Demon Of the Opera
Ch. 3- Letters
Kagome had arrived home with Sango at the in the wee hours of the morning, but somehow (no one knows how) she wasn't tired a bit and was in a great mood. She had supported (more like carried/ dragged) Sango into her room, who had gotten a bit tipsy after downing a few glasses of an unknown thick, brown liquid when they had visited there friend who ran a small pub. Kagome had practically thrown her on to the bed which was no easy feat. Sango weighed 1/3 more than Kagome or for you people trying to whip out the calculators was about 204, not that she looked it. (A/NàNow try and figure out Kagome's weight) After Kagome's great display of strength she had gone down into the dungeons to talk to Inu Yasha, which in turn was all she needed to make her great mood take a vertical nosedive.
Here is more or less what they talked (or yelled) about.
"No damn it! I am NOT sleeping with a, 'fucking wolf' as you put it!" Screamed a much disheveled looking Kagome, who was standing with her fists akimbo, her whole being sending off deathly vibes that radiated throughout the room. The decibel level in the room was not what normal people would find all that welcoming.
"Well his scents all over you what do you expect me to think!" Growled an irritated Inuyasha.
"Use the small brain you have! Kouga's the new guy. He pays for everything, every prop, outfit, make-up, you get the basic idea!" Kagome retorted, completely irritated.
"I still don't like it." stated Inuyasha.
"Why, may I ask, do you care what I smell like?" Kagome shot back.
"I don't. It's just one disgusting smell down here is enough? Mix his putrid stench in with yours and the smell in this dungeon becomes dangerously vile." He replied cockily.
"Oh. So you don't want me here, is that it?" Kagome replied in a dangerously mellow tone. The words dripping out of her mouth like molasses.
Inuyasha missing the 'oh so' obvious warning signs, plowed on. "Course I don't want your talent-less ass down here. With all the crying, the smell, the ear-wrenching noise, and a little brat too boot. So go and never come back!" shouted Inuyasha. Getting no reply, he realized his mistake. He fumbled with a good yet masculine apology. But of course there is no such thing so he never could get it right. "Um, I meant to say was, um…. not that… uh."
Kagome never let him finish his half-baked apology. "Fine you jerk I'll leave just like you wanted right! Maybe, just maybe, I'll even meet Kouga on the way so we can stink together!" She briskly walked out of the room, and stormed her way through the dungeons, muttering incoherent words along the way. She hurried up the stairs and paused at the gigantic oak door.
Just to get in the last word Inuyasha called out, "Don't let it hit you on the ass on your way out!" Kagome, hearing his echo opened the door, and kicked the door shut with an echoing boom.
She stomped up to her room brushing strait past Jankotsu who was running/ staggering down the hall, giggling in his drunk stupor saying.
"He likes me, he really likes me!"
Kagome continued trudging to her room, unfazed, before slamming the door to her bedroom shut. She collapsed on the bed in a heap, too exhausted and worn out to change into the proper sleep attire, Kagome drifted into a restless sleep.
The morning, besides bringing along the new day, brought something else, confusion.
Miroku stormed down the grand staircase with, a deep frown evident on his face, and a crumpled piece of white paper clenched in his right hand. Lagging behind him, Shippou tried to race down the staircase after his friend, but was unable to catch up given that he was exceedingly short length of his legs. As Miroku stepped unto the last step, the main doorway slammed open revealing a scruffy Kouga, he too, gripping a white paper in one hand.
"What is the meaning of this?" Kouga stalked up to Miroku and shook the parchment underneath Miroku's nose. Miroku, all ready irritable and angry, swatted the paper away with great ease.
"What do you mean?" Miroku ground out. "O…So you gotten one too?" Miroku wondered, calming down a little noticing that Kouga had an identical piece of paper stowed away in the grip of his hand. Miroku looked down at his own letter, and began smoothing it out after he had creased it with his hand. Opening it, he read out loud.
"New Managers,
Who have failed to deliver fee. Which I expect will come soon, or you'll suffer the consequences.
But you can repay for this mistake, just by doing one simple thing. Don't EVER have Kikyou what's-her-name play the lead role ever again. She is a great burden to this Opera House. Besides, she hurts my ears.
Phantom of the Opera"
Shippou was enjoying himself, as he snickered at the part about Kikyou and 'she hurts my ears', Shippou immediately shut up when both Kouga and Miroku gave him piercing glares. Kouga rolled his eyes.
"Heh. That's nothing, listen to my letter." Kouga boasted, quickly unfolding, and smoothing his own letter.
"Lame Ass,
Stay away from Kagome or I'll ripe your fucking throat out.
Phantom of the Opera"
"Wow. Short, but explanatory." Shippou gasped, amazed.
"Indeed." pondered Miroku, intrigued by the two letters. As everyone lapsed into thoughtful silence, once again did the main doors burst open, this time revealing none other then a mad Kikyou. She was wearing a voluminous, red, silk dress, which dragged behind her not unlike a dead body. Along with her pompous dress she had a gigantic hat on which a purple feather stuck out. Naturally, she was followed by her two drones.
"What does this mean! Are you trying to threaten me! Who do you think I am! I can fire you all just like that!" Kikyou stopped in front of them and snapped her gloved fingers.
"Kikyou, whatever do you mean?" Miroku asked in a calming voice. Kikyou only stared at him wearily in return.
"You should know. THIS!" she exclaimed holding out a white paper. Kouga, Miroku, and Shippou glanced at each other. Another letter.
"Let us see it!" they all yelled at once. Kikyou quirked an eyebrow, but gave the envelope to the girl to the right of her, Yura, who walked up and handed it too Miroku's outstretched hands, grinning maliciously at him while doing so. Once her deed was done Yura pranced back to Kikyou's side quickly.
Miroku started reading it to himself, until he heard Kouga snort impatiently.
"Oh." Miroku started before he coughed and read the letter out loud.
"Kikyou what's-your-name,
You have the worst voice I have ever heard. Don't you even think about singing in my opera house again. But, to not make you feel so useless, as we all know you are, you can play the second-role in the next upcoming play. Kagome will be the lead and you will be the ugly page-boy.
Phantom of the Opera"
"Who is this person! And how DARE he!" Kikyou screeched in a voice somewhat similar to her singing.
"How did he know that there was a page-boy in the next play?" asked Shippou.
Miroku noticed another sheet of paper tucked deep down into the envelope.
"Did you read this one?" he asked. Kikyou looked at the second piece of parchment, before sticking her nose out.
"No." she stated simply, as she blew away at the feather that had bent over into her line of vision. Miroku, looking down at the paper once more, cleared his throat, and started reading it.
P.S. I know you'll come to the managers about this, actually, I know everyone who had gotten my letters will come together. I'll be listening and laughing.
Everyone, after hearing the last part, glanced at each other fearfully. Before each one of them, in turn, started looking around the great room nervously. Each trying to spot something, a pair of eyes, a face, something that pops out at them. Nothing. All that they saw were the statues golden faces, staring back at them.
"Well…to me…most of these warnings surround Kagome…" Miroku stated, turning back to the matter at hand. Shippou nodded, trying to put the information that they had together.
"Are you saying Kagome wrote these!" Kouga snarled at Miroku.
"Cause Kagome would NEVER do such a thing!" Kouga exclaimed crossing his arms and glaring at the group around him. Miroku sighed.
"Kouga, that's not what I am saying…" Miroku stated simply as Kouga opened and closed him mouth, searching for the right thing to say.
"Well…that's what you're implying!" He exclaimed finally. Kikyou snickered, followed by the giggling from her drones. Kouga held his head up high.
"Besides, Kagome has been in her room since we went out last night." Stated a voice. Everyone, surprised, whipped around to see Sango leaning against the door frame to the stage. Miroku frowned.
"I didn't see you guys walk out last night…" he stated suspiciously. Sango glared at him.
"Well, I wouldn't expect you of all people, to notice, especially from all the saké you drank last night! I wasn't even surprised when you grabbed Jankotsu's butt." Sango declared, smiling as the shock on Miroku's face spread.
"What? O…No…" Miroku murmured sadly. Running a hand through his already disheveled hair. Miroku suddenly glared at Shippou.
"Why? Why didn't you stop me?" Miroku begged. Shippou shrugged.
"It was too funny to watch…" he said balefully. Miroku glared at Shippou, before he turned to Sango who looked on at them wearily.
"But Sango…you know my hands are for you and you only…" He said, grasping her hands in his, with a sincere look in his gray eyes. His eyes staring deep into Sango's, Sango blushes, before realizing there were other people in the room. Putting on a poker face, she released her hands from his grasp, and punched downward right on Miroku's head, causing him to fall to the marble floor with a sickening thump.
Everyone was now staring at Sango fearfully. Sango wiped her brow, mostly to cover her still blushing face.
"Ok, so…what should we do?" she asked. All looked everywhere; not wanting to make eye-contact with Sango's questioning eyes.
"We'll go against his wishes." Stated Miroku as he peeled himself off the floor, Shippou nodded his head in agreement.
"Kikyou will play the lead-role, and Kagome will play the page boy." He stated, nodding at Kikyou.
Kikyou smirked pompously before turning around and walked gracefully to the doors.
"Thank you Miroku, besides, this city just adores me!" she exclaimed, as she stopped at the doors. Through them you could hear the chanting of people outside. Kikyou looked back at the group behind her.
"See?" she sniffed knowingly before she nodded for Yura and Kanna to open the doors. She watched as the doors creaked open, allowing sunlight to enter the room, causing everything to shine in an unnatural, but alluring glow.
People crowded the outside of the opera house, pushing and shoving one another. Out of the mass of people, four men rushed up to Kikyou, holding out roses.
"Will you give these to Kagome Higurashi?" they inquired. Kikyou's smug smile suddenly turned into one of anger. She slammed the great doors of the opera house closed, causing loud shouts of protest from the people outside. Turning around she saw Sango leaning on a laughing Miroku, and Shippou and Kouga were trying o hide their snickers with fake coughing.
She sneered. This town will be hers once again.
Just watch.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Wha-at?" Kagome mumbled from underneath a mountain of blankets.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Go 'way." She uttered, grabbing two pillows and covering her ears.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"UGH! I'm coming!" She yelled, throwing off all the pink and blue blankets, as she stomped over to the door.
KNOCK KNOCK- Sango was about to knock once more, but the door had opened, revealing a disheveled and angry Kagome. Sango smiled brightly. Sango inhaled deeply… And-
"GOOD MORNING!" she yelled. Kagome closed her eyes, and raised her hands to cover her ears. Sango's smile only grew, at her friend's reaction.
"Ugh…you dun't havta' yell', I right ere'… an' how ca' you be so perk' ya'…in da mo'ning." she mumbled, rubbing her eyes, clearly showing how tired she was.
"Never mind that!" Sango shouted, gently shoving the sleepy Kagome back into her room. She turned around and looked down the hallway. Quietly, she closed the door.
"Kagome you wouldn't believe what the pervert did-" She began, but turning to face Kagome, she noticed no audience, no Kagome.
"Kagome?" she asked to the emptiness of the room. She moved her gaze around the room. But her eyes focused on the slightly moving lump on Kagome's bed. Sango smirked.
"O…Kagome…" she sang sneaking over to where the bed was centered in the middle of the room.
As she got closer she heard the clear sounds of a person breathing. She grinned sadistically.
"AHHHHHHH!" Sango screamed, as she jumped kamikaze style up into the air, and landed on the lump of bed covers. There was a lot of thrashing coming from under the covers, Sango, getting kicked, was flung off the bed and unto the floor.
"Owie…" Sango whined sitting up, closing her eyes in pain. She heard rustling noises coming from the bed. She opened her eyes to see Kagome standing over her, sleep still apparent in her eyes. Kagome sighed.
"What do you want?" Kagome asking, plopping herself on the floor next to Sango.
Sango sighed.
"I came to tell you that we got a visit from Kikyou this morning." She said, distaste dripping on every word, like venom. Kagome frowned.
"Where was I?" She asked. Sango stared at her with an eyebrow raised.
"Here. Asleep." Sango monotonously said. Kagome let this bit of information sink in, and nodded her head for Sango to continue.
"…So…Miroku's decided that Kikyou's playing the lead role, not you, and you'll play the page-boy instead." She finished glancing over at Kagome. Kagome shrugged.
"O well…" she mumbled half-heartedly, finally awake. Sango's mouth dropped to the floor.
"B-but Kagome…You deserve that part! Don't say you don't want it because you totally do!" Sango stated vindicated, staring knowingly at Kagome. Kagome glanced at the floor.
"You're right…I DO want it…but it's not my decision now is it?" She acknowledged, glancing sadly up at a fuming Sango. Sango opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out.
"I-I'm going to talk to that pervert…"Sango muttered, rushing out of the room.
Kagome remained sitting on the floor. She sighed, slowly easing herself up, she walked over to her bed stand, where, the script for the next play sat. She sat down on her bed, and leafed through the packet, looking at the costume for the page boy.
"A button up shirt, cutlets, knee-high stockings, and a pair of button-up boots." She listed. Memorizing it, she plodded over to her wardrobe. She searched though the hundreds of clothes she had to match the outfit of the page-boy. Once Kagome found an outfit, she unceremoniously laid it out on her bed. Kagome sighed.
Another day. Another play.
Scyco Sphinx