Big thanks to my reviewers tao-fairlight (sorry the last chapter enraged you), loozer-09 (yeah, Inuyasha sure can be stupid), lil-demon-nightmare (boy you're fast with getting the reviews out, Cyclops!), inuphoria (hey you're new! Welcome to my insane world!), Guardian Angel of ALL Anime (wow you said such nice things to me!*tee hee* *starts acting bashful*), Hellkeeper (you're new! Hi!), Hanamaru285 (^_^), Hinoke, and Kilila, and KeelyErin, and fyyrrose, and amber-eyez.
If any of you reviewers are new, hiya!
Phew! And homecoming for my school just got done. It was great. We have dress up days all week and decorate our hallways according to the theme this year. The dress up days were pajama day, cowboy day, yooper day, theme day, and purple and white day (our school's colors). The theme this year was Disney films. The senior class had Aladdin, junior class (my class) had Peter Pan, the sophomores had The Jungle Book, and the frosh the Lion King. On theme day we dressed up as characters from our class theme. It was ssssssssssssoooooooooooo funny! Two guys from my class brought big boom box type deals to school and were dressed as pirates and had the music blaring (the music was disco like Ring My Bell and Macho Man) and had five or so of their friends walk down the halls with them strutting their stuff and dancing. It was so hilarious! The next day they had the cd players again and had people from our class following them around and dancing. It was so great. Too bad school wasn't always like that! And our class tied for first with the seniors for all the homecoming events, but our football team lost by one frickin' point! Damn football team!
Anyway enough of my homecoming ranting; I just had to let y'all know how great it was!
Here's the chappie, so enjoy!
From that day on things were never the same with Kagome and Finn Orpheus. If there was a possibility that they might cross paths during the day, Inuyasha made absolutely sure to escort one of them around to avoid ill confrontations. But of course with his demanding job Inuyasha could not always be around to baby-sit the two women. And on more that one occasion Finn would slide into his quarters at night and whimper about a new cut or bruise that she had received from Kagome. So then the next morning Inuyasha would come to the breakfast table –fashionably late, of course- to find Finn and Kagome glaring at each other from over their plates. To make it worse, Kagome would too have a fresh wound that he knew she would not have attended to. On more than one instance he was forced to corner Kagome and drag her off to her room to have the cuts looked at.
And such was the case with today; but this was worse than normal. Usually any skirmish would happen in a hallway or kitchen, but this was quite different. Very early that morning Finn had decided to take out her rage on Kagome while she was invulnerable, and attacked the human female while she slept.
Now Kagome sported horrible bruises on her face and ugly, red gashes on her arms. In all his knowing her, Inuyasha never knew Finn could be so violent. Now he was forced to reprimand her.
"And so you beat the crap out of Kagome because she made you angry?" Inuyasha asked for the thirtieth time that afternoon.
Finn sat arms crossed –still in her lacy, white nightgown- pouting while tears stretched down her face. She had explained her actions to Inuyasha many times, but each retelling was different from the last, so Inuyasha knew not what to think.
"No," Finn whined," and yes. She made me mad, and she insulted me and told me lies."
"How?"
"She claimed you despised me, that horrible girl. I know you do not hate me, my dear, and so it angered me that she possessed the audacity to tell such falsehoods! You do believe me, do you not?"
"Finn," Inuyasha stopped and began massaging his forehead. He sat down next to her on the plush, dark blue velvet couch situated in the middle of his study. "The last time you told me why she angered you had nothing to do with lies. You said she called you fat."
"What is the difference?!" Finn wailed and shot up from the couch to pace. "She does not like me, Inuyasha, and wants me hurt. If you loved me at all you would see her gone and let us live without her. I love you, and yet you let her come between us. I fear you rather enjoy the encounters you have with her more that the romantic moments we share, however brief. And I have a sinking suspicion you had some sort of love affair with her while in Mythora! Please tell me the truth."
Inuyasha too stood and gripped Finn by the shoulders before pulling her into a deep hug. He buried his face in her hair, and almost for a moment he thought it was…
"The truth?" Inuyasha whispered to himself. "I did have a love affair with Kagome, I'll admit to that. But now that I'm here with you, Finn, I realize she means little more to me that a friend and I hope you could forgive this poor man. I love you…"
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"That bastard!" Kouga punched the ground after hearing Kagome's account of Finn's beating on her. "He didn't believe you at all? Well, I would over that Finn Orpheus wench even if you were at fault, but you're not."
"Thanks, Kouga," Kagome half heartedly sighed and pulled a shawl –which she could proudly say she made- around her shoulders to protect from the late march breeze that blew steadily over the still growing fields behind the palace and the palace stables.
Throughout the past few months Kouga had been her closets confidant beside Yiloku, and she trusted him greatly. Though the trust was gained in an unsettling way, for Kouga seemed convinced that he loved her, but she let it go since he proved on many occasions to be a great friend.
"No problem, Kagome," Kouga smirked as he scratched an itch on his head with his –of all things- leg.
She tried her hardest to suppress a giggle, for it was not every day one would see a man scratch himself like a dog.
"So," Kouga said, "besides all the cuts and stuff, are you feeling all right?"
"I suppose so," she whispered and drew figure eights in the dirt.
"You s'pose so? If it wouldn't get me killed I'd take down that wench for you, but King Inuyasha wouldn't be too happy and my ass would be fired faster than you can say pamplemousse."
"Pamplemousse?" Kagome snorted. "What is it? Is it an animal you work with around here or something?"
"No," Kouga laughed. "It's a fruit native to northern Yogo where I grew up. Legend behind it is if you share it with someone you greatly care about, you're souls get bonded forever and you'll always be with them. Even in another life. Yeah, it's an old story. My mother used to tell me it all the time, and I would faithfully sit and listen, but that was years ago."
"Sounds like it would have been a nice story to grow up hearing," Kagome said and stood up. "My legs are getting cramped just sitting here. Care to take a walk with me?"
"Sure," Kouga grunted as he hefted his weight off the ground.
When Kouga stood firmly on two legs, Kagome started walking in toward the palace. She was surprised with how well thing had been growing so far and how nice the weather had been. The snow had completely melted, leaving soggy brown grass in its wake, but now tiny shoots of green peaked out of the soil. All the barren trees now bore buds that would soon spring into leaves or flowers. The sky was a gentle blue with a light dusting of white clouds, and a few birds who had just returned from winter vacation soared the skies; their delightful chirps echoing in every corner of the palace gardens. Soon Kagome and Kouga reached the wrought iron gate that lead into the back gardens of the palace. Kagome opened the door and stepped inside, but was startled to find Kouga glued to the ground.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I'm not allowed to be on the grounds inside the iron gates-"
"Well, you're with me and I'm a guest of the king, which means if you're with me you're welcome here," Kagome interrupted and grabbed Kouga's arm rather forcefully, yanking him into the garden.
"B-but Kagome…" Kouga stuttered as Kagome dragged him through the still flower-less rose garden that lead to the inner palace garden.
"No buts, Kouga," Kagome insisted. "If Inuyasha doesn't accept you I'll… I don't… kick the crap out of his shins! That's what I'll do."
Kagome stomped farther into the garden and sat down on the rim of a frozen fountain that she had found herself sitting on many times during this winter. Kouga hesitantly took a seat next to Kagome, tossing his head around in different directions; blue eyes wide in silent fear. If she knew he would not hear it, Kagome would have snorted, but his keen sense of hearing would be sure to pick it up.
"Kouga, I don't know why you're so scared. Inuyasha talks big, but he's as harmless as a cotton ball. Besides, every time I bring him up you talk like he's no big deal," Kagome said and lightly tapped Kouga's arm in a teasing manner.
"It's not him that has me worried –he's a jackass; why would I care," he crossed his arms indignantly. "It's just I don't want to be punished for being here. I'm not supposed to be here, and if rumors are correct Finn would have you out of here in a second if things were her way."
"Oh, don't remind me!" Kagome groaned into her hands.
At that moment, Kagome looked up to the palace at the balcony that overlooked the garden, and the clouds parted and whatever being existed up there yelled at her, "I hate you, Kagome!" for upon that balcony was the hanyou Inuyasha, king of all demons, with a look of royal anger over his face. As un-kingly as it was, Inuyasha jumped off the balcony and dashed in front of Kagome and a newly incensed Kouga.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Inuyasha screamed in her face. "He's not worth the ground you tread on."
"Hold on," Kouga shot up from the fountain, "don't talk so con-de-send-ering-ly to Kagome!"
"That's condescendingly, Kouga," Kagome coughed.
"Yeah, that!"
"Whatever, you worthless wolf! I don't give a shit about what you say; this is between me and Kagome, so stay out," Inuyasha said and jabbed a clawed finger at Kouga's chest.
"Inuyasha, stop!" Kagome stood in between the two men who were currently feuding about… well… she did not really know. "Both of, please, grow up. Inuyasha, I don't know what this is all about, but if it's about me: what the hell. So far you could have cared less what I do, and now that I've been enjoying my time with Kouga and not with you, you actually pay attention and care. No, that's not how things work. You have Finn, Inuyasha, so why don't you crawl back to that bitch and leave me alone, since you seem so good at doing that."
And with that, Kagome stalked away, leaving a stunned and speechless Inuyasha and somewhat clueless Kouga in her wake. Both men stood silently looking at each other warningly.
Finally Kouga spoke, "If you ever hurt Kagome again-"
Inuyasha interrupted, "If you ever are near Kagome again I will personally hunt you down and beat you so badly you'll wish you would never have met her."
Inuyasha turned to walk away, but was stopped by Kouga's voice.
"It doesn't matter," Kouga called, "I'll still be friends with Kagome, and she with me. I care for her very much, and you seem to, yet you have Finn Orpheus and keep Kagome on a short leash. Let her go before you hurt her, your highness."
"No!" Inuyasha hissed. "I will not."
"Then, I'm sorry," Kouga laughed to himself. "Wait, I'm not!"
Kouga had punched Inuyasha terribly hard on the head, causing the hanyou king to teeter on his feet momentarily before getting a goofy expression on his face, and falling onto his back; darkness claiming his mind.
About an hour later Finn decided she wanted to spend some time with her fiancé and looked for him outside. She was extremely surprised to find him unconscious, but thought nothing of it. She lightly slapped his cheeks a few times and called his name in her shrill voice, which did bring him back to light.
Once he realized where he was, he jumped up from the ground and ran full tilt towards the palace stables yelling "Where are you, Kouga!" and "You bastard, that was a cheap shot." Of course Finn had no clue as to what his roaring and running had to do with this Kouga man, but she faithfully traipsed after him.
"Inuyasha, sweetie, come back! You've obviously been outside too long and need to lie down," she paused to catch a breath, for a woman of her station did not exert herself like she was now doing. "Inuyasha please, come back. We can catch this Kouga-man later. Inuyasha!"
Well there you have it! I was planning on doing this during the weekend, but you all get it now! BWAHAHA! Are you happy now, Cyclops ^_^? This is an actual chapter.
Anyway, I hope you all like the chapter. Not too much happens besides me establishing the hate between Kouga and Inuyasha, and making Finn out to be a horrible bitch. *tee hee*
Thanks for reading, everyone!
Buh-bye!