Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
A/N: Sorry for the break in updating. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
He stood, his body paralyzed much like his mind. A girl with ebony hair billowing in the wind watched the sky above her, his eyes locked on her form. She appeared at peace with everything around her, painted into the horizon.
The minutes ticked by silently; the wind forgot to howl and the sounds of vehicles on the streets died as his mind closed them out, leaving only the girl before him. Each slight movement of her body was etched into his memory... but...
He didn't remember anything, not a single moment, before this one... and when it ticked by, he lost it for eternity...
He was nothing more than a shell.
She looked over her shoulder, her gaze locking with his own for an intense moment.
He knew her...
Didn't he?
A faint smile graced her lips, a flicker of light streaked across her gray-blue eyes. Turning slowly, she took a step toward the edge of the building, her feet half on, half off, and her hands still at her sides.
He was scared...
What was she doing? Who was she?
Did he know her?
He wanted to scream, but what would he shout? What kind of voice would speak for him? Were those emotions real- shells don't feel...
He was numb; confused, yet empty of emotion; unable to move, unable to speak, unable to think; he was lost...
Soulless...
When You're at the Bottom
Not Just Another Bump in the Road
He smirked, flashing a fang that gleamed as maliciously as his golden eyes. His silver hair was haphazardly brushed, his triangular demonic ears swiveling around to catch each frightened squeal with delight. Blood red school attire covered the muscles that seemed to flex almost unconsciously.
A youkai...
Kagome's head snapped back to the blackboard that the teacher had previously been blocking. There it was in chalk...
"Inuyasha," she whispered, sliding her gaze back over to the class' disturbance. Her eyes narrowed in confusion. 'What's a youkai doing in this school?'
His smirk faltered slightly as the name reached his ears. His eyes sought the owner's voice and found it.
Kagome had just gained some very much unwanted attention.
"... Keh," he snorted, walking over to the teacher's desk and sitting on the edge as he stared down each person in turn, a glare formed each time he moved to a new person. One by one, each teen took the look as their sentence and, like being found unsuitable to be in his presence, bowed their heads in complete, unadulterated shame.
His gaze ended at Kagome.
Kagome blinked owlishly.
A vicious snarl formed on his lips at the defiant show.
Kagome blinked again.
"Bitch!"
"Eh? Did I miss something?" she asked innocently, the new information still not having fully registered since shock had been first to set in her mind. "Oh, and my name's Kagome."
"Girl, what the hell do you think you're doing?" the boy asked, stomping his way over to her desk, lowering himself to mere inches from her face. "Do you have some sort of death wish?"
"Not that I know of," she replied, looking over her shoulder to see Sango tremble, visibly pale...
Sango was afraid...
That's all she needed for it all to finally be absorbed. She slowly turned back to the boy in front of her, fear set in her features.
"KYA! YOUKAI!" she screeched, lifting her book and throwing it at the silver haired man, hitting him square in the jaw as he was much to startled by her sudden change to defend himself.
"Gyah...!" Taken by surprise, Inuyasha couldn't help but stand there, staring at the girl in disbelief. Then it hit him... His vision turned red. "Wench, you'll pay for that!"
"Sir!" a man shouted as his hand reached for her throat. "Sir, please forgive Kagome."
Inuyasha stopped inches from the now silent teen. His eyes flickered to a boy with short black hair pulled into a rat tail who had left his seat to stand beside the girl Kagome, a protective aura around him. Inuyasha raised a questioning brow.
"She encountered a youkai twice yesterday and it seems to have taken a toll on her," he stated, maintaining eye contact the entire time. "Please, don't take it the wrong way."
'Wrong way...?' What way was there to take it except that the girl was absolutely out of her mind?
Kagome, shocked at Miroku's defensive actions, stared at her friend with thankful eyes. "Miroku..."
"Kagome, you were so calm yesterday... What happened?" Sango asked quietly.
"... Nothing... it just... I guess it just sunk in..."
Inuyasha watched the three, glancing at the other students from the corner of his eyes. They all seemed speechless, waiting for his next move. What was he going to do? Kill her? Let her go?
No, she'd pay...
Grasping her upper arm, he hauled her up from her seat, causing her to squeak in protest and tug back a bit before deciding against trying to run. She followed him silently out of the classroom. The students all watched in a mixture of horror and apprehension. Inuyasha closed the door and walked down the hall away from the class room.
When he finally stopped, his temper had calmed a bit. He glared at the girl, waiting for her reaction. The glare was enough to pierce and destroy any person's spirit with its distaste. Too bad Kagome wasn't just any person. After a few minutes, she glared back. "What are you looking at?"
His eyes widened at the blatant disrespect, his anger now back full force. A deft hand reached out, wrapping around her neck and slamming her back against the wall. "Listen here, girl," he hissed, leaning in just enough for their noses to touch, "I am your superior in every way, your teacher's superior in every way, and your parent's superior in every way, understand? I rule here; I say, do, look at, and think anything I want. Get used to it!"
Kagome struggled for air, kicking as she tugged at the offending hand. When he let her go, she slid down the wall to sit on the floor, eyes watering as her throat and lungs burned in earnest for the pleasure of oxygen. Inuyasha watched her with hatred in his eyes.
"Do you understand?"
She looked up at him, anger barely suporessed under the surface. "Try all you want, but its on your own conscience. I did what I did out of reflex and on accident." She breathed raggedly.
"You won't be so brave when I get through with you, bitch."
"I have a name, you know?" she spat. "It's Kagome, not bitch, not wench, not girl..."
"I'll call you what I want."
"Of course you will."
He stared at her for a moment, not glaring, but certainly not in a friendly way. From here, it was merely a battle of wills stumbling clumsily into a war that neither of them would soon forget nor regret in the least.
He was the one to break eye contact, seeing it as one big waste of time, but her voice brought his gaze back to her for a split second.
"I am sorry, though," she whispered, looking at her feet as she stood. "I didn't mean to react like that, but you're the third youkai I've encountered in less than twenty-four hours and the last two scared me into shock. You just kind of woke me up, you could say."
"Keh! Better get used to youkai, girl, you aren't going to see a life without them around."
Kagome looked up, locking gazes with Inuyasha. "I know... I really am sorry."
Inuyasha grunted and walked back in the room, Kagome right behind him only to have the door slammed in her face, barely missing her nose. She fumed and grumbled, "maybe I'm not so sorry after all," opening the door to join the class. She stomped to her seat, huffily.
"Kagome, are you okay?" Sango asked concernedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine..."
"Boy!" Inuyasha shouted, capturing the classes attention again. He pointed a claw toward Miroku and asked for his name.
"Miroku Kazaana."
Inuyasha nodded, turning his attention back to the rest of the room. "Miroku is the kind of person you do not want to be, understand? Stand in my way and you'll regret it."
BRRRRIIIIINGGGG!
The entire class had that look that clearly said 'Saved By The Bell!' as they hurriedly picked their bags up and made a mad dash for the door all at once.
"Class," the teacher called out, stopping them in their tracks. He had just gotten over his shock. "Come back and take your seats. Passes will be given to excuse your tardiness in next hour."
"You're joking," Kagome laughed uncertainly.
"No, I'm quite serious, Higurashi."
"What are we being held back for?" Kagome asked, eyes becoming slits of suspicion.
"For me," the youkai said with a fanged, arrogant smile. "I haven't told you the rules, yet, have I?"
'Oh, that grin is infuriating!' Kagome found herself quickly hating the boy sitting cross legged on the teachers desk. First of all, he had to be a jerk about her mistake, then shut the door in her face, and now... 'I've lived through two youkai, I'll make it through another...' Determined not to let him get his way so easily (Hey, talk about an adventure!), Kagome squared her shoulders and glared. "And just who are you? I doubt you're a teacher, youkai."
"I suggest you hold your tongue from now on, girl," he snarled, "or I'll rethink my letting that idiot talk me into letting you live."
"Fine, sir," Kagome hissed, glaring defiantly.
Inuyasha stared at her a moment, unsure what to make of her attitude or how to deal with it. He mentally shook it off and addressed the class. "Rules are simply this: Stay out of my way, speak only when spoken to, and do what you are told, when you are told, how your told. Raise your hand before speaking," he added. Miroku's hand rose. "Yes?"
"What are we to call you?"
The youkai thought about it for a moment, then replied, "my name's Inuyasha."
"So...?" Miroku dragged out.
"Call me by name."
"Got it."
Kagome raised her hand.
"What!?" he snapped.
"Why are you here, Inuyasha?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"That is none of your business," he spat.
"Are you-?"
"Raise your hand!"
"You spoke to me so why would it matter?"
"I also told you to do what you're told when you're told to do it."
"Oops. I forgot. Now, are you a student or a teacher."
"You are pushing your luck."
"I didn't ask about me." Inuyasha growled. "So?" she prompted impatiently.
"I'm here because I want to be... Consider it supervision under extreme measures."
"So you're a youkai in a human school," Kagome pieced together. Snorting, she whispered to herself about youkai and their ridiculous round-about answers.
Inuyasha barely reigned in his temper before it slipped, biting his tongue. "Higurashi, you will remain in your seat after class is dismissed."
"You can't do that!" she screeched, eyes wide.
"Yes he can, Kagome-chan," Sango said in warning. Kagome shook in suppressed anger.
"Any more questions?" Inuyasha drawled. The silence was deafening. "Then you may collect your passes and make your way to your next class."
The students abided with no argument, collecting their passes and rushing out the door. When Miroku left, after having slipped a comforting arm over Kagome's shoulders and whispering 'I don't think he's that bad of a guy', only three bodies remained in the room- one promptly stuffing his face in a green grade book.
"Was Hirouema present today?" he mumbled to himself.
"No, sir," Kagome replied. "And Kikyou had to leave earlier... I really needed a punching bag today."
The teacher's gaze rose. "Higurashi, you don't need another fight on your record."
"And?" Receiving a disapproving shake of the head, Kagome turned her attention to the youkai. "What did you keep me after for?"
"I can't believe you're dumb enough to defy a youkai," Inuyasha drawled. "Twice, even. You have to understand, I have a reputation to keep for my people and myself- that reputation is to destroy all who openly go against me. I won't stop myself from injuring you next time you talk back or don't comply with my words."
"So threatening- I'm shaking in my skin."
"You chose the wrong person to cross, Higurashi. I suggest you steer clear of me."
"I do what I want, when I want, how I want. Not even you will change that, Inuyasha," Kagome stated. "You'll soon learn that I am not easily ruled. By anyone."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. 'So, she thinks surviving two youkai makes her invincible.' He smirked. "We'll just see about that."
"You'll be awfully disappointed."
His smirk spread out into a grin filled with delight and mischief. "... I think I'm going to enjoy this school, Higurashi. You will be my guide for the duration of this month. Hope we have close classes or you will be tardy quite often."
"What!?" Kagome screeched, eyes bulging.
"You heard me. Now, get up. It's time for you to show me where my next class is." He paused, took a piece of paper from his pocket and muttered, "Mr. Katsu."
"You're kidding," Kagome dead-panned, sending Inuyasha an emotionally deprived look.
"No."
"Just great," Kagome groaned, slapping her forehead before letting the hand fall with a resounding 'SLAP' on her desk top.
"What?"
"Looks like we have second hour together, also," she mumbled, her head falling heavily to hammer down her hand.
"Lucky you," Inuyasha chuckled, finding her predicament rather humorous.
"Yeah," she sighed sarcastically into the imitation wood beneath her. "Luck me."
She wanted to shrivel up under a rock and cry. Second hour had just finished and she stood staring at the two sheets of paper in her hand, staring defeatedly at the words.
Her schedule:
1st hour: Mr. Waruko
2nd hour: Mr. Katsu
3rd hour: Ms. Mishikawaii
4th hour: Mrs. Okusawa
5th hour: Mrs. Takani
6th hour: Mr. Kanaya
His scedule:
1st hour: Mr. Waruko
2nd hour: Mr. Katsu
3rd hour: Ms. Mishikawaii
4th hour: Mrs. Okusawa
5th hour: Mrs. Takani
6th hour: Mr. Kanaya
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" she plead. "You have to get a schedule change!"
"Me?" Inuyasha asked. "I don't think so. How about you get a new schedule," he suggested, "if you really hate this so much..."
"I've had this same schedule for years, though! I'm too used to it," Kagome explained. "Plus, my friends are in all of my classes as it is."
"You mean I'm stuck with you, Miroku, and that other glaring bitch?"
"That other glaring bitch happens to be my closest girl friend," she hissed, glaring at Inuyasha. "And her name is Sango."
"Whatever." Kagome fumed with indignation. "If we're late for next hour, I'm blaming it on you."
"Now that sounds just plain childish." Inuyasha shrugged and walked away, leaving Kagome behind him. "Oh- and, Inuyasha?" He glanced over his shoulder. "You're going the wrong way."
A/N: Not my best work, I know, but I hope you like it nevertheless. Have a nice day!