Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.
A/N: Ahoy! How is everyone? Hopefully you're all doing good. Well, anyway I just wanted to apologize once again for not updating my last chapter sooner and thank you to everyone who is still reading this fic. I don't really have much to say, so please enjoy and criticism is welcomed (though good criticism is better than bad). Thanks for your time.
Reviews: I would like to thank all reviewers.
Peace out!
Camp of Unending Dreams
Itsumademo Yume no Bakuei
Chapter 5
Headstrong
Knock Knock
Groaning was heard from inside the cabins as Kaguya and Kaijinbo went down the rows knocking on every door. It was 7 o'clock in the morning on what promised to be a beautiful Tuesday. The second day of camp.
Kagome yawned before sitting up and stretching. She glanced at the clock almost screamed out loud, but remembered the other people in the room. It was 7am and they expected her to get up? Oh, well. She wasn't all that tired anyway.
Sighing loudly, Kagome pulled herself from her sleeping bag and…wait. Her sleeping bag? She didn't remember crawling into it the previous night so how come she was in it now? She noticed that she had her pajamas on. Remembering the events of the day before (from when she was awake), Kagome decided that Ayame and Sango must have brought her back to the cabin.
Shrugging, Kagome got out of bed and moved over to the stereo to turn it on. She turned the volume down and began getting her things ready for the rest of the day. On her way out, Kagome made sure to wake up her bunkmates so they would have time to get ready for breakfast. Kiara had already been awake, but didn't actually want to get out of her bed.
Once out the door, Kagome made her way to the bathrooms, a bundle of clothing and toiletries resting in her arms. She explored for a minute before placing her things in a small cubbyhole. Grabbing her towel, shampoo and conditioner, Kagome made her way into one of the showers and locked the door.
The washroom had about 5 stalls, 3 sinks and 6 showers. Said showers were separated just as the stalls were, with walls all around, save for the front which had a large door. Also, there was a wall committed to cubbyholes for whomever was in there and needed to put their things somewhere.
Kagome savored the warm water and thought about the day ahead.
Jumping from his bunk, Inuyasha cursed the camp once again. After making sure to jump on Kouga's bunk on the way down, he got to his knees and started searching through his duffel bag for something to wear.
Miroku 'accidentally' landed on Hojo while trying to dismount from the top bunk the same way Inuyasha did. He didn't succeed too well seeing as he ended up laying dazed on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. Inuyasha 'nudged' him with his foot on the way out. He left the cabin only wearing his boxers.
Ikkarawashii yawned and stretched before jumping out of bed and yelling, "WAKE UP!" super loudly while running outside. He was going to go to the washroom to get changed, but…he didn't bring his clothes.
Wazuryou jumped up with a start. He glanced around the room, but saw only a swinging door. Hanging his head down below his bunk, Wazu noticed Ik-kun not in his bed. He growled and jumped down while at the same time trying to run towards the door. He managed to get out the door unhurt for the most part, but, just as his brother had, he completely forgot about his clothes. And his ears.
Sango managed to climb out of bed and, along with Ayame and Kiara, made her way to the showers, but when the three arrived, the showers were all taken. They, however, only had to wait a couple of minutes.
Kagome exited the shower with her towel wrapped around her body and her hair up in a messy bun. She greeted her friends and grabbed her clothes to get changed. The raven haired girl emerged from the bathroom wearing white shorts and a green tank top. Her hair was hanging around her shoulders, still wet.
Kagome was just making her way around the building when WHAM!
"Hey, watch where you're going!" Kagome heard an angry, familiar voice yell. She looked up from the ground where she had fallen and saw that it was, in fact, Inuyasha. "Oh," he said, apparently just noticing that it was Kagome. "Umm…"
"Walk much?" she grumbled, getting to her feet. Inuyasha's expression changed instantly as he glared at her. "Never mind," Kagome gathered her things. "Sorry I bumped into you," she apologized, though Inuyasha had a feeling that it wasn't exactly heartfelt.
"Uh…yeah," was all he said, remembering the night before.
Kagome glared, but was still picking up her things so he didn't notice. She turned around and was about to leave. "Well, you have a nice-" Kagome froze. 'Body,' her mind screamed, actually seeing Inuyasha. He was, of course, still only wearing his boxers and this had completely caught Kagome off-guard.
She mentally slapped herself and was saved from an embarrassing situation. "Day. Yes, you have a nice day," she said as she walked by him, making sure to give a wide girth. Inuyasha snickered slightly, but ended up being the one caught staring. He hadn't actually seen what Kagome was wearing until she was leaving and he found himself watching her walk away.
As Kagome made her way back to camp, she looked back and noticed Inuyasha staring. A wide grin replaced her previous scowl as she entered her cabin.
Inuyasha cursed himself for a fool and continued on his way to the boys' bathroom, a light blush crossing his cheeks. Talk about reverse psychology.
The whole of the camp was supposed to be ready to eat by 7:30am, but due to it being the actual first day, exceptions were made. Although it was early, everybody still managed to drag themselves out of bed and be ready to eat by 8. It was quite a feat considering some people didn't wake up till just then.
With the camp ready and waiting in the mess hall, Kaede made another appearance. "I hope ye all enjoyed thy first day?" It was more of a question than a statement. She received groggy nods for the most part. Continuing on, Kaede said, "Today will be the day where ye all start following the schedules. Hopefully it will be easy enough to adjust to the differences, but if there are any problems, talk to Kaguya or Kaijinbo. They will see to it that it is taken care of properly.
"With that said, ye may eat thy breakfast and start yer day off with whatever the first thing on thy schedule is. Be careful and have fun," she finished her speech for the day and exited the Hall.
Everyone sat there silently, not knowing what to do. The silence was interrupted by a sharp call of, "Order's up!" which was followed by a small bell. This was obviously an invitation to eat, so everyone did.
The original 11 companions were not, as may be expected, sitting at the same table. Apparently everybody thought it best to sit with their cabins (more or less anyway). So Kagome, Sango, Ayame and Kiara were sitting with cabin-1F, meaning Momiji, Botan, Ruri and Hari. Inuyasha, Miroku, Kouga and Hojo (though the latter would have rather sit somewhere else) were sitting with cabin-2E, consisting of Ginta, Hakkaku, Wazuryou and Ikkarawashii.
Kaguya and Kaijinbo allowed the campers a while to eat before they were told to return to their cabins for further instructions.
It was now almost 9 o'clock in the morning and the camp was a whole hour off-schedule. Because of the delay, their first course was to be cut short an hour. The girls entered their cabin and immediately checked their schedule, having forgotten before. Due to their little rendezvous the day before, they were going to start classes on Day2 (there being 7 days on the schedule).
For the girls, this meant cutting short their Canoeing course. For the guys (Inuyasha, Miroku, Kouga and Hojo plus Ik-kun, Wazu, Hakkaku and Ginta), it meant their Archery lesson.
The 7-Day schedules were quite simple to follow, Kiara noticed while reading over Sango's shoulder. There were 8 different courses that would last them throughout the week, four each day. It was basically Day-1 and 2 being repeated 3 times over, giving 6 days. The seventh day had no plans on it, save for breakfast, lunch and dinner, meaning it was a free day.
This was held in high esteem over at Inuyasha's cabin. A day to do whatever they wanted. They assumed in would come to good use at times. But for now, the guys were grudgingly making their way towards the Archery Course. At least they only had an hour of whatever kind of archery Tsubaki was going to teach them.
Ayame was excited for her first actual day at camp. Sure, canoeing wasn't always that fun, but nothing was going to put a damper on her lightheartedness, she decided. Kagome and Sango debated on whether or not they needed to bring anything while Kiara redid her hair. Her flowing, golden locks accentuating her rose-stained eyes, even if she did always have it put up.
Eventually, everybody was at their assigned stations and were ready to learn. The sun was shining and the sky was clear, creating a mass of sweltering heat waves. Inuyasha cursed and wondered why he chose to wear all black as Tsubaki was explaining the differences between the bows and arrows.
Finally, deciding it was just too hot, Inuyasha stripped off his black t-shirt, gaining a couple gasps from the girl's group that he had lessons with. This caused Tsubaki to cease her ramblings and notice the happenings before her.
"Mr.…Mr-"
"Tsuyaku," he provided, good-naturedly.
"Mr. Tsuyaku," she spat. "What, may I ask, do you think you are doing?"
Inuyasha tucked his shirt into his back pocket before answering, "Well, I was listening to you, but you seem to be having some sort of problem…so, now I am answering your question." He grinned innocently, though how he managed that is a mystery to all.
"What is the meaning of this?" Tsubaki questioned, pointing to him, or rather, his bare (and very well-toned) chest. "I need everyone to be paying attention."
"Hey!" Inuyasha countered, clearly offended. "I can still listen without my shirt on, ya know!"
Tsubaki raised an eyebrow elegantly. "Oh?" she questioned, "Then what are the 3 types of bows that we will be using, Mr. Tsuyaku?"
Inuyasha froze for a moment. True, he could listen with his shirt off, but that doesn't mean he had been. "Uh…" was his oh-so-smart reply. "Oh!" Inuyasha caught sight of Miroku signaling him. The dark-haired teen curved his arm, leaving his fingers pointing forward (sort of the way your arm is positioned after shooting a basketball).
Reprocessing some of the information that had made it in his head, Inuyasha figured it out. "Ah hah! The Recurve Bow!"
"Right, and the second."
Darn, couldn't he get away with only naming one? Inuyasha glared at her before glancing at Miroku once again. He drew back, confused.
Miroku was pointing to himself.
Then, realization hit him as he answered, "The Self Bow." Tsubaki nodded again and signaled him to continue. "Er…" Miroku was stretching his hands as far apart as they would possibly go, receiving odd stares from a couple of people. "Umm…the, uh…stretch- No, that's not it. Maybe, the big- Uh-uh…or the long- Hah! The Long Bow!" Inuyasha was clearly proud of himself.
"Good. Now," Tsubaki said to all the archers, "this summer we will be using wooden arrows, as opposed to fiberglass, aluminum…" she dismissed the episode without a second thought and continued to ramble about whatever it was that she called archery. Wazuryou and Ik-kun, however, were nowhere to be seen.
Kagome screeched as she tried to get into the canoe. Sango and Kiara had managed to get into the 6-person canoe and now it was her turn, but Kagome seemed to be having difficulties. Every time she stepped into the thing, it tipped precariously to one side, almost throwing her into the water.
"Come on Kagome," Sango coaxed. "You can do it."
"I'm trying!" Kagome screamed, falling into the boat. Ayame giggled and followed after her, having no trouble upon entering the canoe. During this class, they learned the proper way to hold the paddles and propel the canoes. They didn't get to do too much canoeing, though, due to the fact that their lesson was cut short. At about ten to 10, they placed their canoes on the shore, tied them up and put away their lifejackets. After that, the class was dismissed for their 10 minute break before they began their next course.
Making their way towards their cabin, Kagome, Sango, Ayame and Kiara heard laughter coming from the left. The girls stopped, curiosity overcoming them. They turned only to find the guys walking towards their cabins, laughing their heads off.
Ikkarawashii and Wazu were, needless to say, the reason for all the humor. The two brothers were talking excitedly about something or other as they stared, mesmerized, at the arrow in Ik-kun's hands.
A shirtless Inuyasha patted the brothers on the back (apparently congratulating them on sneaking into the storage room and jacking an arrow unnoticed) before snatching the arrow up and bolting off, quick as a jackrabbit with a wolf on his heels.
Which is basically how it turned out. Wazu and Ik-kun weren't happy that their efforts were in vain, so they took chase like the wolves they were. Kagome watched on in amusement as Inuyasha ran around in circles, the brothers right on his tail.
Eventually, Wazu got the idea to go the opposite direction than Ikkarawashii and corner the thief. Ik-kun figured it would help if he could go a bit faster so he got down on all fours and sped off.
Looking behind him, Inuyasha noticed he was in for it. Wazu was heading him off while Ik-kun was catching up from behind. So, he did the only thing he could think of at the moment.
Coming within a few feet of the oncoming Wazuryou, the silver-haired hanyou turned sharply and began running towards his cabin. He looked behind him and saw as the Hakussho brothers collided with each other, head on. Inuyasha let out a laugh before placing his eyes ahead of him.
Unfortunately for him, Inuyasha didn't see much until he was lying flat on his back. "Owww…"
"Heh, poor guy," a voice was heard. Inuyasha groggily lifted his pounding head to look at what he ran into. He saw Ayame and that lynx-girl (Kiara, was it?) dusting off their outfits. Groaning, the hanyou let his head fall to the ground.
When the four girls noticed Inuyasha running full speed towards them, Ayame and Kiara (being the stronger of the four because they were demons) stood in front of Kagome and Sango and took crouching stances. They didn't have enough time for all four of them to get out of the way so this was their only option.
As Inuyasha came crashing into them, Kiara and Ayame tensed their bodies. Surprisingly, they held and Inuyasha was thrown to the ground, completely oblivious.
Hearing a gasp behind them, Ayame and Kiara moved out of the way. Kagome ran up to Inuyasha and kneeled down beside him. "Are you ok?" she asked, quite blatantly. "Um…Inuyasha? Can you hear me?" Kagome started to get worried when he didn't answer. She placed a shaking hand on his forehead.
Inuyasha's eyes fluttered before opening completely. What he was surprised him enough to jump. He was confused to see a worried expression on Kagome's face (or Kagome's face at all, for that matter) and felt her hand pressed against his head.
"Whoa whoa wh- Ouch!" After trying to move from his current position, the half demon decided he would much rather not move at all.
"Sit still," Kagome ordered sternly, yet her voice was still soft. Inuyasha nodded slightly. She turned to her friends. "What do we do?" All of them shook their heads unknowingly.
Kagome was about to ask one of them to go for help when Miroku ran up to them. "Morning ladies," he greeted before kneeling down on the other side of Inuyasha. "Hey, man." Miroku slapped his friend lightly. "He's out cold." The girls watched on in fascination as Miroku checked his pulse and breathing, but once he started pulling Inuyasha's shoes off, they looked at each other skeptically.
Miroku held the shoes upside-down and shook them, revealing a few pieces of change and a gum wrapper. Scowling, Miroku began muttering to himself. He said something about, "Placing things in difficult places," as he leaned back and looked at Inuyasha uncertainly.
With his brow furrowed in utmost concentration, Kagome didn't want to interrupt Miroku. She shrugged to the others who had the same bewildered expression.
"Ah hah!" the dark-haired teen exclaimed as he unrolled the hem of his friends' pants.
"Uh, Miroku?" Kagome was getting a bit worried.
With all his attention on what he was doing, Miroku didn't notice the looks that the girls were giving him or the fact that the rest of the guys finally decided to come and see if he was alright (Ik-kun and Wazu suffered no immediate damage from their accident).
After unrolling the second hem, Miroku shouted in triumph. From Inuyasha's right pant leg, Miroku pulled a small, capped container. He twisted the cap and poured its contents into his hand. "Anybody have water?" he asked no one in particular. Sango handed him the water bottle she was carrying when he held out his hand expectantly.
As he propped Inuyasha's head on his knee, Miroku used his teeth to open the water bottle and he poured some of the liquid onto his friend's head. "Open up, buddy." Miroku patted Inuyasha's cheek, trying to get him conscious again.
Groaning was heard and Miroku took the opportunity to stuff in the objects that were in his hand. Completing that mission, Miroku waited for him to open his mouth again to put the water in. And open it he did…when he started choking. Shrugging, Miroku sat him up a bit more and emptied the bottle of water into his mouth.
Everyone held their breath in anticipation.
Heavy sighs were released when Inuyasha's eyes shot open and he whacked Miroku upside the head. "You idiot!" he yelled, which he immediately regretted afterwards as he grabbed onto his head frustratingly.
Pushing himself from Miroku's lap, Inuyasha glared at his so-called 'friend.' Miroku was smiling proudly and it ticked Inuyasha off. "What the heck are you grinning about?"
Miroku leaned back and looked at his nails indifferently. "Oh, nothing. Just the fact that I saved your life." He raised his gaze to witness Inuyasha's reaction.
Said reaction was growling followed by quiet whimpering. Kagome heard this due to the fact that she was still sitting right beside him.
"You know, you really should get that checked out," she said, causing Inuyasha to jump.
"Damn it, woman!" Inuyasha took a deep, calming breath.
Kagome glared. "You better watch your language, mister. And I do have a name, you know," she stated, oblivious to the fact that she just called him 'mister.' "It's Ka-Go-Me, got it? Good," she finalized, patting his head roughly.
Grumbling, Inuyasha stood up. "Feh! I don't need this." He made to leave, but was stopped by Miroku.
"Forgetting something?" Miroku asked innocently while playing with the cylindrical container.
"Oh yeah," Inuyasha grabbed it and walked away without saying anything more.
Miroku shook his head. "Nice guy, ain't 'e?" He laughed at his own comment…and at what he managed to accomplish. Miroku grabbed the change that had fallen from Inuyasha's shoes earlier and pocketed it (Inuyasha hadn't noticed it was missing due to Miroku's 'distraction'). "Hey, you never know," he admitted, seeing a number of questioning looks.
Looking to the abandoned shoes on the ground (which were also forgotten), Miroku pondered for a moment. "Aw, what the heck," he shrugged grabbing up the shoes. "Just for good measure," he ensured his audience. "Hey, he got the good end," Miroku insisted. He grinned.
"Ah. Extra strength aspirin. Man's best friend."
After the whole incident was over and done with, a bell was heard throughout the campgrounds, notifying the campers that their break was over and that it was time for their next course.
Sighing exasperatedly, Kagome got to her feet and followed Ayame, Sango and Kiara to their cabin to check what their next class was.
Arriving at the rec. building, Miroku was relieved to see that Inuyasha managed to go to the right place. "Hey," Miroku greeted, swinging 'his' shoes lightheartedly. "I see you've managed to remember what out next class is."
Inuyasha laughed halfheartedly. "Hardly," he answered, then admitted, "This was my best bet, considering there are three different classes here. So what exactly are we doing anyw- Hey! Give 'em back!" He had just noticed that Miroku had his shoes.
"Was wondering when you'd notice," Miroku informed, throwing Inuyasha the shoes that rightfully belonged to the hanyou. Once he got them on, they both made their way inside the building.
"You never answered my question." Inuyasha stated.
"Really?" Miroku asked. "I hadn't noticed." Inuyasha raised his eyebrows in a 'Don't get smart' look. Miroku stopped at the double doors. "This, Inuyasha, is our next class," Miroku informed, pulling the doors open to reveal a gymnasium.
"Score!" And with that Inuyasha disappeared through the doors, leaving Miroku outside, shaking his head wearily as he wondered where he had gone wrong.
The girls made there way into the large building and traveled down the hall to the gymnasium. Sango stopped, seeing Miroku standing outside the doors. Kiara walked up to him. "Hey, Miroku?" She wondered if she got his name right. He nodded.
"Kiara. And what brings you lovely ladies here?"
"Um…well, we have gym," Sango answered. "Do you?" She tried to keep the tinge of hope out of her voice, to no avail.
Miroku smirked. "You would like that, now wouldn't you?" He asked, placing his arm around her shoulders.
Sango blushed and pushed him away. "Yeah, right, you pervert."
"You didn't seem to mind last night." Miroku quirked an eyebrow, receiving another blush. She glared before walking into the gym, face beat red. Miroku turned to the others. "Ladies first," he said, holding the door open.
Upon first meeting with Naraku, everyone was afraid to do anything he recommended. He made everything sound dangerous and deadly. But, eventually they got over it and actually…well, they actually enjoyed his company. It wasn't because he was nice or anything, but because he made them feel like they had to try harder or they wouldn't accomplish anything. Perseverance, he told them, was the key.
So, persevere they did and the girls even managed to get him to play music while they were sporting away. Like he said, perseverance.
Inuyasha, Miroku and Kouga were playing a game of basketball in one of the outside courts when the girls came out, heading towards the tennis court. Ayame and Kiara were apparently playing first as they were both warming up and they each had on an official-looking tennis outfit, courtesy of Kiara (who was really into tennis).
Kagome and Sango sat against the wall while watching their friends warming up. The sound of the radio playing was washing over them as Ayame and Kiara were just starting up. The peace of their surrounding was, however, torn to shreds.
"It was MY goal!"
"No way! It was MY hoop!"
Bickering could be heard from around the corner and Kagome decided to see what was going on seeing as she had nothing better to do. Turning around the corner, she noticed the three guys had stopped playing and both Kouga and Inuyasha were in the middle of an argument.
"What's going on?" she asked curiously, reaching the court.
"None of your business," Inuyasha snapped.
"Oh, hey Kagome." Kouga dropped the ball that he had been fighting over with Inuyasha and made his way over to Kagome. "How's it going?"
"Hi, Kouga," Kagome smiled at him, but not before glaring at Inuyasha. "I just came over to see what all the noise was about."
"Oh," Kouga laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Muttface just tried to score on his own team. No biggie," he replied, moving closer to the building. Inuyasha and Miroku decided to continue playing, with or without Kouga. "You wanna join us?" He asked as he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it to the side.
Kagome stared in shock. Why was everyone taking their shirts off? Sure, he looked good, but why right in front of her. Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha and Miroku and she noticed that they, too, were playing shirtless.
Before answering, Kagome thought about her options. "I don't know," she replied. "Being around big, sweaty guys…"
Kouga smirked. "Oh, come on, Kagome. It's not that bad. Just come play for a while. Please?"
Smiling, Kagome nodded. "If only because you have manners," she notified. Kagome was about to enter the court with Kouga when she though about Sango. "Uh, Kouga? Do you mind if I ask Sango to join us?"
Although he did look a little disappointed, Kouga nodded and Kagome ran off in the direction of the tennis court.
"Hey Sango! Do you wanna come play basketball?" Kagome asked as soon as she could see her friend.
"Whoa! Wait just a sec and breathe. Now, please repeat," Sango instructed.
Kagome sighed. "I was just wondering if you wanted to come play basketball," she repeated, just as Sango asked.
"Uh…I don't think-"
"The guys are playing shirtless and I'm sure you can get Miroku back for whatever it is you want to get him back for," Kagome interrupted.
"it would be a problem," Sango finished her sentence. "Just 'cause I want to beat that pervert at his own game," she added, just for good measure.
Kagome grinned, knowing that it was a complete lie. She didn't bother saying anything as they made their way to the courts however. Upon arriving, Kagome once again found Kouga and Inuyasha fighting. She sighed, wondering what it could be about this time.
"Uh…you guys?" Kagome tried to break them apart, but was afraid of touching their gross, sweaty bodies. "AHEM!" she 'coughed' loudly, gaining their attention. "Thank you. Now, what's going on?"
Between the two of them, there were enough glares to go around the whole camp. "Nothing," they both replied, turning away.
Releasing an exasperated sigh, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Ok, if it's nothing, can we please have to ball?" she asked, indicating her and Kouga.
He grimaced. "No way!"
Tensing, Kagome shouted, "YES!"
Inuyasha relayed, "GET YOUR OWN DAMN BALL!"
Balling her fists at her side, Kagome yelled, "WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE AND I WOULD GET A BALL IF I KNEW WHERE THEY WERE!"
Grinning smugly, Inuyasha spun the ball on the tip of his finger. "I guess you'll just have to beat me for it."
Kagome breathed heavily. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it, not knowing what to say. Finally, she turned to Kouga and gave him a look that clearly said, 'Do something.'
He shrugged. "Hey, Muttface, just give 'er the ball, will ya?"
Inuyasha shook his head defiantly. "Not until she beats me."
"Look, Kagome," Kouga spoke to her, "There's nothing much I can do. Why don't you just win and get it over with. I'm sure even you can beat this mutt."
Although she didn't like the sound of 'even you,' Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Fine!" she spat. "Let's just get it over with."
Inuyasha chuckled and moved to center court, Kagome following. Kouga exited the court and watched on from the sidelines as Sango gave Miroku a piece of her mind on the other court.
The radio hosts had been talking for a few minutes, but they now introduced the next song. It was 'Headstrong' by Trapt.
Facing Kagome at center court, Inuyasha grinned and said, "You know that you can't win. You should just give up 'cause your not foolin' nobody."
Circling your- circling your- circling your head
Contemplating everything you ever said
Now I see the truth, I got a doubt
A different motive in your eyes and now I'm out
See you later
"I can beat you," Kagome countered halfheartedly.
Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Done convincing yourself, then?" He snickered as Kagome flushed angrily.
I see your fantasy
You want to make it a reality paved in gold
See inside- inside of our heads (yeah)
Well now that's over
I see your motives inside
Decisions to hide
"Well, then," Inuyasha took his stance after throwing her the ball. "Let's see what you've got." Kagome took a deep breath before nodding. She dribbled the ball past Inuyasha with a fake to the right and took off down the court.
Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
Headstrong-
We're headstrong
After her first impression, Inuyasha decided that Kagome was playing for real. He inwardly grinned at her perseverance and took off after her, determined to win.
Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
And this is not where you belong
Kagome had a safe head start and made to the other side of the court without disruption. She told herself that there was no way she would let him win. She just couldn't let him beat her with that smug expression etched onto his face.
I can't give everything away
I won't give everything away
Across the court they both went running, Inuyasha right on Kagome's heels. He saw her poise to take a shot and jumped in front, just in time. Grabbing the ball mid-flight, Inuyasha tore off down the other side of the court.
Conclusions manifest
Your first impression's got to be your very best
I see your full of shit, and that's alright
That's how you play, I guess you'll get through every night
Well, now that's over
Without a second thought, Inuyasha ran the last few feet and jumped. His lay-up was perfect and the ball hit the backboard in just the right place at just the right angle.
I see your fantasy
You want to make it a reality paved in gold
See inside- inside of our heads (yeah)
Well, now that's over
I see your motives inside
Decisions to hide
Even if Inuyasha was ahead this early in the game, Kagome was still not going to give up. She had determination running through her veins as she caught the ball that Inuyasha had just thrown to her. This time, she would really show him what she was made of.
Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
Headstrong-
We're headstrong
True enough, Kagome's skill at playing basketball surprised Inuyasha, but she still wasn't as good as him. Following her down the court again, Inuyasha moved in front of her as she was about to take the shot. Kagome glared and pivoted, trying to escape from his grasp.
Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
And this is not where you belong
(Where you belong)
Kagome released the basketball just as Inuyasha was moving to block her. It soared through the air, hitting the outside of the hoop.
I can't give everything away
(This is not where you belong)
I won't give everything away
This was his chance, and he took it. Grabbing hold of the ball once again, Inuyasha dribbled it a small distance from Kagome. He crouched down to take the shot…
I know- I know all about
I know- I know all about
I know- I know all about
I know- I know all about your motives inside
Your decision to hide
Kagome ran over to where Inuyasha was preparing to take the shot, but noticed something very out of the ordinary. Her opponent was…well, he was shooting on himself.
Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
Headstrong-
We're headstrong
Disbelief was clear in her eyes as Kagome watched Inuyasha shoot the ball. There was no denying it. The ball went straight into the hoop, making a 'Swoosh' sound.
Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
And this is not where you belong
(Where you belong)
A shout of protest was heard from the sidelines as Kouga hurried onto the court. "Hey, Muttface! What do you think you're doing?"
Inuyasha groaned and fell to his knees, realizing what he had just done, again.
(This is not where you belong)
I can't give everything away
(This is not where you belong)
I won't give everything away
(Where you belong)
(This is not where you belong)
Sighing wearily, the hanyou got to his feet. "Yeah yeah. Just shut it, will ya?" he said before Kouga had a chance to say anything else.
"Well, Muttface," Kouga started as he picked up the ball and began spinning it on the tip of his finger. "I'm assuming you've never played on a team before?" The wolf demon laughed. "Because, you know, with a nasty habit like that, you wouldn't get very far."
"Save it for someone who cares," Inuyasha grumbled. "Doesn't matter, I still win."
"Hey!" Kagome grew offended. "That's not fair. You shot the ball into your own hoop, which means the points go to me."
"She's got a point," Kouga shrugged to the hanyou. He passed the ball to Kagome. "And now, if you don't mind," he said to Inuyasha, "we must excuse ourselves." With that, and a last glare from Kagome, the two of them began playing a friendly game.
Inuyasha 'feh'd' and went to watch as Miroku got his butt kicked by the enraged Sango.
The gym class ended without any further dramatics. All of the youth exited the rec. building and either went to the mess hall to eat lunch, or made their way to the cabins.
Kagome and Ayame decided to head back to the cabins with Inuyasha and Kouga while Kiara and Sango saved them a table in the Hall with Miroku and Hojo.
As they were walking, Kouga congratulated Kagome on 'winning' her games against both Inuyasha and him. Kagome thanked him while giving the back of Inuyasha's head a somewhat disappointed look.
"So," the wolf demon started up a conversation. "Why aren't you going to the Mess?"
Kagome tore her gaze from Inuyasha to look at Kouga. "Oh, um…well, I just need to freshen up a bit," she stated.
Kouga nodded even though he didn't really understand what she meant by 'freshen up.' Turning to Ayame, he asked, "And what about you?"
"Huh? Wha- oh…I need to get out of this outfit," she laughed, indicating the white skirt and tank that she was wearing.
Kouga grinned. "Why?" he asked. "You look cute." And with that he tweaked her nose and ran up the stairs to his cabin seeing as they were walking in front of it.
"Wha-?" Ayame was blushing furiously, wondering if she had heard correctly.
"Don't take that wolf too seriously," Inuyasha said, leaning against the railing. "He goes around flattering anything with a pair of legs." While saying this, Inuyasha looked directly at Kagome.
She stared right back at him before retorting, "Are you implying something?"
"If I am?" Inuyasha asked, closing his eyes.
With tears in her eyes, Kagome 'humph'd' and walked away.
Also hurt by the stab taken at her, Ayame faced Inuyasha and simply said, "Bastard," before following after her friend.
Inuyasha dropped his head, allowing it to hit the rail. 'Why the hell do I have to open my mouth?' He sighed and made his way up the stairs that Kouga had previously climbed and entered the cabin to change into something cooler.
The mess hall seemed to be more packed than usual. All the campers were fighting for food and everyone wanted to sit outside at one of the shaded tables. Fortunately, Kiara, Sango, Miroku and Hojo were able to save a table for the rest of their friends.
Lunch for the companions went by quietly (Ikkarawashii and Wazuryou were missing once again). Everybody felt the tension as Kagome and Ayame glared daggers at Inuyasha from across the table, but nobody really wanted to bring up whatever it was that had happened.
Finally, Kagome finished eating and silently rose from the table. "See you guys next class," she murmured before turning and making her way to the cabins.
Inuyasha looked up and couldn't help but notice the glare that a certain emerald-eyed youkai was giving him. Inuyasha sighed and pushed himself up. "Fine," he told her, though everybody else was oblivious to the happenings around them.
Obviously glum, Inuyasha walked after Kagome, contemplating on how to approach her. He figured the best way was to just come out with it. Say he was 'sorry' and get it over with. Short, sweet and to the point.
Coming up on the cabins, Inuyasha noticed Kagome sitting on one of the tree stumps that served as benches between the girls' and boys' cabins. He hesitated a moment before continuing towards her.
Kagome was sitting back on the stump, enjoying the sunlight. She sighed heavily and kept telling herself that he was just a jerk and wasn't worth her frustration. Eventually, she stopped thinking about it altogether and enjoyed the warmth of the rays shining down on her.
Quietly, Inuyasha made his way towards her, still a bit unsure. When he was about two meters away, Kagome's eyes snapped open. She looked at the source of the noise and simply said, "Oh. It's you," before closing her eyes and turning away from him completely.
"Yeah," Inuyasha agreed, "It's me. Listen, Kagome-"
"Know what? I don't need to hear it. Just keep whatever you're about to say to yourself, ok?" and with that, Kagome pushed herself from the stump and walked quickly to her cabin.
Inuyasha growled before following after her. There was no way he was going to lose this battle. Unfortunately for him, Kagome apparently had the wrong idea of what he was trying to tell her.
Picking up speed, Inuyasha found himself standing at the top of the steps of one of the girls' cabins. He had both of his hands on the two railings, his back facing the door while he faced Kagome.
"Just hear me out," Inuyasha looked her in the eye. "I just came to say-"
Kagome crossed her arms and looked away, extreme loathing apparent.
Glaring (although she couldn't see it), Inuyasha though a moment. After sighing heavily, he took one of his hands and placed it underneath Kagome's jaw, positioning her face so that she was looking him straight in the eye.
"I'm sorry," he admitted in a soft voice, meant for her ears alone. "Ok? I didn't mean it."
Surprise is a bit of an understatement for what Kagome felt. She had expected more insults, not a heartfelt apology.
The Inu-hanyou was surprisingly patient while waiting for her reaction. He allowed her the time she needed as they stood suspended in time.
Unfortunately for the both of them, a loud exaggerated cough was heard. "Am I interrupting something?" the feminine voice was unmistakable.
Inuyasha realized where his hand was and what it probably looked like so he dropped it like a rock and faced Ayame. After climbing down the steps and making his way towards her, Inuyasha fought down the slight blush that had appeared. "Happy now?" he asked her silently before walking away without another word.
Ayame grinned when she realized that Inuyasha was just apologizing to Kagome. The wolf youkai made her way to where her friend was still standing on the steps. "Hey, Kagome. How are you feeling?" she asked, pretending to know nothing of what had just happened.
Kagome blinked a couple of times and shook her head. "I…yeah, I'm fine," she stated, looking to where Inuyasha was previously standing.
"What was…that all about?" Ayame asked, pointing to her and the retreating Inuyasha in the distance.
Blushing, Kagome remembered what had happened and she merely said, "Oh…um, he was just apologizing for earlier." She waited another moment before entering the cabin.
The afternoon passed at a soothing pace, not going too fast as to reap the benefits, but not too slow as to bore the entire camp. For Kagome's cabin this meant returning to the sports hall for their first class playing a variety of different games, followed by an intense lesson on the ways of music. Each of them were paired up with an instrument that Ryuukotsusei insisted was meant to be. Destiny, if you will. Although not entirely everybody was partnered up. A few talented people were recognized for their melodic voices and were told they were going to go through training with which they will use to enhance their vocals.
Kagome was informed that, while she had a nice voice, she would do much better playing the piano. Sango was happy to learn that she could try out the drums, though Ryuukotsusei stated that if she didn't like them as much as she thought, he would suggest moving to guitar. Lastly, lucky Ayame and Kiara were two of the chosen vocalists. When Ayame was informed of this information, she blushed and shuffled her feet while Kiara blinked a few times, just a bit shocked.
Inuyasha's cabin was faced with the task of…Art! During this class, they learned the basics of what they were to expect. To end the afternoon, the boys moved over to the lake where they would be taking their first canoeing lesson. Alas, the boats weren't the only things to get wet…
Wazuryou, Ikkarawashii, Hakkaku and Ginta showed up for the afternoon courses. These consisted of first going to the sports hall and playing games with Kagome's group, followed by swimming lessons with Musou. Although said swimming lessons were mainly an orientation and indication of where each student was, the four still managed to have a little fun.
Due to the fact that the canoes were nearby shore most of the first lesson, they were able to sneak over without catching the attention of Musou and paying a short visit to Inuyasha, Miroku and Kouga. Oh, yeah. Hojo too.
To make a long story short, Inuyasha's group returned soaking wet with a broken paddle. After receiving the smallest of injuries (courtesy of said paddle), Ginta started a mud tag game. This lasted the rest of the lesson.
With the day over and done with (well, the courses, anyway), all the campers were content to just relax on the beach or drift off lazily to sleep in their cabins. This grace period lasted for about half an hour due to the fact that they were called to the Mess Hall at 5:30.
Everybody dragged their bodies to the Hall and began their ravenous journey to the bottom of their plates. Although it was the first (and probably easiest) actual day at camp, the campers figured that it would get easier from then on. Each and every person had their time to relax as they lazed in the evening sun after their meal (and apple pie with vanilla ice cream for desert).
The day ended in a cozy silence as the campers greedily awaited their beds.
To be continued…
A/N: Ok then. There's another chapter over and done with. Hopefully it turned out ok, but who's to say? Anyway, I would really like to apologize for keeping this from you guys for so long, so…sorry. Thanks again for letting me take up your time. Always a pleasure.
Ankoku no Ookami
Next Chapter: Don't worry. I haven't (and I hope you hadn't) forgotten about the promise I made last time. There will be an odd surprise popping into the story at some point, so be prepared for that. I won't give any hints because I want it to be a full-out surprise. In the next chapter we have some fun in the water and maybe a nasty prank or two. Tune in next time!