Inutori: Welcome all! I've returned with another chapter of this strange story for you all to absorb into your vault of fanfiction that you keep tucked away in the back of your head.

Sagi: ::cough:: crazy ::cough:: Inutori doesn't own Imuyasha, but you can sue her anyway!

Inutori: NO! Please don't sue me! Saggy, I'm going to kill you…

Sagi: Eeep! ::runs and hides::

Inutori: Well, go ahead and read the fourteenth installment of: ENCHANTED!

Chapter 14

Little Miss Perfect

Friday, July 9, 2004

Ami pulled her short hair back, trying to get it out of her face to see herself properly in the mirror.

She pouted. Shippou had been flirting with a pretty Scandinavian demon in the chocolate shop this morning, and on top of that her tour group would be leaving town today. Her bottom lip jutted out as she continued to gaze at her reflection.

Maybe she would look better with longer hair? Or maybe she could wear colored contacts? That young fox-demon boy had only come into her knowledge half a week ago, and already she was worried about what he thought.

Ami tilted her head to the side, thinking of how to describe the girl she had seen with Shippou.

Blonde hair

Blue eyes

Red lips

Fair skin

Yep, that definitely sounded like her. A man's ideal girlfriend. How she wished she could look like that if only for a day.

Little Miss Perfect

Stopped by today

Buying her cute smellin' perfumes

With the cheesiest grin on her face

Ami let go of her hair and let it fall across her face. The front hairs went down past her shoulders and she quickly pinned them back, but the rest of her hair barely made it past her jaw.

According to her

My life is like too boring

And according to her I like need

To get out more often

Hopping off her balcony for what seemed the hundredth time, Ami made her way to the chocolate shop. She stopped just outside when she smelt that other girl nearby. A glance through the shop window confirmed what she had thought.

Inside, Shippou and the girl were shamelessly flirting. Mild depression overcame Ami, but she pushed it aside and walked proudly into the quaint little shop.

Is there a brain

In that empty shell?

She can't seem to do anything wrong

Yet she can't do anything too right.

Shippou and the girl both looked up at her, acknowledging her presence silently.

"Can I help you?" Shippou sounded so formal with that ditz around; unlike the first time she had met him. He seemed so much different this time around.

"Er…yeah. I was hoping to pick up a few truffles for my flight out of here."

"Oo, leaveng su soon?" The blond girl fluttered her eyelashes at an almost irritating rate.

Silently Ami made fun of the other girl, but she didn't dare say anything out loud. "Yeah, leaving. I have a schedule to meet, places to be. You know. A life?" Okay, so maybe Ami came out a little rude there, but she could've been worse.

Skinny waist

Barbie's chest

Nice butt

Smooth voice

What more could a girl ask for?

What more could a girl need?

Little Miss Perfect

Flaunting around town without heed

Ami put on her bravest face, carefully picking out the truffles she wanted to get for the gang.

"Oh, can I get a couple extra dark chocolate ones? Those are my favorite." Ami smiled slightly, shrugging and digging into her purse for the money to pay for the chocolates.

Shippou rang them up for her and Ami put the money on the table, not making eye contact with either the fox-demon or his female companion. She quickly turned and walked out of the store, trying not to show her embarrassment and building tears.

"Shea's note varry bright, zat gerl." Ami heard a giggle behind her just as she left the shop. Tears started building faster, and as soon as Ami had passed out of sight of the shop, she bolted.

There she goes again

Flirting with the boys

I wish I could say I don't know her

But unfortunately I do

Seducing the guys

Manipulating her relations

Yet no one but me

Seems to see what she's doing

Sweet smile

Pampered nails

Dainty feet

Long eyelashes

She's Little Miss Perfect

Scene Change:

Inuyasha sloppily dumped his clothes into his suitcase, trying to get packed quickly and be able to catch some sleep before their long and tiresome flight to London.

He had already asked Sesshoumaru why they were skipping all the way over to London, but his brother only glared at him and told him to mind his own business.

How he hated it when Sesshoumaru did that. A growl escaped from him as he forcefully slammed his suitcase shut and latched it closed. The urge to kill surged through his veins, and he knew his blood was begging to murder his only living relative.

With a snort he tossed his bag towards the door and fell on his bed, not wanting to be awake a second longer.

Unfortunately luck didn't seem to be on his side today, since at that precise moment Miroku came barging into the room like a wild deer and jumped onto Inuyasha's bed.

"Save me!" Miroku scrambled over Inuyasha and dumped himself on the floor between the two queen beds in the room.

Inuyasha lazily lifted his head and looked at Miroku, then at the door that had been prevented from locking at the last moment.

Sango was standing in the doorway, fuming with the wrath of Satan. "Where is that foul-demon? Don't hide him, Inuyasha, I know he's in here."

The uncaring hanyou nodded his head in the direction of the cowering bass guitar player on the floor only a few feet away from himself. The woman's smile turned malicious, and Inuyasha almost regretted betraying his comrade…almost, that is…

In only a few bounds, Sango had jumped over the first bed and preceded to pummel Miroku with every ounce of strength she possessed, which was no small amount. She rivaled most human men and even some demons in the strength department.

It didn't take too long before Miroku was unconscious, and Sango seemed pleased with herself. She stood up and brushed off her hands, as if congratulating herself for a job well done.

"What did he do?"

Sango gave Inuyasha a deadpan stare. "He asked a twelve-year-old girl to bear his child. Molester."

Inuyasha gave the drummer a surprised look. Sure Miroku had issues, but he had never realized those mental deficiencies ran that deep. Miroku let out a whimper, and both Sango and Inuyasha looked down at him strangely.

The hanyou shrugged and rolled over, fully prepared to get some much-needed shut-eye. He listened to Sango walk out of the room, and listened to the gentle brush of the door against the carpet as it glided shut.

No click came when the door stopped making noise. His eyes still closed, he rolled them in exasperation for being bothered again.

"Inuyasha?"

He tried to repress his anger when he realized it was Kagome. She probably didn't realize he was trying to sleep, so he would let her off the hook just this once. "What, wench?" Letting her off the hook didn't mean he wouldn't be cruel, though.

The grumble that answered him gave him a hint that Kagome wasn't too happy about his response. "I was wondering if you had any idea what happened to Ayame the other day." Inuyasha listened to her quick breathing and could faintly make out the sound of her frantically beating heart. "It's just so strange that she would just turn up at Kouga's door in the state she was in."

With a deep breath, Inuyasha sat up and looked at Kagome with no hint of emotion on his face. "Why don't you ask Ayame?"

Kagome looked at the floor and dug her right foot into the floor. "She won't talk to me. She hasn't since the break-up."

A look of understanding crossed Inuyasha's face and he nodded. "Perhaps you should at least try. It couldn't hurt, could it?" He couldn't believe the words coming out of his own mouth. It just wasn't like him to be this mellow and wise and all that worthless junk.

The smile that Kagome gave him reassured him that being logical wasn't all that bad…to an extent. "Thanks Inuyasha. I think I'll take you up on that."

Once again Inuyasha was left alone to sleep…

"Inuyasha, wise words there. But you know you'd never follow that advice."

Inuyasha cursed his luck under his breath. He'd forgotten that Miroku was still there. And apparently he'd woken up from his earlier beating at the hands of Sango. "Shut up, furyou houshi."

"Your words wound me, Inuyasha." Miroku pulled himself up, his head popping up over the edge of the mattress. "But really, do you think we could patch those girls back together? It has gotten Sango all stressed out."

The silver-haired boy cocked an eyebrow at his fellow band member. "And why do you care about that?"

A blush rose slightly on Miroku's face; it was a very unnatural and disturbing sight. "No reason. I'm just worried about them, that's all."

Inuyasha nodded his head and mentally coughed at Miroku's attempt at hiding his true feelings. "Right, and I love Kikyou. You're more than just worried about them."

Scene Change:

Ayame shifted slightly, readjusting her position so that she was slightly more comfortable. She had been sleeping in Kouga's room since Tuesday, and she hadn't really even moved from the bed. The only time she ever rose was to hit the bathroom for a few brief moments.

A knock at the door drew her attention from her moping, and she reluctantly pulled herself up and sauntered over to the door. Without looking in the eyehole she turned the doorknob and swung open the heavy piece of wood, revealing a nervous-looking Kagome.

The growl that escaped her lips couldn't be stopped, although she knew that Kagome wasn't here to fight.

"A-Ayame? Can we talk?" Kagome looked up at the wolf demon, hoping for a positive response in all likelihood.

Instead of saying anything, Ayame shrugged and stepped out of the doorway, silently allowing Kagome into the room.

"Arigato."

Ayame just wanted to get this over with and to get back to bed. Her body was still aching all over from being beaten a few days ago, even though all of her cuts were healed up.

"What happened, Ayame?"

"What do you mean?" Ayame knew exactly what Kagome meant, but that didn't mean she'd admit to it. The tension in the air was suffocating and Ayame wanted Kagome to just leave. She didn't want to talk to Kagome. Hadn't she already made that obvious?

"The other day. What happened to you?" Kagome seemed to have genuine worry etched on her face. The guitar player was a good actress though, so Ayame didn't want to give into her seemingly innocent appearance.

"I let my guard down and got mugged." Ayame looked out the window at the unfamiliar city and let out a sigh.

"By who?" Kagome looked a little shocked and even more worried than before. The raven-haired girl looked as if her worst nightmare had just come true.

"No one we know." Ayame let out another sigh. Kagura had seemed like an entirely different person that day. She still didn't understand why.

"Oh." Kagome slumped onto the queen-sized bed closer to the door. "How are you feeling now?"

It was almost starting to feel like old times when Kagome made light conversation or took on your worries for you. "A little shocked, I guess. But I'm mostly healed. I am a demon, after all."

Kagome looked up and smiled at Ayame. "I'm glad that you're alright. I've been so worried." Her eyes sparkled with tears of joy being held back. "Don't ever make me worry like that again, okay?"

Ayame nodded, still trying to avoid Kagome's gaze. The young girl was still being such a sweetheart even after Ayame did what she did to the group. It wasn't like it was out of character for the human girl, but it just made Ayame feel worse about what she had done.

She knew it wasn't Kagome's fault that guys like her, but it had felt nice to blame her at the time. When they were in India she was so stressed and temperamental that Kagome had been the perfect person to throw all her problems at. After thinking about it for the last three days, Ayame knew that she was the one in the wrong, but how would she actually say she was sorry?

In all honesty, Ayame was afraid of what Kagome would do or what everyone else would think of her since they all knew it was her fault that the group was split.

The silence that had been dragging on wasn't awkward, and Kagome was just sitting there calmly watching the birds outside the window.

"Kagome?"

"Hmm?" She barely responded, probably lost in a trance brought on by watching the twittering balls of feathers.

"Would it still be…Are we still…What I mean is…" Ayame tried desperately to find her words, but they kept eluding her.

Kagome turned to her, the trance broken and now paying full attention to the wolf demon in the room with her.

"Kagome, I'm sorry."

The leader of the once-upon-a-time band looked at Ayame with an expressionless face, but didn't say anything.

Ayame felt the tears well up behind her eyelids and the clump form in her throat. "I want us to still have our band. I don't want Sengotsu to be a thing of the past. Please forgive me, Kagome-chan." The tears streamed down her face and she lunged into Kagome's lap, sobs shaking her entire body.

I

Do

Not

Sleep

Inutori: Hey, minna-san! I hope this wasn't too short. I figured I'd better update this before my week is up and all.

Kagome: Took you long enough.

Kouga: Why wasn't I in this chapter???

Inuyasha: Because you're just a wimpy-wolf!

Kouga: Shut up, dog-breath

Kikyou: Don't complain, Kouga. I have been exempt from the story for an unbearably long time. When will I return? At least you are mentioned.

Miroku: But you were mentioned, Kikyou-sama.

Inuyasha: Yeah, but only as a joke. ::snicker::

Inutori: Well, I'd like to get lots of reviews before I update again, since I base what stories I update next on their popularity with the reviewers. That might give some people incentive to review, but I really don't know. Until next chapter, ja ne!