Hey there!^_^ Well, the chapter was a little too long, so I chopped it in half, literally. I erased a separation bar and copied everything onto a new format to make another chapter, didn't change a thing otherwise. ^_^; Man, why can't I seem to make the regular 5-6 pages fit everything anymore?^_^; lol oh well, as long as you guys don't mind it taking a day or so longer, I suppose it's alright, ne?^_~*
So, as a recap, almost every new section is centered mainly around another person and his/her thoughts and/or feelings. They only start repeating towards the end where only Kagome and Inu Yasha are involved. So yeah, be on the look out. .^_~ *giggles*
Besides that, yes, it is hard to believe that the time has come for the final mandatory tutoring session, and no, don't let this chapter's title fool you, this is NO WHERE NEAR the end of the story! *Falls over laughing and practically has a heart attack* Yeah, end, ha! *wipes away a few stray tears and clears throat* Ahem, anyway, oh, and make sure to note episode 38 when it comes to Inu Yasha's first little section here.^_~ *giggles* Sooo cute!
Goku's Daughter- Thank you, thank you. *bows* Heh, actually, it is a bit out of Sango's character to do that, but why not, it's fun, ne?
Nezumi-Sama– Awww, that's so sweet! Thanks for taking the time to review; I'm glad that you're liking the story so far.^_^ *giggles* But no, you're far too kind. And hey, everyone loves some "mindless babbling" once in a while.^_~* Hope to see you around soon!^_^
Vampire-Elf- Yeah, he's pretty much screwed.^-^; lol
lunemangelus- Ahh yes, the Sailor Moon random magical dimensional pocket trick? *Giggles* That one's always a favorite.^_~ And yeah, it would be adorable if his ears actually did that, but that would be beyond the laws of physics, though in a cartoon, who knows!^_^
Reina1- Thanks!^_^ Hmmm... I wonder if you'll ever actually see this. 0.o; *giggles*
FanFicFanatic- Yes, I'm afraid that it is evil. What's more evil is that I'll have to let what Sango said be up to your own imagination.^_~ Muahahahahahahahaha!!!! ^-^
DemonChic- Lol I have no intention of stopping anytime soon.^_~ No worries!^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters in it. If I did I'd be rich, but I'm not... and if I had lots of money I'd probably spend it on anime anyway so pleeaasseee, don't sue me.^_^ lol
Oh, and as always,
_= thoughts *_* = sound/ italicized "_" = speech
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Recap:
What could she do to him, after all?
"Why Sango, I don't know what you mean." So... why was she smiling like that?
"Is that so?" Running a finger up his neck and over the underside of his chin, Sango tilted his head to the side as she inclined her own, whispering a short, but sweet sentence into his, now burning, ear.
Ooooh boy. He was SO done for.
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Do the Math
Chapter 16: The End of the Beginning (Part 2)
"Kohaku, try and block this!" A whirling ball of white and black struck the wall of a nearby building, bouncing off to hit the boy who had been diving for it on the back of the head.
"Owww, Souta, not so hard." The boy reached a hand up to rub the back of his head, one eye closed in an obvious wince. His once clean shirt, grey with a black shoulder, was now encrusted with dirt and tiny particles of leaves and other such tree bits, while his pants remained relatively clean, save the stripes of dirt along the side of each leg. His skin, a bit scuffed up at the moment, held a fine sheen of sweat from the work that he had been doing that day, and was sure to continue with into the night.
"Sorry!" Souta looked quite the opposite of his friend, clean, blue shirt, dirty pant legs, but shared the same look of tiredness and exhaustion, along with that same spark of indignation and refusal to give up. The boys had been playing all day, Souta kicking, Kohaku intercepting, practicing until they could no longer move, and then starting again a few seconds later. Their soccer season was coming up, and in gym, that meant soccer for the next few weeks. They had to be prepared. Lining up another shot, Souta kicked the ball, leaning a little too far to the right, which caused the ball to soar past Kohaku and the goal, and straight towards the oncoming stairs below.
Oh no, the ball! Racing after it, Kohaku caught up to Souta who, after kicking it, had realized where it was headed and had started running. They only reached the top of the steps when the ball came bouncing back to them, seemingly from out of no where. What the... Confused, they could only sit and watch as two heads rose above the steps and into their sight. Turning to Souta, Kohaku nodded and, after receiving a nod in response, grabbed the ball as they both took off running.
"Run for it!" Of course, by the time all of that had been completed, the girls had had ample time to catch up to their little brothers, Kagome and Sango each with theirs in hand. It seemed as if their fun was over.
"Kohaku, come on, we have to get home." Unhanding her brother, Sango wrapped her arm around his shoulders instead, and began walking him down the stairs. "Bye Kagome!" Kohaku turned to his older sibling, obviously disappointed.
"Aww, but nee-chan, do we have to go?" Receiving no response, Kohaku started again. "Souta and I were practicing for..." They paused at the bottom of the steps and turned to head home. Looking to his older sister, Kohaku was about to start up again, but trailed off instead. Why did she look so sullen? She had seemed fine a few moments ago, but now... "Sango..."
"Hmm?" Noticing Kohaku's worried face, Sango smiled tiredly and squeezed him gently. "Don't worry about it." Don't worry about it? Did she think he was blind? He knew how much his sister did for him and knew the stress it caused her. How could he not worry? It was bad enough that he was too young to get a job and help, but if he couldn't even help his own sister...
"Is it the little girl?" Stopping dead in her tracks, Sango turned to him questioningly. "When is she coming to stay with us?" Sighing softly, Sango looked around slowly. Laying tired eyes upon a nearby park, she changed direction as to walk them through it instead of going straight home. Sitting on a bench that lay upon a small, grassy knoll near the pathway, Kohaku waited, hoping that he could be of some help, and wondering what the problem was to begin with. The sun would set soon, spreading a sheet of pinks and blues across the, now cerulean, sky as the sun faded from blazing pollen yellow to a more mild form of brick or rust, all the while dripping the fading colors unto the lands below, coating them with warmth as they slowly faded away and finally ebbed into darkness, but for now the sun would hold out, just long enough to see them home, and would hopefully aid in healing his sister's heart by chasing away whatever plagued her.
Kohaku sat quietly for a few minutes, pondering on the dilemma written out before him, seemingly with invisible ink, while swinging his feet and listening to the wind rustle the branches of the nearby trees, the leaves falling, one by one, to blanket the ground below and float, aimlessly, across the pond that stretched almost endlessly in front of them, illuminated only by the sprinkle of light that could reach through the limbs above. The sky was so blue just then, the clouds having disappeared for once, allowing the sun to shine through in all of its glory, but Kohaku hadn't been paying attention to any of that, being blinded by the shadow of worry and the unknown; instead, he was picking flakes of brown paint from the already peeling, abrasive bench he then sat on, lost in thought, or lack of it, only to be called to attention a few seconds later by the sound of his sister's tired, yet always sweet, voice beside him.
"It will be a while Kohaku...it... it's complicated." Complicated? What was complicated about this? She was homeless, they had a willing home. What was hard to understand there?
"What do you mean?" Leaning back against the bench, Sango pulled her brother close, one arm wrapped around him as she laid her head on top of his.
"Kirara can't stay with us yet. The court wouldn't allow me to take her in; I don't make enough money." Kohaku's eyes widened in disbelief. That was it, just because she didn't have enough money, she had to give up? Even though she worked so hard?! That wasn't like Sango! "The doctor has agreed to take care of her for us until a court date is set and we can work out some kind of arrangement. Until then, we can go visit Kirara as often as we want to, but she can't live with us." In a small, worried voice, Kohaku spoke, choosing to study the ground between his swinging feet, instead of looking at the worry in his sister's eyes.
"How long will it be?" Sango sighed and smiled.
"You really do want her to stay, don't you?" Kohaku shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.
"I just don't want her to have to go through what we did..."
.. no one should have to. Smiling softly, Sango punched her brother's shoulder gently.
"You think you can handle another sister around?" He chuckled softly and punched her back. This was the Sango he knew.
"As long as she's not as tough as you." Laughing softly, Sango stood, eyes bright once again. How his sister could be so resilient, he would never understand, but as long as she was, Kohaku knew that everything would be okay.
"Well then, would you like to meet her this weekend and find out? We can make a day of it." Kohaku nodded and, following suit, rose to stand with his sister, eyes shining, smile growing, and just glad that things were back to normal. As they began their trek out of the park and back home, the setting sun cast their shadows behind them onto the dirt path below, bending over rocks and roots, and providing but an instant of shade to any one part of the trail gone past.
"So, when are you going to get together with Miroku?"
"Kohaku!"
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"Ahhh, blankets feel so nice!" Burrowing into her blankets, Kagome took a moment to savor the simplicity of it all.
Sango had left with Kohaku about ten minutes before. Even though she tried to hide it, Kagome knew that this whole Kirara thing was really wearing on her best friend, and thought it best to let her go. She only wished that she could do something to help. As it was, Kagome couldn't really do much, so, like every other student, she took care of other things that could be done just then... like enjoy how everything seemed so incredibly wonderful after the last day of school for the week was over. Hey, she had already done her homework, so she was allowed the privilege, right? Oh, but the blankets felt so soft, so cool against her skin, and her room smelled more of flowers than her own scent to her sensitive nostrils, enhanced even more so by the chill in the air. It would be great sleeping in the next morning, the one thing all students looked forward to as the weekend neared, and who knew, maybe she'd even get to hang out with Sango that weekend, if she was feeling better of course. Curling up within the rose sheets and laying her hair to fan across the back of her pillow, Kagome sighed contentedly; life was good. Of course, nothing lasts forever.
*Knock, knock, knock* "Kagome?" Raising her head toward the sudden noise, Kagome sat up, albeit a bit reluctantly, and smoothed out her ruffled uniform and tousled hair, just as her mother entered the room and sat down beside her on the bed. It was odd how well Kagome and her mother got along, almost as if they always knew what was on the other's mind. They were more like best friends than mother and daughter, but she supposed that was how a good mother and daughter should be. In this case, however, Kagome couldn't read the expression on her mother's face. It was calm, peaceful, but it was also obvious that she wanted to talk about something. What could it have been?
"Kagome, there's something we need to talk about." Well, she sure called that one. Though that phrase was never a good thing to hear from a parent and often struck fear into the hearts of children everywhere, Kagome wasn't worried; this was different. She couldn't explain it; she just knew it was. "Do you remember the deal we had when you started the tutoring with Inu Yasha?" The deal they had? Of course, but why would she bring that up? Maybe she wanted to cut some time off, or even revoke it!
"Of course Momma; you said that if I got enough good grades I could stop in a couple of months. Why?" Mrs. Higurashi smiled slightly and looked towards Kagome's desk. Seeing the homework there already finished, her smile grew from plain happiness into pride as she realized how far her daughter had truly come in such a short amount of time. This, of course, hadn't been missed by Kagome.
"And do you realize that your next tutoring session is the last one you have to go to?" Caramel eyes widened slowly, clouding over as if not quite comprehending what had just taken place. Her last tutoring session? No more Inu Yasha, no more pranks or jokes? No more extra work? It... it couldn't be true! It was too good to be true! As her mother watched on, Kagome broke out into a wide grin, one that reached up past her mouth and into her eyes, lighting them as if they were newly born stars, sparkling and twinkling with energy anew. Flashing those excited eyes on her mother, Kagome smiled more brightly than she had ever thought possible. It was almost over.
"But you know what this means right?" Wait, what it means? Why was there a "but" in that sentence? Face falling, Kagome looked on curiously. What DID that mean? "You have to decide whether you still want to continue with the tutoring or not." Ha! Continue with the tutoring, why would she ever want to... What good did it ever do h... Then again, her grades were up... It wasn't so bad... but the pranks... Inu Yasha... Noting her daughter's internal conflict, Mrs. Higurashi continued. "Of course, you can't answer that until after your final session, so I'll ask you then." Looking quickly at the clock, she jumped to her feet and raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh dear! It's time to start dinner." Bidding a short goodbye to Kagome, Mrs. Higurashi left her daughter's room and headed quickly down towards the kitchen, leaving Kagome alone, and without the sense of completeness she once held. There was a question to be answered now, and Kagome would have to answer it for herself.
"Do I want to?"
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This is our last session huh? Crouching down in the middle of Kagome's room, Inu Yasha closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was time, their last session. Kagome had been in the kitchen for about five minutes, getting herself something to drink, and leaving Inu Yasha alone in her room to wait for her. They would've been working in the living room, but Souta was playing videogames with Kohaku, and the system couldn't be hooked up anywhere else in the house. Kagome's mother was in the kitchen baking, so that was out as well, leaving only Kagome's room as a habitable location for their tutoring that day.
This place... is full of Kagome's scent. Opening his eyes, the amber globes became almost honey in color, a slight darkness settling into what was once pure and uncontained. There, to his left, was the desk they worked at, and, to his right, her bed. Pink was so annoying. Her room really seemed to fit her though. It wasn't really a bad room; actually, it was kind of nice, but pink just wasn't his thing, and that went for the teddy bear at the end of her bed too. What was it with girls and stuffed animals? He'd never get it. Suddenly, the door opened behind him, nudging him gently in the back, but surprising him all the same. Jumping up, he spun around to face the culprit who, of course, had to be Kagome's little brother, Souta.
"Inu no nii-chan, Kagome wants to know if you want anything from the kitchen before she... what were you...? IIaaahhh!!!!" Grabbing Souta by his collar, Inu Yasha yanked him forward, meeting him face to face.
"I wasn't doing anything, got that?!" With a quick nod, Souta was free and scurried back the way he had come. Before he could leave the room, however, a voice sounded from behind, stopping him in his path. "Oi, kid?" Souta turned, eyeing his hero a bit unnervingly. "This is a secret between guys okay?" Recognition seemed to dawn on the young boy and he smiled, face lighting up as would a child's at Christmas. Nodding vigorously, Souta stood and, repeating what Inu Yasha had said, left the room, making sure to close the door soundly behind him. (ep. 38! Woohoo!!!)
Well, THAT had been a bit embarrassing. What had he been *thinking*?! Shaking his head, Inu Yasha plopped himself down upon Kagome's bed in a sitting position, leaning against the back wall for support. What had gotten into him lately?! Who cared if it was the last session? Good riddance! That meant no more fighting, no more thinking, no more... Kagome… The door to the room slowly opened and Kagome walked in, instinctively stopping as she felt the air. Had she noticed his downcast eyes, his indecision? Why did she look so worried? But, as quickly as it had come, the worried look left Kagome's face and she returned to her happy self once more. Why shouldn't she have been happy? After that day, she could be rid of him, just like everyone else.
From there the session picked up as it normally would have. Mrs. Higurashi hadn't been the only one to note Kagome's progress, nor was she the only one to feel pride from it. What had Kagome done to him to make him care, to make him feel emotions other than just pain or guilt? Had she really changed him at all, or was he just imagining it? Well, it didn't matter. They had studied for the test taking place the next day, and now it was over. It was over. Gathering his supplies, Inu Yasha left the Higurashi residence quietly, stopping outside for only a moment to look back at the house he was leaving behind, his only remaining connection to Kagome. Sighing softly, Inu let his shoulders droop as he turned to face the stairs leading back to the street below. For some reason, it felt lonely like that. Maybe he just never thought it would end. This place has such a calming effect on him. What was it about this shrine that made him feel at home? He almost didn't want to leave it behind.
Kagome, what will happen to you... now that I can't be around? Feh, what was he thinking? He lived next door for crying out loud, and he could still pick on her at school right? Hey, since when did he even need her around in the first place? She was just some annoying girl that lived next door, no more, no less... definitely no less. Shaking his head, Inu Yasha continued on his way, completely unaware of the girl watching him from her window, frowning as she watched imaginary dog ears droop, and completely missing the look of revelation as it dawned on her, the newly-found insight visible only until she left her room, and left his sight.