A/N: Hellllloooo! Back again. Two chapters in one week, don't you love me? *sniff* Clearly not, since no one's reviewing. I feel unloved. Oh well. People are still reading this. I hope. Riiiight? I hope it doesn't have a bad case of Sequal-itis, I'm actually enjoying writing it. Someone tell me if it's bad, won't you? I can take a little constructive criticism. *pokes Kaze-chan and Jezunya pointedly* Of course... not that I'll believe you if you tell me it's good... I'm really excited... this looks like it may be almost twice the length of SWK. Wowwies. OH! By the way, i forgot to mention in the last chapter. Candy Rain isn't mine, it's Soul 4 Real's. I claim no ownership. Which leads me to... Word association! Inu-Yasha, A Feudal Fairy Tale =Rumiko Takahashi Here Comes The Rain Again = Eurithmics Ree-chan =broke high school student who can't even afford Christmas presents for her friends. Notice a pattern? I thought you might Warnings: Mild Stalking Tendencies and lots of mysterious, swirly mist. Yes, I'm referring to the inside of Siri's head. It really is empty!! A/N 2: I know what you're all thinking. REE-CHAN! WHAT THE HELL? IT'S BEEN FOREVER! This was up, before, but ff.net screwed with the formatting and GAH. So here we go. Take two. Really, this time. My humblest apologies. Here comes the rain again- Falling on my head like a memory, Falling on my head like a new emotion.
Here Comes The Rain Again
Chapter 4
"Siri?" the blonde girl spun around hurriedly, dropping the rose. One of the thorns dragged across her palm, leaving a shallow cut. The girl in the door frowned in worry, twisting her hand in her long, black ponytail. "Sir, you're bleeding."
She looked down and blinked. "Oh… yeah." Siri muttered, grabbing a Kleenex and pressing it to her hand. With the other hand, she held out the rose to Sango. "Here, I think Miroku left this on the wrong bed." She forced a smile. "After all, it's not like I've got anyone leaving me roses, right?" Sango blinked but took the rose, wary of the thorns that had already caused Siri so much trouble.
"Thanks. Not the first time he's done something like this." She grinned, laying the rose atop the television. "You're all right, though, right? I mean, you didn't answer the door when I knocked."
"Oh… yeah, fine." Siri blinked, one hand going to her pocket to touch the two card keys there. "How'd you get in?"
"Haruka was doing inspections and she let me in. She has all the extra cards, remember?" Sango called over her shoulder, digging through her duffel. She retrieved Miroku's shirt and retreated to the bathroom. A few seconds later, the Siri heard the sink switch on. She pulled on a pair of pajamas and a spaghetti strapped top, plopping down onto the bed and flipping on the TV. One hand dove into her own duffel, searching blindly for the purse she was sewing. There was a loud yelp when she found the embroidery needle with her injured hand. The water switched off and Sango poked her head out the door, brush in one hand. "What happened?"
In answer, Siri held up the half finished purse, sucking on her offended finger. Sango snickered, coming out and plopping onto the bed. Siri moved her finger enough that she could stick her tongue out at the older girl. Still snickering, Sango grabbed the remote and began switching stations as Siri stitched another line of fringe onto the bag. She pulled the hotel-issue comforter into her lap, the sound from the TV blurring into the background as she worked.
"Eeeeew." Sango muttered. Siri blinked. "Dead kid." Sango gestured at the news report on the TV. "I wasn't sure, she's talking really fast, but… I guess she said that's the second one since yesterday?"
Siri bit her lip, remembering Sango, Inu-Yasha, and Miroku still hadn't quite mastered English, and listened to the newscaster's voice. "Weird. Second body since last night. Both've them were young… one 7, the other 13. They're looking for just one person, both bodies were— GROSS!"
Sango blinked. The last paragraph had been in Japanese for her benefit, except for the English outburst at the end. "Huh? What?"
"Both bodies have been—eeeeew…–gutted. With no signs of their entrails, anywhere. Eww eww ewwwwwww…"
Sango, on the other hand, sat bolt upright. "That sounds like a youkai!" She pointed out, grabbing for the phone. Siri sat still as she listened to what she could here. "Turn on your tv… Channel 12. Yeah. Uh-huh. That's what I thought. Sure. Yeah. I'll do it right now." She set down the phone and picked it up again, dialing another extension and repeating practically the same conversation. "You're sure? All right. You call them. K. See you then."
Siri waited as patiently as she could until Sango was off the phone before pouncing on the black haired girl. "Well? What did they say? You call both rooms? Huh? Well?"
"Siri?" Sango raised a calm eyebrow at her.
"huh?"
"I love you dearly, but I don't like girls. Get off me and I'll tell you." She said dryly.
Siri snickered, sitting back on her heels. "Well?"
"Inu-Yasha says if it's fed once, it's not likely to again, assuming it doesn't have a nest. Since there's only been one other killing, that's not likely either. It's probably some sort of spider demon. I thought so, but for some reason I always seemed to miss fighting the giant spiders…"
Siri nodded slowly. "So there's no use sneaking out tonight?"
"Inu-Yasha hasn't smelled it anywhere, and we were all over the city. He'll keep his eyes peeled tomorrow, though." Siri nodded again, chewing thoughtfully on her lip.
"I thought all the Youkai were dead."
"So did I, but Miroku and Inu-Yasha say it's possible a few have been hiding since the feudal time."
"Uhm… wow." Siri murmured. "That's a long time to be hiding…" Sango nodded in agreement.
"So we're not changing any plans just yet. Kagome's going to protest, but…. There's almost no way we can find it. She'll probably accept it." Siri snorted, expressing how likely that was. Sango shrugged sheepishly. "Hey, we can hope." Siri returned to her bed, burrowing under the covers.
"She doesn't need anymore on her plate." Siri muttered in agreement. "We'll work it out in the morning."
Sango flashed her a thumbs up, switching off the light and scrambling a bit for the remote. Before darkness completely enveloped the room, Siri cast one more glance at the tv, unsure if she was focusing on the moving picture, or the blood-red rose illuminated above it.
§
"Heeeey!" Kagome giggled, shoving Siri back. The girl tried to brace herself, but her slick leather boots had absolutely no traction and she found herself slipping through the slush covering the sidewalk. She grabbed on to Aiko before she slid into the street and regained her balance, one hand braced on Aiko's shoulder, the other on Miroku's.
"That wasn't nice!" She informed the other girl. Kagome, one arm intertwined with Inu-Yasha's, grinned.
"No, it wasn't, was it?"
Siri stuck her tongue out at her, using a well placed hip thrust to send Kagome sliding as she had been moments before. The only difference was Kagome colliding with a body about her height and both of them crashing to the ground. Kagome blinked, seeing stars. The others crowded around as she tried to figure out who the slim, black-haired figure she'd collided with. The other girl was shaking. Worried, she folded her legs into a kneel and took the other girl's arms. "Hey, you ok?" She blinked as the face came into view. "Ack! Akane, I'm so sorry..."
Th other girl giggled like mad, hands on Kagome's shoulders so she didn't fall over. "It's.. s'all right." She managed, gasping for breath. "You ok, 'Gome?"
Relief for the other girl shot through her, and Kagome felt her own stress transforming into giggles. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about that though."
"S'all right, really, some people should watch where there pushing others." Akane sent a Look at Siri who grinned unrepentantly.
"Hi!" the girl chirped. Akane dissolved into giggles again.
"Hi!" She gasped back. She was about to say more when a brown-haired blur beat her way through the crowd, followed by a blonde one. She skidded to a halt and took Akane's hands.
"Akane? Are you all right? What happened? I saw you stumble..." Haruka, a few steps behind her, faded into the background.
In the face of her cousin, Akane took a few deep breaths. "I'm fine, Sabby. Honestly. I wasn't watching where I was going and I bumped into Kagome."
Sabrina sent the group an evil look. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault, Akane. Come on, I just finished with the ATM, let's go find that skirt in your size." She took her cousin by the arm and gently, but firmly, led her away. Akane sent one last glance over her shoulder at Siri and Kagome. The two waved to show they understood, and got a smile and a wave in return. Haruka blinked.
"Uhm, yeah. Conflicting much?"
Siri snorted, eyes locked on Sabrina as she released her cousin and instead twined her arms around a tall blonde guy's. "You could say that." She muttered as the trio walked away, Sabrina happily hanging over the hunk. She tucked her coat tighter around her. "Honestly, 'Ruka-chan, why do you hang out with her?"
Haruka shrugged. "We've known each other for a while. And I like Akane. I'd better go catch up." A glint appeared in her eyes. "There's this perfect little coat next to Akane's skirt, and Sabrina just stopped by the ATM. I see an opportunity." She winked at the group. "Don't forget to be on the bus tonight. You don't wanna miss the train to Philly."
They nodded, watching as she trotted off, weaving her way through the crowds.
Kagome poked Inu-Yasha in the ribs. "Hey, isn't shopping what we came here to do?" She pointed out, nudging the others towards the long line of department stores.
Siri paused, looking over her shoulder. For some reason, she felt like they were being watched. She scanned the crowd quickly, but there was far too much cover. If someone was watching them, it would be nearly impossible to find them.
"Siri?" She turned and flashed Kagome a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, I'm coming. Sorry." Kagome reguarded her with an odd look. "What?"
The girl shook her head, dark hair flying. "Nothing. Come on, let's finish shopping before we have to pack."
Siri nodded, following her into the store.
§
"You're saying, lie." Siri said flatly.
Miroku shrugged helplessly. "Well, look. We want to go on with this trip, right?" Nod. "And Kagome won't leave if she thinks there's a Youkai out there, right?" Nod. "But we have to go tonight and there's nothing we can do about it." One more nod. "So, we simply tell Kagome it wasn't a Youkai doing this. It's probably not, either, just some sicko human."
The other four shuddered, but Siri continued chewing on her lip. "But what if it is a Youkai? Can't Inu-Yasha just like... kill it quick quick like a bunny? He has that swordy-thing, after all..."
Inu-Yasha shrugged helplessly. "I have the Tetsusaiga, yes. But if anything, the presence of it is likely to drive the Youkai away. Especially if they recognize it. No one's challenged me for it in centuries."
"You haven't found anything?" Sango asked. He shook his head.
"I thought I had a whiff of something earlier, but I lost it. I can't even be sure it was Youkai. There's so many humans pressed together here, it's hard to smell anything." Siri had the distinct feeling that were he in Youkai form, his ears would be pressed to his head. As it was, he wrinkled his nose. "And it certainly wasn't a Spiderhead."
Siri sighed. "All right. There's nothing we can do. So we're just going to leave. Because it probably isn't Youkai. And even if it was, there'd be nothing we can do. People die all the time anyway."
Inu-Yasha raised an eyebrow. '"Yeah, that just about covered it."
"This is disgusting." She pointed out. He nodded in agreement.
"But it's the only thing we can do." Miroku pacified. "How about this. We won't lie outright, we'll just tell her if she asks."
Siri raised an eyebrow. "That's awfully devious. I thought you were a monk." She pointed out drily.
"You should have seen my master." Miroku stated cheerfully. Siri sighed.
"I reaaaaally don't like this." She reminded them softly.
Inu-Yasha shrugged. "Sorry?" he offered. She sighed, but nodded.
§
Several bags and even more dollars later, and quite a bit happier, the six were curled up in the hotel lobby. Their clothing, including the new additions to their wardrobe, were packed into duffels and tossed in a pile of bags by the door. Their train didn't leave for another hour and a half, leaving them with an hour wait before they had to be at the station. Sango had snatched her pillow from her bag and placed it in Aiko's lap, and was now half-dozing, hand locked with Miroku's. Siri shared the pillow with her, somewhat more awake. "Who's idea was this late-night travelling thing, anyway?"
"Dean Kamil's." Miroku answered promptly. Siri made a face.
"That was rhetorical, babe."
Aiko settled her back against Miroku's shoulder, leaning her head on the back of the chair. "Bicker somewhere else, I'm sleeping."
Miroku sighed. "Aiko, dear, as I explained earlier, you can't sleep. If all of you sleep, I'm left with them." He gestured towards the bag pile.
Kagome leaned against it, kneeling. Inu-Yasha was stretched out perpendicular to her, head in her lap. One of her hands was absently stroking stray hair away from his forehead, the other holding up a book. Over the din of the students, they could hear the quiet murmur of her voice.
"What's she reading to him, anyway?"
"Harry Potter." Siri stifled a giggle. Miroku snickered quietly.
"It's so cuuuuuuute, isn't it?" came another voice. Haruka fell down on the couch next to Miroku, bouncing it gently, despite Aiko's whimpered protest. He grinned at her in greeting.
"Yeah, it is." Siri agreed. "But he'd kill us for thinking so."
Haruka snickered quietly, taking a sip of the hot-chocolate clasped in her hands. "I just came to tell you guys you have about 10 minutes before we're moving out. You looked like you needed some time to pack up. Or wake up." She sent an amused glance at the two sleeping girls.
"10 minutes?" Siri blinked, startled. "I thought we had, like, 20."
Haruka smiled. "The bus is getting here a little early. We just found out, it's going to take us a little longer to get to the station then we originally thought. I thought you might like a little advanced warning." Siri flashed her a smile.
"Thanks, 'Ruka-chan."
"No problem." The tall girl finished her hot chocolate off and stood, brushing off her pants. She tossed the cup in the garbage. Siri shook Sango awake gently. Glancing over, she saw Haruka had squatted down next to Kagome and was whispering softly in her ear. Kagome nodded and leaned down to murmur something in Inu-Yasha's ear. Haruka returned to her spot by Akane and Sabrina. 8 minutes later, the sextet was awake and ready, (unlike the majority of the other students.) They boarded the bus first and secured the best seats, settling back for the ride.
§
It was nearly 10:00 pm by the time they'd arrived in Philadelphia. Another hour till they were ensconced safe in their rooms. The girls had spilt again, this time it was Siri and Kagome together in one room while Aiko and Sango took the other. Kagome was stretched out on her bed in a pair of pajama bottoms and Inu-Yasha's shirt, scanning a booklet on Philadelphia. Siri was on her own bed, sewing, still in her street clothes due to a 'problem' with her luggage. A quiet knock at the door startled both of them out of their semi-stupors. Siri, being the more dressed, got up and answered it. Akane stood there, lugging a bag almost as big as her.
"We found it, Siri. Sorry it took so long." Siri smiled up at the girl and took the bag, helping her wrestle it into the room.
"It's no problem. Thanks for finding it and everything."
Akane smiled. "No problem. I was kinda helping Haruka anyway. See ya guys tomorrow?"
Siri grinned. "Sure. Night, Akane."
"Night!" the girl waved, heading back down the hall. From behind the closed door they heard a quiet murmur of voices from which they could only pick out a few words.
"Wish you wouldn't… low class… only encourage assumptions…" and then Akane's cheerful laugh.
"Hush, Sabby. I don't mind." Siri flushed guiltily, the last was loud enough that Akane clearly knew she'd been eavesdropping. Kagome giggled at the look on her roommate's face. She giggled more when Siri stuck her tongue out at her as she lugged the bag to the side of the bed and dropped out of Kagome's eyesight as she knelt to retrieve her pajamas.
"Siri?" As the silence lengthened, Kagome frowned, creeping foreword to kneel on her friends bed. "Siri…"
The blonde girl started, dropping the pajamas clutched in her hands on top of the open bag. She forced a smile, laughing a bit self consciously. "Sorry. I just… came up with a new… novel plot twist!"
Kagome blinked but nodded. "Somehow I'm not surprised. You going to change, or what?" Siri nodded and blinked passively at Kagome until the brunette retreated. Once she was out of eyesight, Siri picked up the pajamas once more and blinked suspiciously at the rose hidden beneath them. Sighing, she wiggled out of her jeans and back into her tank top, eyes still locked on the flower.
"Siri? Are you all right?"
Startled once more, Siri hurriedly zipped the bag to keep Kagome from seeing it. "Yeah, fine. Novel, remember?"
Kagome nodded. "Uhm. Yeah. Going to bed?"
Siri nodded, climbing onto her bed and forcing a smile. "Yeah. G'night." Before the brunette had a chance to respond she switched off the lamp on her side of the room and stretched out atop the covers. She surprised even herself by drifting off immediately.
§
"Meggy, my tummy hurts."
"Again? You didn't drink any milk, did you? Where, up near your stomach?"
"Nope… Down here." A tiny fist pressed dead center just below the girl's ribcage, into her intestines. A larger hand covered hers, pressing gently and then reaching up to brush back a strand of blonde hair. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital again?"
"They make me eat nasty stuff. I always feel sicker after. And then I can't sleep."
"Ok, ok. No hospital. You're going to go to bed, though."
"But…"
"I'll sit with you, baby. Don't worry."
A/N: Poor siri… prepare for me to display my adoration of char torture…
Jezunya: Hehe, thankees! And for sticking with me and reviewing every chappy. You have no idea how much it means. *hugs*
Tipi: Thanks for letting me know. I know a lot of the time I re-read and things seem rushed. I'm trying to slow it down a TON on this story. Tell me if anything else seems rushed, woulja? ^_^. And as always, thanks for reviewing.
Here comes the rain again Falling on my head like a memory, Falling on my head like a new emotion. I want to walk in the open wind. I want to talk like lovers do. I want to dive into your ocean. Is it raining with you? Chorus- So baby talk to me Here comes the rain again- Falling Like lovers do. Walk with me Like lovers do. Talk to me Like lovers do. Here comes the rain again- Raining in my head like a tragedy, Tearing me apart like a new emotion. I want to breathe in the open wind. I want to kiss like lovers do. I want to dive into your ocean. Is it raining with you? *Chorus So baby talk to me Like lovers do. Here it comes again. Here comes the rain again- Falling on my head like a memory, Falling on my head like a new emotion. Here it goes again. Here it goes again. I want to walk in the open wind. I want to talk like lovers do. I want to dive into your ocean. It is really with you. Here comes the rain again- falling on my head like a memory, falling on my head like e new emotion. I want to walk in the open wind. I want to talk like lovers do. I want to dive into your ocean. Is it raining with you? Here comes the rain again- Falling on my head like a memory, Falling on my head like a new emotion.