Disclaimer: I do own it. I'm NOT insane…I think.
Story: Due to the jewel shards on their necks, the last four members of the Shichinintai were somehow able to travel to Kagome's time. Unfortunately for her, the well has sealed up. At least they don't have their weapons!
Set after Ginkotsu's death.
Spoilers: After Ginkotsu's death, no.
Warnings: Eh, maybe…this is anime after all…
Pairings: No telling! Secret, secret!
A/n: Starting to get to the OOCness point…I'm trying hard not to…Very hard…but it's so tempting…AND NOPE! Not telling the pairing at all.
Kagome Higurashi! No Need for Shichinintai
Chapter Two: Leverage Over the Enemy
The end of Saturday was not what Kagome wanted to remember; nor the beginning of Sunday. If anything, she wanted to forget that the Band of Seven –Four! –was in her house.
Surprisingly she did well on that for the rest of Sunday, seeing as how she hadn't caught sight of any of them except for meal time. She went to sleep content. The next morning was another matter.
Her alarm went off precisely at 6.
She sat up in her bed and yawned, stretching out her aching limbs. Still sleepy and tired, she was about to trudge to her door when it burst open and four half naked men burst through it. Not only was the lock on her door damaged but so were the hinges as well…
"Where is the intruder!" She stared and realized they had reacted to her alarm as if it was a hostile trespasser.
'Kami-sama, I'm going to need to explain this really quickly or else I'll be late to school and suffer the same thing tomorrow.'
"This is an alarm clock. It's supposed to wake me up at a specific time by making that noise. Now move; I have to take a shower." She walked past them, staring straight ahead, still trying to ignore the fact she had four half naked men in her room.
After a refreshing shower, she finished getting ready and started to cook. The four males were already waiting expectantly at the table. She sighed, wondering how she was going to tell them she was leaving them alone for a couple of hours.
She set the food on the table and waited until they were all finish eating to tell them the news.
"I'm leaving and I'll be gone for awhile. I have school to go to and I'm getting behind in all my classes because I've been in the Feudal era for so long. Just stay around here until I get back. Renkotsu, since you can read, I left instructions on how to use everything in the kitchen so all of you can eat. Alright, I guess I'll…see you later."
She didn't give them a chance to say anything and left quickly. She was unable to get rid of the feeling that said they weren't going to listen to her.
She got there just as the bell rang and she groaned. She was late to class and she wasn't even near the class room!
Quickening her steps, she almost raced to her class.
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It was about lunch time when Kagome realized that feeling she had earlier grew stronger. She was nervous, heading to the cherry blossom tree where she sat to eat her lunch when she was at school.
She had only leaned back against the tree bark when she felt a hand tap her shoulder. Freezing up, she turned her head slowly to recognize the person.
"Miss Higurashi, we need your help." Renkotsu held up something that resembled her tea kettle, the rest of the Shichinintai behind him wearing indifferent looks that didn't match the ashamed eyes.
"I-is that my tea kettle!"
They said nothing and Kagome just closed her eyes in an attempt to calm herself.
"We can just share my bento. There should be enough to keep all of you fine until I come home to cook something. And stay out of sight. I don't want anyone to see you. It'll be a hassle having to introduce you four."
They came closer and sat in a semi circle, facing her. They ate in silence until Bankotsu remarked, "I don't see why you have to be here. We're starving and no one else is going to feed us, Miss Higurashi."
"Hmph, the wench probably hasn't any remorse for starving us."
Twitching ensued on Kagome's part. 1…2…3…
"You're right, Jakotsu. You're absolutely right. I don't care whether you survive in this world or not. For all I care, you can just rot!"
Kagome stood up and glared at them. In another second, she had abandoned them there and left for her next class.
In the middle of her class, something very unusual happened. Someone was burning the school buildings down and the fire was quickly spreading in the direction of her class. They were quickly evacuated but something clicked into Kagome's mind.
'Renkotsu…'
Everyone fled from the school and Kagome headed straight home, her scowl blazing.
It was disconcerting to see them all sitting at the table calmly, their eyes glued onto her as soon as she walked through the door. So disconcerting that it wiped the scowl off her face. Renkotsu was the only one sitting on top of the table with Bankotsu behind him and Suikotsu and Jakotsu on either side.
They didn't speak but Renkotsu reached out an arm and let something drop from his hand. Matches.
"At least you have more time for us," Jakotsu said lightly, his voice strangely without its usual scorn directed towards her.
Damn it.
"Take out, anyone?"
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Once the concept of take out was explained, Kagome ordered a delivery of pizza. She also found out that despite the school in ruins, they were all to continue their studies independently until the school was rebuilt. That means hand in every single work to the teachers at the end of every week by fax and questions are to be asked through email or any other method the teacher asks for. All in all, Kagome couldn't figure out whether this was a good thing or a bad thing…her mind couldn't make a decision.
When the pizza arrived, she settled down in her room with a slice. Soon, after finishing the piece, she started on her homework. But that wasn't a real good idea, seeing as how she's been absent a lot and she didn't know what or how to do any of it.
There was a loud crash downstairs and she didn't know whether to be grateful for the distraction or exasperated at the trouble that was probably attached to it.
She decided for the latter. When she found the Shichinintai, they were all gathered in the room she had set up for them. Vaguely, she thought how they could so readily lay down on the mattresses when she hadn't even explained that concept to them before. However, the real problem lay with the men themselves.
They were sparring in her guest room!
"Stop it!" she yelled wildly and then she frantically tackled the nearest Shichinintai near her. Which was Bankotsu, the leader of the mercenaries. But her mind didn't register anything but the fact that her house was almost demolished by a bunch of men from the past.
The others stared at her and Bankotsu shoved her off of him. He joined the others at staring, from a distance, unsure of what was the matter with the girl. That left Kagome staring blankly at the ground, slumping in exhaustion and disbelief.
Her house…was almost…burned down…
Her house…was almost…collapsed…
HER HOUSE…WAS ALMOST…BROUGHT TO RUINS!
With a strangled war cry, she tore herself from the ground and seized all the mattresses, sheets and pillows. She somehow held all of them and dragged them behind her, with the Band of Seven staring bewildered after her. Soon, they ran after her and caught up just when she was outside.
"Miss Higurashi! What's wrong? What are you doing with our sleeping apparel?" Renkotsu said, seeing as how he's been communicating the best with their host.
"Out! All of you out! Sleep in the damn cold! I don't care! But I won't let you destroy my home! Burnt spots, holes, cracks! My home!"
They had finally caught on to what was wrong and they tried to find a way to stay in the nice inside. It was coming into the cold season and they quickly found winter there was much worse than in the past.
Renkotsu slipped in front of Kagome to cut her off from her angry tirade down the steps. She was going to make them sleep all the way down there!
"Miss Higurashi, we didn't mean to cause any damage to your house. If it'd please you, we'll help repair that and your door."
She looked rather scary at the moment…
He felt a moment of relief when she sighed and dropped everything.
"Fine, but you're not sleeping in the living room. Too many things you can damage."
"All right. Shall we just sleep in your room for now then? After all, you can keep a better eye on us."
Men…in her room?
More twitching ensued from Kagome.
"Just don't sniff through my underwear like Inuyasha."
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Tuesday morning found Kagome being poked into consciousness again. It was quickly becoming annoying, Jakotsu's habit of waking her up.
"What do you want?" She grumbled unhappily, trying to get up.
"Food."
"Feh." She froze for a second and then shook her head. She had been hanging around Inuyasha for too long.
In the kitchen, under the watchful eyes of the Shichinintai, she started to make ramen. Damn, what was it about today that kept making her act all Inuyasha crazed?
She sighed loudly and while she continued to make ramen, the Shichinintai sent a look at each other.
"Miss Higurashi? Is everything alright?"
She didn't answer for a second but then once she had the ramen onto the table, she slumped into a chair and said, "No, Bankotsu, nothing's alright. I'm being hospitable to my enemies, who could kill me at any second, and all I can think about right now is Inuyasha." She started to push around her ramen with her fork. "Inuyasha loves ramen." She scowled. "Inuyasha always said 'feh'."
She ignored the others as she started to eat her ramen with her anger straining. Her eyes were closed to help her calm down but they were also stopping the tears.
"Would you four like to check if the well is working after you're done eating?"
A chorus of yes answered her and she continued to eat. Very soon, Kagome found herself staring into the well. Seeing as how they were expecting her to go first, she went ahead and flipped herself into the dim inside of the well, landing awkwardly.
Four soft thumps sounded behind her and she sighed. From the moment the blue light didn't disappear and her feet touched the ground, she knew the well still wasn't working.
"I guess we should head back in. It's starting to get cold." She led the silent group back into the house and she knew she wasn't the only one depressed.
Today just seemed horrible. She couldn't understand why everything seemed to be going wrong; it was like Murphy's law finally chose to find a specific day to incorporate it's authority over as its own special holiday.
There was no electricity. There was nothing in the fridge. There were no candles and there wasn't a friend for her.
She was stuck alone in her home with four murderers and with no help available.
She sniffled a little, feeling tears prickling her eyes. She was huddled in her room, sitting on the bed, at the corner wall. She didn't know where Bankotsu and the others were and she was rather afraid of when they'd come near her. She hated feeling trapped and scared.
"Miss Higurashi."
She let out a small shriek, caught unaware by the four other people in her room. They were surrounding the candle on the floor; she didn't even know when they came in much less how they had come to be there in the first place. Or even where they found a candle.
"You seemed to be deep in thought just a moment ago. Care to tell us what about?"
She shook her head violently.
"Of course. Whatever you want."
The silence grew over them, becoming oppressive and uncomfortable.
Honestly, what was she doing? This was her house. The least she could do was die acting like it. Her eyes traveled over the four men in front of her and she softly let out a breath. She slid from the bed and stood up. Walking hesitantly but calmly to them, she sat down next to Jakotsu, completing the circle. All of their heads were turned towards the flame and suddenly Kagome understood. She wasn't going to be hurt or killed.
These men needed her.
It didn't matter if they hated her or if they were angry at her, now or in the future. They were relying on her. She knew that before but she had not thought of how seriously disadvantaged they were and just how much she was valued to them at the moment.
She may have been scared but so were they. They were just better at hiding it. She knew then. Otherwise, they wouldn't have cared to track her down and then burn down her school.
She felt no satisfaction over the control it gave her. Kagome wasn't that kind of person.
She pulled her knees to herself and tucked them under her chin. She didn't know what made her say it but softly, she addressed them.
"I promise to make sure you're safe here. I'll take good care of you and I won't leave your side.
"I won't leave you."
Even as she felt their eyes burning into her, she finally felt satisfaction. Sadists, murderers and whatnot. Here, they were lost and alone and she would give them shelter and care.
She barely felt herself giving into sleep, regardless of where she was and whom she was with. She was safe as long as they needed her help there…until they were enemies once more on the other side of the well.
Started 9/14/05 –Completed 9/26/05
Omake!
"Alright, everyone turn to page 564." The teacher asked and Kagome was the only one to do so in a hurry. She really needed to catch up. She didn't want to fail after all and she's been absent a lot.
She still felt strange; like something was going to happen and the Shichinintai was going to have something to do with it. Although, she did feel bad about what she said.
Suddenly, the fire alarm started to screech. As usual, no one moved and they continued to work on the assignment with the teacher droning on. The alarm stopped and then everyone rolled their eyes.
The alarm interrupted their workagain and the teacher snapped.
"Oh for God's sakes!" The teacher took one of the textbook and threw it at the speaker. The speaker was hit head on and broke off after hanging on a wire for thirty seconds. The teacher's face colored as he realized that speaker had nothing to do with the fire alarm and the students started to snicker quietly to themselves.
The alarm stopped.
Strangely, they could hear screaming and footsteps pounding outside. Everyone in that classroom blinked before deciding it was the drama club going crazy and all out on one of their pet projects again.
It wasn't until the alarm started going on again that someone else decided to snap.
"Dammit!" The chair behind Kagome screeched as she stood up abruptly.
"If you're going to bloody ring then keep ringing instead of freakin' going on and off, on and off, on and of! Stupid people these days, too! Can't they see I'm trying to work?"
The rest of the class stared at her like she was crazy. She took big, heaving breaths after her tirade and her glare swept around the room. Even the teacher quelled at her look.
It was only seconds after that the whole building was on fire and everyone was silent, pencils gripped in their hands. A random student said blandly, breaking the silence, "It's an actual fire."
The students all looked at each other incredulously before they began to panic as the realization sunk in and they rushed, pushing and shoving, out of the room. Kagome slumped back into her seat, rooted there.
The building was actually, really, incredibly on fire…after all these years of false fire alarms, this was a real one.
"Renkotsu…" she said numbly out loud.
The breaking of glass almost broke her out of her stupor. She turned towards the broken window, fire blazing around her, to see the four men she was taking care of.
"You called?" The bald man asked cheekily. But then Bankotsu yelled at her, "Why the hell are you still here?"
"Everyone else has left." Suikotsu added.
She blinked. "All these years, people keep faking fires…and now there's a real one?" It seemed like she didn't quite know where to direct this question. She almost seemed to be asking herself.
Renkotsu twitched. "I knew there was something wrong…"
Bankotsu just sighed. "We were beginning to wonder why no one ran out immediately."
Suikotsu grabbed her and hauled her out of her seat.
"Knew we should've thought this over," Jakotsu complained.
"Shut up!"
Kagome was still in shock; she didn't even notice Jakotsu turning chibi and then clinging to her head. But outside…
As the building began to collapse into itself and they had made it outside to see it, Suikotsu put Kagome done. But by then she was quite aware and a different disbelief began to surface…a rather violent one.
With the flames of the burning school framing her and fire that appeared blazing in her eyes, she somehow towered over them. She looked awfully hellish at the moment…
"You burnt down…my school." She whispered deadly.
"YOU BURNT DOWN MY SCHOOL!" Her voice boomed out threateningly, repeating her rightly accusation.
Jakotsu blinked. "I think I finally agree with that quote. 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.'"
The rest nodded.
"Run." Was the only word Jakotsu said before he took off, the others following his example.
Kagome grinned sadistically before she ran after them, laughing hysterically. Oh, they were going to pay for cutting into her study time.
Owari
Started 11/5/05 –Completed 11/5/05
