A/N: Hey guys. Here's a third one. *sigh* yeah I know, when are ya
gonna finish the other ones? Well I couldn't continue them with out
getting this one out first. The idea just kept nagging me in the back
of the head until I got it out. But hopefully I'll be able to get back
to the other ones soon. Also please understand that writing is
something I do in my spare time and I don't have every minute of every
day to work on these. I do it for fun and because I like it. I
appreciate those who read and review; they help me a lot. Any ideas or
suggestions are welcome but no flamers. Thank you. ^_^
Disclaimer: Inu and co. do not belong to me, I'd love to say I do own those crazy characters but then again if I do, I get sued. Wouldn't that by nice to run by the parents? Lol.
~*~*~*~
FIGHTER'S HEART
Ch.1 Check out the cutie that just walked in through the door
~*~*~*~
Eighteen-year-old Kagome sat at the payment desk wearily and started looking through some recently filled out register forms by people wanting to join The Fighters'Arena. It's a well-known arena that was just past on to her when she turned eighteen four months ago. Her father owned it. It was his dream. He himself being a world champion boxer had retired when she was eight. He had just opened the arena but was killed a month later leaving his dream to herself, mother and little brother.
"God I'm so tired! And uh! I still have an exam to study for." She exclaimed. She pulled her ebony black hair loose from its binds and ran a hand through her silky tresses. Leaning back against her chair she let out a heavy sigh and covered her face with her hands. Stormy blue orbs peeked out between her fingers and stared at the pale ceiling. She listened to the sounds around her taking in the grunts, smacks, and heaving breathing of mostly male fighters around her. She could here some of the trainers yelling out commands or supportive comments to their pupils and if she concentrated hard enough she could almost pick up their musky scents.
The fighters' arena was where almost all the fighters of Tokyo and outside Tokyo Japan came to. From professionals to wannabes' to ages 6 and as old as they would come. The fighters' arena was the place for it all. It had grown a lot from when her father had died. It was in a four-story building where an insurance company used to be on the second story; a doctor's office in the third and the fourth was empty. The first was the one her father had bought to start the fighters' arena. After a while her mother had bought out one story after another with the not small but not huge fortune her father had left behind to support his family. Now the first floor was were all the fighting rings and most of the punching bags were. Second floor had been turned into a gym with all the equipment needed for working out. Third they had turned it into a place for classes. They had karate classes, grappling, beginners' boxing, kick boxing, and aerobics for the older folks.
It was a place she spent most of her time in since the beginning. Boxing was her main passion, which was followed by ballet. She remembered it was one of the things that an old friend of hers hated her doing. Even though she was extroardinary in both.
~*~Flashback~*~
"Is this where your going to be working from now on daddy?" Little Kagome asked looking around the huge dust infested room.
"Yep." He replied smiling down at his daughter as she eyed the room.
""So are you gonna put a ring in here daddy?" she asked.
He chuckled. "What's the fighters' arena with out a ring to fight in."
Her smile grew. "Wow! Does that mean me and Inuyasha can spar here pretty soon?" she asked excited.
"Sure."
~*~
"What's your problem?! I didn't do anything You big jerk!" she snapped at the silver hared nine-year-old in front of her.
He sputtered at the name but still managed a glare. "MY problem?! My problem is you and your stupid ballerina thing of yours! All you do is talk about ballet this and ballet that! It's taking over our time in the ring and your trading me in for pink tutus and slippers!"
She was a little surprised at his outburst. "I-I'm sorry I didn't k- know you...felt that way." she whispered while hanging her head in shame for treating her friend in such a way. She sniffled as she felt the tears.
He'd felt guilty the moment he heard her sniffle. "No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you." He whispered back before she hugged him.
~*~
She sighed. How long has it been since we last saw each other Inuyasha? Ten years, maybe more? It's been so long. We always used t fight inside and outside the ring. That is until 'he' returned. Everything changed after that didn't it? She quickly shook her head to get rid of the unwanted thoughts of her past and changed its course. Her arms moved from covering her face to resting on her forehead while she let out another sigh.
"Hey Kagome. You okay? You look stressed out." She heard. Sitting up straight she came face to face with a very sweaty, topless, smiling Koga. His cobalt eyes seemed to smile at her as well.
She smiled back weakly and shook her head slowly. "No, I'm fine, just really tired."
"I figured. You've been working really hard ever since you took over the business." He said grabbing the fluffy white towel that hung around his neck and started drying the sweat off his body.
"Yeah, last year of high school, the arena, and mom's been sick lately." She said. "I just took full ownership of the place only four months ago and already I'm stressed out. If I could just find some time to untwine myself and relax just once I know I'd be feeling a lot better."
He grinned fully this time. "Well, how about joining me tonight for some dinner and untwining?" he said giving her a hopeful grin knowing very well that it would most likely be a no from pas experience. He'd been after her for a while now. Being twenty-one and a well-known pro fighter, it was hard to find a good woman who knew about him and didn't see him as a love interest. Kagome was one of them and he liked her for being 'real'. He wasn't just after her for the chase because he knew that if she just give him a chance and go out with him she wouldn't be the kind of women after his money or fame or anything like that.
She sighed. "You know I can't. I have a lot of paper work to go through." It was an answer she gave him often. She knew he liked her and she had to admit she liked him too and thought he was pretty cute. But it just wasn't in that sense. He was a friend to her and she cherished that friendship. He's been around for a while and asked her out often enough. Sometimes she'd comply but would make it clear that it was on a friendly basis. He never forced anything or himself on her and she liked that about him and he also knew that if he did try something like that he wouldn't come out unscathed.
He sighed himself. "I know but I can hope right? You'll save a quick match for me before you close up?"
She smiled at her dark hared friend. "Sure, I can schedule in a quick round." She giggled at his boyish grin. "But you have to promise to go easy on a girl, okay?"
He gave a short bark of mock laughter. "If I'd ever go easy on YOU, the daughter of THE Jiro Higurashi, I'd be in a coma."
She laughed as she watched him walk back to one of several rings in the first floor. Koga always knew how to make her laugh or feel better. It reminded her of a certain silver haired friend of hers from way back when, but he had always done it unintentionally. She sighed again, but this time a little bit more determined than before and returned to her paper work. She had her own office to work in which was in the fourth floor that was also her current living space. She had decided to turn the fourth floor into her apartment a few months before her birthday. She loved it beyond all reason and it didn't cost her the time it took to drive to work. Before that she had been living in the shrine with her mother brother and ji-san. It was located half way across town in the more secluded and quite parts of town.
It was her mother's idea to have them buy out the fourth floor or I guess you could say the whole building itself since it was only four floors and they already owned the other three floors. Her four-teen- year-old brother practically lived there and begged every time he couldn't stay. Mainly because she had a bigger game collection of PS2 games than he did. She could do her paper work in her office but she preferred to stay in the ring level of the building. There was just something about it that she loved, attracted her to it, and always gave her good memories of her father. It was probably a genetic thing she shared with her father. But boxing ran in their blood and it was their passion.
Brushing away her thoughts. She picked up her pen and got to her paper work. Before she could jolt down anything she heard another voice coming from a distance yelling her way.
"Kagome! Kagome! Come quick!" she turned around to see her little brother Souta coming down the stairs in a speed he normally didn't use.
"What is it? What's wrong now?" she asked as he reached her.
He was heaving and out of breath. "Third-level..." gasp. "Shippou, Souten..." gasp. "Again."
She let out a sigh and rolled her eyes while mumbling under her breath. "Not again."
She jumped over the counter and ran towards the stairs where her brother followed close behind. She could have taken the small elevator on the other side of the room but in this situation the two said people would have knocked each other out by the time they got there. Quickly taking one flight of stairs after another she got up to the third floor and went into the grappling room. Not in any way to her surprise, there was seven-year-old Shippou pinned down by six-year-old Souten, the tomboy of the group.
"Shippou!" she barked. All heads snapped in her direction. Souten's brown eyes widened in shock at being caught by the owner trying to choke the life out of one of her fellow students. Shippou's green eyes sparkled with glee at seeing Souten's shocked ones. His grip around her wrists loosened as her grip around his neck loosened as well. He put on his best pout and forced out some fake tears and gave Kagome a feigned terrified expression.
"K-Kagome. Souten a-attacked m-me." he said purposely shoving Souten off harder than necessary and standing up.
"What?!" Souten snapped. She gave Shippou a darkened look and tightened her fists at her side.
"Shippou, what have I told you about lying?" Kagome gave him a pointed look and tapped her foot waiting for his answer.
He dropped his act knowing well enough that he wouldn't get anywhere and if he pushed her he'd get kicked out of the arena for a while. "Awe Kagome!" he whined. "She started it." He pointed at Souten who glared at him.
"I did not! I wouldn't have hit him if he hadn't pushed me into the equipment!"
"Well I wouldn't have pushed you into the equipment if you hadn't tried to trip me!"
"Well I wouldn't have tried to trip you if you..."
"Enough!" Kagome shouted. "Souten..."
The said girl stiffened. "Yes ma'am?"
"I want you to go find your brothers and stay with them for the remainder of your lesson, and tell them I would like to talk with them before leaving, understood?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good, now go and I don't want to hear another fight between you two ever again."
"Yes ma'am." She sighed and headed for the door but not before giving Shippou another death glare and dashing out.
Shippou grinned at the fact that she was getting yelled at first and not him. He smiled the entire time he watched her go. Pulled out of internally complementing himself by a shadow over lapping his figure he turned to come face to face with fierce stormy blue eyes. He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his carrot brown hair.
"Hehehe...Hey Kagome-sama." He said nervously. Now he was in for it.
"Shippou." She warned. He glanced around at his other class members and instructor for help but all seemed to be avoiding his gaze. He looked back at Kagome and gave her his most winning smile.
"I love you?" he suggested.
"Shippou!" she snapped. "This is your final warning. If you put yourself in another position as this I'm going to have to go to Keade's and ask her to take away your privilege of coming here."
He bowed his head in shame. He loved coming to the arena. He loved to do all the different types of martial arts and fighting they had here. If it weren't for the fact that he stayed in an orphanage he'd practically be living there. He'd met Kagome a year ago when he tried to escape the orphanage. Not that the orphanage was bad because it wasn't, Keade the caretaker was very nice and so were the other kids. But it left him feeling constricted especially since he was thrown in there right after the police found out he had no family to go to after his parents death. So he ran away to find his own freedom only to be cornered in an ally by a couple of thugs and nearly beaten to death then saved by Kagome. She was like a mother to him and he really did love her in such a way. He had cried so hard after he woke up and found out what happened. But she was there and let him cry on her even though he hadn't even known her name.
She sighed in her kneeled position in front of him. "Oh, Shippou I just don't want you to pick up the habit of fighter people for no reason..." she saw him look back up and about to give the obvious retort of 'it wasn't for no reason' but cut him off. "...OR silly reasons."
"I'm sorry Kagome-chan. I'll try harder, I promise but Souten is always saying she's way better than me and that she can whip my butt and she's always challenging me. What do you want me to do?" he questioned.
"Ignore her Shippou. You're going to have to do that. I'm serious this time. If another fight breaks out between you two again I'll be banding both of you two from here for a whole month."
His eyes grew large at the mention of how much time he'd have to spend away from his second home. It had been done before but never for a whole month. It had always gone from one to two weeks and this time she actually sounded serious about. "No, I promise I will not pick a fight with her ever again."
"Good, that's the Shippou I know." She smiled at him and gave him a hug. Taking his hand she turned back to the class and instructor. "I'm sorry Minamora, you may continue with your class. I'll be taking Shippou with Me." she said. The tall male instructor gave a huge sigh of relief and shook his head before going back to instructing his class while mumbling to himself to never pair those two up.
They walked down the stairs in a comfortable silence. Kagome had always had soft spot for the little boy beside her. Ever since the day she had saved him and held him in the hospital when he cried his eyes out. From what she knew he was the only one he'd ever opened up to after his parents' death. After he'd gotten back from the hospital she had gone and talked to the caretaker, Kaede, and they discussed away to prevent him from trying to run away and decided that letting him join the fighters' arena would distract him from all that's happened to him in such a short time.
He was a very skilled seven-year-old and a fast learner. She found that out about him from the very beginning and that he was very smart. If he could, he'd spend every minute of every day in the arena, he had said it himself. It was like he was glued to it. She even ended up convincing Kaede to let him spend the night on weekends when he didn't have any school. She loved him like a son and if it weren't for their very different appearances you'd say they were, from the way they acted around each other. He'd get into trouble she'd talk to him like any other mother would and he would constantly be by her side helping her when she needed it and looked up to her like any other son would their mother. She was very protective of him as well and trained him to defend himself at his request. She had thought about adopting Shippou as her own but figured she had just turned eighteen and it would be too much of a responsibility. As long as he stuck around and no one else had an interest in adopting him she could wait a couple of more years and then talk to him, find out what he wanted and maybe adopt him but for now it was just fun having him around.
They reached the first floor and she led him to her desk. "You wanna help me with some of my paper work?" she asked. He shook his head in agreement and followed her around the counter and pulled up a chair next to her.
"Okay, I'll sign the bottom of the paper and you put this approval stamp next to it okay?" she asked.
"Okay." He said and kept quiet for a moment. "Uh, Kagome...your not gonna take me back to the orphanage are you?" he asked worriedly.
She glanced at him as she passed the paper for him to stamp. "Of coarse not Shippou. It's Friday isn't it? If you want to stay the night you can." She said.
He let out a sigh of relief and she smiled. "Great! But uh... will I still be able to play video games with Souta?" he asked again.
She laughed. "Sure, if you take a shower first."
He gave her another glance after stamping the paper and putting it to the side. "Your not gonna punish me or anything? Are you even mad at me?" he questioned.
She gave him a tired smile and shook her head. "Shippou, I'm not mad at you or gonna punish you. I jus want you to know when it's right to pick a fight and when it's not okay?"
"Okay, Kagome. Thanks." he smiled back at her. She ruffled his hair and went back to her papers.
"Hey Kagome!" the said girl looked up to see her best friend since middle school and employee come her way. She smiled and put down her pen leaning back against her chair knowing that Sango had something to say and when she did it would take a while.
Sango gave them a simple smile and her violet eyes landed on the stack of papers on Kagome's desk. "Hey Kag I heard what happened up stairs." She said giving her head a quick nod towards Shippou who lowered his head to hide his blush.
"Yeah, well I think he'll know better from now on right, Shippou?" She stated more than asked. He just kept his head bowed.
"I see you still have a lot of paper work to go through." She said looking at the stack of papers on the counter.
Kagome let out an exhausted sigh. "Yeah and I think it'll probably have up till after hours."
"Do you want me to talk to her brothers'?" she asked referring to Souten.
"Could you? That would help a lot." She asked hopefully. "Those two always have something to complain about."
Sango shook her head. "I don't know why you don't just terminate their forms. Then we wouldn't have their whining butts here anymore. We don't need them. The business is more than productive."
"I know but Hiten (someone let me know if spelled that right.) Is one of the pros. I can't risk kicking him out. You know how he is. He's got enough power to go out there, get the press and try to bring the business down along with the good name of my father's. I can't let that happen no matter how much of an idiot he is."
Sango rolled her eyes. "You could at least throw out the Manten. His fat behind is constantly scaring off the women from the gym floor with his so-called 'charms'."
Kagome giggled. "Yes, he does seem to have a problem with finding himself a date doesn't he."
Sango scoffed. "The guy is twenty four and doesn't have hair on his head because he lost every strand when he was twelve. He won't stop asking me for advice on hair products."
The two girls glanced at each other and laughed. Sango shook her head. Sango had come under her mother's employment first and they had always worked together after school since middle school. Sango was nineteen and had already finished her last year of high school. After Kagome had the business passed on to her Sango became second in command. She ran the front counter that was more or less a mini store where the customers could buy things from energy bars, Gatorade, water, work out clothes, to weights, and it was also were they got information and forms to fill out for their desired class or just membership. Sango was a very active, energized person, who like most people there, loved anything with fighting. She also taught after noon kick boxing classes and morning aerobics to mostly elderly women who were just there to see if they could find themselves a 'young' man.
They stopped laughing when a very familiar shout came their way.
"Hey! Sango! Babe, can I get some service here?" Yousei, (his name means elf. I just named him that for fun. ^_^) one of the wannabes of the arena made it clear from the beginning that he had a thing for Sango and Sango had made it clear that she'd hang him if he ever came close.
Kagome surpressed a giggle when she heard her friend growl in the back of her throat at the one name she hated being called. Babe. She snapped around to face the annoying grin plastered on the tall blonde haired idiot standing at the front counter where all the supplies were sold.
She stomped over to the counter and gritted out a response. "Whadya need?"
The grin never leaving his face, he pulled out a dollar from his pocket and handed it to her. "Get me a water will ya babe."
Still grinding her teeth she turned around and grabbed a water bottle from its container and handed it to him with out saying a word. She took the dollar and stuck it in the cashing machine. The guy never left and just stood there staring at her. The longer he stared the angrier she got. He kept staring until she had lost it and snapped at him.
"What the hell do you want now!?"
"Woah, calm down babe. I just wanted to know if you wanted to go ..." he didn't get to finish before she yelled again.
"No!"
"But you didn't even let me finish asking you." He returned.
"No. It's always been NO and always will be NO. So unless you have something else to buy get back to your business."
"Sure, I love ya too babe." He said walking away with the same old stupid grin on his face.
She growled and mumbled an "Idiot" under her breath. She went back to where Kagome was and crossed her arms with a defiant huff. "I. Hate. Being. Called. Babe." She gritted out.
Kagome laughed. "Oh, come on Sango, just think of it as a complement." She suggested. The brown haired girl looked at her as if she was crazy.
"You're kidding right? The last thing I want is some guy thinking of me as nothing more than a woman who would need him to depend on. Plus he's just plain annoying and doesn't know how to take a hint." She said.
Suddenly Sango's attention had been taken completely away for a moment before she turned back to give her best friend a wide grin. "Check out the cutie that just walked in through the door." She whispered. All three of them turned towards the door with a quizzical look. Two figures walked in through the door. One a very handsome looking guy that looked around the age nineteen or twenty with vigilant magenta eyes. His hair a dark black in contrast with his dark blue shirt and fairly tanned skin. But he wasn't the one that caught Kagome's attention. It was the one next to him.
Sango looked back at her friend and was about to comment when she saw her friend stand up with a wide-eyed look filled with unreadable emotions. "Kagome?" she asked worriedly. Kagome didn't respond. She kept her gaze in the direction of the person that had walked in second.
"Kagome? What's wrong?" Shippou asked grabbing onto the hem of her shirt. She still didn't respond.
"I-Inuyasha?" she whispered. As if on queue the silver haired stranger turned to stare intently in her direction. Amber orbs locked onto stormy blue.
"K-Kagome?" she saw his lips lay out her name but didn't here a thing.
~*~Flashback~*~
"Inuyasha, Kagome! I want you two to be careful going to school okay?"
"Yes mom."
"Okay Mrs. Taisho."
~*~
"No way my dad's the better boxer."
"Get real Kagome, my dad has always been the better boxer."
"There's a reason why the call him zero time Jiro, Inuyasha."
"Yeah well there's a reason why they call my dad knock out Tai."
"What ever!"
"Feh!"
~*~
"Why do you have to do that stupid ballet thingie, again?"
"I don't HAVE to do it. It was my choice."
"Well it's a stupid choice."
"Children please just go outside and play or something."
"Kay, mom. It is not a stupid choice."
"I still don't get why you like that stupid dance thing any ways."
~*~
"Watch where you're punching!"
"I'm trying to get you on the head dogboy!"
"You need to work on your stance Inuyasha!"
"Shut up Sesshomaru!"
"Sesshomaru! Unless you want to get grounded keep quiet."
"Yes father."
"OW! Inuyasha! You didn't have to kick me so hard ya know."
"That was not hard. And don't be such a girl it was just a little kick."
"Yeah well this was just a..."
PUNCH!
"Why you...!"
"I got this round! Game over I win!"
~*~
Hey Inuyasha you coming over today?"
"Yeah sure. You still owe me a match right?"
"Definitely."
~*~
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"Where's your father?"
"He's in the office with Inuyasha's dad and mom."
"You and Inuyasha stay here, okay? I'll be right back."
~*~
"Jiro! Naraku broke out of jail!"
"WHAT!? What are you talking about Aikina."
"It's true Tai, we just heard it on the news.
"Izayoi, are you sure?"
"Yes we just heard he broke out."
"Get the kids."
~*~
"Let go of my daughter!"
"Daddy watch out he has a gun!"
POW!
"Jiro! NO!"
"Inuyasha come back!"
"Let go of Kagome!"
"AHHHH! Why you insubordinate whelp! You bit me!"
"Kagome! Inuyasha run! Aikina, Izayoi go with them to the car! Go run!"
"Dad!"
"You'll pay for that!"
POW!
"DAD!"
~*~
"Mommy? I miss daddy."
"I know sweetheart. But maybe we'll see him again someday."
"I still miss him so much. Inuyasha misses his daddy too. Why did both our daddies have to go away momma?"
~*~
"Mom says were moving and never coming back."
"Why can't you come back Inuyasha?"
"I don't know. She hasn't said a lot. Just that we won't be coming back."
"I don't want you to go Inu-kun."
"Me neither."
~*~
"We'll always be friends right Inuyasha?"
"Sure, friends for ever...... Kagome."
"I'll miss you so much."
"Me too."
"Bye."
"Bye."
~*~End Flashback~*
Gold eyes bore into hers and she stayed frozen on the spot. His silver hair pulled pack and tied at the nape.
"Inuyasha." she felt dizzy from the shock of it all and her vision blurred until it blacked out completely.
THUMP!
Shippou gasped. "Kagome! She fainted! Some one help her!"
~*~
A/N: How you guys like? Eh? Not bad for a third installment right? I have big plans for this one and don't worry I won't be forgetting about the other ones. I just couldn't seem to continue with the other ones with out getting this one out. For all you doggy ears fan. I'm sorry to say that Inu-kun will not be sporting his best feature. First of all I wanted it to be a no magic or youkai story which brought me to where I had to have an argument with myself on whether to leave him youkai or human. So I decided to compromise. No yuokai abilities or cute little fluffy doggy ears but he will be keeping the silver hair and golden eyes. I figured a lot of you would be mad if I didn't let him at least keep those two. I want there to be a sort of edginess to the story where if he were to get hurt there be no youkai ability to save him so this is a totally no magic story. The stories with the magic themes (to me at least) are starting to get boring. So this is gonna be my hand at none magic but don't worry, drama, fluff, Miroku a.k.a. hentai, action, and a lot more. Pairings is of coarse, kag/inu, san/miro, and ayam/kog (though I doubt I'll be workin much on them. And sess/rin.
Thank ums and review please! ^_^ Let me know what ya think.
Much love,
Brazil ^_^
Disclaimer: Inu and co. do not belong to me, I'd love to say I do own those crazy characters but then again if I do, I get sued. Wouldn't that by nice to run by the parents? Lol.
~*~*~*~
FIGHTER'S HEART
Ch.1 Check out the cutie that just walked in through the door
~*~*~*~
Eighteen-year-old Kagome sat at the payment desk wearily and started looking through some recently filled out register forms by people wanting to join The Fighters'Arena. It's a well-known arena that was just past on to her when she turned eighteen four months ago. Her father owned it. It was his dream. He himself being a world champion boxer had retired when she was eight. He had just opened the arena but was killed a month later leaving his dream to herself, mother and little brother.
"God I'm so tired! And uh! I still have an exam to study for." She exclaimed. She pulled her ebony black hair loose from its binds and ran a hand through her silky tresses. Leaning back against her chair she let out a heavy sigh and covered her face with her hands. Stormy blue orbs peeked out between her fingers and stared at the pale ceiling. She listened to the sounds around her taking in the grunts, smacks, and heaving breathing of mostly male fighters around her. She could here some of the trainers yelling out commands or supportive comments to their pupils and if she concentrated hard enough she could almost pick up their musky scents.
The fighters' arena was where almost all the fighters of Tokyo and outside Tokyo Japan came to. From professionals to wannabes' to ages 6 and as old as they would come. The fighters' arena was the place for it all. It had grown a lot from when her father had died. It was in a four-story building where an insurance company used to be on the second story; a doctor's office in the third and the fourth was empty. The first was the one her father had bought to start the fighters' arena. After a while her mother had bought out one story after another with the not small but not huge fortune her father had left behind to support his family. Now the first floor was were all the fighting rings and most of the punching bags were. Second floor had been turned into a gym with all the equipment needed for working out. Third they had turned it into a place for classes. They had karate classes, grappling, beginners' boxing, kick boxing, and aerobics for the older folks.
It was a place she spent most of her time in since the beginning. Boxing was her main passion, which was followed by ballet. She remembered it was one of the things that an old friend of hers hated her doing. Even though she was extroardinary in both.
~*~Flashback~*~
"Is this where your going to be working from now on daddy?" Little Kagome asked looking around the huge dust infested room.
"Yep." He replied smiling down at his daughter as she eyed the room.
""So are you gonna put a ring in here daddy?" she asked.
He chuckled. "What's the fighters' arena with out a ring to fight in."
Her smile grew. "Wow! Does that mean me and Inuyasha can spar here pretty soon?" she asked excited.
"Sure."
~*~
"What's your problem?! I didn't do anything You big jerk!" she snapped at the silver hared nine-year-old in front of her.
He sputtered at the name but still managed a glare. "MY problem?! My problem is you and your stupid ballerina thing of yours! All you do is talk about ballet this and ballet that! It's taking over our time in the ring and your trading me in for pink tutus and slippers!"
She was a little surprised at his outburst. "I-I'm sorry I didn't k- know you...felt that way." she whispered while hanging her head in shame for treating her friend in such a way. She sniffled as she felt the tears.
He'd felt guilty the moment he heard her sniffle. "No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you." He whispered back before she hugged him.
~*~
She sighed. How long has it been since we last saw each other Inuyasha? Ten years, maybe more? It's been so long. We always used t fight inside and outside the ring. That is until 'he' returned. Everything changed after that didn't it? She quickly shook her head to get rid of the unwanted thoughts of her past and changed its course. Her arms moved from covering her face to resting on her forehead while she let out another sigh.
"Hey Kagome. You okay? You look stressed out." She heard. Sitting up straight she came face to face with a very sweaty, topless, smiling Koga. His cobalt eyes seemed to smile at her as well.
She smiled back weakly and shook her head slowly. "No, I'm fine, just really tired."
"I figured. You've been working really hard ever since you took over the business." He said grabbing the fluffy white towel that hung around his neck and started drying the sweat off his body.
"Yeah, last year of high school, the arena, and mom's been sick lately." She said. "I just took full ownership of the place only four months ago and already I'm stressed out. If I could just find some time to untwine myself and relax just once I know I'd be feeling a lot better."
He grinned fully this time. "Well, how about joining me tonight for some dinner and untwining?" he said giving her a hopeful grin knowing very well that it would most likely be a no from pas experience. He'd been after her for a while now. Being twenty-one and a well-known pro fighter, it was hard to find a good woman who knew about him and didn't see him as a love interest. Kagome was one of them and he liked her for being 'real'. He wasn't just after her for the chase because he knew that if she just give him a chance and go out with him she wouldn't be the kind of women after his money or fame or anything like that.
She sighed. "You know I can't. I have a lot of paper work to go through." It was an answer she gave him often. She knew he liked her and she had to admit she liked him too and thought he was pretty cute. But it just wasn't in that sense. He was a friend to her and she cherished that friendship. He's been around for a while and asked her out often enough. Sometimes she'd comply but would make it clear that it was on a friendly basis. He never forced anything or himself on her and she liked that about him and he also knew that if he did try something like that he wouldn't come out unscathed.
He sighed himself. "I know but I can hope right? You'll save a quick match for me before you close up?"
She smiled at her dark hared friend. "Sure, I can schedule in a quick round." She giggled at his boyish grin. "But you have to promise to go easy on a girl, okay?"
He gave a short bark of mock laughter. "If I'd ever go easy on YOU, the daughter of THE Jiro Higurashi, I'd be in a coma."
She laughed as she watched him walk back to one of several rings in the first floor. Koga always knew how to make her laugh or feel better. It reminded her of a certain silver haired friend of hers from way back when, but he had always done it unintentionally. She sighed again, but this time a little bit more determined than before and returned to her paper work. She had her own office to work in which was in the fourth floor that was also her current living space. She had decided to turn the fourth floor into her apartment a few months before her birthday. She loved it beyond all reason and it didn't cost her the time it took to drive to work. Before that she had been living in the shrine with her mother brother and ji-san. It was located half way across town in the more secluded and quite parts of town.
It was her mother's idea to have them buy out the fourth floor or I guess you could say the whole building itself since it was only four floors and they already owned the other three floors. Her four-teen- year-old brother practically lived there and begged every time he couldn't stay. Mainly because she had a bigger game collection of PS2 games than he did. She could do her paper work in her office but she preferred to stay in the ring level of the building. There was just something about it that she loved, attracted her to it, and always gave her good memories of her father. It was probably a genetic thing she shared with her father. But boxing ran in their blood and it was their passion.
Brushing away her thoughts. She picked up her pen and got to her paper work. Before she could jolt down anything she heard another voice coming from a distance yelling her way.
"Kagome! Kagome! Come quick!" she turned around to see her little brother Souta coming down the stairs in a speed he normally didn't use.
"What is it? What's wrong now?" she asked as he reached her.
He was heaving and out of breath. "Third-level..." gasp. "Shippou, Souten..." gasp. "Again."
She let out a sigh and rolled her eyes while mumbling under her breath. "Not again."
She jumped over the counter and ran towards the stairs where her brother followed close behind. She could have taken the small elevator on the other side of the room but in this situation the two said people would have knocked each other out by the time they got there. Quickly taking one flight of stairs after another she got up to the third floor and went into the grappling room. Not in any way to her surprise, there was seven-year-old Shippou pinned down by six-year-old Souten, the tomboy of the group.
"Shippou!" she barked. All heads snapped in her direction. Souten's brown eyes widened in shock at being caught by the owner trying to choke the life out of one of her fellow students. Shippou's green eyes sparkled with glee at seeing Souten's shocked ones. His grip around her wrists loosened as her grip around his neck loosened as well. He put on his best pout and forced out some fake tears and gave Kagome a feigned terrified expression.
"K-Kagome. Souten a-attacked m-me." he said purposely shoving Souten off harder than necessary and standing up.
"What?!" Souten snapped. She gave Shippou a darkened look and tightened her fists at her side.
"Shippou, what have I told you about lying?" Kagome gave him a pointed look and tapped her foot waiting for his answer.
He dropped his act knowing well enough that he wouldn't get anywhere and if he pushed her he'd get kicked out of the arena for a while. "Awe Kagome!" he whined. "She started it." He pointed at Souten who glared at him.
"I did not! I wouldn't have hit him if he hadn't pushed me into the equipment!"
"Well I wouldn't have pushed you into the equipment if you hadn't tried to trip me!"
"Well I wouldn't have tried to trip you if you..."
"Enough!" Kagome shouted. "Souten..."
The said girl stiffened. "Yes ma'am?"
"I want you to go find your brothers and stay with them for the remainder of your lesson, and tell them I would like to talk with them before leaving, understood?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good, now go and I don't want to hear another fight between you two ever again."
"Yes ma'am." She sighed and headed for the door but not before giving Shippou another death glare and dashing out.
Shippou grinned at the fact that she was getting yelled at first and not him. He smiled the entire time he watched her go. Pulled out of internally complementing himself by a shadow over lapping his figure he turned to come face to face with fierce stormy blue eyes. He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his carrot brown hair.
"Hehehe...Hey Kagome-sama." He said nervously. Now he was in for it.
"Shippou." She warned. He glanced around at his other class members and instructor for help but all seemed to be avoiding his gaze. He looked back at Kagome and gave her his most winning smile.
"I love you?" he suggested.
"Shippou!" she snapped. "This is your final warning. If you put yourself in another position as this I'm going to have to go to Keade's and ask her to take away your privilege of coming here."
He bowed his head in shame. He loved coming to the arena. He loved to do all the different types of martial arts and fighting they had here. If it weren't for the fact that he stayed in an orphanage he'd practically be living there. He'd met Kagome a year ago when he tried to escape the orphanage. Not that the orphanage was bad because it wasn't, Keade the caretaker was very nice and so were the other kids. But it left him feeling constricted especially since he was thrown in there right after the police found out he had no family to go to after his parents death. So he ran away to find his own freedom only to be cornered in an ally by a couple of thugs and nearly beaten to death then saved by Kagome. She was like a mother to him and he really did love her in such a way. He had cried so hard after he woke up and found out what happened. But she was there and let him cry on her even though he hadn't even known her name.
She sighed in her kneeled position in front of him. "Oh, Shippou I just don't want you to pick up the habit of fighter people for no reason..." she saw him look back up and about to give the obvious retort of 'it wasn't for no reason' but cut him off. "...OR silly reasons."
"I'm sorry Kagome-chan. I'll try harder, I promise but Souten is always saying she's way better than me and that she can whip my butt and she's always challenging me. What do you want me to do?" he questioned.
"Ignore her Shippou. You're going to have to do that. I'm serious this time. If another fight breaks out between you two again I'll be banding both of you two from here for a whole month."
His eyes grew large at the mention of how much time he'd have to spend away from his second home. It had been done before but never for a whole month. It had always gone from one to two weeks and this time she actually sounded serious about. "No, I promise I will not pick a fight with her ever again."
"Good, that's the Shippou I know." She smiled at him and gave him a hug. Taking his hand she turned back to the class and instructor. "I'm sorry Minamora, you may continue with your class. I'll be taking Shippou with Me." she said. The tall male instructor gave a huge sigh of relief and shook his head before going back to instructing his class while mumbling to himself to never pair those two up.
They walked down the stairs in a comfortable silence. Kagome had always had soft spot for the little boy beside her. Ever since the day she had saved him and held him in the hospital when he cried his eyes out. From what she knew he was the only one he'd ever opened up to after his parents' death. After he'd gotten back from the hospital she had gone and talked to the caretaker, Kaede, and they discussed away to prevent him from trying to run away and decided that letting him join the fighters' arena would distract him from all that's happened to him in such a short time.
He was a very skilled seven-year-old and a fast learner. She found that out about him from the very beginning and that he was very smart. If he could, he'd spend every minute of every day in the arena, he had said it himself. It was like he was glued to it. She even ended up convincing Kaede to let him spend the night on weekends when he didn't have any school. She loved him like a son and if it weren't for their very different appearances you'd say they were, from the way they acted around each other. He'd get into trouble she'd talk to him like any other mother would and he would constantly be by her side helping her when she needed it and looked up to her like any other son would their mother. She was very protective of him as well and trained him to defend himself at his request. She had thought about adopting Shippou as her own but figured she had just turned eighteen and it would be too much of a responsibility. As long as he stuck around and no one else had an interest in adopting him she could wait a couple of more years and then talk to him, find out what he wanted and maybe adopt him but for now it was just fun having him around.
They reached the first floor and she led him to her desk. "You wanna help me with some of my paper work?" she asked. He shook his head in agreement and followed her around the counter and pulled up a chair next to her.
"Okay, I'll sign the bottom of the paper and you put this approval stamp next to it okay?" she asked.
"Okay." He said and kept quiet for a moment. "Uh, Kagome...your not gonna take me back to the orphanage are you?" he asked worriedly.
She glanced at him as she passed the paper for him to stamp. "Of coarse not Shippou. It's Friday isn't it? If you want to stay the night you can." She said.
He let out a sigh of relief and she smiled. "Great! But uh... will I still be able to play video games with Souta?" he asked again.
She laughed. "Sure, if you take a shower first."
He gave her another glance after stamping the paper and putting it to the side. "Your not gonna punish me or anything? Are you even mad at me?" he questioned.
She gave him a tired smile and shook her head. "Shippou, I'm not mad at you or gonna punish you. I jus want you to know when it's right to pick a fight and when it's not okay?"
"Okay, Kagome. Thanks." he smiled back at her. She ruffled his hair and went back to her papers.
"Hey Kagome!" the said girl looked up to see her best friend since middle school and employee come her way. She smiled and put down her pen leaning back against her chair knowing that Sango had something to say and when she did it would take a while.
Sango gave them a simple smile and her violet eyes landed on the stack of papers on Kagome's desk. "Hey Kag I heard what happened up stairs." She said giving her head a quick nod towards Shippou who lowered his head to hide his blush.
"Yeah, well I think he'll know better from now on right, Shippou?" She stated more than asked. He just kept his head bowed.
"I see you still have a lot of paper work to go through." She said looking at the stack of papers on the counter.
Kagome let out an exhausted sigh. "Yeah and I think it'll probably have up till after hours."
"Do you want me to talk to her brothers'?" she asked referring to Souten.
"Could you? That would help a lot." She asked hopefully. "Those two always have something to complain about."
Sango shook her head. "I don't know why you don't just terminate their forms. Then we wouldn't have their whining butts here anymore. We don't need them. The business is more than productive."
"I know but Hiten (someone let me know if spelled that right.) Is one of the pros. I can't risk kicking him out. You know how he is. He's got enough power to go out there, get the press and try to bring the business down along with the good name of my father's. I can't let that happen no matter how much of an idiot he is."
Sango rolled her eyes. "You could at least throw out the Manten. His fat behind is constantly scaring off the women from the gym floor with his so-called 'charms'."
Kagome giggled. "Yes, he does seem to have a problem with finding himself a date doesn't he."
Sango scoffed. "The guy is twenty four and doesn't have hair on his head because he lost every strand when he was twelve. He won't stop asking me for advice on hair products."
The two girls glanced at each other and laughed. Sango shook her head. Sango had come under her mother's employment first and they had always worked together after school since middle school. Sango was nineteen and had already finished her last year of high school. After Kagome had the business passed on to her Sango became second in command. She ran the front counter that was more or less a mini store where the customers could buy things from energy bars, Gatorade, water, work out clothes, to weights, and it was also were they got information and forms to fill out for their desired class or just membership. Sango was a very active, energized person, who like most people there, loved anything with fighting. She also taught after noon kick boxing classes and morning aerobics to mostly elderly women who were just there to see if they could find themselves a 'young' man.
They stopped laughing when a very familiar shout came their way.
"Hey! Sango! Babe, can I get some service here?" Yousei, (his name means elf. I just named him that for fun. ^_^) one of the wannabes of the arena made it clear from the beginning that he had a thing for Sango and Sango had made it clear that she'd hang him if he ever came close.
Kagome surpressed a giggle when she heard her friend growl in the back of her throat at the one name she hated being called. Babe. She snapped around to face the annoying grin plastered on the tall blonde haired idiot standing at the front counter where all the supplies were sold.
She stomped over to the counter and gritted out a response. "Whadya need?"
The grin never leaving his face, he pulled out a dollar from his pocket and handed it to her. "Get me a water will ya babe."
Still grinding her teeth she turned around and grabbed a water bottle from its container and handed it to him with out saying a word. She took the dollar and stuck it in the cashing machine. The guy never left and just stood there staring at her. The longer he stared the angrier she got. He kept staring until she had lost it and snapped at him.
"What the hell do you want now!?"
"Woah, calm down babe. I just wanted to know if you wanted to go ..." he didn't get to finish before she yelled again.
"No!"
"But you didn't even let me finish asking you." He returned.
"No. It's always been NO and always will be NO. So unless you have something else to buy get back to your business."
"Sure, I love ya too babe." He said walking away with the same old stupid grin on his face.
She growled and mumbled an "Idiot" under her breath. She went back to where Kagome was and crossed her arms with a defiant huff. "I. Hate. Being. Called. Babe." She gritted out.
Kagome laughed. "Oh, come on Sango, just think of it as a complement." She suggested. The brown haired girl looked at her as if she was crazy.
"You're kidding right? The last thing I want is some guy thinking of me as nothing more than a woman who would need him to depend on. Plus he's just plain annoying and doesn't know how to take a hint." She said.
Suddenly Sango's attention had been taken completely away for a moment before she turned back to give her best friend a wide grin. "Check out the cutie that just walked in through the door." She whispered. All three of them turned towards the door with a quizzical look. Two figures walked in through the door. One a very handsome looking guy that looked around the age nineteen or twenty with vigilant magenta eyes. His hair a dark black in contrast with his dark blue shirt and fairly tanned skin. But he wasn't the one that caught Kagome's attention. It was the one next to him.
Sango looked back at her friend and was about to comment when she saw her friend stand up with a wide-eyed look filled with unreadable emotions. "Kagome?" she asked worriedly. Kagome didn't respond. She kept her gaze in the direction of the person that had walked in second.
"Kagome? What's wrong?" Shippou asked grabbing onto the hem of her shirt. She still didn't respond.
"I-Inuyasha?" she whispered. As if on queue the silver haired stranger turned to stare intently in her direction. Amber orbs locked onto stormy blue.
"K-Kagome?" she saw his lips lay out her name but didn't here a thing.
~*~Flashback~*~
"Inuyasha, Kagome! I want you two to be careful going to school okay?"
"Yes mom."
"Okay Mrs. Taisho."
~*~
"No way my dad's the better boxer."
"Get real Kagome, my dad has always been the better boxer."
"There's a reason why the call him zero time Jiro, Inuyasha."
"Yeah well there's a reason why they call my dad knock out Tai."
"What ever!"
"Feh!"
~*~
"Why do you have to do that stupid ballet thingie, again?"
"I don't HAVE to do it. It was my choice."
"Well it's a stupid choice."
"Children please just go outside and play or something."
"Kay, mom. It is not a stupid choice."
"I still don't get why you like that stupid dance thing any ways."
~*~
"Watch where you're punching!"
"I'm trying to get you on the head dogboy!"
"You need to work on your stance Inuyasha!"
"Shut up Sesshomaru!"
"Sesshomaru! Unless you want to get grounded keep quiet."
"Yes father."
"OW! Inuyasha! You didn't have to kick me so hard ya know."
"That was not hard. And don't be such a girl it was just a little kick."
"Yeah well this was just a..."
PUNCH!
"Why you...!"
"I got this round! Game over I win!"
~*~
Hey Inuyasha you coming over today?"
"Yeah sure. You still owe me a match right?"
"Definitely."
~*~
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"Where's your father?"
"He's in the office with Inuyasha's dad and mom."
"You and Inuyasha stay here, okay? I'll be right back."
~*~
"Jiro! Naraku broke out of jail!"
"WHAT!? What are you talking about Aikina."
"It's true Tai, we just heard it on the news.
"Izayoi, are you sure?"
"Yes we just heard he broke out."
"Get the kids."
~*~
"Let go of my daughter!"
"Daddy watch out he has a gun!"
POW!
"Jiro! NO!"
"Inuyasha come back!"
"Let go of Kagome!"
"AHHHH! Why you insubordinate whelp! You bit me!"
"Kagome! Inuyasha run! Aikina, Izayoi go with them to the car! Go run!"
"Dad!"
"You'll pay for that!"
POW!
"DAD!"
~*~
"Mommy? I miss daddy."
"I know sweetheart. But maybe we'll see him again someday."
"I still miss him so much. Inuyasha misses his daddy too. Why did both our daddies have to go away momma?"
~*~
"Mom says were moving and never coming back."
"Why can't you come back Inuyasha?"
"I don't know. She hasn't said a lot. Just that we won't be coming back."
"I don't want you to go Inu-kun."
"Me neither."
~*~
"We'll always be friends right Inuyasha?"
"Sure, friends for ever...... Kagome."
"I'll miss you so much."
"Me too."
"Bye."
"Bye."
~*~End Flashback~*
Gold eyes bore into hers and she stayed frozen on the spot. His silver hair pulled pack and tied at the nape.
"Inuyasha." she felt dizzy from the shock of it all and her vision blurred until it blacked out completely.
THUMP!
Shippou gasped. "Kagome! She fainted! Some one help her!"
~*~
A/N: How you guys like? Eh? Not bad for a third installment right? I have big plans for this one and don't worry I won't be forgetting about the other ones. I just couldn't seem to continue with the other ones with out getting this one out. For all you doggy ears fan. I'm sorry to say that Inu-kun will not be sporting his best feature. First of all I wanted it to be a no magic or youkai story which brought me to where I had to have an argument with myself on whether to leave him youkai or human. So I decided to compromise. No yuokai abilities or cute little fluffy doggy ears but he will be keeping the silver hair and golden eyes. I figured a lot of you would be mad if I didn't let him at least keep those two. I want there to be a sort of edginess to the story where if he were to get hurt there be no youkai ability to save him so this is a totally no magic story. The stories with the magic themes (to me at least) are starting to get boring. So this is gonna be my hand at none magic but don't worry, drama, fluff, Miroku a.k.a. hentai, action, and a lot more. Pairings is of coarse, kag/inu, san/miro, and ayam/kog (though I doubt I'll be workin much on them. And sess/rin.
Thank ums and review please! ^_^ Let me know what ya think.
Much love,
Brazil ^_^