Thank you so much to all those who reviewed! lalalalala2, HanyouCrazy411, electricdragon, ranchan23, Cela Andrómeda, Sesshomaru girl 101, blackfphoenix ( I recommend my ones! XD), InuSessyloverforeva and all you anonymous reviewers too! Sorry I've taken so long, blame it on laziness and heat. Believe me, at a computer in a small room on a boiling hot day isn't what I prefer to do but the posting of this chapter has been nagging away at my mind for quite a while.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my bats and a cabbage. Oh, I'm a sad, sad person.
Chapter 24: Shall We Dance?
As they entered the reception area their eyes were attacked by swarms of colour and intensity. The Academy was wonderfully decorated for the occasion with swathes of coloured cloth hanging from the ceiling and flags from all over the world strung along the walls and a huge banner that said,
'INTERNATIONAL DANCE CULTURE WEEK…The world at your feet.'
Excited dance students were scurrying here and there and there was a general buzz of activity in the room. After Kagome stopped gawping at the decorations, she spotted Mr Tippytoes skipping along holding a vase of red roses. He was wearing a bright orange tuxedo with a much too dressy shirt that flared out at the collar and cuffs. Kagome had a hard time not noticing him and Inuyasha complained about being blinded by the brightness of the orange. Mr Tippytoes saw them and bounced over, spilling droplets of water from the vase.
"Welcome back! I'm tho happy to thee you!' Mr Tippytoes squealed. Kagome smiled nervously. "Right, now let me explain what you have to do today. You don't need to go to your danthe roomth, jutht be in the ballroom over there," he gestured with his free hand, "where there are changing roomth and everything. You're outfith will be handed to you ath you enter, jutht thtate your name to get them. Okay, that'th it, I think."
Kagome was looking even more nervous than before. She would have to perform in around two hours or so and it seemed to have only just sunk in. Her stomach was tying itself up in knots and her palms were all sweaty, she looked at Inuyasha and judging by his terrified expression, he was feeling exactly the same way. Mr Tippytoes moved a rose around in the vase.
"What are those for?" Kagome asked, trying to take her mind off what was soon to happen. Mr Tippytoes smiled.
"It'th jutht a final touch that I'm going to add to the judgeth table. It lookth so plain without a bit of colour." He said, sniffing the roses happily. Kagome gulped. The judges. She'd forgotten about them, now she felt worse than before.
"Well, I mutht be off! I wish you all very good luck in the contetht!" Mr Tippytoes cried as he danced his way to the ballroom. Kagome breathed a shaky sigh.
"We'd better get going then." She said. She led the way to the ballroom and marvelled at its grandness when she arrived. There was a spectacular chandelier hanging from the ceiling, giving out soft light to everyone below, the room was surrounded by velvety blue curtains and Kagome guessed the changing rooms were behind them because people emerged from the curtains ready dressed in their costumes. She looked around, there was no platform or stage, as she had expected. It was just a normal…well, ballroom. There was a great area of floor for the performers and the judges table was situated at one end of the room, behind it, more than two hundred chairs were placed for the audience. Kagome heard Inuyasha gulp. She led the way to the curtains and searched for the gap through which they would need to pass. A dancer stepped out of the curtain and Kagome quickly passed through, holding it open for the others to get in. There was a whole network of changing rooms behind them, people bustled around, some dressed, others not and many were having some last minute practice before the competition. Kagome spotted the two short, stocky women who had measured them two days before, handing out plastic packages to the dance students as they passed. Kagome led the others through the crowd of dancers and towards the two women.
"Well, this is it. We have to get our clothes here, then we get changed in one of the vacant rooms along these corridors," She explained. "I just want to wish you guys luck in the contest and remember, it doesn't matter who wins as long as we have fun participating. Okay?"
There was a murmur of an answer from everyone. Kagome neared herself to one of the two women.
"Name?"
"Higurashi, Kagome."
Kagome was given her bundle of clothes wrapped and plastic and carried on walking to search for a vacant changing room. She heard the others behind her. She turned to look.
"Name?"
"Uh…Inuyasha."
Inuyasha was handed his package. He glanced around shiftily and bent down to whisper something in the squat lady's ear. The woman nodded and handed him another package. Before Kagome could even open her mouth to question his actions she heard a shout of 'who needs this room?' to which she answered, "Me! I do!" and her intended question was forgotten.
Ooo
"Kagome? Ain't ya ready yet?"
"I've just gotta do my hair! Wait a minute!"
"Jeez! I was done aaaaaages ago!"
"Okay! Finished!"
Kagome stepped out of the changing room and gasped at Inuyasha's outfit. She was amazed at how he had managed to dress himself properly without need of extra help. He stared back at her.
"Kagome, you…er…that's…um…" He stuttered. Kagome blushed a little and nodded, saving him the trouble of going through hell trying to compliment her. Inuyasha grinned.
Kagome closed the door of her dressing room and suddenly remembered the other package that Inuyasha had received earlier.
"Inuyasha, what was that pack-"
"Hey, Kagome is that yer mum?" Inuyasha said, rather quickly as he poked his head out the curtain. And sure enough, Mrs Higurashi's voice was heard in the ballroom. Kagome immediately rushed to Inuyasha's side to peer through the gap in the velvety material.
"Kagomeeee! Honey, where are you?" She called. And behind her, Kagome spotted Shippou, Kanna and Hakudoushi. All three of them were wearing brightly coloured dungarees and tennis shoes and were trailing along, gasping and pointing here and there.
"Mama!" Kagome cried, sticking an arm out and waving it around to get her mother's attention. Mrs Higurashi caught sight of her and went over.
"My, Kagome, isn't this exciting?" she exclaimed, grabbing a hold of Shippou's hand to make him stop bouncing up and down. Kagome nodded.
"This is filling up with people. I'm going to be in the front row, so I can see my baby perform right up close!" Mrs Higurashi said happily. Kagome blushed and tried to shush her. Mrs Higurashi continued, "I suppose that's where you'll be sitting?" she pointed to one end of the ballroom where more chairs had been recently placed and a sign standing in front that read 'Dancers'. Kagome guessed that they were put there while she had been changing because she hadn't seen them before. Mrs Higurashi turned away from Kagome for a moment then looked back at her.
"Okay, honey. I have to go now. Don't look so nervous, you'll do fine sweetie!" She planted a kiss on her daughter's pale cheek. She turned to Inuyasha. "Good luck, Inuyasha dear." She said encouragingly. She went to her seat, dragging Shippou and a disgruntled Hakudoushi and Kanna along after her.
"Good luck Kagome!" squealed Shippou. Kagome smiled and drew her head back in. She was very nervous, her stomach was doing back flips and she had a strong urge to go and throw up, but she had come this far and she couldn't let her mum down. She heard Inuyasha breath a sigh. She gazed up at him.
"What are you starin' at?" He growled. But instead of it sounding like a threat, it seemed to be a plea due to the nerves affecting his vocal chords. There was quite a lot of noise coming from the audience not to mention from the dancers behind the curtains. Kagome heard the whine of the microphone, and an 'ahem', the general babble lessened and all was silent.
"Welcome to Tippytoeth danth academy! I'm Mr Tippytoeth, your hotht for thith evening and I would jutht like to thay…"
Kagome was nibbling at her bottom lip nervously and she could feel Inuyasha's leg twitching uncontrollably. She was so nervous that she paid little attention to Mr Tippytoes' speech and she only concentrated on keeping the urge to puke under control. She craned her neck to look around for the others but it was so dimly lit behind those curtains that she could only make out moving shadows. She began to wring her hands anxiously, she didn't even know when she and Inuyasha would be on, Mr Tippytoes hadn't mentioned any order of performance. She supposed that they would be called up or something.
"…Thank you for coming and I hope you will enjoy the show!" Mr Tippytoes cried.
There was a round of applause and a few cheers. Kagome's stomach gave an unpleasant lurch, she clung to Inuyasha and he was too nervous to bother brushing her away. This was it, they had been practicing a whole week for this and they were finally here. The applause died down and there was another squeal of the mike. Mr Tippytoes' excited voice echoed through the ballroom.
"Our firtht performanth tonight…a bit of India for uth all from Bindi and Taj!"
There was some more applause. Kagome breathed out in relief as she realised she wouldn't be the opening act. And she watched the two Indian dancers pushed their way through the curtains. Their music floated around the whole room and they began to dance. Kagome snuck a peek at them through a gap in the curtain.
"Wow! They're good! Look at all those coloured sashes they're waving around!" Kagome whispered. Inuyasha was too busy cracking his knuckles nervously to notice. Kagome's eyes roamed the rest of the room. She saw the five judges sitting at their table, scribbling in their score cards. Her stomach gave another lurch. "The judges." She breathed. They all looked very…old. The youngest one seemed to be no less than sixty. There was only one women and she had a small pince nez perched on the bridge of her crooked nose. She looked about ninety. Kagome pulled her head back in. Her heart was drumming in her chest and she had even begun to think this whole thing a stupid idea. If she had known she'd be this nervous she would never had entered the silly competition!
"Hey, Kagome. Ya ain't thinking of backin' out are ya?" Inuyasha grinned. "Cus that's what cowards like Naraku do. An' I don't think yer the kind to give up, or are ya?"
Kagome's nerves lessened at his words and she smiled at him.
"Anyways, we got a chance of beatin' Naraku now, an' this time he can't cheat." He said, nudging Kagome with his elbow. Kagome sighed. He was always thinking of defeating Naraku at every moment. The Indian music ended, the audience applauded loudly and the couple went to sit in the 'Dancers' section for the rest of the contest. Mr Tippytoes took the mike again.
"A little bit of lively, Latin American beat now, performed by danthe thtudenth; Miroku and Thangoooo!"
Kagome squealed and clapped while Inuyasha stood with his mouth open. She tried to catch sight of them but her view was obscured by a large man in Russian clothing standing beside her. Kagome felt a little disappointed but she finally saw them both as they stepped out onto the dance floor. They looked surprised to have been called out so soon, it seemed, by the expressions on their faces. Miroku was dressed in a loose, dark purple shirt with the first three buttons undone, black trousers held up with a sleek leather belt and on his feet, highly polished black shoes. Sango looked stunning in a pink and black sequinned Salsa-style dress. It had one strap holding it up at her left shoulder and fit the top part of her body snugly flaring out in a slightly ruffled fashion just above her knees. She wore opaque tights that showed off her toned legs and her dancing shoes were black and closed, with low heels. Her hair was done up in a high ponytail and it sparkled under the pale light of the chandelier. Miroku seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eyes off her, not that she minded much.
"Is that Sango?" Inuyasha said incredulously but Kagome shushed him by flapping her hands around as the music started.
The music was dynamic and bursting with rhythm, and so were the two dancing it. Their movements were quick but well executed and even though they were as nervous as hell, nothing caused the smiles to wipe off their faces. Sango performed an almost perfect under arm turn, Miroku led it like a professional and they travelled the dance floor in sync, as if they were both part of one body.
Kagome 'ooh'ed and 'aah'ed, she had never seen the two of them like that without it ending up with Miroku on the floor, rubbing at a red handprint on his face. She could see that Miroku was enjoying this but funnily enough, she noticed that Sango was probably feeling the same. Inuyasha only grunted when the two performed a particularly complicated turn, thinking that he and Kagome could do better. Kagome tugged at his sleeve.
"Look!"
Miroku had thrust Sango away, only their hands kept them joined together, and Sango stretched out her free arm into a pose and as quickly as she had been pushed away she twirled back into the position she had been in before. It was a spectacular move and the audience loved it. Kagome saw the judges put their heads together to discuss something and then they went back to their score cards. The music ended and so did Miroku and Sango with a final spin on the dance floor that immediately morphed into their concluding pose. The audience went wild and Kagome could distinctly make out her mother's encouraging cheers. Miroku and Sango beamed and after waving at the crowd, they tiredly walked over to their seats to catch their breath. Mr Tippytoes announce the next performance, a Line Dancing couple dressed in matching white cowboy outfits dotted with sparkling rhinestones.
Sango fanned herself with her hand and glanced at Miroku, who was doing the same.
"Well, at least that's over with." Sango panted. Miroku nodded and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face. They both watched the line dancers kick up in their cowboy boots and stomp their way across the dance floor. Miroku continuously glanced at Sango and opened his mouth, hesitated, then closed it again and went back to observing the line dancing couple. He began to fan himself again.
He paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
"Sango…" He began, and she glanced at him.
"Yes houshi-sama?"
"I just want to say…you look…absolutely…amazing." Miroku finished breathlessly.
"Where are your hands?" Sango said suspiciously. Miroku held them up innocently. Sango smiled. "I guess I can take that as a compliment, houshi-sama and not an excuse to grope me."
Miroku put on a hurt expression. "Is that what you think of me Sango? I am ashamed."
"Ashamed my a-"
Miroku held up a hand to silence her as Mr Tippytoes got hold of the mike. After the applause died down and the line dancing couple had taken their seats, Mr Tippytoes once again captured the attention of everyone in the room.
"yeth, now ladieth and gentlemen, we're off to the emerald island tonight with Ayame and Kouga and their riverdanthe!" he cried.
Miroku and Sango clapped loudly. Miroku inclined his head towards Sango's.
"What's riverdance?" he whispered, but Sango had an equally confused expression. They watched the curtain move and Kouga and Ayame burst out none too elegantly and it seemed that Kouga was complaining about his name being called out after Ayame's. He soon shut up though, catching sight of the vast audience and the table where the judges sat at. Almost at once their music started, it was a vigorous Irish melody which soon had everyone's toes tapping. Kouga began to dance, his feet moving lightly across the room and his shoes made slight tapping sounds as they made contact with the floor. He was wearing rather tight black trousers with a dark green waistband and a loose emerald green shirt with cuffs and collar undone. He had changed his headband from brown to green and the look suited him well. Ayame was looking lovely, with a short black and green sparkly Irish dress, sheer black tights and shiny black dancing shoes with silver buckles. All in all, they made a pretty pair.
Kouga then dropped down on one knee and held out his hand, which Ayame took and she danced around him, her shoes making clacking sounds that added to the wonderful Irish tune. Kouga stood up and commenced his sequence, kicking up every so often and Ayame finished it doing exactly what he did.
Miroku and Sango watched on in amazement, who had known the little wolf could move so well?
"Would you guyth like thomething to drink?" enquired a lispy voice. Sango and Miroku glanced over to the side where Mr Tippytoes was standing, clutching two bottles of mineral water. They received them gratefully and took large gulps to quench their thirst. Mr Tippytoes bent down closer.
"I mutht thay, you danthed rather well! I think the judgeth were extremely pleathed with your performanth." He told them, with a note of excitement in his tone. Sango and Miroku looked at each other and beamed and as Mr Tippytoes left to pass a few bottles of water to the other dancers, Miroku took hold Sango's hand and surprisingly, she didn't hit him.
Ooo
"Keh! We're so gonna do better than that! The mangy wolf don't even know how to walk let alone dance!" Inuyasha growled.
"Oh, Inuyasha they're not all that bad. Look, the judges seem to like them." Kagome pointed out. Inuyasha scoffed and pouted and Kagome sighed. She just hoped the judges would like hers and Inuyasha's performance. She peeked through the curtain again and spotted Sango and Miroku. She let out a small, but audible gasp and began to tug on Inuyasha's sleeve.
"Inuyasha!"
"What?"
"Look! Sango and Miroku are holding hands!"
"Keh! So the monk got lucky today, what's that gotta do with me?"
"Inuyasha! You are impossible!"
"Deal with it! Yer stuck with me anyway!"
"Inuyashaaaa…Osuw-"
Inuyasha cringed and braced himself for the impact that never came. He sneaked one look at Kagome's face and found that her attention was now centred on Mr Tippytoes who had taken possession of the mike and was waiting for Kouga and Ayame to sit down.
"Kagome what are ya-"
"Shhhh! We could be next!" She whispered hoarsely. There was a squeal of the mike and the sound of a throat being cleared.
"Great performathe there by Kouga and Ayame!"
Kouga put on a smug expression upon hearing that his name had been called out before Ayame's.
"I hope you're all ready to go back in time, becauthe it'th Inuyasha and Kagome with their fiftieth jive!" he exclaimed.
Kagome stomach felt like it was bungee jumping with her intestines and she heard a loud gulp from Inuyasha's part.
"Inuyasha, this is it." She said in a small voice. Inuyasha simply nodded, as though afraid that if he were to open his mouth, he would be immediately sick. Kagome's jaw set in determination and she reached out for the curtain. Taking Inuyasha's hand she stepped out onto the dance floor and into the light. The two of them were greeted with applause (and cheers from Shippou and Mrs Higurashi). Inuyasha's hand was cold and sweaty but Kagome didn't let go of it for a second, also wondering why he hadn't protested against her holding it in the first place.
Kagome caught sight of the judges but was determined not to let their presence faze her and hoped Inuyasha was thinking likewise. She glanced over to the 'Dancers' section and was comforted by Miroku and Sango's encouraging waves, even Kouga winked at her in support…or cockiness, she wasn't sure.
She heard Inuyasha take in a shaky breath and she turned her head towards him.
"Well Inuyasha?" she whispered.
"Well what?" he said in what seem to be a growly whine.
"…Shall we dance?"
A/N: hope you liked it. There wasn't much funny in here because it was supposed to be a tense situation. Okay I was just lazy. It is absolutely stifling in here, but I had to finish this chappie for all you lovely readers! Don't forget to R and R! Kyuuketsuki-san says thank you.
