Summary: Kagome used to be the popular and happy girl in school. Everyone loved her, until summer break. Now, returning to high school, no one regognizes her. Will someone be able to find out why she's vanished? Inuyasha's POV.
Rated M for the following: Cutting, mention of suicide, adult situations (Miroku's fault this had to be put in), and foul language... If these bother you, then suck it up and read, or leave.
Heart of Pain
Chapter Sixteen: Missing in Action
I tried to protect the girl who knew everything about Kagome. When I helped her, maybe she'd spill the beans on Kagome's vacation. In the process, I found out a lot about Kagome. She has been through hard times, and I know she's been caused a lot of pain. Most of it seems to be from guys.
If someone can create the pain, then someone else can take it away.
- - -
This is almost common. Things between Kagome and I go great. That's not common, actually. We get into small bickers about things, and I can hardly even remember half of what we argue about. But, it's not the arguing that's common (at least, I hope not). The last one was the worst, and I raised my voice to her. I feel so horrible for doing it, too.
And, just like that, she's vanished. I don't know where she is, but it's been three days since her appearance at school. Since today's a Saturday, I don't really notice a difference. Still, it'd be nice to get alerts when she goes MIA. I mean, she knows I worry. So, why does she just let me worry?
Maybe this is one of those love tests that Sango puts Miroku through now. Since they started going out, she's been doing things. She'll have me record Miroku around some girl she's paid to tempt him. She'll have me ask him questions, or make up a lie about her having a fatal disease. I don't get the point of doing all this just so she knows that Miroku loves her. He says he does, so shouldn't she believe him?
Or is this her version of romance? I thought it worked differently, but I thought a lot of wrong things. I thought Miroku would be so much of a flirt that Sango would avoid being his girlfriend. I thought that Kagome wasn't at school. I thought that the mysterious girl wasn't Kagome. Gee, I get a lot of things wrong recently.
So, I guess I shouldn't be alarmed that Kagome's up and vanished recently. My initial reaction was that Kagome killed herself, even though she's been so happy, I can't see it happening. So, I'm trying to ignore my instincts. I've been wrong so many times, that my instincts are officially going to be wrong.
So, now that I've decided Kagome's not hurt, where'd she go? I don't know of any place that required three days to be gone. I'd think that she went to visit a family member, but I know that's not very likely to happen. Her mother, father, and little brother are dead. I'm not aware of any living relatives. I think Kaede's the closest thing she has to one.
I finish off my bowl of Shredded Wheat then put it in the sink. Sesshoumaru's job to do dishes today, so I don't have to bother. That's good, since I'm about to miss the morning cartoons. I walk upstairs, pausing in my journey to my room. I stare at the bathroom, sniffing it quietly. I should take a shower, but I don't feel like it. Maybe I'll take it when cartoons are over.
I sneak into my room, acting as if I'd never woken up yet. I turn the TV on and turn the volume down, hoping to keep it quiet enough so my family's demon hearing can't pick it up. Hell, if I weren't part demon or if I was in another room, I may not be able to hear it myself.
I watch half-contently as the people on Yu-Gi-Oh duel. I don't know why I like this show, I just do. Even though Yugi always wins and Yami always comes out for a duel, it fascinates me. Maybe because each duel is different. It's not like those Pokemon things. They don't make him get really low and near losing then make him spring from the bottom. He gets half-low on life points then begins his comebacks while taking damage.
I'm too tired to be making any sense right now. I close my eyes, desperate to sleep some more. It's no use, because a certain beauty is on my mind. Even though I love Kagome, I can't stand having her stuck in my head this much.
Graduation is soon. Very soon. We've been dating for a bit and she's been smiling more and more. Did I mention that? Even though hardly anyone knows about her being Kagome, the news is still floating around. Very slowly, since hardly anyone believes us about it.
If Kagome doesn't come back soon, she may miss graduation entirely. That would mean that they may put her in school another year. I don't see why they can't hand her the diploma a bit late. She'll miss the ceremony, but she did do all the work. Maybe I'm overreacting. She may be able to pick it up late, for all I know.
It's not like I've found out from experience that they make you repeat senior year. Man, that would be agonizing, though. You pass all your classes, maybe even the ones with honors, and you miss graduation because you're sick or you were visiting a dying relative. You come back, hoping that you can pick it up late. But, no. They'll make you repeat the entire grade. And the first time as a senior you were thinking you'd be done with high school soon.
Damn, I'm giving this way too much thought. If I worry myself much more, I'll give myself an ulcer or something. Well, I'm not sure if that will happen, but I'm going to worry myself sick one of these days. One of these days that's coming very soon.
I look down at my math homework and then at my sketchbook. I know I should work on homework, but I think I may be able to get a good picture out this morning. I grab the book and begin to draw, only half aware of what my hand is doing. This has to be perfect. There are no flaws, so I can't have flaws on my picture.
Around three hours later, I'm done. I admire my work, setting the pencil down. I rub my wrist in pain, expecting carpeltunnel to be in my wrist by now, and then take the picture from my sketchbook. I put it in a frame and smile. Kagome is beautiful, and this picture helps display some of it. I put my art book away then go out to the kitchen. I think I've earned lunch.
"Hello, little brother." Sesshoumaru says in his I'm-better-than-your-dumbass tone. I glare at him as I dig through the cabinet.
"Hi, fluffy. Where's the ramen?" I ask. I sniff around, trying to find my favorite food. I hear a chuckle and turn my attention to my older brother. Whoops. My older, half-brother.
"What'd you do with it?" I growl angrily. No one touches my ramen. Not even daddy's favorite son.
"Who said I did anything with your ramen?" He asks.
"You. Tell me." I hiss at him angrily.
"No."
"Now."
"What will you do if I don't tell you? Complain to father and have him buy you more?" He taunts. Damn, he's pissing me off today!
"Give me my ramen!" I snap at him.
"Better be quiet." He warns smartly.
"Why would I, asshole?" I ask rudely.
"Father just woke up. Much more of taunting me and he'll stop working on Kagome's case." He says. I straiten up then look for something else in the food cabinet.
"What do you know about the case so far?" I ask him. He's involved with a lot of dad's work since he wants to be a lawyer too. I, personally, think he'd make a better clown or used-car-salesman, but he claims he's too good for that. He's so stuck up, it's hard to believe we have some of the same blood.
"Ms. Higurashi's case?" He questions.
"No, the one about the hobo who wants to fuck you. What else am I talking about!" I ask.
"Watch your language. Father's awake. He can hear you since he's a full demon." He says, teasing me for being a half human.
"Fine, I'll listen to you for now. What's going on with Kagome's case?" I ask him. I pull out the ingredients to make grilled cheese, letting them lay on the counter while I get the right type of pan out.
"Information costs." He tells me.
"I don't have money." I tell him.
"It'll cost you two grilled cheese sandwiches." He finishes. I look over at the cheese, sighing. He knew that we only have enough for two.
"Fine. I'll make them for you." I tell him. I turn on the stove and begin to put butter on the bread.
"Well, there's a good chance that he'll be in prison by the end of this month. Kagome testified against him and he's in a lot of trouble." Sesshoumaru tells me.
"I have a request." I say quietly. No way in hell will I let Sesshoumaru think that I'm asking for help.
"What?" He asks.
"Can I beat the crap out of him?" I ask.
"If he goes on death row, then you can. I don't think he will. You and I both know that father is firm in being against the death policy." Sesshoumaru says.
"Why's that?" I ask.
"You weren't born at the time. Dad was in school to be a lawyer still. He and my mother had me. She was accused of hurting me horribly, since I came to school with a lot of bad cuts one day. I had tried to explain that my friends and I were just roughing around, but they accused her of it. They also claimed that I had a little brother that she killed. So, my mom got the death penalty and died when I was twelve. She was sentenced to death the year before you came along." Sesshoumaru says.
"Wow. Dad never told me." He says.
"Dad never mentions our mothers. It's controversial, since we have two different mothers." Sesshoumaru states.
"Think he'll ever marry again?" I ask.
"I doubt it. He lost his first two wives. He's seen how much we hate each other, so he's probably afraid that we'll have another sibling to hate or we'll alienate the new woman." Sesshoumaru says.
"I wouldn't." I reply calmly.
"I would. I feel like he betrayed my mother when he started dating her so soon after the death." Sesshoumaru tells me. I set the food in front of him and put the dishes in the sink. Without thinking, I begin to wash them. So what if it's Sesshoumaru's dish week? He can do mine one week to even it out.
"Well, if he did, do you think he'd have a human or demon?" I ask Sesshoumaru. Even though we shouldn't be discussing our father's life like this, we are. I find it interesting. He never tells me the things that have happened. He'll tell Sesshoumaru about his mom, but he won't even mention my mother. I wonder why he won't...
"I think demon." He says.
"Why?" I ask. I feel somewhat offended that he answered this. What's wrong with humans?
"Demon women can live up to his age. He won't have to worry about human growing rates. And he knows how you get picked on for not being pure-blooded. He doesn't want that. It hurt him to hear about it." Sesshoumaru explains. I nod my head and put the dishes on the rag beside the sink.
As the silence fills the room, my mind drifts back to Kagome. I need to see her, but I can't. I talked to Kaede, and she's not there. Kaede doesn't know when she'll be back, either.
I stare at the wall, trying my best not to look as worried as I feel...
No one knows where Kagome is. There are three people who do, though. My dad does, since he's her lawyer and all. Miroku and Sango know where she is, too. Having people around me know doesn't bother me. Them not telling me bothers me. So, if they won't tell me where Kagome's gone off to, it's bad news. That's the only reasonfor them not to tell me...
Right? Do they think that keeping the news away from me will help me from worrying?
Next time on Heart of Pain...
Kagome finally gets back, but Inuyasha doesn't recognize her. He tells her to leave, and that he already has a girlfriend. After Kagome says something about his promise, he realizes he screwed up... again. This woman who looks so cheerful seems so familiar, but not quite...
The last quote, if someone can create the pain, then someone else can take it away, is from Fruits Basket. That's not my own intellegence (what intellegence?), just so ya'll know.
sango750768- I wish I could tell you that I'm doing great, but I can't. I'm at home (during school hours), and my head hurts. Here's the story...
I was really depressed last night and almost cut the screen off my window so I could jump off the 2nd story of my house. I fell asleep at 11:30pm (bed time is 9). I woke up at 7 this morning, and threw up. So, I went downstairs and attempted to fill my stomach with food again. I took my "happy pills" that I"d just gotten (for my depression), and went upstairs to sleep so I could get the nausea to go away. THEN I started getting violent headaches and fatigue due to my happy pills. That doesn't make me very happy. So, I'm stuck at home until I'm better. Agh!
I need 160 reviews before anyone can get the next chapter...
I've been receiving complaints about my requests for reviews. I don't mean to sound vain, as TenshinoHikari88 informed me. So, if that's what you see me as when you notice my request for reviews, you're mistaken. I like to know what my readers think. If you like it, hate it, whatever. I like to know ways to improve my writing or if it's okay the way it is. Reviewing is the only way that I can get that information from reviewers. If you don't know what to say, then say you hate it or something. Or just review stating that you're bias on my story. I'm not picky about reviews. Just as long as I'm getting them...
- Lonely Bird