Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Nuff said.
Chapter Two
Kagome crawled into her bed for the second time in two days. She was absolutely exhausted. Her first day in her new life had been spent exploring, and while she had to admit that she had enjoyed herself, it took the life right out of her. She fell asleep wondering if cab drivers were naturally grumpy and who the strange man in the coffeeshop had been.
During a pleasantly nice dream concerning koala bears, she had been particularly surprised when one of the zookeepers had started shouting, "Fire! Get out of the building!"
Suddenly her eyes snapped open, and she bolted out of bed, kicking the covers to the floor. She remembered something her mother (she flinched at that) had once taught her about fires. Running in stocking feet to the entrance of her tiny abode, she put the back of her hand to the door handle, praying that it had just been her imagination.
It hadn't.
With a yelp, she pulled her hand back, shaking it to get rid of the burning feeling. An icy pit formed in her stomach, and she cursed inwardly. She knew that she was as good as dead if she opened that door even an inch.
Thinking fast, she filled her bathtub to the brim with icy cold water. She grabbed a rose covered bed sheet off of the floor and flung it into the tub. Bundling up as much water as she could, she ran to the door, hoping that all of the water hadn't seeped onto the ground behind her. She breathed a silent prayer and flung open the door with one hand, while the other heaved the water onto whatever lay in front of it. She opened her eyes, seeing orange flames clear the way, if only for a moment. Knowing she only had seconds to act, she raced down the hallway, leaving all her belongings behind.
Suddenly a strangled yelp caught her attention. She turned to see a fluffy white puppy trapped in a corner, flames popping up around him. She knew she didn't have time to save him and was about to run past him, but something nagged at her insides. After all, this was a living creature. She had never been a fan of the 'look out for number one' motto and mentally slapped herself for even thinking of abandoning the poor animal.
With one leap, she managed to grab the dog and leap back out right before the flames consumed them both. Tucking the animal under one arm, she turned back into the hallway only to see something that made her heart sink.
The flames had reappeared, making it impossible to get out of the building unless she used a window. She turned back to the direction she had come, only to see that the overpowering flames had consumed that area as well. She coughed as smoke filled her lungs. The little dog under her arm gave a small bark.
A look of fear crossed her eyes. For the first time in her life, she was completely helpless. There was no way out. Flames were popping up in every direction and coming closer at every moment. The noxious fumes of the fire clogged her throat to the point where she could barely gasp out a breath. She closed her eyes, shielding the puppy as best she could. They were both going to die, but the least she could do was make it less painful for the animal. She stood tall, ready to embrace her death. After all, her life hadn't exactly been pleasant. It was only fair that her death be painful as well. And really, what did she have to live for anymore?
Just as she could feel the tips of flames licking her neck, an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up. She opened her eyes and gasped as she realized that somehow, she was being rescued. 'But how?' she mused. 'I was surrounded by flames!'
Suddenly Kagome realized just which direction she was traveling in. She was being pulled upwards by a strong arm, the dog still tucked under her smaller one. She looked up with a gasp. There was a huge hole in the roof. She idly wondered how it had gotten there, and then realized her rescuer must have broken through the roof to get to her. Who was this guy anyway?
Kagome suddenly felt her feet touch the floor and looked around. She was standing on the roof of her apartment building, overlooking the city. She looked down and gulped. She had never been a huge fan of heights. Suddenly another sight caught her eye. Below her, she could see golden flames engulfing the whole of the building. Quickly remembering why she was here, her head snapped up to see her rescuer. His face was hidden by shadows, but there was something about him that looked oddly familiar.
"Get on my back," he stated.
"What?"
"Do you want to die? I said, get on my back!"
Realizing that this was no time to argue, she jumped on the back of the boy. He supported her legs with his arms and ran to the edge of the roof. He then proceeded to do the last thing she wanted (or expected) him to do.
He actually jumped off the building.
Kagome screamed and let her grip on his shoulders tighten, her fingernails digging into his skin. He made no notice of this, and she closed her eyes to prepare for the impact. It never came.
She felt herself being lowered onto the ground and turned to face the man who had just saved her life. Who was this guy? And more to the point, how was he able to jump off a building and remain unscathed?
Realizing how trivial that was at the moment, Kagome did the last thing she was expecting herself to do. Whether it was because she was still in a dream state or just traumatized she didn't know, but she threw her arms around the man, burying her tear stained face in his chest.
"Thank you," she said, barely able to contain muffled sobs.
The boy looked down at her in shock. He supposed he could see where she was coming from; after all, she had just escaped a near death experience. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her slight form and whispered, "It's O.K, you're fine".
Suddenly, as if realizing what she was doing, Kagome sprang back. "I'm sorry," she stuttered, blushing. She looked into his eyes and, for the first time, was able to see him.
"Oh my god!" she said with realization.
The boy looked down at her, realizing what was obviously coming next. "Yes, it's really me. Don't go reporting this to the papers please; I get too much publicity as it is".
"I can't believe YOU of all people saved me!"
He groaned. Another annoying teenaged fangirl. "Don't think much of it, I was just passing by and saw you running around in there like an ass. It was too pathetic to pass up".
"I still can't believe it's you".
"Get over it babe. I'm outta here". He turned around nonchalantly to make his way to his penthouse apartment.
Even though she had just had a brush with death, an unknown force couldn't stop her from uttering her next remark.
"And by the way, it was the old man from Apartment 4B!" she grinned.
The boy spun around. "Wha-?"
"You heard me. It was the old man!"
He looked confused for a moment, and suddenly realization registered in his brain. "It was you!"
She looked startled. "What was me?"
"You were that girl in the coffeeshop this morning!"
"Yeah, I know. How else do you think I knew who you were?"
A shocked look crossed his eyes that settled into one of annoyance. "Never mind, it's unimportant". With that, the young man stalked off into the night. Kagome sighed and turned around, ready to head home and get some sleep.
Suddenly she remembered something and groaned inwardly, hoping that this whole night were nothing more then a dream. For as she looked up, she saw the remains of her home recede into the dust. Only one thought continued to run through her mind over and over again.
She was homeless.
Chapter Two
Kagome crawled into her bed for the second time in two days. She was absolutely exhausted. Her first day in her new life had been spent exploring, and while she had to admit that she had enjoyed herself, it took the life right out of her. She fell asleep wondering if cab drivers were naturally grumpy and who the strange man in the coffeeshop had been.
During a pleasantly nice dream concerning koala bears, she had been particularly surprised when one of the zookeepers had started shouting, "Fire! Get out of the building!"
Suddenly her eyes snapped open, and she bolted out of bed, kicking the covers to the floor. She remembered something her mother (she flinched at that) had once taught her about fires. Running in stocking feet to the entrance of her tiny abode, she put the back of her hand to the door handle, praying that it had just been her imagination.
It hadn't.
With a yelp, she pulled her hand back, shaking it to get rid of the burning feeling. An icy pit formed in her stomach, and she cursed inwardly. She knew that she was as good as dead if she opened that door even an inch.
Thinking fast, she filled her bathtub to the brim with icy cold water. She grabbed a rose covered bed sheet off of the floor and flung it into the tub. Bundling up as much water as she could, she ran to the door, hoping that all of the water hadn't seeped onto the ground behind her. She breathed a silent prayer and flung open the door with one hand, while the other heaved the water onto whatever lay in front of it. She opened her eyes, seeing orange flames clear the way, if only for a moment. Knowing she only had seconds to act, she raced down the hallway, leaving all her belongings behind.
Suddenly a strangled yelp caught her attention. She turned to see a fluffy white puppy trapped in a corner, flames popping up around him. She knew she didn't have time to save him and was about to run past him, but something nagged at her insides. After all, this was a living creature. She had never been a fan of the 'look out for number one' motto and mentally slapped herself for even thinking of abandoning the poor animal.
With one leap, she managed to grab the dog and leap back out right before the flames consumed them both. Tucking the animal under one arm, she turned back into the hallway only to see something that made her heart sink.
The flames had reappeared, making it impossible to get out of the building unless she used a window. She turned back to the direction she had come, only to see that the overpowering flames had consumed that area as well. She coughed as smoke filled her lungs. The little dog under her arm gave a small bark.
A look of fear crossed her eyes. For the first time in her life, she was completely helpless. There was no way out. Flames were popping up in every direction and coming closer at every moment. The noxious fumes of the fire clogged her throat to the point where she could barely gasp out a breath. She closed her eyes, shielding the puppy as best she could. They were both going to die, but the least she could do was make it less painful for the animal. She stood tall, ready to embrace her death. After all, her life hadn't exactly been pleasant. It was only fair that her death be painful as well. And really, what did she have to live for anymore?
Just as she could feel the tips of flames licking her neck, an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up. She opened her eyes and gasped as she realized that somehow, she was being rescued. 'But how?' she mused. 'I was surrounded by flames!'
Suddenly Kagome realized just which direction she was traveling in. She was being pulled upwards by a strong arm, the dog still tucked under her smaller one. She looked up with a gasp. There was a huge hole in the roof. She idly wondered how it had gotten there, and then realized her rescuer must have broken through the roof to get to her. Who was this guy anyway?
Kagome suddenly felt her feet touch the floor and looked around. She was standing on the roof of her apartment building, overlooking the city. She looked down and gulped. She had never been a huge fan of heights. Suddenly another sight caught her eye. Below her, she could see golden flames engulfing the whole of the building. Quickly remembering why she was here, her head snapped up to see her rescuer. His face was hidden by shadows, but there was something about him that looked oddly familiar.
"Get on my back," he stated.
"What?"
"Do you want to die? I said, get on my back!"
Realizing that this was no time to argue, she jumped on the back of the boy. He supported her legs with his arms and ran to the edge of the roof. He then proceeded to do the last thing she wanted (or expected) him to do.
He actually jumped off the building.
Kagome screamed and let her grip on his shoulders tighten, her fingernails digging into his skin. He made no notice of this, and she closed her eyes to prepare for the impact. It never came.
She felt herself being lowered onto the ground and turned to face the man who had just saved her life. Who was this guy? And more to the point, how was he able to jump off a building and remain unscathed?
Realizing how trivial that was at the moment, Kagome did the last thing she was expecting herself to do. Whether it was because she was still in a dream state or just traumatized she didn't know, but she threw her arms around the man, burying her tear stained face in his chest.
"Thank you," she said, barely able to contain muffled sobs.
The boy looked down at her in shock. He supposed he could see where she was coming from; after all, she had just escaped a near death experience. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her slight form and whispered, "It's O.K, you're fine".
Suddenly, as if realizing what she was doing, Kagome sprang back. "I'm sorry," she stuttered, blushing. She looked into his eyes and, for the first time, was able to see him.
"Oh my god!" she said with realization.
The boy looked down at her, realizing what was obviously coming next. "Yes, it's really me. Don't go reporting this to the papers please; I get too much publicity as it is".
"I can't believe YOU of all people saved me!"
He groaned. Another annoying teenaged fangirl. "Don't think much of it, I was just passing by and saw you running around in there like an ass. It was too pathetic to pass up".
"I still can't believe it's you".
"Get over it babe. I'm outta here". He turned around nonchalantly to make his way to his penthouse apartment.
Even though she had just had a brush with death, an unknown force couldn't stop her from uttering her next remark.
"And by the way, it was the old man from Apartment 4B!" she grinned.
The boy spun around. "Wha-?"
"You heard me. It was the old man!"
He looked confused for a moment, and suddenly realization registered in his brain. "It was you!"
She looked startled. "What was me?"
"You were that girl in the coffeeshop this morning!"
"Yeah, I know. How else do you think I knew who you were?"
A shocked look crossed his eyes that settled into one of annoyance. "Never mind, it's unimportant". With that, the young man stalked off into the night. Kagome sighed and turned around, ready to head home and get some sleep.
Suddenly she remembered something and groaned inwardly, hoping that this whole night were nothing more then a dream. For as she looked up, she saw the remains of her home recede into the dust. Only one thought continued to run through her mind over and over again.
She was homeless.