IV.
Kagome sat with her legs curled under her on the tan couch in her small apartment, listening to the thunder outside. She had a cup of coffee sitting on the table beside her; she made it three hours ago and hadn't touched it. Her navy shorts barely covered her butt, and her nipples could be seen through the white, long-sleeved shirt she was wearing. She thought about the events that had gone by earlier in the day while she was at work: First a man trying to touch her, then another man being murdered near the entrance. She remembered the other girls screaming at the site of his blood. She shook her head, not wanting to remember it. I left early... she thought, her fingertips gently rubbing her thigh. I need this job to pay for college...
The phone rang, and she jumped. Her cat, Kirara, ran across the room and hid under the couch. She giggled to herself, and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Yeah, Kagome? It's Sango."
She smiled. Sango had been her best...well, only friend, since high school. They had met at one incredibly boring party (that had eventually been shut down by the cops; as soon as they left a fight broke out, resulting in a broken arm and a few dead roaches) and had been friends ever since. "Hi!" She sat back down on the couch and pulled Kirara out from under the couch, stroking her soft fur.
"Those fuckers I work for...they're firing me."
"What?" She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because I missed one lousy meeting. The secretary said I wasn't too late, but everyone was gone when I got in there. I swear that bitch doesn't like me."
Kagome giggled. "Oh, erm...I'm sorry... Well, I have some news to top that."
She could hear Sango let out a slight chuckle. "Okay, Miss Higurashi, slash Kagome, slash part-time stripper, enlighten me."
"This man came into the bar area today at work and he must have done something wrong, because a security guard shot him in the back."
Sango gasped. "Oh my God! Is he okay?"
"Sango, honey, he was shot in the back by a strip club security guard. He's dead."
"Oh shit..."
"Yeah, oh shit. The thing that really freaks the shit out of me though, is right before he died, he looked right at me."
"Oooh...that's really spooky. Kagome, you need to stop. You're really starting to creep me out."
"Yeah, well, I left right after it happened, and I wasn't even an hour into it. It's the third time I've left work early...I think they might fire me."
"When that happens, we can live together and be called The Pink Slip Duo."
"Come on Sango." She let Kirara jump off her lap. "You know I need that job. It's the only thing keeping me in school, which I might have to drop out of because I don't show up for many classes because of work! Ugh...I'm sorry for going off on you like that, but you know how I get about school."
"Yeah, I know. Hey, if all fails, me and Miroku have an extra room in the house...you can use it..."
Kagome laughed and stood up, stretching. "I don't want to bother you two...besides, I know how loud you perverts can get during sex." She added jokingly.
"Oops. Sowie." They giggled. "Hey, I've got to get off. Miroku is-"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll let you suck his dick. Good bye."
"Haha, bye."
V.
Inuyasha opened his eyes and sat up, gasping for breath. He was cold, and naked. His eyes flew everywhere, studying his surroundings, not knowing what was happening. Where the hell am I? He thought.
He stood up and his legs shook, causing him to fall down. Why can't I keep my balance? His mind screamed. In all his life, he had never been afraid of anything, not even death. Everything that would frighten humans passed him up; he never really knew what it was like to feel fear.
But he was certainly feeling it at the moment. He was afraid, not just because he was naked in an unknown place, or because he couldn't remember getting there, but because of what he remembered. And the last thing he could think of was a horrible pain in his back, then seeing a girl with black hair, then everything going black and fading. Did I black out? His mind wandered.
He tried standing back up again, and was successful. He took a look at his surroundings: a large room, all gray with nothing but a chair in the far corner. He managed to move his legs toward it. Although he hadn't been standing up for very long, he felt like he hadn't sat down in forever. The smooth metal felt cold against his naked skin, and he jumped up after sitting down. He realized it wouldn't get any warmer just sitting there, so he sat back down, frowning. Suddenly, a door just to the right of him opened. He turned his head toward the intruder.
"Inuyasha, am I correct?" A feminine voice asked. She was young, and very pretty, with long black hair and green eyes.
Inuyasha, never bothered by people seeing him nude, didn't bother covering himself. Instead, he decided to yell. "Where the fuck am I, who the hell are you, and where in the god damned world are my clothes?" He stood up, and showed his fangs.
The woman smirked. "Calm down, Mr. Inuyasha. Let me explain. Early last night, you were sent out by a woman to murder this man...Bankotsu, was that his name?"
He nodded.
"Yes well, in the process, you were shot by a security guard and murdered."
He raised an eyebrow. "How can I be dead if I'm sitting right here, breathing, heart beating, all the good stuff?"
"Because, I brought you back to life."
He shook his head. Was he really supposed to beli- He blinked. That's it. He remembered now. He could see clearly in his mind everything that had happened. He could hear the gun being shot, everything. He sat back down, never looking the woman in the eyes.
She stepped toward him. "Everyone acts this way when they come back..." She whispered in his ear, making it twitch.
He faced her, eyes looking lost, and blinked. "Why did you do it?" He said after turning his head away from her.
"I have something for you to do..."
"And if I refuse?"
She chuckled. "You can lay six feet underground for the rest of eternity."
He thought. I don't want to do another murder job...but I don't want to be killed, either... Moments of complete silence, except for Inuyasha's breathing, went by. "What is it you want me to do?"
She grinned.
VI.
Sango rested her head on Miroku's shoulder, and both were lying in the large bed covered with black blankets. The two had been together for three years now, yet they still weren't comfortable with getting married. He turned his head slightly to the right, looking at her. "It's okay, you know...you can get another job..."
She sighed. "Why do we keep talking about it? It's all a bunch of shit, and I don't want to hear it again!" She hadn't meant to raise her voice.
He raised his eyebrows. "Don't yell at me, okay? I was just saying-"
"For the millionth time tonight, I can find a job myself!" She saw the disappointed look on his face and sighed again. "Okay, look, I'm sorry for yelling...You know I'm just a little...out of it...right now..."
He kissed her. "Mmmm...it's 1:47...are you up for anything?" He had an evil grin on his face.
She smiled. "Always am."
VII.
"So...If I do what you just said, then I can stay alive?"
She nodded. "Just do what I told you. It shouldn't be too difficult..."
Inuyasha nodded. "Just leave it to me." He started for the door, but stopped when he had his hand on the doorknob. "Um, do you think I could have some clothes?"
