hand to his silvery white fur and started to stroke it gently. "Nice wolfly." she said uncertainly as she petted him. She also noticed that there was a note tied around his neck. She took the note and read it:
Dear Kagome,
Hey, it's Kouga! Remember me, the wolf trainer? I thought about getting
you flowers and candy but decided to give you the best wolf that I
have trained as a pet to keep you company while I not there. His name
is Dex. He may look like a restless and cold-blooded killer, but he is
really as gentle as a new born lamb. Please accept him as my good luck
gift to preceding your debut performance.
With love for his woman, Kouga
Kagome could not believe the attention that she was getting. Dex was a beautiful wolf but she thought that it would be better to send him back to Kouga's other wolves. She would keep him, but not in her dressing room! She wrote a thank you plus an explanation to Kouga and attached it onto Dex's necks. Dex scampered away toward the main tent. Kagome looked at her watch and realized that she was already half an hour late for lunch with Inuyasha and the elephants. She rushed inside her dressing room, quickly changed, and ran frantically toward the elephants so not to run into any other excess suitors along the way.
Miroku stood in front of the main tent and waited for the trapeze artist Sango to exit from within. He put on his nicest suit and held a bouquet of flowers behind his back. He wanted to give Sango the customary pre-debut good luck gift that all performers received on the eve of their first performance. He saw the girl sweaty and looking tired come out of the main tent with a towel hanging around her shoulders and a matching navy blue sport pants and tank top. Sango looked in his direction and once she caught his eye, she made a face and rolled her eyes before she decided to go over and see what the hentai juggler wanted.
"Okay, what do you want now? Why are you dressed like that? Is it because you want to make girls think that you are a decent and innocent guy?" burned Sango.
Miroku handed her fresh cut wild flowers and only sported a hurt look in his eyes because of Sango's accusation. When Sango took the flowers from him and saw the look in his eyes she felt guilty. As he began to walk away dejected and hurt Sango blurted out, "I'm sorry, I was a jerk. Arigato Hentai."
Miroku turned around winked and said, "No problem. It's customary for more experienced performers to give a gift before a new performer makes their debut in the Sengoku Jidai Circus. It's signifies good luck. I'm glad you accepted because I've been waiting for an hour already" Sango blushed and said, "So you waited till I was done with practice to give me these?"
Miroku nodded. Sango was about to tell him what this act meant to her but when she turned around and found Miroku missing from the spot he was standing she was confused. She heard giggling in the distance and decided to look toward the source. She looked in the distance to see Miroku flirting with a line of dancers in elaborate and revealing costumes. Her face now flushed with anger, she stormed over to him and gave him a slap that left a crimson imprint on his cheek.
"You are nothing but a playboy, juggler!" she screamed in his ear before she threw the bouquet of flowers to her feet and stormed away. Miroku was now alone. Sango had left in anger and the dancers have not to get involved with the scene between Miroku and Sango. Miroku let out a sigh before he decided to get up and go to his dressing room for a nap before the show that was now four hours away.
Inuyasha thought the worst when Kagome was half an hour late for lunch. He knew that he could not trust her. He even went to the trouble of picking her a single daisy to give to her for good luck. Inuyasha looked to Tanto and Elli and said, "I see that she put you under a spell too Tanto. She's just like Kikyo. She'll say one thing and do the other! I can't believe that I let my guard down based on an elephant!"
Tanto growled angrily. Inuyasha apologized by giving some of the elephant food to Tanto, which he gladly accepted as a suitable form of apology. He was so sad that his new friend Kagome wasn't who she seemed she was. Inuyasha looked at the daisy and thought about how happy he had been yesterday. He was so sad that his dog ears flattened just they would to show that I real canine was sad. Inuyasha suddenly heard footsteps though. He turned to find Kagome's silhouette standing the in the entrance to the tent. Inuyasha's ears perked up to show that he was glad to be assuming the wrong things. Kagome sat down and ate and Inuyasha avoided asking her the reason for her tardiness until about two hours later.
However, Kagome beat him to the punch by saying, "I am so sorry that I was late! Today but it was just a crazy day with practice and this gift- giving custom."
"Who gave you gifts?" asked Inuyasha.
"Let's see first was Sesshoumaru who gave me a bouquet of flowers- that was too lavish for my tastes-and a box of delicious looking candy that I can't even eat. Then came Kouga's gift.it was a bit unorthodox but I had to give the guy points for originality." added Kagome.
Inuyasha growled and asked, "What did that wimpy wolf give you.if it's anything offensive, I'll give him such a thrashing!"
"He gave me Dex, his trained wolf." stated Kagome.
"A wolf?" Inuyasha retorted.
"Yay, he scared me to death! I thought that it was a wild wolf that was going to maul me or something. But luckily, I'm alive and well." ended Kagome.
Inuyasha thought that his gift couldn't possible complete with Sesshoumaru's or Kouga's gift. After all, all he had to give this person in front of was a measly little flower.
Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was hiding something behind his back and the far away look that he had in his eyes. Kagome decided to ask because her curiosity got the best of her. "Inuyasha, what's that behind your back?"
Inuyasha quickly got up and turned his back away from Kagome and said, "Well it's nothing.you're seeing things!"
"How could I be seeing things if the way you are standing with you arms behind your back screams that you are hiding something!" stated Kagome slyly.
Inuyasha knew that there was no way that he could win so he sad, "I know that this isn't much but ganbatte ne (good luck) tonight." he said while he held out the daisy for Kagome to see.
Kagome let the image of the daisy held in Inuyasha's hand linger on her retinas before she decided to reach out and take the flower from him. Daisies were one of her favorite flower.not her favorite but close enough. "Thank you, this is the best gift that I received today! It's something that I can use as an accessory to my costume unlike lavish and industrial sized flowers in Sesshoumaru's gifts and it's simple to take care of and can't attack you while you're asleep like Kouga's. It's perfect!"
The two stared at one another until Kagome looked down at her watch and saw that she was going to be late for costume and make up. She waved bye to Inuyasha and quickly ran to her dressing room blushing and energized the whole way there. She had realized that she had forgotten to ask Inuyasha about his past, but she figured that there was plenty of time for that later. Meanwhile, Inuyasha was glad that she wasn't deceitful like he thought before she arrived. He would not miss her debut performance for the world. He only hoped that she was off stage when he was performing because he did not want her to see him act as the savage that the rest of the world saw him as.
The afternoon and early evening had passed rather quickly. The anticipation of the crowd waiting inside the main tent and the performers back stage was so thick that a person could almost reach out and touch it. All the members of the Higurashi trapeze troupe had received an abundant amount of gifts from the other performers and so their dressing rooms were filled with flowers, cards, teddy bears of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and other novelties as well.
While putting on the sequence red and orange leotards that the troupe agreed upon, Kagome also fastened the daisy in her hair with several bobby pins. She looked to her vanity where Shippo's gift for her stood. He had colored a rainbow and drew a crude but very cute picture of himself accompanied with a talk bubble that contained the symbols for good luck messily drawn with a dull red crayon. Out of all the gifts that she received today, the most simplistic, Shippo's card and Inuyasha's daisy, most appealed to her. She checked her reflection in the mirror. She has caked on makeup and her hair tied up. She looked like a completely different person she realized. Was this the stuck up star that everybody saw she wondered? If so, the real Kagome Higurashi is different she deciphered.
There was a knock on her door. The door knob turned and the door opened to reveal her mother in the same costume and makeup. She put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and gave her an encouraging smile that was reflected in the mirror as Kagome gazed into it.
"Don't worry Kagome. You'll do fine tonight. Opening night can always be a bit nerve-racking for the new performers." consoled her mother.
"That's not what's bothering me Mama." responded Kagome.
"What is it, are you still sick?" asked her mother with concern.
"No, it's not that either. Mama why do I have to be regarded as the star of the Higurashi troupe? I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you all. Hojo-kun pushed me train hard when I was younger, Sango would stay up nights with me and work on the routines until they were engraved in our memories, you would sew my costumes and taught me the basics of what you and dad started with this troupe, and Souta just makes us seem like a family with his annoying habits. Can't everyone else see it as I do, as a team effort?" questioned Kagome.
"Listen, you have natural talent and the audience recognizes that! I doesn't matter what other people think. You have a good head on your shoulders for not letting all this fame get to you. I am proud that I have you as my daughter instead of some pre-Madonna."
"Kagome smiled and placed her hands on her mothers and said, "Thanks mama."
"Mrs. Higurashi looked at the clock in Kagome's dressing room and declared that there was only ten minutes left till curtain call for the opening parade where all the performers were announced by Sesshoumaru. Her mother had taken her hands off of Kagome's shoulders and left Kagome to find her focus before the troupe's performance. However once she settled in and became semi-relaxed, there was another knock on the door. The door opened and Inuyasha's cloaked figure had entered the room. Kagome looked in his direction and saw an Inuyasha who was dumfounded by Kagome's appearance.
"What's the matter, too much makeup, or do I have something on my face other than the ten centimeters of makeup?
"Nothing.I just like the costume. The colors are a good complement to each other." lied Inuyasha.
"Will I be seeing you perform tonight Inuyasha?" inquired Kagome.
"I just lead the elephants around in the opening and closing parades." fibbed Inuyasha once again. "I just came to say break a leg!"
Kagome smiled and responded, "With your lucky flower in my hair, how can I not! But I really need to prepare for the performance. I will see you at the after party, won't I?"
"I don't know. I'm usually pretty tired after a performance.but I might stop by for a couple of minutes." stated Inuyasha.
"Great then, I'll see you there! But I think that we're needed at the curtain for the opening festivities." said Kagome.
The pair quickly made their way to the back stage entrance where they saw Sesshoumaru enticing the crowd with his poetic words. Kagome found Sango who looked like she was about to burst from all the excitement. The girls gave each other a good luck hug. After the embrace, Kagome looked for Inuyasha but saw that he was no where to be found in the sea of multicolored costumes and a variety of entertainers.
Sesshoumaru's voice sounded in through the microphone and the crowd responded with loud cheers and applause. Kagome felt an adrenaline high come on her and could see the other members of the Higurashi troupe were getting the same type of exhilaration by the looks in their eyes and glows on their faces.
"Now without further adu, I Sesshoumaru, ring master of the Sengoku Jidai Circus present to you the talent performers!"
A clown dressed in a suit and thick square mustache started the parade with his characteristic walk that mimicked Charlie Chaplin mannerisms. His appearance was followed the sound of V6's song, "I want to change the world", blared over the speakers and Tanto and Elli led by the cloaked form of Inuyasha. Both the elephants wore sequenced head dresses and trumpeted excitedly as the crowd cheered enthusiastically for them. Sesshoumaru announced, "Tanto and Elli, the musical elephants, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" Each performance troupe circled around the three rings and were announced by Sesshoumaru. The Higurashi troupe came last and had the most elaborate and poetic introduction when compared to the others.
Sesshoumaru began their introduction by proclaiming, "Now has come the time to introduce to you our newest attraction here at the Sengoku Jidai Circus, a family act that came from the other side of Japan to join us here in Osaka tonight! They will astound you with their death defying feats and even defy the laws of gravity! I, on behalf of the Sengoku Jidai circus staff and performers, are glad to present to you, the flying Higurashi's!
The foundress that who flies through the air with the grace of a crane but the wisdom of the owl, Hitomi Higurashi! The strapping young lad with the strength of a bull and speed of a hawk stalking his prey, Hojo Kitsuyane! The gorgeous young woman with the sweet voice of the sparrow but spirit of the tiger, Sango Hirakotsu! The junior member but certainly not the least talented known as the finch, Souta Higurashi! And finally, the starling of the trapeze and nightingale of the Sengoku Jidai Circus, Kagome Higurashi!
The troupe paraded around the three rings waving to the crowd excitingly. The tent was filled with people and it looked as if it was filled to the limit too! Every seat was taken and the audience looked like an overabundance of sardines trying to fit in a sardine can. Kagome felt her nerves act up a bit but bit her lip in order to stop the sensation. She smiled broadly to the audience and ran back stage with the others to await their turn. The Higurashi troupe was fourth on the program following the clowns, Kouga's act, and Miroku's. Kagome could not just sit still in her dressing room; she wanted to see the acts, so she firmly planted herself by the backstage entrance.
The clowns were first. A male clown dressed as a Kabuki dancer had a baby carriage. Kagome tired to look inside the carriage to see if anyone was in there and she saw Shippo with a humorously oversized pacifier in his mouth and a rattle in his tiny hand. When the older clown looked in the carriage, Shippo bonked him on the head with the rattle. The audience laughed every time the clown tried to get Shippo to love his "mother" but instead he was being beat up by him. The clown act lasted for about fifteen minutes. The clowns ran off stage in a comical fashion while Sesshoumaru went on to announce Kouga's act. Shippo, once back stage, hopped up on Kagome's shoulders and gave her a hug.
"How'd I do Kagome?" asked Shippo innocently. "Like I said, you are going places. The audience could not get enough of you!" reciprocated Kagome.
"Aw, that was nothin'!" bragged Shippo. "I'm gonna be watching you, Kagome. I can't wait to see you tonight! said Shippo excitedly. "Yeah, my heart is beating so hard with excitement-and some nervousness too. You did a good job, so why don't you go and rest up before my act." Kagome suggested. "Hai!" agreed Shippo before jumping off of her shoulders and joining the rest of the clowns.
Kagome stared out into the crowded auditorium and unknowingly to her she was being watched from behind. The figure walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulders startling the already nervous performer.
"Kouga! Aren't you suppose to be in the third ring right now?" questioned Kagome. "My guys are setting up the wolves right now so I have some time. Did you get my gift?" said Kouga with a raise of his right eyebrow.
"Yes.it was nice of you. I never got a wolf from anyone before." "I'm glad to hear that my gift stood out. I'm not a follower you know.I have the spirit of a leader." informed Kouga in a snobbish fashion. "Yes." she responded
"How about a good luck kiss Kagome? Decide quickly now, I need to be on stage less than 30 seconds from now." stated Kouga as he moved closer to Kagome. "Well.I can give you this instead of a kiss." Kagome assured offering a hand to him to initiate a handshake.
"So you're old-fashioned! That's cool." He responded before shaking her hand. He gave her a wink before he ran out on stage in his bad boy attire (leather pants, leather jacket, no shirt, and his hair in a pony tail) ready to tame some ravenous wolves for the audience. Kagome didn't watch Kouga's entire act, but by watching bits and pieces of it she could tell that he loved his wolves a lot. He was definitely better at reading animals than people thought Kagome to herself. The guy who fancied Sango now stood and watched Kouga's act on the right side of Kagome.
"So, Kagome, it's nice to finally meet you! I already had the pleasure of meeting Sango, the tigress." started Miroku. "Yeah, she could be spirited if you brush her the wrong way." replied Kagome. "I'm nothing like she told you.I'm different." he said. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe with that hand of yours caressing my butt!" she said with her left eye twitching and a sweat drop positioned on her forehead.
"Oh, oops! I have to go on stage now.tell Sango that I said good luck!" said he as he ran into the center ring with his sleek and sparkly pinstriped suit with matching fedora.
Kagome thought that Miroku was a horrible lecher but nonetheless a perfect match for Sango. Sango needed someone who could who she could boss around and yell at. Miroku, she could tell, would have no problem invoking that side of Sango. Kagome could also tell that he had a thing for Sango that surpassed his lecherous deeds and thoughts. Sango had enchanted his heart far more than his body. Kagome smiled as she watched the well-dressed and dapper guy dance and juggle objects like fire and glow in the dark bowling pins. He enchanted the crowd and the crowd enchanted him. As he performed, Kagome could almost visualize his performing spirit and zest. She thought that Sango was lucky to find a catch like Miroku-though this catch had one major flaw, but hey, she thought that nobody is perfect. Kagome desired a love that.a love that she could developing in between Sango and Miroku.
"He's pretty good at getting the crowd involved. He's also a great juggler." admitted Sango, who now stood to the right of Kagome, with a smile. "Yeah, he's great!" Kagome proclaimed. "Anyway, the troupe needs you. Your mom is giving her usual pre-performance pep talk in your dressing room." reported Sango.
The two girls walked in the direction of Kagome's dressing room to prepare for their performance. Little did anyone know that there was a mysterious presence that was hovering above and tampering with the trapeze equipment. The mysterious guest wanted the Higurashi troupe to have a debut performance that they would never forget. The individual quickly cut into the robe and wire that connect the trapeze to the ceiling. The portion that the person cut into became frayed and would not hold much weight at all. The person did not want to cause a death but to convey the message that the Higurashi troupe was unwanted in the Sengoku Jidai Circus. As soon as the audience erupted with applause and cheers, the mysterious figure had exited the cat walk and went back to the place from whence that person came. The trap was set.
"It has come time for us to see acts that defy gravity! Introducing to you, for the first time at the Sengoku Jidai Circus, the Higurashi Trapeze Troupe!"
Kagome and the others came out exuberantly and waved to the audience before the climbed the robes to the trapeze suspended in mid-air above them. Hojo swung to the swing on other side of the platform. Hojo's weight added to the broken trapeze rope caused it to fray even more. Nonetheless, Hojo made it safely and took his position on the opposite swing. The staff took down the safety net from below and the Higurashi's were ready to begin. Kagome was supposed to start out the program. She posed herself facing the audience and waited for the programs sound track to begin.
To Inuyasha's dismay, his program was to take place right after Kagome's. So in order to see Kagome and her troupe perform; he had to get into makeup earlier than he usually did. He put on his costume and ran to the back stage entrance and glanced outside just in time to see Kagome assume a position and the soundtrack to her program begin.
BoA's Every Heart filtered through the speakers and Kagome did some small dance steps before she took the powder and dusted it on her hands. She stepped to the platform and had a look on her face that told Inuyasha that she was trying to get focused. She looked down in Inuyasha's direction and she gave him a little nod. Inuyasha nodded back to her (grateful that she was too high up to notice the change in his continence too clearly) while she positioned herself forward again.
She leapt from the platform and her hands caught the trapeze. Inuyasha heard a noise from the cat walk and looked up only to find Kagome dangling more than ten feet above the ground from a broken trapeze swing.that was only supported from one side now instead of two. The crowd was hushed and the only thing that could be heard was the music from the speakers and Kagome's quickened breath. Kagome looked as she could not hold on any longer. He had to do something to help her. But what could he do?
Kagome did not want to panic at this moment. That would be the worst thing for her to do. She had the urge to scream but resisted thinking that all she had to do was climb back up the robe that was still in tact and get back on to the platform. She tried to pull herself up but gravity didn't allow this task to be accomplished as easily as she had hoped. She advanced upward a little but was just brought back down courtesy of her friend gravity. She felt her strength and endurance begin to be challenged as her arms started to feel weak and sluggish.
"Not now body, don't give up.you need to get back up to the platform!" she demanded of herself.
She started to feel more weak instead and even a little light-headed. In a moment, Kagome felt her hands let go of the rough texture of the rope and instead felt a rush of air on her palms. She felt herself fall and somewhere on the way down also lost consciousness. The last thing she felt before she totally blacked out was someone catching her and significantly making her impact a lot less painful and hard. She opened her eyes but all she could see was a blurred image that repeated her name over and over again. She let herself fall into a state of unconsciousness once she knew that she wasn't dead after all.
Inuyasha ran toward the plummeting Kagome. He didn't care what the audience saw. All he knew and cared about at that point was to save the girl's life and limit her injury as much as he could. He got right under Kagome and caught her. Inuyasha himself was pushed to the ground but the girl that lied in his arms was still breathing and alive.
She opened her eyes and looked as if she was confused about what just had happened to her. Her head suddenly tilted to the left and she fell unconscious. Inuyasha quickly checked for a pulse and found what he was looking for. Sesshoumaru gestured from backstage and Inuyasha stood up and slowly walked toward the backstage entrance with the girl limp in his hands. The Higurashi troupe followed Inuyasha backstage as Sesshoumaru came out and appeases the crowd with a bad lie and the promise of more clowns. Out came the clowns and Sesshoumaru went back backstage.
"What happened?" Sesshoumaru screamed in the staff's ears. "You said that all equipment was changed and triple checked before the show!" A man answered, "It was sir, pretty thoroughly too!"
"How can I believe that in this context? You're fired.leave my sight immediately!" roared Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru headed to Inuyasha and looked at the girl in his arms and asked, "Is she alright? Is she breathing?"
"Yeah, she's breathing." added Inuyasha. "Yes, I was just about to do that. Put her in her dressing room and get ready to get on stage." demanded Sesshoumaru.
Inuyasha carried Kagome to her dressing room with the rest of the Higurashi troupe still on his heels. Once there, he placed her on her futon and turned to leave but felt someone grab his sleeve. He turned around to see Kagome's mother with tears in her eyes. She jumped slightly when she saw his appearance but contained herself. After a few tears escaped her eyes as she said, "Thank you for saving my daughter! Domo Arigato!!"
"Feh, it was nothing." Inuyasha responded before his departure from her dressing room.
Once on the outside he could think about nothing but Kagome as he saw the doctor enter her dressing room with Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha had a feeling that this was no accident. As the clowns came backstage, Shippo ran up to Inuyasha and told it that it was his turn to perform. He nodded and headed into the first ring and performed, though still preoccupied.
A/N: INUYASHA IS BACK ON CARTOON NETWORK (HUZZAH!!!) I have to honestly confess though that I prefer the subbed version. Reviewers, which do you prefer? Well, join me now in the center ring for the next installment of The Greatest Show on Earth!
Chapter Seven: Kagome's many suitors
The day had finally come where Kagome and the Higurashi trapeze troupe would make their first appearance in the Sengoku Jidai Circus. The morning was spent working on their routine and the triple twist and flip. Kagome was determined to make the stunt absolutely perfect since it was their debut. After a training session that lasted from 6am-11am, Kagome was ready to relax with the elephants and Inuyasha. Although the pair spent all day with each other yesterday Kagome still knew very little about him. After all, all she knew about his past was that he was Sesshoumaru's brother. She also knew that extracting this information from him would be difficult since he wasn't a very open person, the cause of that being-as Kagome assumed-his unorthodox looks. Nonetheless, even if he didn't open up today, he would someday. She simply enjoyed herself with Inuyasha and preferred his company to Sesshoumaru's. Kagome wiped her sweaty brow with a towel that Hojo handed her. She smiled to Hojo and he smiled back.
"Kagome, you did a good job in practice today! I have a feeling that you're gonna knock them dead tonight." stated Hojo encouragingly.
"I suppose that without a talented young star like myself, you guys would be lost. But really Hojo-kun, we are gonna knock them dead! Remember we're a team."
Hojo threw another towel and her and said with a seriousness in his eyes, "My, after such a poetic statement about yourself, you feel that that after thought of teamwork is believable? What's the matter, has the stardom already gone to your before our first performance?"
Kagome threw the towel back at Hojo-kun and responded, "You know I'm kidding. I am a team player. I won't let Sesshoumaru's praises go to my head, as you should also not take his one-sided praises too seriously. Hojo- kun, you've known me since we were four. We were practically learning the trapeze in bibs and with bottles! Believe me that you and every other member of the team are as equally talented as I am."
"Sorry Kagome, but all Sesshoumaru could talk about yesterday was you. It's like that guy is obsessed with you or something. Your mom described Sango's impressive circus lineage, and Sesshoumaru followed with a question about you! All of us got really annoyed and sort of offended. I should have never attacked you that way. Since I have known you all these years, I should have known that stardom doesn't enter your mind until AFTER the first show." offered Hojo.
Kagome moved toward Hojo and thanked him for the information and apology with a hug. Hojo blushed a nice pastel pink and returned the hug. However, Kagome ended the hug abruptly with, "Well Hojo, I got to! I meeting someone for Lunch?"
Kagome turned to leave but Hojo stopped her and asked, "By the way, what did you do all day yesterday. Once we got back, the other performers said that you walked explored the grounds yesterday while we were at dinner."
Kagome panicked at first because the possibility of her and Inuyasha being seen together was a probability but she quickly composed herself and reported, "I decided to explore the rest of the circus when I felt a little better." Kagome was telling the truth but conveniently left out the part about meeting a dog boy peeping at her in dressing room and spending the rest of the day and evening with him.
Hojo looked suspiciously at Kagome but swallowed her story with a smile and a reminder not to be late for their act tonight.
Kagome turned and walked from the tent in the direction of her dressing room. But by not looking where she was going, she ran into someone's chest. A bit embarrassed by her clumsiness, she looked up with a slight blush on her cheeks to find out the person that she ran into was Sesshoumaru. He smiled down and her as she quickly moved away from him. "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru.I wasn't looking where I was going," reported Kagome shyly.
"Your still flushed Kagome.are you still feeling ill?" inquired Sesshoumaru. "No, I'm just a bit embarrassed." responded Kagome.
"Don't worry about.after all, I was looking for you any way to give you these," said Sesshoumaru as he handed a box of chocolate covered roses and a bouquet of flowers to Kagome. "I know that it's wasn't customary in your old circus to give you these things before the show, but I decided that they can also serve as get well gifts as well good luck."
"Thank you but it really wasn't necessary, I can't take these." Kagome retorted. "No, I insist." reassured Sesshoumaru. "Thank you again, but I'm really in a hurry." yelled Kagome hurriedly as she dashed away from Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru looked in her direction and smiled at the girl that he was determined to make his own.
As Kagome was walking to her dressing she was contemplating Sesshoumaru's obvious obsession with her. She looked at the roses that were exquisite and lavish but really not her favorite flower and huge box of chocolates that she couldn't even eat because of her mother's strict diet. As she walked toward her dressing room, she saw a gray dog waiting by the door. As she got closer about four feet from her dressing room, she noticed that it wasn't a dog at all but a wolf. She froze and panicked. There was one of Kouga's viscous wolves blocking her only means of safety. Had the wolf escaped? If that was the case, Kagome thought that she had to get away from the as slowly as possible so not to excite the creature. Kagome started to inch back when the wolf got and moved toward Kagome. He trotted closer to her and Kagome fell back. She looked away sure that the wolf was going to maul her. She felt his wet nose brush her neck as he took in her scent. She was a goner, she was sure of it. She started to pray silently as she felt the wolf now proceed to lick her neck. She then felt him nudge his head into her side like a dog would when it wanted to be petted. She slowly brought her gaze back to the wolf and saw that he was anxiously waiting to be petted. She brought her hand to his silvery white fur and started to stroke it gently. "Nice wolfly." she said uncertainly as she petted him. She also noticed that there was a note tied around his neck. She took the note and read it:
Dear Kagome,
Hey, it's Kouga! Remember me, the wolf trainer? I thought about getting
you flowers and candy but decided to give you the best wolf that I
have trained as a pet to keep you company while I not there. His name
is Dex. He may look like a restless and cold-blooded killer, but he is
really as gentle as a new born lamb. Please accept him as my good luck
gift to preceding your debut performance.
With love for his woman, Kouga
Kagome could not believe the attention that she was getting. Dex was a beautiful wolf but she thought that it would be better to send him back to Kouga's other wolves. She would keep him, but not in her dressing room! She wrote a thank you plus an explanation to Kouga and attached it onto Dex's necks. Dex scampered away toward the main tent. Kagome looked at her watch and realized that she was already half an hour late for lunch with Inuyasha and the elephants. She rushed inside her dressing room, quickly changed, and ran frantically toward the elephants so not to run into any other excess suitors along the way.
Miroku stood in front of the main tent and waited for the trapeze artist Sango to exit from within. He put on his nicest suit and held a bouquet of flowers behind his back. He wanted to give Sango the customary pre-debut good luck gift that all performers received on the eve of their first performance. He saw the girl sweaty and looking tired come out of the main tent with a towel hanging around her shoulders and a matching navy blue sport pants and tank top. Sango looked in his direction and once she caught his eye, she made a face and rolled her eyes before she decided to go over and see what the hentai juggler wanted.
"Okay, what do you want now? Why are you dressed like that? Is it because you want to make girls think that you are a decent and innocent guy?" burned Sango.
Miroku handed her fresh cut wild flowers and only sported a hurt look in his eyes because of Sango's accusation. When Sango took the flowers from him and saw the look in his eyes she felt guilty. As he began to walk away dejected and hurt Sango blurted out, "I'm sorry, I was a jerk. Arigato Hentai."
Miroku turned around winked and said, "No problem. It's customary for more experienced performers to give a gift before a new performer makes their debut in the Sengoku Jidai Circus. It's signifies good luck. I'm glad you accepted because I've been waiting for an hour already" Sango blushed and said, "So you waited till I was done with practice to give me these?"
Miroku nodded. Sango was about to tell him what this act meant to her but when she turned around and found Miroku missing from the spot he was standing she was confused. She heard giggling in the distance and decided to look toward the source. She looked in the distance to see Miroku flirting with a line of dancers in elaborate and revealing costumes. Her face now flushed with anger, she stormed over to him and gave him a slap that left a crimson imprint on his cheek.
"You are nothing but a playboy, juggler!" she screamed in his ear before she threw the bouquet of flowers to her feet and stormed away. Miroku was now alone. Sango had left in anger and the dancers have not to get involved with the scene between Miroku and Sango. Miroku let out a sigh before he decided to get up and go to his dressing room for a nap before the show that was now four hours away.
Inuyasha thought the worst when Kagome was half an hour late for lunch. He knew that he could not trust her. He even went to the trouble of picking her a single daisy to give to her for good luck. Inuyasha looked to Tanto and Elli and said, "I see that she put you under a spell too Tanto. She's just like Kikyo. She'll say one thing and do the other! I can't believe that I let my guard down based on an elephant!"
Tanto growled angrily. Inuyasha apologized by giving some of the elephant food to Tanto, which he gladly accepted as a suitable form of apology. He was so sad that his new friend Kagome wasn't who she seemed she was. Inuyasha looked at the daisy and thought about how happy he had been yesterday. He was so sad that his dog ears flattened just they would to show that I real canine was sad. Inuyasha suddenly heard footsteps though. He turned to find Kagome's silhouette standing the in the entrance to the tent. Inuyasha's ears perked up to show that he was glad to be assuming the wrong things. Kagome sat down and ate and Inuyasha avoided asking her the reason for her tardiness until about two hours later.
However, Kagome beat him to the punch by saying, "I am so sorry that I was late! Today but it was just a crazy day with practice and this gift- giving custom."
"Who gave you gifts?" asked Inuyasha.
"Let's see first was Sesshoumaru who gave me a bouquet of flowers- that was too lavish for my tastes-and a box of delicious looking candy that I can't even eat. Then came Kouga's gift.it was a bit unorthodox but I had to give the guy points for originality." added Kagome.
Inuyasha growled and asked, "What did that wimpy wolf give you.if it's anything offensive, I'll give him such a thrashing!"
"He gave me Dex, his trained wolf." stated Kagome.
"A wolf?" Inuyasha retorted.
"Yay, he scared me to death! I thought that it was a wild wolf that was going to maul me or something. But luckily, I'm alive and well." ended Kagome.
Inuyasha thought that his gift couldn't possible complete with Sesshoumaru's or Kouga's gift. After all, all he had to give this person in front of was a measly little flower.
Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was hiding something behind his back and the far away look that he had in his eyes. Kagome decided to ask because her curiosity got the best of her. "Inuyasha, what's that behind your back?"
Inuyasha quickly got up and turned his back away from Kagome and said, "Well it's nothing.you're seeing things!"
"How could I be seeing things if the way you are standing with you arms behind your back screams that you are hiding something!" stated Kagome slyly.
Inuyasha knew that there was no way that he could win so he sad, "I know that this isn't much but ganbatte ne (good luck) tonight." he said while he held out the daisy for Kagome to see.
Kagome let the image of the daisy held in Inuyasha's hand linger on her retinas before she decided to reach out and take the flower from him. Daisies were one of her favorite flower.not her favorite but close enough. "Thank you, this is the best gift that I received today! It's something that I can use as an accessory to my costume unlike lavish and industrial sized flowers in Sesshoumaru's gifts and it's simple to take care of and can't attack you while you're asleep like Kouga's. It's perfect!"
The two stared at one another until Kagome looked down at her watch and saw that she was going to be late for costume and make up. She waved bye to Inuyasha and quickly ran to her dressing room blushing and energized the whole way there. She had realized that she had forgotten to ask Inuyasha about his past, but she figured that there was plenty of time for that later. Meanwhile, Inuyasha was glad that she wasn't deceitful like he thought before she arrived. He would not miss her debut performance for the world. He only hoped that she was off stage when he was performing because he did not want her to see him act as the savage that the rest of the world saw him as.
The afternoon and early evening had passed rather quickly. The anticipation of the crowd waiting inside the main tent and the performers back stage was so thick that a person could almost reach out and touch it. All the members of the Higurashi trapeze troupe had received an abundant amount of gifts from the other performers and so their dressing rooms were filled with flowers, cards, teddy bears of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and other novelties as well.
While putting on the sequence red and orange leotards that the troupe agreed upon, Kagome also fastened the daisy in her hair with several bobby pins. She looked to her vanity where Shippo's gift for her stood. He had colored a rainbow and drew a crude but very cute picture of himself accompanied with a talk bubble that contained the symbols for good luck messily drawn with a dull red crayon. Out of all the gifts that she received today, the most simplistic, Shippo's card and Inuyasha's daisy, most appealed to her. She checked her reflection in the mirror. She has caked on makeup and her hair tied up. She looked like a completely different person she realized. Was this the stuck up star that everybody saw she wondered? If so, the real Kagome Higurashi is different she deciphered.
There was a knock on her door. The door knob turned and the door opened to reveal her mother in the same costume and makeup. She put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and gave her an encouraging smile that was reflected in the mirror as Kagome gazed into it.
"Don't worry Kagome. You'll do fine tonight. Opening night can always be a bit nerve-racking for the new performers." consoled her mother.
"That's not what's bothering me Mama." responded Kagome.
"What is it, are you still sick?" asked her mother with concern.
"No, it's not that either. Mama why do I have to be regarded as the star of the Higurashi troupe? I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you all. Hojo-kun pushed me train hard when I was younger, Sango would stay up nights with me and work on the routines until they were engraved in our memories, you would sew my costumes and taught me the basics of what you and dad started with this troupe, and Souta just makes us seem like a family with his annoying habits. Can't everyone else see it as I do, as a team effort?" questioned Kagome.
"Listen, you have natural talent and the audience recognizes that! I doesn't matter what other people think. You have a good head on your shoulders for not letting all this fame get to you. I am proud that I have you as my daughter instead of some pre-Madonna."
"Kagome smiled and placed her hands on her mothers and said, "Thanks mama."
"Mrs. Higurashi looked at the clock in Kagome's dressing room and declared that there was only ten minutes left till curtain call for the opening parade where all the performers were announced by Sesshoumaru. Her mother had taken her hands off of Kagome's shoulders and left Kagome to find her focus before the troupe's performance. However once she settled in and became semi-relaxed, there was another knock on the door. The door opened and Inuyasha's cloaked figure had entered the room. Kagome looked in his direction and saw an Inuyasha who was dumfounded by Kagome's appearance.
"What's the matter, too much makeup, or do I have something on my face other than the ten centimeters of makeup?
"Nothing.I just like the costume. The colors are a good complement to each other." lied Inuyasha.
"Will I be seeing you perform tonight Inuyasha?" inquired Kagome.
"I just lead the elephants around in the opening and closing parades." fibbed Inuyasha once again. "I just came to say break a leg!"
Kagome smiled and responded, "With your lucky flower in my hair, how can I not! But I really need to prepare for the performance. I will see you at the after party, won't I?"
"I don't know. I'm usually pretty tired after a performance.but I might stop by for a couple of minutes." stated Inuyasha.
"Great then, I'll see you there! But I think that we're needed at the curtain for the opening festivities." said Kagome.
The pair quickly made their way to the back stage entrance where they saw Sesshoumaru enticing the crowd with his poetic words. Kagome found Sango who looked like she was about to burst from all the excitement. The girls gave each other a good luck hug. After the embrace, Kagome looked for Inuyasha but saw that he was no where to be found in the sea of multicolored costumes and a variety of entertainers.
Sesshoumaru's voice sounded in through the microphone and the crowd responded with loud cheers and applause. Kagome felt an adrenaline high come on her and could see the other members of the Higurashi troupe were getting the same type of exhilaration by the looks in their eyes and glows on their faces.
"Now without further adu, I Sesshoumaru, ring master of the Sengoku Jidai Circus present to you the talent performers!"
A clown dressed in a suit and thick square mustache started the parade with his characteristic walk that mimicked Charlie Chaplin mannerisms. His appearance was followed the sound of V6's song, "I want to change the world", blared over the speakers and Tanto and Elli led by the cloaked form of Inuyasha. Both the elephants wore sequenced head dresses and trumpeted excitedly as the crowd cheered enthusiastically for them. Sesshoumaru announced, "Tanto and Elli, the musical elephants, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" Each performance troupe circled around the three rings and were announced by Sesshoumaru. The Higurashi troupe came last and had the most elaborate and poetic introduction when compared to the others.
Sesshoumaru began their introduction by proclaiming, "Now has come the time to introduce to you our newest attraction here at the Sengoku Jidai Circus, a family act that came from the other side of Japan to join us here in Osaka tonight! They will astound you with their death defying feats and even defy the laws of gravity! I, on behalf of the Sengoku Jidai circus staff and performers, are glad to present to you, the flying Higurashi's!
The foundress that who flies through the air with the grace of a crane but the wisdom of the owl, Hitomi Higurashi! The strapping young lad with the strength of a bull and speed of a hawk stalking his prey, Hojo Kitsuyane! The gorgeous young woman with the sweet voice of the sparrow but spirit of the tiger, Sango Hirakotsu! The junior member but certainly not the least talented known as the finch, Souta Higurashi! And finally, the starling of the trapeze and nightingale of the Sengoku Jidai Circus, Kagome Higurashi!
The troupe paraded around the three rings waving to the crowd excitingly. The tent was filled with people and it looked as if it was filled to the limit too! Every seat was taken and the audience looked like an overabundance of sardines trying to fit in a sardine can. Kagome felt her nerves act up a bit but bit her lip in order to stop the sensation. She smiled broadly to the audience and ran back stage with the others to await their turn. The Higurashi troupe was fourth on the program following the clowns, Kouga's act, and Miroku's. Kagome could not just sit still in her dressing room; she wanted to see the acts, so she firmly planted herself by the backstage entrance.
The clowns were first. A male clown dressed as a Kabuki dancer had a baby carriage. Kagome tired to look inside the carriage to see if anyone was in there and she saw Shippo with a humorously oversized pacifier in his mouth and a rattle in his tiny hand. When the older clown looked in the carriage, Shippo bonked him on the head with the rattle. The audience laughed every time the clown tried to get Shippo to love his "mother" but instead he was being beat up by him. The clown act lasted for about fifteen minutes. The clowns ran off stage in a comical fashion while Sesshoumaru went on to announce Kouga's act. Shippo, once back stage, hopped up on Kagome's shoulders and gave her a hug.
"How'd I do Kagome?" asked Shippo innocently. "Like I said, you are going places. The audience could not get enough of you!" reciprocated Kagome.
"Aw, that was nothin'!" bragged Shippo. "I'm gonna be watching you, Kagome. I can't wait to see you tonight! said Shippo excitedly. "Yeah, my heart is beating so hard with excitement-and some nervousness too. You did a good job, so why don't you go and rest up before my act." Kagome suggested. "Hai!" agreed Shippo before jumping off of her shoulders and joining the rest of the clowns.
Kagome stared out into the crowded auditorium and unknowingly to her she was being watched from behind. The figure walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulders startling the already nervous performer.
"Kouga! Aren't you suppose to be in the third ring right now?" questioned Kagome. "My guys are setting up the wolves right now so I have some time. Did you get my gift?" said Kouga with a raise of his right eyebrow.
"Yes.it was nice of you. I never got a wolf from anyone before." "I'm glad to hear that my gift stood out. I'm not a follower you know.I have the spirit of a leader." informed Kouga in a snobbish fashion. "Yes." she responded
"How about a good luck kiss Kagome? Decide quickly now, I need to be on stage less than 30 seconds from now." stated Kouga as he moved closer to Kagome. "Well.I can give you this instead of a kiss." Kagome assured offering a hand to him to initiate a handshake.
"So you're old-fashioned! That's cool." He responded before shaking her hand. He gave her a wink before he ran out on stage in his bad boy attire (leather pants, leather jacket, no shirt, and his hair in a pony tail) ready to tame some ravenous wolves for the audience. Kagome didn't watch Kouga's entire act, but by watching bits and pieces of it she could tell that he loved his wolves a lot. He was definitely better at reading animals than people thought Kagome to herself. The guy who fancied Sango now stood and watched Kouga's act on the right side of Kagome.
"So, Kagome, it's nice to finally meet you! I already had the pleasure of meeting Sango, the tigress." started Miroku. "Yeah, she could be spirited if you brush her the wrong way." replied Kagome. "I'm nothing like she told you.I'm different." he said. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe with that hand of yours caressing my butt!" she said with her left eye twitching and a sweat drop positioned on her forehead.
"Oh, oops! I have to go on stage now.tell Sango that I said good luck!" said he as he ran into the center ring with his sleek and sparkly pinstriped suit with matching fedora.
Kagome thought that Miroku was a horrible lecher but nonetheless a perfect match for Sango. Sango needed someone who could who she could boss around and yell at. Miroku, she could tell, would have no problem invoking that side of Sango. Kagome could also tell that he had a thing for Sango that surpassed his lecherous deeds and thoughts. Sango had enchanted his heart far more than his body. Kagome smiled as she watched the well-dressed and dapper guy dance and juggle objects like fire and glow in the dark bowling pins. He enchanted the crowd and the crowd enchanted him. As he performed, Kagome could almost visualize his performing spirit and zest. She thought that Sango was lucky to find a catch like Miroku-though this catch had one major flaw, but hey, she thought that nobody is perfect. Kagome desired a love that.a love that she could developing in between Sango and Miroku.
"He's pretty good at getting the crowd involved. He's also a great juggler." admitted Sango, who now stood to the right of Kagome, with a smile. "Yeah, he's great!" Kagome proclaimed. "Anyway, the troupe needs you. Your mom is giving her usual pre-performance pep talk in your dressing room." reported Sango.
The two girls walked in the direction of Kagome's dressing room to prepare for their performance. Little did anyone know that there was a mysterious presence that was hovering above and tampering with the trapeze equipment. The mysterious guest wanted the Higurashi troupe to have a debut performance that they would never forget. The individual quickly cut into the robe and wire that connect the trapeze to the ceiling. The portion that the person cut into became frayed and would not hold much weight at all. The person did not want to cause a death but to convey the message that the Higurashi troupe was unwanted in the Sengoku Jidai Circus. As soon as the audience erupted with applause and cheers, the mysterious figure had exited the cat walk and went back to the place from whence that person came. The trap was set.
"It has come time for us to see acts that defy gravity! Introducing to you, for the first time at the Sengoku Jidai Circus, the Higurashi Trapeze Troupe!"
Kagome and the others came out exuberantly and waved to the audience before the climbed the robes to the trapeze suspended in mid-air above them. Hojo swung to the swing on other side of the platform. Hojo's weight added to the broken trapeze rope caused it to fray even more. Nonetheless, Hojo made it safely and took his position on the opposite swing. The staff took down the safety net from below and the Higurashi's were ready to begin. Kagome was supposed to start out the program. She posed herself facing the audience and waited for the programs sound track to begin.
To Inuyasha's dismay, his program was to take place right after Kagome's. So in order to see Kagome and her troupe perform; he had to get into makeup earlier than he usually did. He put on his costume and ran to the back stage entrance and glanced outside just in time to see Kagome assume a position and the soundtrack to her program begin.
BoA's Every Heart filtered through the speakers and Kagome did some small dance steps before she took the powder and dusted it on her hands. She stepped to the platform and had a look on her face that told Inuyasha that she was trying to get focused. She looked down in Inuyasha's direction and she gave him a little nod. Inuyasha nodded back to her (grateful that she was too high up to notice the change in his continence too clearly) while she positioned herself forward again.
She leapt from the platform and her hands caught the trapeze. Inuyasha heard a noise from the cat walk and looked up only to find Kagome dangling more than ten feet above the ground from a broken trapeze swing.that was only supported from one side now instead of two. The crowd was hushed and the only thing that could be heard was the music from the speakers and Kagome's quickened breath. Kagome looked as she could not hold on any longer. He had to do something to help her. But what could he do?
Kagome did not want to panic at this moment. That would be the worst thing for her to do. She had the urge to scream but resisted thinking that all she had to do was climb back up the robe that was still in tact and get back on to the platform. She tried to pull herself up but gravity didn't allow this task to be accomplished as easily as she had hoped. She advanced upward a little but was just brought back down courtesy of her friend gravity. She felt her strength and endurance begin to be challenged as her arms started to feel weak and sluggish.
"Not now body, don't give up.you need to get back up to the platform!" she demanded of herself.
She started to feel more weak instead and even a little light-headed. In a moment, Kagome felt her hands let go of the rough texture of the rope and instead felt a rush of air on her palms. She felt herself fall and somewhere on the way down also lost consciousness. The last thing she felt before she totally blacked out was someone catching her and significantly making her impact a lot less painful and hard. She opened her eyes but all she could see was a blurred image that repeated her name over and over again. She let herself fall into a state of unconsciousness once she knew that she wasn't dead after all.
Inuyasha ran toward the plummeting Kagome. He didn't care what the audience saw. All he knew and cared about at that point was to save the girl's life and limit her injury as much as he could. He got right under Kagome and caught her. Inuyasha himself was pushed to the ground but the girl that lied in his arms was still breathing and alive.
She opened her eyes and looked as if she was confused about what just had happened to her. Her head suddenly tilted to the left and she fell unconscious. Inuyasha quickly checked for a pulse and found what he was looking for. Sesshoumaru gestured from backstage and Inuyasha stood up and slowly walked toward the backstage entrance with the girl limp in his hands. The Higurashi troupe followed Inuyasha backstage as Sesshoumaru came out and appeases the crowd with a bad lie and the promise of more clowns. Out came the clowns and Sesshoumaru went back backstage.
"What happened?" Sesshoumaru screamed in the staff's ears. "You said that all equipment was changed and triple checked before the show!" A man answered, "It was sir, pretty thoroughly too!"
"How can I believe that in this context? You're fired.leave my sight immediately!" roared Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru headed to Inuyasha and looked at the girl in his arms and asked, "Is she alright? Is she breathing?"
"Yeah, she's breathing." added Inuyasha. "Yes, I was just about to do that. Put her in her dressing room and get ready to get on stage." demanded Sesshoumaru.
Inuyasha carried Kagome to her dressing room with the rest of the Higurashi troupe still on his heels. Once there, he placed her on her futon and turned to leave but felt someone grab his sleeve. He turned around to see Kagome's mother with tears in her eyes. She jumped slightly when she saw his appearance but contained herself. After a few tears escaped her eyes as she said, "Thank you for saving my daughter! Domo Arigato!!"
"Feh, it was nothing." Inuyasha responded before his departure from her dressing room.
Once on the outside he could think about nothing but Kagome as he saw the doctor enter her dressing room with Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha had a feeling that this was no accident. As the clowns came backstage, Shippo ran up to Inuyasha and told it that it was his turn to perform. He nodded and headed into the first ring and performed, though still preoccupied.
