Houken-Jidai
Inklings
By Seabreeze
A/N: Hum de dum. This chapter is fun, because while there is plot, there is also much fluff. It's like. . . overall picture fluff. And wow! I got three reviews on the day of the update! Wow! I love you people! As a warning. . . this chapter is. . . lengthy.
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own anything. Check chapter 6 for details. BNL owns "Falling for the First Time" and DMB owns "Crash".
*~*~*
Kagome sat, and Naraku sat across from her behind his desk.
"Kagome," he began. He sounded as if he was trying to sound friendly. Kagome hated it. She nodded at him respectfully, not wanting, for some reason, to open her mouth, and Naraku continued. "I've brought you to my office to talk about a few things. I'm worried about your academic career, and if cheerleading is interrupting it." Naraku eyed Kagome. Her face completely blank, she was utterly confused inside.
'But I have a 3.89. . .' She thought numbly. Unless it went terrible down since I last checked, but I don't think it could've. . .'
"Principal Naraku," Kagome said. "My GPA, last time I checked, was pretty high."
"Are you aware that cheerleaders must have at least a 2.0 to remain on the squad?" Naraku inquired looking dangerous. Kagome stared at him blankly.
"Well, yes. . . but I have almost a 4.0. I'm not sure I understand what the problem is." She crinkled her eyes, confused. Naraku grinned in a way that made her want to hide underneath her chair.
"The problem, Miss Higurashi," he said. "Is that your last History Test was a B-. How do you explain that?" He leaned toward her warningly, and Kagome was more confused than ever. What was so wrong with a B-? Granted, it wasn't an A, but it was nothing to get worried over. . . "I'm suspecting, Kagome, that you are on some sort of drug. You know the policy at Houken-Jidai on drugs, do you not?" Kagome gaped at him in disbelief. Where did he get the idea that she was on DRUGS???
"Drugs are grounds for expulsion," Kagome reiterated, bewildered. "But Principal Naraku- I'm NOT on drugs! I don't even understand where you're getting this idea!" She had stood now, fists clenched. Naraku smiled dangerously.
"Where I'm getting the idea," he mused. "For one thing, your grades are dropping. And you've started hanging out with the outcasts Sango and Inuyasha- they are no doubt on several drugs. It is only logical that I begin to believe you yourself are on them." Besides Kagome's growing anger and fear, she felt something else and it almost made her nervous. Something she couldn't quite place, that made her a bit on edge. "Now I am going to administer some tests on you, Miss Higurashi." Naraku pulled a black velvet bag from his pocket and tossed it lightly in his hands. It seemed to be wrapped around something round, but it made Kagome nervous. What was in it? Naraku slowly walked towards Kagome. "I have a few questions to ask you- "
But someone had stumbled raucously into the room. Naraku and Kagome both stared as a silver-haired, pointy-eared boy stood from the rubble that had been the door.
"Excuse me, Mr. Naraku." He hurried over to Kagome and grabbed her wrist, pulling her behind him protectively. "There's been an emergency at Kagome's home. Her family asked me to bring her there immediately." Without another word, Inuyasha dragged Kagome (however relieved) from the Principal's office. Looking around hastily, he saw a janitor's closest and threw her, and himself, inside it.
"What were you DOING in there?" he demanded. He seemed to swell with anger and worry. "What was he asking you???" Kagome sat down on a bucket, thankful to be out of the Principal's death grip and somehow thankful to be in Inuyasha's.
"I'm not sure. . . he said he was worried I was on drugs, because my grades are falling- and they're not!- and then he pulled out a black bag and said he'd do some tests on me." Kagome shrugged. Inuyasha growled and cracked his knuckles.
"That's bullshit. He doesn't think you're on drugs, he wanted something else. . . what though, I don't know. . ."
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly. "Naraku's one of the people who wants the Shikon, isn't he?" her eyes glimmered with fear and Inuyasha glared at her before turning roughly away.
"Of course he is, stupid. And I think he is the one who has it- Naraku possesses the jewel." Inuyasha seemed to drift in thoughtfulness before he snapped out of it. "I'm getting you out of here." He said. "It's not safe for you anymore." He knelt, looking back at her. "Climb on my back," he said. "We'll go faster that way."
"Faster than a car?" Kagome asked disbelievingly.
"I'm half-demon, remember?" Inuyasha snarled. "besides, I don't have a car. Now get on." Kagome did so, feeling awkward, and Inuyasha tucked his arms beneath her legs to support her. "Let's go." He said. Bursting the door down, he powered through it, loping down the hallways so quickly Kagome was dizzied. Within seconds they were on the street, racing past cars and turning sharply around corners. Though she wasn't sure, Kagome didn't think they were going to her house- she was in a completely different neighborhood. The houses, like Sango's, were derelict and dangerous. Kagome couldn't quite blame Naraku for thinking he was on drugs. Inuyasha leapt onto the roof and dropped gracefully through a large whole into his living room. Crouching, he waited for Kagome to climb off.
"Hold on," Kagome said, vision circling wildly. "I'm dizzy." Inuyasha feh'd, but said nothing and waited until she had slid off his back before he turned to her.
"I'm hungry." He said, heading abruptly into a dark staircase. "Come on." Kagome followed him.
"Inuyasha," she said. "What if Naraku calls my house? No one will pick up the phone, they're all out of town for my brother Souta's baseball championships."
"Good." Inuyasha threw over his shoulder. "It works with the plan. I'll get Miroku to write a note to the school saying you're out of town for an undeterminable time."
Inuyasha entered a dirty white kitchen with missing cupboard doors and blinking lights.
"Um, Inuyasha," Kagome asked shyly. "Do you live by yourself like Sango did?" she waited for him to yell at her, but he merely looked at her before looking away.
"Yeah." He said quietly. "The government doesn't care much for half- breeds." He reached for the fridge, pulling it open and reaching in. "Ramen?" he offered, pulling out two cartons. Kagome giggled.
"You don't keep Ramen in the fridge," she said. Inuyasha glared at her. "Sure." She said, and Inuyasha pulled out a pot and set it on the dirty stove, pouring 3 cups of water into it before turning the stove on. He ripped the ramen containers open easily with his claws, and spilled the contents into the boiling water. The phone rang distantly, and Kagome jumped at the chance to do something.
"I'll get it!" she said cheerfully. Inuyasha did not turn around.
"Down the hallway, second door to your right." He said, consumed with making the ramen. Kagome jogged down the hallway, and careened into the room with the ringing phone. It was his bedroom. Kagome blushed, but did not pause. She picked up the receiver quickly.
"Hello?" she asked.
"I heard what happened." It was Miroku's cool, calm voice. "I'm glad that you are with Inuyasha. It was probably stupid of him to bust you out like that, though." Miroku sighed. "I think we all need to talk, but I've got rehearsal and a show tonight. Sango's with me now. Stay with Inuyasha for now, Kagome." Miroku said seriously. "He may be the only one to protect you from Naraku. And tonight, come to my show. Afterwards, we'll go to my house and talk. But I've got to go now, Kagome- STAY WITH INUYASHA." With that, he hung up. Kagome stared at the phone.
"I only got one word in," she said in wonder. She shrugged and hung the phone up before heading back towards the kitchen and Inuyasha. When she returned, he was having a monstrous battle with the boiling pan of ramen. He was currently trying to remove all the noodles with a knife to transfer them to a plate. And not succeeding. The noodles kept sliding too easily from the knife, slapping the ground and the stove around them and sending boiling drops of water to Inuyasha's skin.
"BAKA!!!" Inuyasha yelled, waving the knife around angrily and spearing the limp, burnt noodles viciously. Kagome couldn't help but giggle.
"Maybe I could make lunch for us." She suggested. Inuyasha turned with wide eyes, surprised to see her, and lowered the knife to the counter.
"If you screw them up worse than I do, you're buying my a week's worth of ramen." But at the same time, he backed away from the stove and let Kagome take over.
"First of all," she said. "I'm throwing your sorry attempt out. We're starting over." Inuyasha didn't protest when she opened the fridge and pulled out two new containers of ramen.
"Who called?" Inuyasha asked as Kagome re-filled the pot with water.
"Oh! I completely forgot! It was Miroku. He said for me to stay with you, and that we all need to meet up again tonight after his concert. Which he said we should go to, because then he'll give us all a lift to his house." The water was boiling now, so Kagome opened the ramen packages and poured them into it. Inuyasha snorted.
"He's just roping us into going to his stupid concert." He said. Kagome shook her head, stirring the noodles.
"He sounded very serious, and not in his 'serious-but-really-joking- only-it's-hard-to-tell' way. Sango's with him, and we'll meet them before the show." Kagome turned to him. "When is the show, anyway?"
"He told me earlier that it starts at 7:30." Inuyashed scowled. Kagome stirred the noodles again.
"Done!" she said cheerfully. "So I guess we'll see them there at 7:30?" she asked, separating the noodles evenly between the two plates Inuyasha had lain out. Inuyasha quickly grabbed one of the plates and headed into a room with a table and simple chairs.
"I guess we don't have much choice. Come on, let's eat."
*~*~*
Sango sat nervously next to Miroku as he drove to his rehearsal after school. Though she knew it would be too much to ask him to take her home, she wanted nothing less than to go to the rehearsal. Meeting new people made her so nervous. Miroku seemed to sense this; he watched her from the corner of his eye as he drove. He was dressed in tight, black jeans, stylishly faded, and a silk purple top unbuttoned so part of his chest was revealed. (Sango willed herself not to look at this.) Gold earrings ran up and down his ears. On his hand was a stiff black arm wrap, starting below his elbow and tying around his middle finger. Wrapped around this was a string of turquoise beads. She had always known that had been there, but only now had she actually realized it. She'd have to ask him about it sometime. But not now. Now she needed to worry about his rehearsal.
"Are you alright, Sango?" Miroku asked. Sango shook her head hastily and bit her lip.
"I'm fine," she said solidly, but she felt anything but solid. Miroku smiled lightly.
"You'll be my special guest tonight," he told her with a hentai grin. Sango narrowed her eyes.
"I'm trying to decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing." She said cinically. Miroku acted hurt, but his eyes sparkled.
"Of course it's a good thing!" he exclaimed. "It's practically an honor!" Sango scoffed, but found that somehow, impossibly, she was smiling inside.
*~*~*
Hours later, Kagome and Inuyasha headed nervously into the club Miroku was playing at. All the people there had numerous piercings and unnaturally-colored hair, and Kagome noticed that Inuyasha suddenly became gruff. He growled dangerously at anyone who came near them, glaring dangerously at those who openly laughed at Kagome's "preppier" style. Kagome had to admit that she did feel stupid, showing up dressed as she always did, but at the same time she wasn't about to go home and change. This was how she dressed, and they'd have to deal with it.
They spotted Sango quickly; though not as out of place as Kagome, her natural dark hair was a beacon.
"Kagome! Inuyasha!" she seemed relieved. "I'm so glad to see you! Kagome was suddenly very glad that Sango was there. She felt she had so much to tell her.
"We're glad to see you too, Sango-chan." She grinned warmly and an understanding passed between the two girls.
"Yeah, yeah, we're all glad everyone's here. Where's Miroku? That bastard owes me 30 bucks." Inuyasha stalked off towards the backstage entrance, satisfied that Sango could look over Kagome. Kagome grinned.
"Finally we can get some girl talk done!" she said, pulling Sango to a table with three chairs near the stage. "How was your first night at Miroku's? Has he groped you much yet?"
"Not since the go-cart racing." Sango sighed. "Is it a regular practice of his?" she asked. Kagome rolled her eyes.
"Unfortunately." She seemed to get a sudden idea. "Hey! How did Miroku's rehearsal go?" she asked enthusiastically. Sango shrugged.
"It went well. I never realized Criminals by Accident was a cover band, though." She thought for a moment. "They kept talking about a 'special song' that they didn't need to practice. Any idea what that's all about?" Kagome groaned.
"Yeah, I do. It's the song Miroku uses to 'woo' women. And just guess who he wants to woo. . ." she looked at Sango pointedly. Sango flushed furiously.
"That's. . . that's stupid, he doesn't want to woo me, he's just bored. . ." flustered, Sango decided to shut up. Kagome grinned smugly.
"Uh huh." She said disbelievingly.
"So, what happened in Naraku's office this morning?" Sango asked, changing the subject but at the same time seriously interested. Kagome sighed.
"He said he was worried that I was on drugs- something about my grades falling. And that's CRAZY, because I know they're not! That's what he said, anyway. Inuyasha says he's the one with the shikon no tama. He said that Naraku thinks I might have something of use- or to use against- him, for some reason. Miroku thinks I'm in trouble; enough so that he suggested I stay with him for the afternoon." She explained. Sango nodded, thinking seriously. So Naraku, the principal of her SCHOOL had the jewel? Had he been the one to kill her parents? Her vision burned red. He would pay, if he had. And wasn't it an odd coincidence that she was, out of all the schools in Japan, at the one with the jewel her parents had been guarding? She realized that she had been lost in thought, and quickly recovered from her state of mind. Now was not the time to think about it.
"Inuyasha busted you out, huh?" she asked. Kagome nodded.
"He told Naraku there was a problem with my family, and took me to his house on his back. We had lunch there and stayed until we came here. No big deal." Kagome shrugged, and Sango raised an eyebrow.
"On his back? You two hung out for a whole afternoon and didn't kill each other?" she sounded as if she didn't quite believe Kagome.
"We didn't 'hang out', we were just. . . together. We didn't exactly have a choice." At that time, Miroku and the other band Criminals by Accident started to get the stage ready with their drums, keyboard, and guitars. People began to cheer (Kagome included) and girls catcalled as Miroku began tuning his guitar. Kagome and Sango rolled their eyes when he winked suggestively at the crowd. Inuyasha came from behind the stage, sitting heavily next to Kagome and muttering about "that bastard" and how he owed him. The drummer began playing a rhythm as the crowd cheered more and the band finished preparing to play. When they were ready, Miroku took the microphone.
"We'll be playing something popular from not too long ago. I hope you enjoy our rendition." He winked at the crowd again to shrieks from the female half, and nodded at the drummer, who picked up a faster and livelier pace. The drums were soon joined by the base guitar, keyboard, and, finally, Miroku's electric guitar. He stepped, grinning, to the microphone, and began to sing.
"I'm so cool, too bad I'm a loser
I'm so smart, too bad I can't get anything figured out
I'm so brave, too bad I'm a baby
I'm so fly, that's probably why it
Feels just like I'm falling for the first time
I'm so green, it's really amazing
I'm so clean, too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me.
I'm so sane, it's driving me crazy
It's so strange, I can't believe it
Feels just like I'm falling for the first time
Anyone perfect must be lying, anything easy has its cost
Anyone plain can be lovely, anyone loved can be lost
What if I lost my direction? What if I lost sense of time?
What if I nursed this infection? Maybe the worst is behind
It feels just like I'm falling for the first time
It feels just like I'm falling for the first time
I'm so chill, no wonder it's freezing
I'm so still, I just can't keep my fingers out of anything
I'm so thrilled to finally be failing
I'm so done, turn me over cause it
Feels just like I'm falling for the first time."
Miroku glanced specifically at Kagome and Inuyasha as he sang the bridge a second time.
"Anything plain can be lovely, anything loved can be lost
Maybe I lost my direction, what if our love is the cost?
Anyone perfect must be lying, anything easy has its cost
Anyone plain can be lovely, anyone loved can be lost
What if I lost my direction? What if I lost sense of time?
What if I nursed this infection? Maybe the worst is behind. . ."
Miroku strummed the final chords on the guitar and shook his long black bangs attractively away from his eyes. The crowd went absolutely wild, the girls screaming because he just had that allure. Sango eyed the screaming girls critically, wondering what made them feel the need to act so stupid. At the same time. . . with that gold light playing off his features, and the way his deep blue eyes seemed to lose their usual inner calmness. . . she shook her head and crossed her arms.
"He's good, isn't he?" Kagome asked with a grin. Sango shrugged skeptically.
"I suppose. He seems to play up his looks a lot. For the females." She nodded slightly, and Kagome couldn't help but giggle. De-nial.
The Criminals by Accident played a few more songs, all ones that were familiar or vaguely familiar. Inuyasha had sat down in the middle of the second song, looking hostile and annoyed. Sango wanted to join him, but felt it would be rude. On stage, Miroku was brought a stool and acoustic guitar, handing his electric one to one of the stagehands. The crowd quieted down as he sat, taking a sip of water and leaning into the mike again.
"This is a special song. . ." he began, a grin inspired by Sango- didn't-want-to-know-what crossing his face as some in the crowd began to laugh. "This song," he continued, "is for a special girl." At this, a fourth of the crowd was laughing outright. Sango rolled her eyes. "Sango?" Miroku asked into the microphone. Sango's eyes widened in fear as her mouth shrunk and a blush crept over her cheeks. Kagome groaned and prodded her friend.
"Go now, or he'll only embarrass you more." She stage whispered. Sango shook her head, refusing and trying to back up, but the crowd pushed her foreward.
"Come on up, gorgeous." Miroku grinned at her, shading his eyes from the spotlight. He deepened his voice. "I'm. . . waiting." By now the entire crowd was laughing, and someone had started to chant "Go to him". Sango's stomach knotted itself several times over and she wished that she could run. The fear was so bad that her battle senses were on high.
"What about last night, Sango?" Miroku asked and the entire crowd "oooh'd". Sango felt all the fear rush to her neck and turn instantly into anger. WHAT had he just said?? She flew towards the stage, leapt on with no assistance, and smacked him, hard, across the face. The crowd cheered as a red handprint formed itself on his cheek. Sango fumed and began to storm away, but Miroku had somehow snuck an arm around Sango's waist and was holding her tightly to the spot. He took the microphone away from his mouth and said quietly, "Anything to get you up here." Sango glared at him as she had never glared at anyone before.
"I am going to kill you." She said through clenched teeth. Miroku grinned.
"As long as I get to sing to you." Miroku turned back to the audience and grinned. "Fiesty, isn't she?" he asked. People laughed and Sango glared into the crowd, blushing at the same time. He would pay. Oh yes. He stood, offering Sango the stool. She took it readily. Miroku began playing a soft melody on the guitar and smiled. "For you," he said, halfway to the crowd and halfway to Sango. She scowled.
"You've got your ball you've got your chain, tied to me tight
tie me up again. Who's got their claws in you, my friend? Into your heart I'll beat again.
Sweet like candy to my soul, sweet you rock and sweet you roll
Lost for you I'm so lost for you. . . oh when you come
Crash into me
Now- baby and I come into you, I come into you
In a boy's dream, in a boy's dream
Touch your lips just so I know In your eyes, love, it glows so
I'm bare-boned and crazy for you
When you come crash into me, baby
And I come into you
In a boys dream
In a boys dream
If I've gone overboard then I'm begging you
to forgive me, oh, In my haste
When I'm holding you so girl... close to me
Oh and you come crash
into me"
Sango found, when the song was over, that Miroku, with that song, had weaved the entire audience and herself into some sort of spell. Miroku bowed to rabid clapping and cheering, and then he took Sango's hand, kissing it lightly.
"Thank you." He said, smiling gently. Sango eyed his face skeptically, and felt her resolve melt.
"Thank you." She hurried off the stage.
*~*~*
A/N: Considering that was 11 freakin' pages long, I decided to stop. This keeps happening, everything's getting so long and involved. . . I mean, the
shikon is still WHOLE, if that tells you anything.
Anyway.
Thanks to my loyal readers:
RK-128: A morning practice is coming up, but seeing how this story's going, I have no clue when that'll be. And then there's the that one scene that I can't WAIT to write. . . * cough * Well, I've gotta get cracking on
history. . . oi. Ok. Sorry this thank you sucks. Longer thank you next
time.
Koinu-no-ai: I'm glad the story is easy to read. If you look at my earlier
stories, they're all one massive paragraph. Uck. Thanks for the review.
Bluefuzzyelf: I'm so glad to have regulars like yourself. Arigato!
Rain angst: I had to look that up * cringe * but thanks.
Inklings
By Seabreeze
A/N: Hum de dum. This chapter is fun, because while there is plot, there is also much fluff. It's like. . . overall picture fluff. And wow! I got three reviews on the day of the update! Wow! I love you people! As a warning. . . this chapter is. . . lengthy.
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own anything. Check chapter 6 for details. BNL owns "Falling for the First Time" and DMB owns "Crash".
*~*~*
Kagome sat, and Naraku sat across from her behind his desk.
"Kagome," he began. He sounded as if he was trying to sound friendly. Kagome hated it. She nodded at him respectfully, not wanting, for some reason, to open her mouth, and Naraku continued. "I've brought you to my office to talk about a few things. I'm worried about your academic career, and if cheerleading is interrupting it." Naraku eyed Kagome. Her face completely blank, she was utterly confused inside.
'But I have a 3.89. . .' She thought numbly. Unless it went terrible down since I last checked, but I don't think it could've. . .'
"Principal Naraku," Kagome said. "My GPA, last time I checked, was pretty high."
"Are you aware that cheerleaders must have at least a 2.0 to remain on the squad?" Naraku inquired looking dangerous. Kagome stared at him blankly.
"Well, yes. . . but I have almost a 4.0. I'm not sure I understand what the problem is." She crinkled her eyes, confused. Naraku grinned in a way that made her want to hide underneath her chair.
"The problem, Miss Higurashi," he said. "Is that your last History Test was a B-. How do you explain that?" He leaned toward her warningly, and Kagome was more confused than ever. What was so wrong with a B-? Granted, it wasn't an A, but it was nothing to get worried over. . . "I'm suspecting, Kagome, that you are on some sort of drug. You know the policy at Houken-Jidai on drugs, do you not?" Kagome gaped at him in disbelief. Where did he get the idea that she was on DRUGS???
"Drugs are grounds for expulsion," Kagome reiterated, bewildered. "But Principal Naraku- I'm NOT on drugs! I don't even understand where you're getting this idea!" She had stood now, fists clenched. Naraku smiled dangerously.
"Where I'm getting the idea," he mused. "For one thing, your grades are dropping. And you've started hanging out with the outcasts Sango and Inuyasha- they are no doubt on several drugs. It is only logical that I begin to believe you yourself are on them." Besides Kagome's growing anger and fear, she felt something else and it almost made her nervous. Something she couldn't quite place, that made her a bit on edge. "Now I am going to administer some tests on you, Miss Higurashi." Naraku pulled a black velvet bag from his pocket and tossed it lightly in his hands. It seemed to be wrapped around something round, but it made Kagome nervous. What was in it? Naraku slowly walked towards Kagome. "I have a few questions to ask you- "
But someone had stumbled raucously into the room. Naraku and Kagome both stared as a silver-haired, pointy-eared boy stood from the rubble that had been the door.
"Excuse me, Mr. Naraku." He hurried over to Kagome and grabbed her wrist, pulling her behind him protectively. "There's been an emergency at Kagome's home. Her family asked me to bring her there immediately." Without another word, Inuyasha dragged Kagome (however relieved) from the Principal's office. Looking around hastily, he saw a janitor's closest and threw her, and himself, inside it.
"What were you DOING in there?" he demanded. He seemed to swell with anger and worry. "What was he asking you???" Kagome sat down on a bucket, thankful to be out of the Principal's death grip and somehow thankful to be in Inuyasha's.
"I'm not sure. . . he said he was worried I was on drugs, because my grades are falling- and they're not!- and then he pulled out a black bag and said he'd do some tests on me." Kagome shrugged. Inuyasha growled and cracked his knuckles.
"That's bullshit. He doesn't think you're on drugs, he wanted something else. . . what though, I don't know. . ."
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly. "Naraku's one of the people who wants the Shikon, isn't he?" her eyes glimmered with fear and Inuyasha glared at her before turning roughly away.
"Of course he is, stupid. And I think he is the one who has it- Naraku possesses the jewel." Inuyasha seemed to drift in thoughtfulness before he snapped out of it. "I'm getting you out of here." He said. "It's not safe for you anymore." He knelt, looking back at her. "Climb on my back," he said. "We'll go faster that way."
"Faster than a car?" Kagome asked disbelievingly.
"I'm half-demon, remember?" Inuyasha snarled. "besides, I don't have a car. Now get on." Kagome did so, feeling awkward, and Inuyasha tucked his arms beneath her legs to support her. "Let's go." He said. Bursting the door down, he powered through it, loping down the hallways so quickly Kagome was dizzied. Within seconds they were on the street, racing past cars and turning sharply around corners. Though she wasn't sure, Kagome didn't think they were going to her house- she was in a completely different neighborhood. The houses, like Sango's, were derelict and dangerous. Kagome couldn't quite blame Naraku for thinking he was on drugs. Inuyasha leapt onto the roof and dropped gracefully through a large whole into his living room. Crouching, he waited for Kagome to climb off.
"Hold on," Kagome said, vision circling wildly. "I'm dizzy." Inuyasha feh'd, but said nothing and waited until she had slid off his back before he turned to her.
"I'm hungry." He said, heading abruptly into a dark staircase. "Come on." Kagome followed him.
"Inuyasha," she said. "What if Naraku calls my house? No one will pick up the phone, they're all out of town for my brother Souta's baseball championships."
"Good." Inuyasha threw over his shoulder. "It works with the plan. I'll get Miroku to write a note to the school saying you're out of town for an undeterminable time."
Inuyasha entered a dirty white kitchen with missing cupboard doors and blinking lights.
"Um, Inuyasha," Kagome asked shyly. "Do you live by yourself like Sango did?" she waited for him to yell at her, but he merely looked at her before looking away.
"Yeah." He said quietly. "The government doesn't care much for half- breeds." He reached for the fridge, pulling it open and reaching in. "Ramen?" he offered, pulling out two cartons. Kagome giggled.
"You don't keep Ramen in the fridge," she said. Inuyasha glared at her. "Sure." She said, and Inuyasha pulled out a pot and set it on the dirty stove, pouring 3 cups of water into it before turning the stove on. He ripped the ramen containers open easily with his claws, and spilled the contents into the boiling water. The phone rang distantly, and Kagome jumped at the chance to do something.
"I'll get it!" she said cheerfully. Inuyasha did not turn around.
"Down the hallway, second door to your right." He said, consumed with making the ramen. Kagome jogged down the hallway, and careened into the room with the ringing phone. It was his bedroom. Kagome blushed, but did not pause. She picked up the receiver quickly.
"Hello?" she asked.
"I heard what happened." It was Miroku's cool, calm voice. "I'm glad that you are with Inuyasha. It was probably stupid of him to bust you out like that, though." Miroku sighed. "I think we all need to talk, but I've got rehearsal and a show tonight. Sango's with me now. Stay with Inuyasha for now, Kagome." Miroku said seriously. "He may be the only one to protect you from Naraku. And tonight, come to my show. Afterwards, we'll go to my house and talk. But I've got to go now, Kagome- STAY WITH INUYASHA." With that, he hung up. Kagome stared at the phone.
"I only got one word in," she said in wonder. She shrugged and hung the phone up before heading back towards the kitchen and Inuyasha. When she returned, he was having a monstrous battle with the boiling pan of ramen. He was currently trying to remove all the noodles with a knife to transfer them to a plate. And not succeeding. The noodles kept sliding too easily from the knife, slapping the ground and the stove around them and sending boiling drops of water to Inuyasha's skin.
"BAKA!!!" Inuyasha yelled, waving the knife around angrily and spearing the limp, burnt noodles viciously. Kagome couldn't help but giggle.
"Maybe I could make lunch for us." She suggested. Inuyasha turned with wide eyes, surprised to see her, and lowered the knife to the counter.
"If you screw them up worse than I do, you're buying my a week's worth of ramen." But at the same time, he backed away from the stove and let Kagome take over.
"First of all," she said. "I'm throwing your sorry attempt out. We're starting over." Inuyasha didn't protest when she opened the fridge and pulled out two new containers of ramen.
"Who called?" Inuyasha asked as Kagome re-filled the pot with water.
"Oh! I completely forgot! It was Miroku. He said for me to stay with you, and that we all need to meet up again tonight after his concert. Which he said we should go to, because then he'll give us all a lift to his house." The water was boiling now, so Kagome opened the ramen packages and poured them into it. Inuyasha snorted.
"He's just roping us into going to his stupid concert." He said. Kagome shook her head, stirring the noodles.
"He sounded very serious, and not in his 'serious-but-really-joking- only-it's-hard-to-tell' way. Sango's with him, and we'll meet them before the show." Kagome turned to him. "When is the show, anyway?"
"He told me earlier that it starts at 7:30." Inuyashed scowled. Kagome stirred the noodles again.
"Done!" she said cheerfully. "So I guess we'll see them there at 7:30?" she asked, separating the noodles evenly between the two plates Inuyasha had lain out. Inuyasha quickly grabbed one of the plates and headed into a room with a table and simple chairs.
"I guess we don't have much choice. Come on, let's eat."
*~*~*
Sango sat nervously next to Miroku as he drove to his rehearsal after school. Though she knew it would be too much to ask him to take her home, she wanted nothing less than to go to the rehearsal. Meeting new people made her so nervous. Miroku seemed to sense this; he watched her from the corner of his eye as he drove. He was dressed in tight, black jeans, stylishly faded, and a silk purple top unbuttoned so part of his chest was revealed. (Sango willed herself not to look at this.) Gold earrings ran up and down his ears. On his hand was a stiff black arm wrap, starting below his elbow and tying around his middle finger. Wrapped around this was a string of turquoise beads. She had always known that had been there, but only now had she actually realized it. She'd have to ask him about it sometime. But not now. Now she needed to worry about his rehearsal.
"Are you alright, Sango?" Miroku asked. Sango shook her head hastily and bit her lip.
"I'm fine," she said solidly, but she felt anything but solid. Miroku smiled lightly.
"You'll be my special guest tonight," he told her with a hentai grin. Sango narrowed her eyes.
"I'm trying to decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing." She said cinically. Miroku acted hurt, but his eyes sparkled.
"Of course it's a good thing!" he exclaimed. "It's practically an honor!" Sango scoffed, but found that somehow, impossibly, she was smiling inside.
*~*~*
Hours later, Kagome and Inuyasha headed nervously into the club Miroku was playing at. All the people there had numerous piercings and unnaturally-colored hair, and Kagome noticed that Inuyasha suddenly became gruff. He growled dangerously at anyone who came near them, glaring dangerously at those who openly laughed at Kagome's "preppier" style. Kagome had to admit that she did feel stupid, showing up dressed as she always did, but at the same time she wasn't about to go home and change. This was how she dressed, and they'd have to deal with it.
They spotted Sango quickly; though not as out of place as Kagome, her natural dark hair was a beacon.
"Kagome! Inuyasha!" she seemed relieved. "I'm so glad to see you! Kagome was suddenly very glad that Sango was there. She felt she had so much to tell her.
"We're glad to see you too, Sango-chan." She grinned warmly and an understanding passed between the two girls.
"Yeah, yeah, we're all glad everyone's here. Where's Miroku? That bastard owes me 30 bucks." Inuyasha stalked off towards the backstage entrance, satisfied that Sango could look over Kagome. Kagome grinned.
"Finally we can get some girl talk done!" she said, pulling Sango to a table with three chairs near the stage. "How was your first night at Miroku's? Has he groped you much yet?"
"Not since the go-cart racing." Sango sighed. "Is it a regular practice of his?" she asked. Kagome rolled her eyes.
"Unfortunately." She seemed to get a sudden idea. "Hey! How did Miroku's rehearsal go?" she asked enthusiastically. Sango shrugged.
"It went well. I never realized Criminals by Accident was a cover band, though." She thought for a moment. "They kept talking about a 'special song' that they didn't need to practice. Any idea what that's all about?" Kagome groaned.
"Yeah, I do. It's the song Miroku uses to 'woo' women. And just guess who he wants to woo. . ." she looked at Sango pointedly. Sango flushed furiously.
"That's. . . that's stupid, he doesn't want to woo me, he's just bored. . ." flustered, Sango decided to shut up. Kagome grinned smugly.
"Uh huh." She said disbelievingly.
"So, what happened in Naraku's office this morning?" Sango asked, changing the subject but at the same time seriously interested. Kagome sighed.
"He said he was worried that I was on drugs- something about my grades falling. And that's CRAZY, because I know they're not! That's what he said, anyway. Inuyasha says he's the one with the shikon no tama. He said that Naraku thinks I might have something of use- or to use against- him, for some reason. Miroku thinks I'm in trouble; enough so that he suggested I stay with him for the afternoon." She explained. Sango nodded, thinking seriously. So Naraku, the principal of her SCHOOL had the jewel? Had he been the one to kill her parents? Her vision burned red. He would pay, if he had. And wasn't it an odd coincidence that she was, out of all the schools in Japan, at the one with the jewel her parents had been guarding? She realized that she had been lost in thought, and quickly recovered from her state of mind. Now was not the time to think about it.
"Inuyasha busted you out, huh?" she asked. Kagome nodded.
"He told Naraku there was a problem with my family, and took me to his house on his back. We had lunch there and stayed until we came here. No big deal." Kagome shrugged, and Sango raised an eyebrow.
"On his back? You two hung out for a whole afternoon and didn't kill each other?" she sounded as if she didn't quite believe Kagome.
"We didn't 'hang out', we were just. . . together. We didn't exactly have a choice." At that time, Miroku and the other band Criminals by Accident started to get the stage ready with their drums, keyboard, and guitars. People began to cheer (Kagome included) and girls catcalled as Miroku began tuning his guitar. Kagome and Sango rolled their eyes when he winked suggestively at the crowd. Inuyasha came from behind the stage, sitting heavily next to Kagome and muttering about "that bastard" and how he owed him. The drummer began playing a rhythm as the crowd cheered more and the band finished preparing to play. When they were ready, Miroku took the microphone.
"We'll be playing something popular from not too long ago. I hope you enjoy our rendition." He winked at the crowd again to shrieks from the female half, and nodded at the drummer, who picked up a faster and livelier pace. The drums were soon joined by the base guitar, keyboard, and, finally, Miroku's electric guitar. He stepped, grinning, to the microphone, and began to sing.
"I'm so cool, too bad I'm a loser
I'm so smart, too bad I can't get anything figured out
I'm so brave, too bad I'm a baby
I'm so fly, that's probably why it
Feels just like I'm falling for the first time
I'm so green, it's really amazing
I'm so clean, too bad I can't get all the dirt off of me.
I'm so sane, it's driving me crazy
It's so strange, I can't believe it
Feels just like I'm falling for the first time
Anyone perfect must be lying, anything easy has its cost
Anyone plain can be lovely, anyone loved can be lost
What if I lost my direction? What if I lost sense of time?
What if I nursed this infection? Maybe the worst is behind
It feels just like I'm falling for the first time
It feels just like I'm falling for the first time
I'm so chill, no wonder it's freezing
I'm so still, I just can't keep my fingers out of anything
I'm so thrilled to finally be failing
I'm so done, turn me over cause it
Feels just like I'm falling for the first time."
Miroku glanced specifically at Kagome and Inuyasha as he sang the bridge a second time.
"Anything plain can be lovely, anything loved can be lost
Maybe I lost my direction, what if our love is the cost?
Anyone perfect must be lying, anything easy has its cost
Anyone plain can be lovely, anyone loved can be lost
What if I lost my direction? What if I lost sense of time?
What if I nursed this infection? Maybe the worst is behind. . ."
Miroku strummed the final chords on the guitar and shook his long black bangs attractively away from his eyes. The crowd went absolutely wild, the girls screaming because he just had that allure. Sango eyed the screaming girls critically, wondering what made them feel the need to act so stupid. At the same time. . . with that gold light playing off his features, and the way his deep blue eyes seemed to lose their usual inner calmness. . . she shook her head and crossed her arms.
"He's good, isn't he?" Kagome asked with a grin. Sango shrugged skeptically.
"I suppose. He seems to play up his looks a lot. For the females." She nodded slightly, and Kagome couldn't help but giggle. De-nial.
The Criminals by Accident played a few more songs, all ones that were familiar or vaguely familiar. Inuyasha had sat down in the middle of the second song, looking hostile and annoyed. Sango wanted to join him, but felt it would be rude. On stage, Miroku was brought a stool and acoustic guitar, handing his electric one to one of the stagehands. The crowd quieted down as he sat, taking a sip of water and leaning into the mike again.
"This is a special song. . ." he began, a grin inspired by Sango- didn't-want-to-know-what crossing his face as some in the crowd began to laugh. "This song," he continued, "is for a special girl." At this, a fourth of the crowd was laughing outright. Sango rolled her eyes. "Sango?" Miroku asked into the microphone. Sango's eyes widened in fear as her mouth shrunk and a blush crept over her cheeks. Kagome groaned and prodded her friend.
"Go now, or he'll only embarrass you more." She stage whispered. Sango shook her head, refusing and trying to back up, but the crowd pushed her foreward.
"Come on up, gorgeous." Miroku grinned at her, shading his eyes from the spotlight. He deepened his voice. "I'm. . . waiting." By now the entire crowd was laughing, and someone had started to chant "Go to him". Sango's stomach knotted itself several times over and she wished that she could run. The fear was so bad that her battle senses were on high.
"What about last night, Sango?" Miroku asked and the entire crowd "oooh'd". Sango felt all the fear rush to her neck and turn instantly into anger. WHAT had he just said?? She flew towards the stage, leapt on with no assistance, and smacked him, hard, across the face. The crowd cheered as a red handprint formed itself on his cheek. Sango fumed and began to storm away, but Miroku had somehow snuck an arm around Sango's waist and was holding her tightly to the spot. He took the microphone away from his mouth and said quietly, "Anything to get you up here." Sango glared at him as she had never glared at anyone before.
"I am going to kill you." She said through clenched teeth. Miroku grinned.
"As long as I get to sing to you." Miroku turned back to the audience and grinned. "Fiesty, isn't she?" he asked. People laughed and Sango glared into the crowd, blushing at the same time. He would pay. Oh yes. He stood, offering Sango the stool. She took it readily. Miroku began playing a soft melody on the guitar and smiled. "For you," he said, halfway to the crowd and halfway to Sango. She scowled.
"You've got your ball you've got your chain, tied to me tight
tie me up again. Who's got their claws in you, my friend? Into your heart I'll beat again.
Sweet like candy to my soul, sweet you rock and sweet you roll
Lost for you I'm so lost for you. . . oh when you come
Crash into me
Now- baby and I come into you, I come into you
In a boy's dream, in a boy's dream
Touch your lips just so I know In your eyes, love, it glows so
I'm bare-boned and crazy for you
When you come crash into me, baby
And I come into you
In a boys dream
In a boys dream
If I've gone overboard then I'm begging you
to forgive me, oh, In my haste
When I'm holding you so girl... close to me
Oh and you come crash
into me"
Sango found, when the song was over, that Miroku, with that song, had weaved the entire audience and herself into some sort of spell. Miroku bowed to rabid clapping and cheering, and then he took Sango's hand, kissing it lightly.
"Thank you." He said, smiling gently. Sango eyed his face skeptically, and felt her resolve melt.
"Thank you." She hurried off the stage.
*~*~*
A/N: Considering that was 11 freakin' pages long, I decided to stop. This keeps happening, everything's getting so long and involved. . . I mean, the
shikon is still WHOLE, if that tells you anything.
Anyway.
Thanks to my loyal readers:
RK-128: A morning practice is coming up, but seeing how this story's going, I have no clue when that'll be. And then there's the that one scene that I can't WAIT to write. . . * cough * Well, I've gotta get cracking on
history. . . oi. Ok. Sorry this thank you sucks. Longer thank you next
time.
Koinu-no-ai: I'm glad the story is easy to read. If you look at my earlier
stories, they're all one massive paragraph. Uck. Thanks for the review.
Bluefuzzyelf: I'm so glad to have regulars like yourself. Arigato!
Rain angst: I had to look that up * cringe * but thanks.