.:o.o:. Pleasing to note that this yomibitorazo does not own the music Dust in the Wind by Kansasnor the Moonlight Sonata by one Ludwig van Beethoven. Arigato.
.:o.o:.
Kaerizaku: Ijiwaruna Shukumei
.:o.o:.
A Reluctant Partner
Silence reigned. Golden eyes narrowed, the only sign InuYasha's question annoyed him.
Finally he spoke. "Tell me, InuYasha, how does it feel to be pussy whipped by not only your girlfriend, but two other females as well?"
"Tell me, aniki, how does it feel knowing chichiue left you the Tenseiga and me the Tessaiga?" The very air around them seemed to freeze at the taunting question as Sesshoumaru's anger seemed to pour in waves from his still body.
The silence went unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, and the only words there spoken were the whispered words, "Fuck you."
The shorter of the two smirked: victory.
In the distance, church bells tolled the hour. Kagome packed away her books and hoisted the yellow bag onto her shoulders. Without a word she gave Sango and Kikyou a quick hug each. A small wave was directed at Kouga and a dazzling smile was sent to InuYasha as she began to leave.
As she walked towards an old building, Sesshoumaru fell into step with her. She cast him a wary look.
He caught the look and without facing her commented, "Classes have been in session for a month and you haven't realized we share this class?"
"I am taking Sengoku Jidai to learn, not to partake in social hour," saying thus, Kagome lengthened her stride and soon left him behind.
"Burned! Looks like she told you," Miroku commented to Sesshoumaru's back. "Since you two seem to get along so well, why don't you take her? Besides you like a challenge, ne? Sesshoumaru? Hey, wait for me!" He ran to catch up with his 'friend'.
.:o.o:.
She arrived to the classroom fourteen minutes early, which pretty much meant she could have her pick of seats. Kagome chose a seat in the front row closest to the door, but also where she could still easily read the chalkboard.
She dropped her bag next to the chair, sat, and commenced digging through the backpack. First emerged a thick notebook, to be placed on the desk without her looking up. Next came the heaviest textbook of the lot; the longhaired woman plucked a short, black hair from its cover, releasing it to the floor as two more students entered the room. Ignoring the males, Kagome placed her text on top of the notebook before once again plunging into the bottomless bag, rooting around for a stray pen.
Sesshoumaru and Miroku stood in the door, watching her momentarily before moving to the back of the room where desks were set higher the further back one went. They chose their seats and settled in. Miroku immediately began daydreaming of the woman he had most recently asked to bear his child. The silver hair man removed a fat paperback book from his backpack, opened it to the dog-eared page, and promptly found where he had left off.
More students drifted into the room as time passed. A giggling gaggle of girls entered the room; they went straight to the back of the room, filling the empty seats surrounding the two bishounen trying to attract their attention, but failing miserably.
Two minutes past the half-hour a small, balding man bustled through the door. The buzzing tones of conversation died to nothing. Excess materials were put away, spirals opened to clean sheets, writing utensils were poised to take notes.
Myouga-sensei launched into his lecture, emphasizing points by writing them on the board. Not the least obeisance made he; not for a minute stopped or stayed he; but moving back and forth across the floor, his arms flailing about as his voice rose and fell, he commandeered the attention of every person in that room. Pens moved unceasingly filling page upon page with copious notes and diagrams. The lecture was erratically interrupted by questions, which were graciously answered with no reprimand for breaking the flow of his speech.
Roughly eighty-five minutes after the class started, Myouga-sensei finished answering the remaining questions.
"Now, if you recall, at the beginning of this term you were handed a syllabus and in this syllabus was a rough outline on how your grades would be derived. If any of you should remember this, then you should also remember thirty percent of your grade is based on a project; what the project is to be is to be determined by you, the students, and will be displayed at the touji festival. The only requirements for this project are as follows: one, the project must somehow revolve around Sengoku Jidai; two, the project is to be done in groups no smaller than futari and no larger than rokunin; three, you may enlist the aid of those outside the class; four, be creative; and finally, the fifth requirement, have fun. The more fun you all have while creating your projects, the more stupendous your projects will be. Now get out of here and remember to come back Thursday," saying thus the teacher went to his desk to prepare to leave.
The silence that had enveloped the class shattered as the females surrounding Miroku and Sesshoumaru erupted with requests to partner with them. Studiously ignoring the annoying voices, the two men put their notes away, exchanged a look, and forced their way through the feminine sea to the front of the room.
Kagome had simply closed her notebook and gathered her things in her arms before shouldering her bag and moving towards the door. She was startled when a pair of hands slipped her backpack from her shoulder and another pair took her supplies from her arms. Ready to scathingly putdown whomever was so bold, she turned mouth open only to be interrupted.
"Surely you are not so cruel, Kagome-san, as to leave your friend's brother and his friend to the mercy of such ghastly people," Miroku spoke to soothe the waters, so to speak, her yellow bag hanging from his shoulder.
"Is that to say you two are afraid of those girls?" She started moving again, joined now by the two men.
"More like, afraid of their intentions."
"Don't men like to be ravished? I thought men like it when women get aggressive," she mused aloud. She walked from the building, leading them to another, statelier, building.
"Yes, well, aggression is nice but it can be such a major turn off when the woman in question is so easily had. Then again, if the ravisher were to be you, my dear lady-"
"I very much doubt she's interested, houshi," the suggestive comment was cut off by Sesshoumaru, who had been silent up to this point.
"Houshi? You're a monk?"
"I am studying to become one," pride evident in his voice.
"Aren't they supposed to be virtuous and celibate?" questioned Kagome.
A horrified expression crossed Miroku's face. "Of course not! Not all monasteries require their monks to abstain."
"What about the virtuous part?" Thus said, she opened the library door, leaving a sputtering monk-to-be on the steps.
"What exactly are you implying? That I'm not virtuous? Please, I am the epitome of virtue!" he called out indignantly as he followed his partners in.
.:o.o:.
Understanding
She led them passed the circulation desk, passed the reference desk, passed many empty tables, and to the stairs. Miroku followed several steps behind her, eyes watching the hypnotic sway of her butt. Her sweetly rounded behind tempted him, called to him. As she reached the second floor his hand reached out. Just a little bit...farther...
He was unsure what exactly happened as he was now up close and personal with the carpeting on the stairs' landing; his offending limb was tightly grasped by a feminine hand, his arm twisted at an uncomfortable angle. Kagome placed more weight on the knee digging into his back as she leaned down.
Her lips came but a hairbreadth away from his ear. "If you ever, ever, try that on me again I will gleefully help you with the celibacy part of being a monk by making you a eunuch. Do you understand, houshi?"
He nodded frantically in agreement, looking to Sesshoumaru for help only to find golden eyes alight in silent laughter. Kagome stood still holding Miroku's right hand causing him to follow. Right before she would have released him, she noticed scarring on the back of his hand. She gentled her grip considerably and turned it over. His palm was also scarred, though faded from age.
"A freak stabbed a knife through my hand when I was little," he answered the unvoiced question.
"A freak?" They were walking again, weaving through the bookcases.
"He was about my age, give or take a year. It was the same day my father died; I was at the hospital and this boy came up to me, asked me if I wanted to see something 'cool'. I said sure, kami knows I needed something to distract me from my grief. Anyway, he told me to hold out my hand. When I did, he pulled a switchblade from his pocket and stabbed me. He laughed as he twisted it, following me when I tried to pull away...It took two nurses to pull him away," Miroku spoke emotionlessly.
"Kami," she breathed. "What kind of monster did his parents raise?"
"The monster's name was Naraku," he failed to notice her grow pale. "He did on a dare from his cousin, Onigumo."
Kagome remained silent as they came to a table in the back of the floor. There were few tables here and fewer occupants. The second Miroku placed the yellow bag on the table Kagome was digging through it. Several minutes passed, during which Sesshoumaru and Miroku sat down, before her dark head lifted. With a murmured command to stay put, she was gone.
Fifteen minutes came and went, and still she did not come back.
"Do you think she ditched us?"
Without looking away from his book, Sesshoumaru answered. "Use your brain. If she was going to leave she would've taken her things." As he spoke, Kagome came up behind him. She dropped the large pile of books loudly onto the table next to him. "Have enough books considering we don't have a topic?"
"I don't know about you, but I have a topic, the legend of the Shikon no Tama. By the way, what are the Tenseiga and Tessaiga?"
"None of your business."
"I can always ask InuYasha..." she trailed off, knowing that would get to him.
"...Land."
"Nani?"
He sighed, "Tenseiga and Tessaiga are the two halves of our late father's estate."
"Tell her about the names," the black-haired man suggested.
"There is a legend of two swords, sister blades, the Tenseiga and the Tessaiga. One was said to kill youkai hyakunin in one swing, the other, to resurrectone hundred beings in one swing."
"Why would one kill only youkai and the other could save anything?"
"The Tessaiga was believed to have been forged to protect ningen. Chichiue was big on myths and legends; in fact he named us after the recipients of the swords. Sesshoumaru was an inu taiyoukai, Lord of the Western Lands after his father died. InuYasha was a inu hanyou, half-brother to Sesshoumaru; they shared blood through their chichiue, InuTaisho. The Tenseiga went to the youkai while the Tessaiga went to the hanyou."
"Um, no offense or anything, but isn't that a bit obsessive. I mean, to not only to give your children those names, but to then will to them something named after those two katana?"
"As I said, chichiue was big on myths and legends."
"Well, then this should be right up your alley," she tucked her hair behind her ear, while flipping through a book. Curious as to what she spoke of, the males leaned in to catch a glimpse of the turning pages. "Here," she pointed to a modern map. "Show me the boundaries of your lands."
The silver-hair man took the projection sheet and marker offered and pulled the book closer. After carefully studying the map, he began to tentatively sketch the outline of the land. When he finished, Kagome took the sheet and lay it over an older-looking map in a different book. Though the map in book showed a much larger area, the bold lines on the western edge of the book's map matched his lines nearly to perfection.
"And the point of this exercise was...?" Miroku asked.
"This map-" indicating the page, "-is what was believed to be the Western Lands of the taiyoukai Sesshoumaru. Where is the division of the two estates?" He made a quick line that by no means divided the land equally. "Okay, this area here-" finger on the southern portion, "-I'm going to assume is Tessaiga, ne."
"Why would you assume that?"
"That would be due to the fact that there had been a forest, in the portion to the southeast that is missing, known as InuYasha no Mori. Therefore, given your father's love of legends, he would have bequeathed to InuYasha the land once part of the other InuYasha's territory," she finished triumphantly. "Also, a legend says that there is a shrine in the northern area established by the last known guardian of the Shikon no Tama. This shrine is rumored to have been a safe haven for ningen to youkai, and is still believed, by some, to exist today. Given that the shrine was renowned for advanced healing practices, well, advanced for that time, and the sanctuary rumor, it is reasonable to conclude your chichiue would have named this portion Tenseiga, after the healing sword."
"How do you know all this?" Sesshoumaru queried.
Her eyes shifted to look blindly at the books before her. "I have a...friend who is, for lack of a better word, obsessed with this legend."
"..."
There was an uncomfortable silence, broken only when Miroku nearly fell out of his chair following the progress of a very attractive co-ed who had passed their table. Recovering, he asked, "So what exactly do you suggest we do with this information?"
"I was planning on doing a recreation of the story. The main focus would be the latter part of the legend when the jewel had been shattered. My friends have agreed to help me in any way they can."
"A recreation? You actually think we can find enough information to piece it together?"
"...Chichiue left his books to me. I still have all of them out," this was stated as fact, no actual offer in his tone.
"Does that mean we can look at them?"
He closed his golden eyes for a moment as though in contemplation, and opening them said, "At my apartment only."
Kagome looked as though she would argue when Miroku exclaimed, "Look at the time! I have class in ten minutes across campus," this was said on a groan. He quickly gathered his books, picking up a few of the ones Kagome had found. "I'll be back for these after my class. The librarians love me, so they'll hold them for me," he explained backing away. "Ja."
His departure had been so abrupt, it took the woman a minute before she realized that she was alone with her friend's half-brother...her friend's gorgeous half-brother. She was in a secluded section of the library...alone with the bishounen of the entire university... She leapt up from her seat, swiftly shoving her notebook and text from class into the yellow bag.
"I have a prior engagement soon, so maybe we should get together with Miroku after class on Thursday?" She adjusted the straps on her shoulders and began stacking the remaining books. When she reached to lift the pile, she was beaten to it.
At her questioning look he casually said, "This Sesshoumaru has no desire to be lectured by InuYasha for letting his best friend walk around campus after dark, alone," his brother's name was said in such a way that one would think 'InuYasha' was another word for filth.
"It's not dark yet."
He raised one silver eyebrow, "Irrelevant."
"...So why is it a bad thing that you have Tenseiga, considering it's the larger of the two and it has the legendary shrine?"
"The shrine is exactly what makes it a bad thing; some historical society throws a fit every time plans are made to develop the land, causing problems with obtaining permits. It has gotten to the point that the only profitable thing I could do with the land is sell it to the damned society, and even that would not bring in much."
She stayed quiet as they walked towards the fine arts building. At the door Kagome used a keycard to open the doors, considering that it was after-hours. They walked down a flight of stairs to another door labeled 'Locker Room', where she again used her keycard.
"Have you looked for it?"
Sesshoumaru didn't pretend to misunderstand her question, watching as she used her keycard and a combination to open one of the larger lockers. "When I was younger, but I never found so much as a crumbling statue. If the shrine ever existed, it didn't stand on that land."
"Maybe it doesn't want to be found, especially if it is still operating today," the minx suggested cryptically.
"Mochiron, and youkai are the shrine keepers, ne? Healing youkai and ningen alike who come in droves due to the war for supremacy, which is an ongoing battle unknown to us mere mortals." The sarcasm was oozing from his words.
Ignoring the comment, Kagome lifted a large case onto her back, the bulging backpack and excess books now secured in the locker. She walked out the door, up two floors, down a dimly lit hallway to a practice room at the far end. The reluctantly curious man trailed behind her into the room, which was occupied by her friends. As she set down the cello case with a small nod, a trio of guitarists sitting in a semicircle began to play.
Kouga played a steady pattern, setting the tempo. Sango and Kikyou played higher pitched rhythms, creating three distinct lines, intertwining beautifully. Kagome began singing while opening her case.
"I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone." Sesshoumaru leaned against the doorframe, entranced by her voice. "All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity." She brought her cello and bow to a seat across from Sango, never breaking from the lyrics. "Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.
"Same old song." A rich alto, Kikyou, entered, their voices blending effortlessly. "Just a drop of water in an endless sea. All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see." They smiled at each other as Sango harmonized with Kikyou, Kagome still singing words. "Dust in the wind." Kikyou joined the chorus as InuYasha, who had been sitting hunched over, violin held loosely between his legs, stood. "All we are is dust in the wind.
Kagome lifted her bow to the strings and began to play. The cello sang through the guitars soon joined by a playful violin. Vivid tones wove through each other, all voices melding into a colorful tapestry, full of life.
By this time a small crowd had gathered just inside the room, drawn by the pull of Kagome's pure voice floating through the halls by way of the open door, staying for the song as a whole. The performers played on, oblivious to the audience, so lost were they in their music.
The cellist ceased playing, even as InuYasha continued, and picked up the lyrics alone. "Now don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky." Her voice swelled with passion, her heart clear in the words. "It slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy.
"Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind." The female guitarists echoed the last phrase mellifluously. "Dust in the wind."
Again the other woman sang, this time leading, "Everything is dust in the wind."
"Everything is dust in the wind." Kagome's voice faded beneath the guitars, fingers of both hands drumming gently on the cello's face until the song ended.
The abrupt applause startled the group from their euphoric daze. After graciously declining to play more, they finally got their impromptu audience out the door, which was closed by Sesshoumaru, who stayed.
"What are you doing here?" InuYasha spat.
"I merely escorted the girl from the library. It is no crime," the elder brother spoke calmly.
"Stay away from her," he growled.
"You have no claim on her. It is the other wench who is yours, is she not?"
InuYasha's knuckles bled white, wrapped as tight as they were around the violin's neck. "She is my friend and you are unworthy of her company. So stay the fuck away!"
"Such language in front of ladies, otouto," Sesshoumaru tsked. "How exactly do you propose Kagome-san and I work on our project? You would that she works with the houshi alone?"
He blanched. Turning to Kagome he asked, "You're partners with him? And the pervert?" She nodded timidly, setting down her cello to rise and edge towards Sango.
"InuYasha," Kikyou's voice held a note of warning, which was ignored. Kouga, who had been enjoying the argument, found his amusement begin to fade as he recognized the look of InuYasha about to explode.
"If you think for one second that I will let you and your hentai friend work with Kagome, you are wrong," his voice was eerily soft, the calm before the storm. Kouga stood, ready to restrain his friend if, when, need be.
"Again, hanyou, you have no claim on her," the name slipped out, noticed by none save Kagome. "Do not presume you have any say as to what she may and may not do."
"Bastard!" He had launched himself at his brother, disregarding the delicate instrument clenched in his left hand, when two simultaneous voices stopped him.
"Osuwari!" Kagome and Sango cried out, holding each other in fear.
Without thought InuYasha, mid-lunge, and Kouga, mid-grab, sat on the floor where they stood, much to Sesshoumaru's bemusement. Before he could make a snide comment, a pair of small hands pushed down on his shoulders as a firm push was delivered to the back of his right knee. Caught off-guard, the proud man found himself on his knees.
"Don't move!" Kikyou hissed in his ear, hands holding him still. It was fruitless, they both knew, he could easily disengage her grip, but he stayed, eyes suddenly caught on the frightened pair.
Slowly, Kouga moved his guitar into position and began to play a soft melody. The notes rang out, seeking to calm his friends. When the time came InuYasha entered, playing the top line of the piano sonata. The violin sang sweetly, careful to stay close to the guitar's pitch.
Gradually the women stopped trembling, their embrace loosening as the music soothed their frayed nerves.
Kikyou now sat beside Sesshoumaru. "Male aggression scares them," she quietly explained. "When Kouga and InuYasha fight, they can get very violent; when this happens around either of them-" indicating Sango and Kagome, "-they say 'osuwari' and the testosterone loaded fools sit to become as unthreatening as they can appear. The word was chosen for its rarity of use in our company."
"...Why does male aggression scare them?"
"That is not for me to tell."
.:o.o:.
The silence went unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, and the only words there spoken were the whispered words, "Lenore."
-Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven, lines 50-53
Not the least obeisance made he; not for a minute stopped or stayed he;
-Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven, lines 70-71
aniki...elder brother
chichiue...my father, formal
ne...right? (used at the end of a sentence as verification, mostly used by females)
bishounen...handsome youth
sensei...teacher
touji...winter solstice
houshi...type of Buddhist monk
Sengoku Jidai...commonly translated as the Warring States Era; literally sengoku can mean a country in civil war, Jidai, in this case, can translate to period or era
.:o.o:.
Part IV completed: November 15, 2003
Part V completed: Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Revision completed: Friday, May 21, 2004