Oh gosh, guys, I am SOOOO SORRY! I should have update sooner, but life go in the way... Anyway, I broke 300 reviews! I'm so happy! Thanks so much for your constant support throughout this story, and I will continue on! Hope you like this chappie! Another one of my famous cliffies at the bottom... What's new? Enjoy!
Dedicated to everyone for being so awesomely patient, and Suaru, my first reviewer! Yayness!
21 - Unexpected Meetings and The Mile High Club
"How the hell am I supposed to put these on?" Inuyasha whined as he twirled a set of headphones around his claw, glaring at the movie screen. Kagome giggled next to him, her headphone resting around her neck. "Damn it!" He tried to fit them again into his silver canine ears, but they fell away uselessly.
By now Kagome had given up trying to fit the device on her head; instead she rested them around her neck with the volume turned up to where she could hear the sound. She was surprised with how low she could keep the volume and hear the words clearly, her new ears picking up the sound waves much easier than her old human ones. 'I won't tell him yet...' she thought. 'This little show is more entertaining than the movie!' Kagome reached down a hand and turned her volume down lower, a smirk crossing her face as she watched her fiancee fiddle with the headphones, smashing his ears in the process.
"That's enough, Inuyasha!" Kagome finally said after watching this display for a couple minutes. "Calm down or you're going to-"
SNAP! The wide black plastic band that held the two ear pieces together broke, causing both Inuyasha and Kagome to stare at them like they had just grown another head.
"Well, I'm sure this happens all the time!" Kagome said cheerfully, taking the two pieces of the headphones from Inuyasha's grip. "They must have some more!" She plucked the plug from the side of the armrest, motioning a flight attendant who was standing a couple rows infront of them.
"Um, Kagome-" Inuyasha began as the stewardess looked at them. She took a step forward, then suddenly stopped. Her eyes were wide as she saw the pair, plus the broken piece of equipment. "Maybe that's not the best-"
"Where is she going?" Kaogme interrupted him, crossing her arms in a huff.
"What seems to be the trouble, miss?" a voice said from behind Inuyasha. Another attendant looked at them curiously with large blue eyes, hands clasped tightly infront of her.
Kagome looked at her for a moment. Something about her was off. The woman's aura was strange... "Um, well, my boyfriend here accidentally broke these..."
"Ah, I understand! Here, give those here, and I'll be back with two new ones." She walked away briskly, her heels lightly tapping on the carpeted aisle way.
"Why would she bring two?" Kagome wondered out loud as she peeked over the seat, watching the woman slip effortlessly behind a small curtain. Kaogme sat properly in her seat, confusion clearly etched across her face.
'I'll have to teach her how to use her new senses properly,' Inuyasha thought as he heard the stewardess approaching again, the soft tap of her shoes barely alerting him. 'She must've not smelled it...'
"Here you go! I have a feeling these will work better for you!" she said as she handed them two sets of headphones. But these were different, with small pieces that would slip into their canine ears with ease.
"Wow! Thanks!" Kaogme said as she unplugged her own headphones and handed them to the attendant, flashing her a grateful smile in the process.
"No problem! We have to stick together, don't we?" she replied with a wink.
Inuyasha gave the woman a rare grin, but Kaogme just looked confused. 'Something's never change...' he thought with a mental sigh at the look on her face. "She's only been a hanyou for a couple days," he informed the attendant softly. "Her senses aren't up to par yet, so to speak."
"Ah!" the woman said. She bent down into their seat, blocking her head from the view of any of the other passengers. Her gloved hand reached up and removed her strange little blue flight hat.
Kaogme gasped softly as two ears stuck out of the woman's golden hair. They were larger than her's and Inuyasha's, meaning she wasn't the same breed as they were. She silently contemplated this until Inuyasha answered her unspoken question.
"A neko-youkai," she grinned, saving Kaogme from looking dumb infront of her fellow demon. "I guess they keep you here to deal with the demon passengers, am I right?"
"Inuyasha! That's was so rude!" Kaogme said, punching him lightly in the shoulder.
But the neko only laughed, replacing her hat firmly before standing up straight. "In a way," she said. "Most of the other attendants are afraid of youkai, so I have to attend to them all. Not that I mind."
"Miss!" someone called from four rows up, motioning politely for the stewardess.
"Duty calls! If you ever need anything, just ask for Kaijin, and I'll be right here!" Kaijin clicked away softly, sending the couple a warm smile in the process.
Kagome's eyes were still wide with disbelief, looking as Kaijin smiled and helped a man with his travel bag. "I had no idea..." she marveled.
"So I was right. You have no idea about different scents. Shit, that means I'm gonna have to teach you!" he said with a scowl.
Kagome crossed her arms and turned toward the window. "Well, sorry I'm such a burden!"
"That's not what I meant," he grumbled, pulling on her sleeve to get her to turn back to him. Her deep amber eyes looked to him, anger clearly shown. 'Damn, how do I always make her mad?' he thought as he attempted to give her a puppy dog look. Literally.
It worked. "Awww... Inuyasha, it's okay!" she said, wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head on his chest.
He leaned back, placing a hand on her head to stroke through her raven locks as he felt her stifle a yawn against his chest. "Tired?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Kinda," she replied, snuggling deeper into the warmth into his chest.
"Then get some rest. You'll need it once we get to America."
Inuyasha felt her breathing regulate in a couple minutes, meaning she was sound asleep. His golden amber eyes gazed out the window at the large fluffy clouds, watching as the wing of the plane sliced the shapeless masses in half. A sigh escaped his mouth as he leaned back, content with mindlessly stroking Kagome's hair. 'She's in for a world of shock when we get situated. So many people will hate her because of her appearance...' His thoughts came less and less as a pensive expression crossed his face. 'I hope she doesn't regret her decision,' his mind said slowly as he glanced down to her hand that gripped his shirt where the emerald ring sparkled on her ring finger. 'Cause there's no way in hell I'm letting her back out now. I don't think I would make it without her...' He finally sunk into the darkness of much needed sleep, dreams of Kagome and their future together lulling him into a somber state of total happiness. 'My Kagome...'
Sango sat bunched up to the window, a wooly blanket wrapped around her body tightly as she drifted in and out of sleep. Miroku sat next to her, reading a book about America he had picked up in the airport lobby. His mind began to wander, as did his eyes as he looked over to Sango, snuggled into her seat. A wickedly perverted grin cross his face as he saw her position: curled up against the window, leaving her rear end wide open for a good rub. He reached down, but then stopped. 'She needs some rest,' a firm voice in his mind told him as he drew his hand back a couple inches. 'But... her butt...' another voice whined as he began a tug-o-war between reason and his hand. In the end he came up with the best coarse of action.
Her eyes shot open as she felt a familiar hand on her rear, rubbing and squeezing slightly. Sango turned to the man in the seat next to her, finding him with his usual perverted grin and eyes flashing with fright as he saw the look she gave him. "Miroku..." she said in a low tone that almost mimicked Inuyasha's growl, turning her body around to deny his access to his favorite place.
"Um, yes love?" he said with a gulp, knowing what was coming. Hopefully a flight attendant would have something cold to put on the bruise she would give him. He closed his eyes tightly, bracing for the impact, when something very unexpected happen. Two small arms wrapped around his chest and he felt Sango's hair under his chin. "Sango?"
"I don't feel like hitting you today. Just keep your hands to yourself, at least until we get off the plane," she told him as she let go, leaning into the comfort of her seat.
'Hmmm... Maybe I'll take advantage of her good mood...' he thought as he took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles slowly. "So Sango..." He leaned in, giving her a slow, tender kiss filled with emotion. Barely coming away from her mouth, he whispered to her lips, "Wanna join the mile high club?"
Luckily, the flight attendants had plenty of ice. He stood from the aisle way, rubbing the side of his face as he watched Sango curl up in her seat, careful to put herself in a position where he had no access to any part of her body. He sigh as he took his seat next to her, careful not to touch her as the stewardess came back with a small bag of ice. Miroku pressed it to his swollen cheek with a grin. "Ouch," he muttered. It hurt to grin. 'Oh well, can't win them all,' he thought as he picked his book back up and continued reading.
A couple hours later, Kagome woke up, complaining that she was hungry. As they tried to call an attendant over to help them with their food, they again couldn't get any of them to stop. Kagome found this frustrating, but Inuyasha just found it typical... and aggravating. Finally Kaijin passed by and asked them how they were.
"I'll be back in a minute," Inuyasha said with a huff as the disguised neko youkai finished taking his order. He went to the tiny door marked 'Bathroom' and slammed it shut, nearly knocking the sign off the door.
Kagome sighed as she looked at the woman, her deep blue eyes wide. "Sorry about him," she apologized. "I don't know what's gotten into him lately..."
"It's okay," Kaijin told her, "I understand what he's thinking."
"Huh?" Kagome looked at the neko youkai, her big eyes narrowing as a clear expression of hurt crossed her face.
"I bet he feels so... out of place. You'll learn having everyone afraid of you isn't very fun." Kaijin looked around carefully, then slid into Inuyasha's vacant seat. She looked at Kagome, her expression still slightly dark. "When you get off this plane, the world will look at you and only see what their eyes allow. You have the clear features of an inu youkai, so you will be treated as such. A demon. Everyone will be afraid of you, no matter what you say. There are some out there who have accepted demons, but most have not. Prejudice is something you'll encounter everyday of your life because of who you are." At this point Kagome's eyes filled with tears, dripping silently out of her deep golden orbs and resting on her slightly clawed hand that had a death grip on the denim of her jeans. "Oh, but Kagome, it will be okay!" Kaijin said brightly as she shook Kagome's shoulder's lightly. "All I'm saying is you must be strong, and stick with your loved ones. Never let them go. Especially Inuyasha." She leaned in, whispering in a decibel too low for the human ear to pick up. "He's quite a catch, if you know what I mean," she said as she wiggled her slender eyebrows and winked. Kagome giggled and Kaijin stood, straightening her hat in the process. "I'll be back to check on you and lover boy in a while!" she said as she walked toward a small cloth that divided the sections of the plane.
"Thanks, Kaijin!" Kagome said as she waved, suddenly feeling a little uneasy about their trip. She had been so excited to go to a foreign country, see new things, meet new people. But maybe it wouldn't be as fun as she thought. 'Everyone will dislike me based on my appearance?' she marveled. 'I knew that people hated demons. I mean, look at grandpa...' Her eyes closed as she felt another wave of tears coming. 'Grandpa... Mom... Sota... Dad... I'll be strong. Inuyasha and I will be strong for you guys. I won't let my circumstance control me. You taught me that, Daddy...'
flash back -
"Look Kagome, see that tree?" a man in his mid thirties told his daughter.
"Dad, the thing is like, forty feet tall. How could I miss it?" At fourteen Kagome was far too old for her father's little guessing games, but she played along with him. She motioned to the ancient god tree on her grandfather's land. "What about it?"
"You ever wonder how it got so tall? Especially here in the middle of the city?" he said with a wistful glance up into the tree's foliage.
"Ummm... No," she admitted as her father sat down beneath the tree and closed his eyes as he leaned back, resting his head on the trunk.
"Would you believe me if I told you this tree was over 500 years old?"
"No way," she said with disbelief in her voice. "How could one tree survive for that long?"
"It stood strong against everything that surrounded it, that's how!" He lightly punched the bark, laughing heartily. "This tree is a real example of perseverance. Always stand strong like the tree." Kagome gave him a confused look and he sighed. "What I'm trying to say is don't bend to every little thing that comes your way. Did the tree bend and snap when a harsh wind blew? Did the tree shrivel up and die if it didn't get enough water? Did the tree give up on life when Tokyo modernized? Of coarse not! So, don't let some old tree beat you out! Never give up Kagome!" Her father stood and walked away, all the while whistling an unknown tune to himself as he walked toward the shrine.
- end flash back
At the time, Kagome hadn't understood the meaning of the strange talk and accepted it as one of her father's many quirks. But now she understood. In his own way, he was telling her to remain strong against anything that may come her way. 'I won't let Daddy down!' she thought firmly as she grabbed her new tan leather purse, digging through the make up and clothing tags, finding a compact. She flicked open the little plastic container, looking into the mirror that occupied the inside.
Kagome tugged on one of her dainty raven ears, twitching them experimentally. 'People are crazy,' she thought with a grin. 'These ears are adorable!' She flexed her newly acquired claws, letting the nails shine in the sun from the airplane window. 'I really like this now that I think about it. I can even defend myself now!' Snapping the compact shut she stood, a firm grin set upon her face. Kagome made her way to the restroom that Inuyasha occupied, knowing very well that he would never really go on an airplane.
Inuyasha shot a menacing glare at the toilet, trying to burn it with his eyes. "Like hell I would go on an airplane," he muttered to himself as he turned on the small sink. Gathering a pool of water in his hands, he splashed his face, getting a majority of his bangs wet in the process. Inuyasha looked to the small mirror, faced with his reflection. What he saw disgusted him. He glowered at his reflection in the mirror, sending himself harsh glares of ridicule. 'Not like anyone else was any better,' he thought angrily. 'Even Kikyou...'
- flash back
Inuyasha walked down the hallway, humming a happy tune. Ever since he and Kikyou started going out, he had been so unusually happy. At first Sango tried to get him to go to the doctor, thinking something was wrong with him. Miroku thought Inuyasha slept with her. Both were wrong and one was unconscious.
'Where the hell is she?' he thought, rounding the corner to the cafeteria. He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Kikyou standing very close to none other than Koga. Inuyasha pressed himself to the wall, making sure the wolf couldn't smell him as he strained his canine ears to hear their conversation.
"I don't get it. Why are you with him?" Koga asked her, lightly putting a hand on her shoulder. Inuyasha was about to jump out, when he saw her put her own hand on top of his and squeeze it lightly.
"Well..." she muttered in a low tone.
'Tell him Kikyou! Tell him we care about each other! Tell him we're meant to be! Tell him you love me!' he screamed in his head.
"I guess I felt sorry for him at the time. But I am so over being tied to the likes of him." Kikyou then wrapped her arms around Koga's chest, bringing him into a tight embrace.
"It's time to let go of that mutt-face and get with a real man!" Koga said as he lightly rubbed the small of her back, causing her to bury her face deeper into his neck.
"He's nothing but a dirty half breed... that Inuyasha..." she slurred as Koga brought his face to hers and their lips met.
By now Inuyasha had all he could take. Straining to keep the tears in, he ran from the school, ran from everything. From that day forward he never directly spoke to Kikyou again, only finding a note in his locker that held the dreadful words in her handwriting.
It's over, half-breed. Kikyou.
- end flash back
He felt like punching the mirror and taking the shards and tearing his flesh apart, cutting off his ears and ending it now. But that would be letting them win. And Inuyasha wouldn't lose.
"Inuyasha?" a sweet familiar voice called form outside the bathroom. "Inuyasha, I know you're in there. Please come out," Kagome pleaded as she lightly tapped on the door.
Looking in the mirror once more, he grabbed a paper towel and dried off his face, shaking his head in a dog-like manner to remove the droplets from his hair. He slid the door open to find Kagome standing infront of him, smiling.
"Come on Inuyasha, we need to buckle our seatbelts. The plane is going to land in a couple minutes," she told him as she took his hand and led him back to their seats.
'Kagome and I are in this together,' he thought. 'No, not just us. Miroku and Sango, too. We're all together...'
As the teens exited the plane and attempted to locate luggage claim, Inuyasha suddenly felt two objects hit his legs at a good speed and cling there. Looking down, he couldn't believe his eyes. "Shippo? Rin?"
"Uncle Inu!" they both squealed at once.
Inuyasha looked up, hoping again all hope his sense of smell was correct. It was.
"No way... Sesshomaru! Kagura!"
To my Friends and Reviewers -
Suaru - The plot always thickens with me! Hehe! ... make room for me in the corner ... Just in case! Hehe! Love and Hugs, beta!
JadeElemental - We're not hiding... ummm... Okay, so we're hiding. I'm used to your pervertedness (is that a word?). Anyway, yes, Miroku has some issues, but we all love him for it! Yeah, I put the doggy ears thing in there to uncomplicate things later on... you'll understand in time! Come on! You should know by now I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my cliffies almost as much as I love Sesshy. Cheerios hurt... (hides in corner again). What a coincidence, I enjoy your perverted mind, too! I good source of entertainment! Hehe! Oh, if I need help with that, you know you'll be the first person I ask! No worries, they'll have some fun in America before the plot line catches up with them! TTYL, my buddy! Love and Hugs!
Anime-Devil-101 - Am I that predictable? Hehe! I didn't want the story to end! That would be awful! (GASP!) drama rocks my monkey patterned socks... Hehe! Thanks!
Hanyou Vixen - Well, like I said, at first it was a whim to enter that, but now I have a real reason... Hehe, I'm so evil and mysterious! Thanks so much! Yeah, I like writing that part... Inu's revenge! Love and Hugs!
ranmayuusuke930 - Twists are the best! Mwahahaha! (evil laugh) Anyway, after I saw Inuyasha for the first time, I never pulled on my cats ears cause it reminded me of Inu... Hehe! And yes, Naraku's still alive, but if he died, the story would have ended! And you wouldn't want that, now would you? Hehe! Thanks! Love and Hugs!
sapphire-glass - Hehe! Yep, you and me are the... hummm... Fluff Sisters! Haha! TTYL, buddy! Love and Hugs!
luvinukagome - Yes, rhyming sucks. Thats why I write fiction! Hehe! Thankies!
Lost-in-Dark - Oh, thank you! I love the twists my strange mind comes up with too! Especially the one at the end of this chappie! Haha! I'm so tricky...
anna maria-the pirate - Hehe... Sneaky like a cat... a skinny cat... Thanks!
aivsy - Yeah, can't he just die? Hehe, thanks!
PrincessKagomekk - Yep, and now I have a spell checker thingy and a wonderful beta! Yayness! Yes, I've read through some of my earlier chappies and laughed at my STUPID spelling mistakes... Once I called Koga a 'wolk' Hehe! Thanks!
XSweetxRinX - Thanks! I like to keep you guessing!
Someone No One Can See - I will! Thanks, although I'm not that cool! I'm glad you like my writing style!
One&OnlyKagome - Nope, you're wrong! Though you were kinda right... Never mind, but no one betrayed them! Promise, it's not Kanna and Kagura! And thanks, I like Kagome's new look, too! It will uncomplicate things in future chappies I have planned! Hehe! Thanks, and I'm glad this is one of your fav stories! I'm honored!
demon mind69 - Yes, I am quite evil! Mwahahaha! (coughs from laughing evily) Ow... I'm sick right now, so I can't laugh evily! No! But anyway, thanks!
FallenInsaneDemon - Thanks! Yeah, a lot of people die... Slightly depressing, but I hope it's good all the same! Thanks again!
animebaby08060 - Hehe... (hides in dark corner... again) I do love my cliffies! Thanks!
Manda - Thanks! I'm working on SOAL, promise! And I'm honored to be one of your favorite authors! Thanks so much!
Well, there it is! Candy and a dedication for whoever can figure out why I named the flight attendant 'Kaijin'! Hope you liked it, and I promise to update sooner in the future! Oh, and sorry this is kinda short! I love all of you, so pretty, pretty please REVEIW! I love when you do cause it tells me you guys like what I'm doing! And, besides for my own enjoyment, I write this for you guys! So give me feedback! Adios, my bien amigos and amigas!
Ash