Chapter Six!
I updated quick! Maybe I'm being like Pline and getting un-lazy?
Yeah, sure, and Inuyasha's a radiant little bowl of sunshine...
'Ships: Kagome/Inuyasha, Sango/Miroku
Chapter Title: Romeo and Juliet
Chapter Teaser: Inuyasha, hearing her voice, instantly felt warmed inside. Surprisingly, he ignored the "idiot" half of his brain (for once) and went with that hidden (way deep down) romantic-like charm. Whereas, the "idiot" half seemed to mock his decision. (He has confusing thoughts, doesn't he?)
Notes: "words"- means speaking; 'words'- means thinking; italics- emphasis on words
Dedication: To my 3 Favorite Inuyasha writers: Rozefire, Rogue Pryde and Pline. Thanks you guys!
Disclaimer: I don't own him, her, or them. I don't even own the awesome ending theme music. Well, I own a CD with all of them on it, but technically I don't own the songs...lol
Chapter Six: Romeo and JulietKagome sat in her room, thinking. Inuyasha's words were ringing through her ears.
-- "Fine, then. Get yourself assassinated." --
Had there been some hidden clue there? Was someone really out to get her? Was he out to get her? Or worse, her father? 'And now that Miroku has a, well, somewhat of a friend...will I only have Sango? Will Sango even stick around if Miroku goes places with Inuyasha? Or will she trail around to keep Miroku's wandering hands from doing just that? And Shippo...?' She then remembered Shippo was downstairs in the kitchen, begging for food. 'He'd choose food over me any day.' She thought to herself.
Her fingers itched to close around a familiar object. But she couldn't really risk it. She stared at her arms. There were scars lining her forearms, here and there, scattered haphazardly, some dangerously close to the noticeable vein in her wrists. The scars had nearly faded; more recent ones were tinted a reddish-pink, while others shone an ominous-looking white, and others only she could see. The reason she could see the ones that had disappeared or nearly disappeared was because she knew where to find them... because she inflicted them.
She flopped down on her bed, letting an agitated groan escape her. She felt the need, the dire urge to bring the blade to her skin, to punish herself for being so worthless. Stress became her mortal enemy during this Presidential duration, while a box of razor blades found in an old storage room proved to be her closest friends. Ones that were there all the time, simply waiting. Once in a while, when the "method of self-release" as she so called it, had been halted for a long duration of time, she often found herself within eyesight of a blade. And it sat there, more than likely within arm's reach, mocking her, daring her to pick it up. The sharp objects brought comfort, but they were also there to administer punishments when needed. She felt as if she needed a punishment now, though not sure as to why.
Kagome willed her thoughts to be gone. It wasn't the fact that she had done it many times before that scared her about it. The scars close to her veins didn't even scare her that much. What scared her was her ability to think about it rationally, envision it so calmly, as if it were an everyday thing, such as taking out the trash.
The breeze blew through her balcony doors, which were ajar. It was a warm summer night, crickets chirping, leaves rustling, a voice speaking...
Wait a minute...a voice!
'That's strange,' She thought to herself, sitting up on her bed. Edging towards the balcony, she heard movement below. Then she heard a soft voice (carried nonetheless by the wind) recite a line from a play she loved. A play she had tried out for in her high school last year, before her parents hired a tutor. A play where some girl named Kikyo got the lead. Kagome was the understudy, but also an extra; an extra that had to get killed in a fight scene, with a plastic sword, and a packet of ketchup for blood. 'Cheap school plays...' Kagome resented the fact that she lost the part and after Opening Night, had punished herself dearly for not being good enough. When the voice spoke, Kagome instantly had the entire play flooding back into her memory...
"Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou Romeo?"
It struck her odd to hear a boy's voice speak the line, especially one filled with humor, as if he had remembered a funny memory concerning the line. But, she transpired, in Shakespeare's day, the men played all the parts, for the women were not allowed onstage. 'Who could it be?' she wondered. Miroku was the first name that popped into her head, but she doubted he read Shakespeare. In fact, the last book she saw him with had something to do with "The World's Greatest Pickup Lines" and "How Not to Get Burned". Inspired, but wanting to remain unseen, (whether it was Miroku or not) Kagome hid behind the pink curtains and let her own voice be carried by the wind. She spoke with emotion, that which Kikyo had lacked when reciting the lines.
"Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet."
She surprised herself by remembering the entire line and listened anxiously for "Romeo's" response, still pondering exactly who it was...
Inuyasha, hearing her voice, instantly felt warmed inside. Surprisingly, he ignored the "idiot" half of his brain (for once) and went with that hidden (way deep down) romantic-like charm. Whereas, the "idiot" half seemed to mock his decision. (He has confusing thoughts, doesn't he?)
Her balcony was the one in the middle of the rotunda, right in the middle of the six columns, in the back of the White House. (you know, the rounded part they show in movies and such) He noticed ivy wrapped around one of the columns beside her balcony. An interesting idea crept into his head and he took a running leap, clutching on to the vines. He was also struggling to remember the rest of the lines from this scene. 'Why didn't I pay attention in Literature?' He thought angrily. Then getting sidetracked, he looked at the ivy. 'I hope this isn't poison...' Inuyasha struggled to remember the rest of Juliet's line...but it just wasn't coming to him. He did, however, remember that Romeo spoke to himself at this point. He started speaking, slightly louder that Romeo would, so that "Juliet" could hear.
"Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?"
Kagome, it seemed, could recite this scene with amazing clarity and feeling.
"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man.
O, be some other name! What's in a name?
That which we call a rose,
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title.
Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself."
'Yes, you would smell as sweet.' He thought, inhaling as he closed his eyes, taking in her soft scent from a distance. It smelled like roses mixed with a sweet crisp scent of rain. Inuyasha climbed higher up the column, (which was surprisingly easy to climb) but he was still only halfway up when he remembered Romeo spoke again. He was a little glad he seemed to have paid a tiny bit of attention in Literature...
"I take thee at thy...word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth I'll never be Romeo."
Kagome was now very curious as to who her mystery Romeo was. She pondered this as she spoke the next line, moving about her room as if on stage. She only wished she had on an elegant gown like Juliet.
"What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night So stumblest on my counsel?"
She waited for him to speak again...refusing, however, to believe that she was enjoying herself. Though, without her say, his voice seemed to capture her hearing, as well as her heart, and she listened intently to his voice, trying to recognize it...
Inuyasha could actually make a connection with the next lines and how it pertained to their very predicament. 'Irony.' He thought to himself, as he carefully tried to place the next few lines.
"By a name
I know not how to tell yo-thee who I am:
My name, dear... girl, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an...enemy... to thee;
Had it been written, I would tear the words."
He seemed to have forgotten part of it halfway through and improvised. It angered him that he didn't have it quite memorized like Kagome did. He climbed higher up the pole, itching to get closer to her.
'Waiiiit a minute...' His brain seemed to screech to a halt, as if he pulleda brake. In result, he slid down the pole a little.
'I'm supposed to be getting close to her, not reciting doomed plays.'
Another voice seemed to argue that point, 'That is a form of getting close to her, you idiot. She knows the play...There's a start to conversation. Flow with it. Worry about the fact that you like her later.'
'Yeah, okay...' The first voice seemed to agree, until the words sunk in, 'Hey! I do not like her!'
Kagome suddenly realized that she recognized that voice. She had heard it replayed in her mind over and over again. A shocked hand came to her mouth. She decided to change the words in the next few lines, to see if she was right.
"My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words
Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the sound:
Art thou not... Inuyasha and a Hanyou?"
A shock ran through him so quickly, he thought he might fall off the pole. He knew the game was up and he should admit that it was him. But he found himself wondering if Kagome had wanted him to be caught off-guard, or that she simply took a guess. Either way, he found himself saying another line from the play, this time, with full honesty.
"Neither, fair Kagome, if either thee dislike."
Kagome blushed for three reasons. One, he had called her 'fair'. Two, he had just spent a good half an hour or so with her, directly and indirectly quoting Shakespeare. Three, she had a tiny crush on him, no matter how egotistical he seemed to be. In a rush, she ran out to her balcony to find a silver-haired, doggie-eared Romeo climbing over the rail.
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"Do you understand the plan, Sesshomaru?" Naraku asked the demon.
"Yes." He answered, his voice emotionless.
"Then replay it back to me." Naraku ordered.
"I sneak onto the White House grounds, armed, find Kagome's balcony, get to it and shoot her. Thus causing the first assassination of a First Daughter."
"Very good. Now carry it out."
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"Miroku! You want to do what?" Sango nearly yelled.
"Shh! Sango," Miroku whispered, trying to quiet the girl leaning against the refrigerator in the kitchens. Shippo bounced around their feet, begging for nonexistent food.
"I want to set up Inuyasha and Kagome, but I need your help! I know he likes her!"
Sango looked into those violet eyes, all set to reply with a scathing, "No way!" But she found she couldn't do it. His eyes were begging her not to say no, and she obeyed. She couldn't help it, she smiled.
"Okay. But only because I think Kagome likes him too."
"We have to get them together soon, though, before something or someone tries to break them apart..." He replied, a worried tone to his voice.
If only Miroku had known how right he would be...
For no one noticed Sesshomaru on the White House grounds, feet away from Kagome's balcony, a gun in his hand.
Update coming soon!
Please review!
And...
To the three people who reviewed before I decided to post early:
Pline: Ego-yasha. I can't believe I haven't seen that anywhere...it's so perfect. Um, left ya hanging again...sorry! I was caught up watching Inuyasha, so it took a while for me to actually post.
InuGoddess: --dazed, extremely wide-eyed look of shock--
That has to be, by far,one of the best reviews I have ever received...As a reward, I went and reviewed your story too!
daniel-gudman: I wondered why that sounded weird after I wrote it...I didn't think much about it, but now I see what you mean. Yeah, the point is no one wanted to vote for him, I wouldn't even vote for him (even if I was old enough) but that's before Inu's dad got in this election. (Revised when I edited on 7/21/05)