Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this piece. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?
4. Practice Makes...Well, Almost Perfect?
"Guys, what're we going to do? I'm starting to think she's serious about this." Sango looked across the table. It was Wednesday afternoon and she, Miroku, and Inuyasha had gone to an ice cream parlour for some post-dance snacks.
"Seriously," agreed Miroku. "I mean, eating ice cream is so much more boring when there is no Kagome to watch, right Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha glanced up. "Keh, like I care," he said. "At least this way we don't have to look at her appalling clothing choices."
"Or other people don't," said Miroku, poking a friendly elbow into the other teenager's side. "We all saw the way you looked at that poor waiter who was admiring the...ahem...neckline of Kagome's shirt the other day. If a look could rip somebody's eyeballs out, that boy would have been spending the rest of his life being called "Mr. Cyclops" and parking in all the good spaces."
Inuyasha raised one disdainful eyebrow. "Excuse me?" He said.
Miroku turned to Sango, "Always playing innocent." He shook his head.
"Yes, yes, right, right." Sango shook her head impatiently, before leaning in on the table. "You guys, I'm serious about this. I think she really is going to try to make it into the competition."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with that," said Miroku.
"Except that she's can be so crazy competitive. Seriously, I've hardly even seen her since Kaede mentioned it and Kikyo challenged her." Sango sighed. "I mean, all that practicing can't be healthy. And who knows what Kikyo keeps whispering at her every time she passes by."
Hmm. Inuyasha thought back to their dance class earlier. Now that he thought about it, he had seen Kagome behave rather oddly a couple times, both of which were right after Kikyo had walked past her.
"I just have a bad feeling about it," Sango finished. "And the tryouts are at the beginning of next week."
Inuyasha stared at his triple-mocha sundae with whipped cream. Now that Sango mentioned it, he was starting to have a bad feeling about it as well. But after all, it was a dance competition, how fierce could it get?
Miroku shrugged at Sango, "Look, if she doesn't calm down by the end of this week, then we'll figure something out, okay?"
Sango sighed. "I guess that's all we can do." She spooned up some sauce.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Kagome shook her head, irritated with herself. Every class now, she stayed after for more practicing. She had also started up a morning work out routine, and on days when they didn't have classes, she had another, even bigger routine that she went through. It still wasn't enough though. She still lacked flexibility. Her hands tightened into fists.
"I don't think that's one of the accepted hand positions," a male voice called from just inside the door.
Kagome jumped, then whirled to face the speaker. "Inuyasha," she
gasped, "You scared me!" She looked around her for something to
throw (it was always her instinct to throw things when she was
startled, or angry, or depressed, or just plain w
hen there were things to throw around her), but saw nothing within reach.
"What're you doing here?" she studied him. He was leaning against the door with a casual air, dressed in his street clothes.
"Not much," he said. "But it just happens that Miroku and I were considering entering this competition. And Sango too, of course, so I came to see how your practicing was getting on."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. We figured you would hate to be the only one who's not in it, so I thought I should check up on you."
A soft grinding noise emanated from the region of Kagome's mouth. Was he patronizing her? "What makes you so sure that you'll get in?" she called.
"Well," Inuyasha leaned into the room a little, "As Kikyo would put it, I'm a natural." He flashed a set of even white teeth.
The grinding noise got louder as Kagome's molars met together again. "Dammit, Inu..." She started to yell, only to find that he had left the room.
"Pompous, arrogant, son of a ..." she was still muttering an hour later as she was on her way home. "I don't know where he gets that nerve of his...as if I were the one we need to worry about...questioning my ability...unbelievable, that's all I'm saying. And pretty damn insulting too!" She finished up with a shout.
"Umm, Kagome?"
Kagome spun abruptly as she felt the touch of a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, it's just you," she let out a sigh of relief.
"Yeah," Sango studied her. "Who did you think it was? And you were shouting, by the way."
"Sorry," Kagome felt a sheepish grin tug at the corners of her mouth. "I guess I was just a little...irritated. First Kikyo, then Inuyasha. And I really, really need to concentrate on practicing." She finished, only mildly incoherently.
Sango eyed her friend with concern. "Look, Kags. We're all going to try out for the competition, why don't we practice together?"
The shorter girl looked up with a smile. "Okay, you're right. It was driving me crazy anyhow, plus I still need help with my chaine turns."
Sango smiled back. "Tomorrow, my house. Say 2:00?"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"It is not a date you dumbass," Inuyasha's voice sounded exasperated and one hand shot out, presumably to teach the other boy a lesson, through the age old practice of corporeal punishment. Miroku, with the deftness acquired from many years practiced, skipped just out of reach.
"Call it what you like, my friend," he said, "All I'm saying is that we, no, make that I, am going over to my dear Sango's house, expressly by her invitation. Sounds like a date to me."
"I think it's more like an intervention," said Inuyasha. "Our purpose is to keep Kagome from doing anything stupid, after all. And that's not going to be an easy task." Miroku shot his friend a look. That kid was going to end up eating dirt one of these days, and he, personally, was not going to do a thing to help him when that day came. He opened his mouth to tell him so, when another thought struck his mind.
"Say, Inu," he said thoughtfully, "Kikyo must have really pissed her off, huh?"
"Seems like it," the other boy snorted.
When the two arrived at Sango's house, Kagome was already there. Inuyasha, walking into the room, nearly fell over. "Where's the leopard print?" he asked in disbelief. Kagome appeared to be standing in the middle of the room, doing her plies, wearing a normal black leotard. Granted, the tights were still flourescent, and she appeared to have tied her hair back with some sort of big floppy thing that would have been an abomination even in the eighties, but for her that was positively tame.
"I knew you'd like it," she said with a grin. "I'm test-driving a traditional. Sango pointed out that my appearance might affect the judges' perceptions of me."
"My dear Kagome," Miroku walked up to her, "Have you forgotten your principles? Are you caving in to the pressure of a conformist society?"
"Yep," said Kagome. "But only for now, don't worry." Her eyes narrowed. "And watch that hand."
Miroku hastily moved the digits, with a quick glance at Inuyasha. Luckily his friend appeared to be occupied with other thoughts.
"Alright everyone, into your tights!" Called Sango from the doorway. Seeing her, Miroku swept over to give her the traditional "greeting." While the two of them were preoccupied with their ritual, Inuyasha stepped up to Kagome. It looked like she was getting better; no doubt about it she was learning the moves. But still. He was surprised to see her work so hard, or let a few comments from Kikyo rattle her so much. Maybe he would ask Sango about it later.
"How long have you been here?" was all he said though.
"About half an hour," she answered him, panting slightly. She leaned back to turn off the stereo, just in time for them both to hear a loud slap ringing through the room.
"He's never going to learn," groaned Inuyasha.
"Nah," said Kagome, "In a weird way, it's a part of his charm."
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Kikyo looked up with a frown, as the four new students came walking in. They seemed to be getting even closer together. How was she ever going to pick Inuyasha out from the herd now? She groaned. That Kagome girl did not seem to be giving up. If anything, her determination to get a part in the end of year recital seemed to have solidified over the past week. If she put even half of that energy into practicing... Kikyo didn't bother to finish the thought, as the music started and class began.
Head tilted to one side, she studied the new girl's moves. Her balance was better, and she seemed to have more confidence in herself. She also was remembering the names of all the steps much more now. Still, her turnout needed work, and she wasn't all that flexible. With a frown, Kikyo straightened her head and raised her arms into position. If she kept up the rate that she was improving though, things could be very difficult indeed. And really, who knew that she would have improved so much in such a short period of time?"
Kikyo wasn't the only one who was watching. Across the room, Inuyasha's eyes were also turned towards the dark-haired girl. She had definitely improved, he could see, but would it be enough?
At that moment, Kaede stopped the music and clapped her hands together. "Everyone," she called, "I'd like you to gather round. I have a few things to say about the competition for the recital."
The students all obediently circled up, Kikyo deftly interposing herself between Inuyasha and the rest of the group. Miroku let out an amused chuckle at the sight, but tried not to be too loud about it. Inuyasha looked slightly panicked, the same look he always wore when Kikyo got close to him. Miroku shook his head. With how jumpy he acted, he mused, you'd think Inuyasha was afraid of the girl.
"Now," continued Kaede, "The judging for the competition will be on Monday, as you all know. That means you have the weekend to practice for it. I expect all of you to try out, although, unfortunately, not all of you will be able to be in it."
A few murmurs ran around the room at this, but stopped when the teacher held up her hand.
"You should perform a short piece--that means thirty seconds or under--and then be able to run through a few steps that we ask you to do. I've also been watching you here in the classroom, so I am somewhat familiar with what you guys are capable of. The judges will be myself and the choreographer."
Kagome raised her hand, "Will it take place in this room?"
"No. We'll be down in the big auditorium. But it will be at the same time as your usual class, so make sure you don't forget." She smiled at them. "Oh, and remember, members of the other classes will also be competing. Class dismissed."
As they trudged towards the door, Kagome put a hand to her head. "Oh god," she moaned, "The other classes. How could I have forgotten them?"
"I shouldn't worry about it," Kikyo came up behind her. "Why waste the little brain power you have on something that there is no hope of you even getting?"
Kagome glared at her. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you," she replied.
"Hey Kikyo," Sango interjected, "What's the usual format of the recital? Is it a formal ballet like Swan Lake, or something else?"
Kikyo turned to her. She'd almost forgotten about Sango, which, she reminded herself, was foolish. Sango was the real threat to her position, the graceful girl had improved almost as rapidly as her obnoxious friend. Still, she kept her face neutral, "It's usually a series of shorter pieces," she said, "No cohesive theme or story line, but small pieces to showcase the talent of the individuals." Then she turned and walked away.
Kagome stared at her retreating back. "Wow," she said to Sango, "That was positively civil. Should I be jealous?"
"I am," said Miroku, coming up behind him with that unnerving stealthiness of his. "This means that I am the only one of us that she still hasn't spoken to." He tried to stick his lip out in a pout, but it wasn't terribly convincing.
"Come on," said Sango, "Let's go change." She dragged Kagome to the changing room, "We've got a long weekend ahead of us."
Miroku sighed. "I think that means no ice cream today," he told Inuyasha.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. It was, indeed, going to be a long weekend of practicing.
Five minutes later, Kagome emerged from the changing room, wearing her everyday clothes and a very determined expression. She was going to practice all weekend, and come Monday she was going to impress the pants off the judges. After a moment of thought, she revised that phrase as a quick mental image ran across her mind; she was going to impress them very much, but not so much that anybody ended up in a half-naked state. Or something. She shook her head. "I think we've been hanging around with Miroku too much," she whispered to Sango.
Sango gave her a bemused look and shook her head.