The next morning dawned gray and gloomy, threatening rain. When Kagome's alarm clock went off, sounding sickly and grating on one's mind, she got up, wrapping the blanket around her bare shoulders to search for the half-broken clock.
She found it under her stereo stand; probably there from being thrown the previous morning by a disgruntled Kagome who had been irritably awaken at such an inconvenient hour for school. Really, mornings would be so much better if they had them in the afternoons... Kagome thought bitterly.
It was a cordless, battery-operated clock with black encasings and bright red glowing numbers on it. She took it out from under the stand and shut it off, too sore to break it to smithereens and not wishing to have to buy a new one so early into the school year.
Truly the year had just started a few weeks before, and already her clock was half broken, a few screws loose, the battery compartment being held together with duct tape, and not to mention the spring that was sticking out from under the snooze button, making it so she couldn't use it or else she'd get poked.
She got up and showered, noticing she was the first one up. Even the sun had yet to crest the sky to greet the receivers of the sunrays. One could tell that the sun would arise soon but it would be a rainy day so you would probably only see patches of the sun, if that.
It was Friday, finally. Kagome needed the break, yet dreaded it. She would, if Sesshoumaru held her to it, spend Saturday being his slave, and probably spend Sunday being beaten by Naraku. She could remember a time when Naraku had not been so mean, but that was a long time ago.
Kagome went back into her room; towel wrapped around her body as she carefully chose her clothes for that day. She decided she wanted to wear a black pair of pants like Sango often favored (though there were those few days that Sango went with other colors), with the double color stripes up the outside of the pant legs, choosing a pair with silver silk stripes.
They were loose around the legs to allow free movement, yet snug on the hips so they wouldn't fall down. Next she found a black wide strapped tank top, to go under a silver spaghetti strapped tank top made of silk with a black dragon curled up on the stomach region of the shirt and black words crossing horizontally across her chest saying "Hell's Bitch" on it.
Tonight, though she was sore, she was going to get her bells back. So what better way to do it than to make a statement about it? After all, it had been this shirt that had given her the name. By wearing it, she was declaring war, though very few people would realize that.
Every day she saw some of the rivaling school's bullies, whose numbers rose every day as they recruited new members, prowling "Hell's Kitchen" which was what the Sunset Public school bullies called her territory.
She changed in the bathroom, leaving her hair loose. If she tied it back, that would be saying 'come scalp me' to anyone who wanted to be aggressive towards her. Her black tank top had a built in bra, so she didn't have to worry about bouncing anywhere, and her wrist had obviously not really been sprained, because a sprained wrist couldn't possibly heal so fast as just a few hours.
She, as always happened before, was confused that already her bruises were yellowing when they should be a shiny blue-purple.
She brushed her teeth and began to dry her hair. When she'd finished blow-drying her hair, she put on her dark eyeliner, and silver eye shadow along with silver lip-gloss.
She liked this silver lip-gloss because it made her lips look silver and made it shine, but she knew that most people looked down on her when she wore it because it gave the appearance that it was something much different.
Funny how disturbing people's thoughts are these days. Kagome thought and grinned at her reflection.
Lastly she put in some ordinary earrings so that her ears didn't feel so empty or start to close and left the bathroom. The sun was peaking through a tiny hole in the sky, shining on the very center of Madison's Labyrinth. Of course, the sun had funny ways of gazing down upon the world.
She went and began pounding on Souta's door. "Ten minutes, or I leave without you." She hollered. She heard the sound of Souta falling off his loft and grimaced. How he managed to retain brain cells after falling from a seven-foot high loft bed day after day, she had no idea.
She went in her room where Sesshoumaru was just waking up. She cocked her head at him. He actually looked cute when he was just waking up. Not that I'll admit it aloud. She thought. When he didn't have his icy mask in place, he seemed much more fluid in his motions. He didn't seem to be any less graceful than before, but he just seemed less stiff without that icy mask.
Slowly, the mask grew in place until it was one of sheer and utter perfection. No one would see how he felt through that mask. His brother was the only one who could read through his stoic mannerisms, but that was a consequence of the fact that they seemed to share a lot of time together at home – since home was practically the only place they could go other than school.
Their father never allowed them to go anywhere else. But, as teens will rebel, they did sneak away to the Rave once in a while. Hence the ability to dance, for they would not learn by practicing with each other. No, they were not incest, by any rights.
She scowled when that mask fitted into place and he gave her his 'I'm better than you' gaze. Somehow he managed to look so drop-dead gorgeous despite just waking up and having that damn look on his face and how he did it, Kagome could not fathom – nor would she try.
"Are you planning to leave my bed any time soon, my sweet Ice Prince?" She said, lathering honey and sugar into her voice, knowing her mother was out in the hall. She could practically taste her mother's shocked scent on her tongue once she'd said that.
Her mother had said to be nice... she was going to play it out for her mother. She smirked, holding back laughter as the mask fell for a second to reveal his confused personage. She watched as he jumped down from the top bunk, the mask slipping effortlessly into place once more.
"'Gome!" Souta said, coming into the room looking disheveled, like he'd thrown on his clothes in the dark and his hair plastered to his face, wet from the shower.
He wore shorts, despite the cold weather of the morning, and a shirt that said 'I'm free at last from the pestering monkeys!' with a picture of a monkey peering around the corner behind a cheering happy stick figure. Soon his wet hair would dry and become its usual messy mop of hair. He quickly regarded his sister and her choice of clothes, and then snickered. "So... who's it gonna be today?"
Kagome chuckled, turning completely to face her brother. "I'll tell you later." She promised.
Kagome's mother came into the room, looking exhausted. She handed Kagome an envelope. "Thank you, Kagome." She said simply, though she didn't sound happy.
Kagome took the envelope and set it on her desk, picking up her backpack. "Where is your bell jewelry, Kagome?" She asked, noticing the absence of them, even the earrings, from Kagome's personage.
Kagome smiled a small smile. "I decided not to wear them today." As usual, the lie came swiftly and easily, because Kagome didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings by admitting the loss of half of her two thousand dollar jewelry set. Her mother looked dubious, but Souta quickly tried a save from more questions.
"I've got to be to school early, 'Gome, and Sango can't pick up Miroku today so we've got to be..." He trailed off as he saw her mother staring disapprovingly at Kagome's choice of clothing.
"Kagome, I want that shirt off you now."
"And I want you to divorce that bastard, but I don't seem to be getting my way, do I?" Kagome quipped, cutting deep. She knew her mother was hurt when she said that, but she was still upset at Naraku for the previous night.
But that wasn't enough to deter her mother. "Kagome, you will not go to school in a shirt like that. I have tolerated your disobedience so far, but this is getting to be ridiculous."
Sesshoumaru watched the argument. It was a very serious argument, he could tell, but neither raised their voice at the other. He recalled hearing Kagome yell at her mother the previous night, but supposed that when things got serious, Kagome didn't lash out like a five year old and scream at her mother. No, she just spoke calmly.
"And I have tolerated his shit so far... I don't see you complaining about a single one of his 'escapades'."
Kali's lips pressed into a thin line momentarily and her eyes looked haunted. "I'm trying, Kagome." She apologized, walking out of the room.
Sesshoumaru didn't understand any of it, but it was clear to him that Kagome and Souta had understood every word of it. It seemed that anything serious they had said was in code, yet again it wasn't. It felt like it should be crystal clear, but also should be foggy and opaque.
He didn't understand, and it bothered him. He preferred understanding over not.
Kagome and Souta left for school, both being late in picking up Miroku because they had to clean the vomit out of the car that had sat rotting for the past few hours. It was disgusting to both to have to smell it, so they rolled the windows down and left them down, even though the day threatened rain.
Kagome, Miroku, and Souta met Sango and Rin in the cafeteria, Rin who had just gotten off the bus a few moments before Kagome and Sango had arrived in their separate vehicles with their separate car parties.
"So who're you challenging?" Sango questioned, glancing at Kagome's shirt and crossing her arms across a chest covered by a hot pink tube top under a black mesh shirt and wearing the normal black pants with double stripes to match her shirt choice of the day: pink.
Her eyes were once again covered with pink eye shadow, the usual dark eyeliner, and lip-gloss. She wore the locket again, as she did every day, and her hair was in its usual pony tail, only today she'd braided it from there as well.
There was an angry flush growing in her face when she saw Miroku inch towards another girl, a preppy girl who would be Kagome's double if she didn't have brown eyes. "Miroku!" She shouted. Too late. With a loud resonating slap, he was down, and the girl's eyes were filled with fear and anger as she looked at her hands and ran away.
Miroku came back seconds later, rubbing his cheek. "What I don't get is why they're not used to it." He said in a half-whine. Today the lecher favored blue-purple khakis and blue-purple t-shirt. It matched the blue-purple bruise now forming on his cheek.
Kagome laughed. "See, Perv, that's where you go wrong." She told him. "They are used to it. But you should watch who you grope. Some of these rich brats have the power to get you kicked out of school."
Miroku sighed, nodding at the truth of the words. Some of these teens who went to Sunset Private School could get him kicked out of school had they so desired. It was them who you had to avoid when outcast from society circle like Kagome and her friends.
Taisei, Karei and her group were one of them who you had to watch out for. In fact, it would make more sense if you didn't bother them at all, because they had great influences and would make your life a living hell in school if you got in their way.
Kagome looked at Rin, who was watching the group converse with interest. She was rule abiding, wearing standardized school uniform clothing, no jewelry as was protocol, so she wasn't an immediate outcast, but if it circled that she was hanging around with Kagome and her friends, the girl didn't know what she had coming.
Either way, if the girl decided she didn't want to hang out after the initial warning that would be given, that was always given, then Kagome and her friends would never pressure her to stay. But if she did stay, Kagome and her friends would protect her.
Doubtless they would protect her if she decided to go as well, because her gentle disposition would no doubt get her into a lot of trouble. Her hair was up in that weird hairdo again, but that was really the only oddity of the girl. She was a very pretty girl but that small short pile of hair that hung off the right side of her head gave her the weirdest light.
She had obviously a decent sized chest matching in comparison to the size of her body, and her legs were shaved perfectly, unscathed like Kagome's usually were. Kagome was getting better at the shaving her legs thing though. She'd been practicing, not that she'd admit it though. She was tired of cutting herself each time.
Rin's hands were perfectly manicured and painted with clear nail polish so that she didn't go against school rules. The nail polish was probably a strengthener for her nails so there was less chance they'd break.
"Hey, Chicky, how was your evening?" Kagome asked, trying to evade Sango's constant questioning on whom she was challenging and why she had a black eye.
Rin turned her attention to Kagome, smiling pleasantly. "I had a very nice evening. Thank you, Miss Kagome."
Kagome winced at the formality. "Just call me Kagome, or 'Gome. No formalities, okay?"
"Who are you challenging, Mebana!" Sango insisted. "Tell me now!"
"I'd like to know as well, 'Gome." Souta put in.
Miroku nodded his agreement, sliding up to Kagome, his hand squeezing her rear in what he called 'a friendly way'. "I would like to know, but before you tell us, may I point out that you have as lovely a rear as ever?"
Kagome grabbed his hand from her bottom, digging a nail into the flesh under his thumbnail. He cried in pain, nursing his abused thumb when she released him.
Sesshoumaru, watching this from another table in the cafeteria, his 'fan club' flocking around him as he pretended to be busy reading, felt himself get jealous. No, not because Miroku was hurt and he was not, but because Miroku had the indecency to rub the bottom of a ...dare he think it?
Yes, she was a goddess. No, not just any... she was like the Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty herself, Aphrodite... and she had certainly caught the eyes of many in the school, outcast or no...
How he hadn't realized this until today, he didn't know, but he did see the admiring glances some of his fellow student body were giving her, male and female alike. But for each one who admired her, at least ten who gave her scornful glances made up for it.
He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could see that she was smirking widely as she said it, whatever it was. He watched the other's faces for a second go from angry, and then to malicious. Whatever she was telling them; it was most certainly devious.
The bell rang and he stood, preparing for first period: Art class. He had that class with Kagome. Each time he thought of that class, his heart skipped a beat, because he was always able to just sit in his corner table and draw.
Mostly he drew for himself, pictures of Kagome in his journal. In his corner, he always had a perfect view of her where she sat at her table with her friends. He always made sure of that. If he didn't, he would glare at whatever obstruction was in the way until they were thoroughly unnerved and moved.
He was surprised to see that they had a new teacher that day, which was strange because in all the years he'd been at Sunset Private School, since seventh grade, Mr. Jokuson had never missed a single day.
Now though, the teacher was obviously a new one. For one, she was female. Where Mr. Jokuson had lacked terribly in intrigue and eye-catching abilities, this woman was the opposite. Though she still wore respectable clothing her make up described her as something of a rebel with its bright red lipstick and bright red nail polish and bright blue eye shadow, with a light layer of eyeliner.
She looked fresh out of college, and very eager and outgoing. She had the look of someone you could trust with your secrets, and nothing about her seemed displeasing to the eye or nose.
Sesshoumaru could not smell the lingering traces of misdeeds and dishonesty on her like he often could smell on Mr. Jokuson. On the board in artistic calligraphy was chalked the name Ms Lea Saeko.
Once the bell had rung, Sesshoumaru noticed the distinct absence of Kagome and her friends. Ms Saeko didn't appear to notice too much about the absence of one eighth of the class and began introducing herself.
"Good morning, class!" She said cheerily. Now that he heard her voice, he realized how wrong he was of Ms Saeko. No matter how trusting she might seem, there was great mischief in that voice. "My name is Ms Saeko. I'll be your teacher for the remainder of the—"
It was at that choice moment that Kagome and her friends decided to burst into the room, laughing. He noticed the newest girl to Kagome's group was very red in the face and not-so subtly embarrassed as she walked ahead of the others to sit at Kagome's table and Kagome and Sango were dragging an unconscious perverted minded boy towards the table. Souta took up the rear; laughing so hard he was in tears.
It was a few moments before they got themselves under control.
Most of the class grumbled about Kagome and her groups' behavior. Ms. Saeko just put on a smile and started over. "Now that we seem to have the whole class, let's start over!" She said brightly.
"I'm Ms Saeko, and I'll be your teacher for the remainder of the year. Now, I was reviewing all that Mr. Jokuson was so kind enough to leave for me, and I have noticed that in all your time, all you've done is draw items in the room."
She began to pass out little orange field trip slips to the whole class, with the information all filled out on it already. "I've already okayed this with the school board, so now all there is left to do is to get your parents permission. On Saturday, August twenty-third, we will be going on a field trip to Sunset Shrine's expansive garden. This is a very required field trip, so your slip must be turned in."
Kagome stood, eyeing the new teacher carefully. She didn't want all these reckless fools in her garden! 'Not to mention that tomorrow is the twenty-third... a field trip so quickly?' "How did you get permission for a field trip to the Shrine Garden?" She asked her voice layered with honey.
Ms Saeko smiled at the curious rule-breaking outcast from society. "The owner of the Shrine is my Aunt, so I just asked." She said, shrugging.
Souta began choking on the water he'd been drinking from. "Pardon?" He asked in a squeaky voice, turning to look at Ms Saeko.
"I said," she began patiently, "the owner of the Shrine, Doctor Kali Onigumo, is my aunt, so I just asked."
Kagome blinked, staring at her obvious cousin who she had never known about. Her cousin looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Finally after a long moment, she sat down heavily, looking at her hands. I'll kill anyone who messes up my Eden. She thought. It wasn't easy caring for a sixteen-acre garden, even with the help that they had.
"Alright, now. I want all permission slips turned in by tomorrow morning at eight o'clock when you will arrive at school. We will take a bus to the Shrine. Tents and sleeping arrangements will be provided for the separate groups. You are required to bring ONLY necessary items.
"I'm combining all of my drawing classes for this field trip. You will be on your own after the first day in terms of food, so you are given permission to fish in the lake or river, and hunt deer –only for food of course, and this will be monitored.
"Your group will be expected to draw a mural portraying your week spent in the Garden upon return the Monday after. This project will take about two weeks. We'll be spending from the twenty-third until the thirty-first in the Garden. You will be outdoors this entire time, sleeping outside with your group members, whoever they may be.
"Now, I will stress one last time that this is a required field trip. You are getting out of school for a week. If you don't get your permission slips signed and be at school before the bus leaves at eight o'five tomorrow morning, you will be given a zero for the semester."
Ms Saeko said, through a wide smile as she looked at her students. But it appeared she had one last surprise for the students. "I will be choosing the groups."
Kagome had a sick feeling in her gut. She just knew something bad was going to happen. She was going to get a bad group, and she knew it.
Ms Saeko smiled and plucked a sheet from the counter top she was leaning against. "Oh, and look! I have them ready already!"
Sangoful glances were exchanged across the room. "Group number one in this room will be: Alexandra Graham as head of group, which means you are in control of your group; and with Graham will be Towa Ayuta; Fur Mori; Azumi Seirra; and Sara Graeme.
"Now, to make this easy, I want everyone to stand out of his or her seats and as I read the groups, take a place at the table with your group." Reluctantly the class stood and rearranged.
"Group number two," Ms Saeko continued, "will consist of Gina Shoma; and his group mates are Sethy Graeme; Wythe Graeme; Akira Isukawagari; and Gabrielle Nometo." The said group went to a table and sat down.
"Group three will consist of Souta Higurashi; his group mates will be Sango Ichiro; Rin Okuna; Kikyou Motshuria; Miroku Shishuni; and Kohaku Ichiro." With very little grumbling, the group sat down, minus Kohaku because he was not there, with sympathetic glances towards Kagome.
"Group four will consist of Kouga Wolfe, and his group mates will be Inuyasha Nokugami," which was a bad mistake. The two would shred each other apart before they could get a mile into the garden. " Eleanor Jackson; Ayami Paberi; and Michealberry Leffam." Already Inuyasha and Kouga looked murderous towards each other.
Kagome's heart fell. There were six of them left. None of the five liked Kagome. All of them were preps... Oh how Hell loved to torment her.
"Group five will consist of the remaining six of you, Karei Taisei as leader, with Kagome Higurashi; Sesshoumaru Nokugami; Hiten Dansuka; Chrisa Noraumi; and Maren Lirali."
Kagome scowled at her newfound yet seemingly not very kind cousin, who she'd never known existed. She was doing this on purpose; she just knew it. She begrudgingly went and sat at the table. At least some reassurance came with the fact that she knew the Garden, even the forest that grew wild, by heart. If she wanted, she could just ditch them.
"Now don't blame me if you don't like the arrangements. Blame the popcorn popper." Ms Saeko said cheerfully. "I just wrote down the names as they flew out of it, and if your name started on fire, I placed you in the last group."
Kagome began pounding her head on the table, slowly; to a rhythm only she could hear. It was a comforting motion for a moment, but then she started to feel a headache form. She knew it would be a very long day. A very long day indeed. And it was still first period. Only thirty-three more minutes of agonizing first period.
She looked at the desk arrangement. Sesshoumaru sat at the very end of the table, Maren, Karei, and Chrisa all swamped Sesshoumaru and Hiten, somehow at the same time. It was freaking Kagome out.
She moved her chair to the far end of their counter/table and took out her sketchbook, flipping through to an empty page, ignoring Ms Saeko as she explained that they had to do mini-sketches while they were out there as well.
She took out her number two pencil from where it was stuffed in the spine and began to draw. She drew a detailed yet simplistic picture of Sesshoumaru and Hiten sitting where they were with the three girls molesting their backs. She thought it wasn't far from accurate.
She snorted back laughter and added fangs to Maren and Chrisa, making them look like demons though she knew they weren't. She doubted if they really had fangs, claws, pointed elf-ish ears, or any of that stuff, but with the way Karei always treated Kagome, she was sure she wasn't too far from the truth with her when she added the hideous features of a devil's face, all wrinkled and sunken eye sockets with no eyes, no meat on her flesh, just the school uniform hanging loosely from her shoulders, threatening to fall off.
She erased Sesshoumaru's stony look and Hiten's happy look (because he was glad for the attention) and made them look utterly petrified for their very souls. She finished five minutes before the bell and burst into laughter at her picture.
Even her own friends looked at her, worried for her sanity. But when the bell rang and they came over and saw the picture, they too burst into laughter, wiping tears from their eyes.
At lunch period, Kagome exited fourth hour, running late for lunch. She would never get any of the good food if she didn't hurry, but unfortunately the science teacher was evil and kept her after because she'd run out of the room exclaiming 'Be right back, gotta go!'
So what if she was girl! She suffered just like all other girls, and just because the science teacher was an old woman, who would never again experience the pains of the menstrual cycle, didn't mean she had to keep her after!
I mean, seriously! Kagome thought bitterly, not paying attention to where she was going as she rushed down the hallway. She unfortunately for her luck ran into someone, and both went down in a tumble of books, pencils, and bodies.
"Aw crud!" Kagome muttered into whoever's chest. Obviously they were male because they clearly had no breasts. She vaguely noticed they were wearing the male school uniform, so obviously they weren't a part of her friend group. It could be Kouga.
That guy obeyed the rules, but was friendly to Kagome. She rolled off of them, gathering her books, muttering an apology to whoever they were (she was in too much of a hurry to care who she'd just ran over) and was off down the hall again before the person could so much as blink.
He felt the familiar sensation of heat rising to his face, but forced it back down. He would not be weak, damn it! He would not blush! He felt like composing a song just then, so he headed for the music rooms after picking up his strayed books.
What is it about Kagome Higurashi that makes me so... weak..? Sesshoumaru thought, sitting down to the computer and pulling up the music composer program and began out simple. It started out a child's song, and then moved on to being an illustrious graceful ornate musical score.
He saved it to a disk, one he kept with him so that he could save all his songs. He loved to write them. Problem was finding words for them.
Kagome entered the cafeteria, just in time to see them closing the lunch doors. "No!" She yelled. "My lunch!" She sighed and headed over to hers' and her friends' table.
"Poor you, Kagome. You're always behind today." Sango said. "But I have some news that'll cheer you up!"
Kagome looked warily at the happily eating Sango and stole a smilie-fry from her tray. "What?"
"Well! You'll be very happy to know that sixth hour band class is going to be starting"
Kagome groaned. "Sango, I already know we're starting the Andrew Lloyd Webber Collections today. I've known that for a week! Why do you think we were talking about it all Monday?"
Sango grinned. "Hey, I'm trying to give you something to take your mind off things. Don't you ever take help when it is given?"
Kagome chuckled and stole some more food from Sango's tray, and then noticed Kohaku. "Oh, hey Trip!" She said, grinning. "When'd you get here?"
Kohaku glared at Sango. "Third period. Our oh-so-beloved Thief decided she would steal my car keys so I had to walk! I would'a rode my bike, but no!"
Kohaku over dramatized everything. He was like a male drama queen. "She popped my bicycle tires! And dad needs his bicycle or I'd'a borrowed his! And does the beloved Sango have a bicycle? NO! She doesn't!" By then he was franticly waving his arms in the air, trying to demonstrate his frustration.
Rin piped up then, "Why are you all called the nicknames you are called?" She was genuinely curious. From what she could gather, Kagome had more nicknames than she could count using fingers and toes, or at least it seemed that way. But what she didn't get was how these nicknames came about.
Kagome and the others all gave a laugh at the memories and each began to explain one another's nicknames. "Well, Souta is called Pillow because everyone always used him as a pillow when we were little and had a sleep over. He's called Jerk because he is one." Kagome said casually ignoring Souta's glare with a grin planted firmly on her face.
"Sango is called Thief because she steals from everyone." Souta explained. "She gives the things back if she likes you, but if she doesn't like you, you're outta luck."
"Miroku is called Perv by practically the whole school. It's either that or 'Red-faced one' because he's always got a red handprint on his face." Sango glanced at Miroku discretely through her bangs, wanting to laugh at the expression on his face. He actually was blushing!
Miroku recovered from his bout of embarrassment quickly though. "Anyway, Kohaku is called Trip, and Drama Queen, because if he's not tripping over something, he's over dramatizing everything."
Kohaku placed a hand over emotionally to his forehead and falling back in his chair as though he were feeling faint. "Oh woe besotted is me, thy breakest my ailing grievous heart with thy piercing words; oh sweet heaven above, save thine humble servant! For doth my love, my sweet Ricky, stabbeth me in my weary body, lashing such a fragile soul to pieces with his torturous words!" The group broke into laughter at his antics and he grinned widely.
Finally after a few moments, the group regained control of themselves. Rin turned happily to Kagome. "So what's your nickname, and why are you called it?" She asked.
Kagome chuckled. "I've got more nicknames than I can count anymore, and not even I know the reasons for half of them."
"Well what are the ones you do know the reason for?"
"Well," Sango started, "there's Mebana, because her many greats grandmother was one." When Kagome glared at Sango, she quickly added, "But Kagome doesn't like to be called that."
"Why not?" Oh so innocent brown eyes peered at Kagome, begging to know.
Kagome sighed. "Well, because being a Mebana was my grandmother's downfall, and I –highly unlikely as it is- don't want to go the way she did. Some day I'll tell you how she died, but not today." Kagome added as she saw Rin on the verge of asking.
Rin nodded. "So what are your other ones?"
Kohaku and Souta snickered. "There's always Hell's Bitch, because she's supposed to be the lover of the devil and carrying his child." Souta said.
"Medallion gave her that name. Medallion is our enemy, the leader of the bullies from Sunset Public School." Miroku added.
"Therein lies no love between our sweet-tempered Hell's Bitch and her most feared of enemies, Medallion." Kohaku said, almost dreamily.
"And then there is 'Gome." Sango said. "It was mine, Kohaku's, and Souta's childhood name for her, and it sorta stuck all the way to now."
"What's the reasoning behind my nickname?" Rin asked.
Kagome grinned. "Because you are a chick, and acted like a scared baby chicken when we came yesterday. Who knew that you'd open up as quickly as you did, and it only took a single grope from Miroku's cursed hand!"
Rin blushed and ducked her head. "I said I was sorry about that!" She whispered.
Everyone at the table laughed, even Miroku. "Chicky, don't be sorry!" Sango said gleefully. "You knocked him clear across the hallway; he was out for twenty minutes! That's something to be proud of!"
A smile spread across Rin's face when Kohaku said the next words. "Be it friend or foe, ye never let a man nor a woman touch you in any way shape or form that is unwanted in your presence of mind, for they are committing a sin to ye and ye must punish unwanted sins. Thus, Perv's contingency to have thine bright handprint emblazoned upon his face! For he can receive no greater gift than thine handprint... lest Sango murder him for cheating on her."
Sango got up and walked over to Kohaku, who was laughing like a madman at his own words, beginning to beat him on the head with Souta's adgenda.
Yet, the smile stayed on Rin's face. She imprinted his words in her mind. '...for they are committing a sin to ye and ye must punish unwanted sins...' They would ring clearer and clearer for her as the sands of time continued to drop through the hourglass that was continuously turning as it emptied itself again and again.
"Come on, let's go dump our trays and walk around the school for a while." Souta suggested. The suggestion was taken eagerly and the group began walking towards the hallways to waste away the remaining lunch period.
As they walked, they chatted idly, heading towards their lockers to get their things –or in Kagome's case, to exchange her things – and prepare for fifth period. Fifth period was the O-so-dreaded-foods-and-parenting class, as Kohaku had so finely put it. At least it was for Kagome and Kohaku anyway.
The others didn't have that class. Rin might have, if it weren't such a filled class. Believe it or not, it was a very strived for class, by guys and girls alike, in the school and not because you cooked food.
It was strived for because you learned how to be a good Housewife/Househusband and at the same time a Mother/Father. There was a two year waiting list to get into the class. Sango's father had insisted that she and Kohaku take the class, but Sango had taken it the previous year.
Miroku had taken it the previous year because Sango had. Souta had paled at the thought of it. Kagome just took it because she liked to cook, and learning how to be a parent she figured might prove useful later in life because she doubted she would just stay as she was.
Sango had Chemistry fifth period, Miroku and Souta had Gym, and Rin had (Kagome soon learned) Advanced Algebra. Truly the tiny girl was amazing. She was so small yet she was so smart.
Kagome stored in her memory that Rin was good at math so if she needed help she could get it. Math was Kagome's worst subject. She never understood those hideous equations!
Soon the end of lunch bell sounded and everyone had to part ways to go to their separate classes. Kohaku and Kagome went towards Foods, as Kagome explained what he'd missed over the past two days he'd been gone.
"We cooked an omelet and made scrambled eggs. Mrs. Zeishun said we're gonna start a new unit today, but she's so inattentive that I doubt we'll really be starting the new unit."
"Oh woe! Woe be gone, for I doth now have more make-up work!" He complained, while Kagome grinned. It was his over dramatizing that had gotten him into seeing her mother, the shrink, in the first place. His father thought it was a serious ailment. But it was just Kohaku being goofy all the time.
"Heh, don't worry!" Kagome said, grinning from ear to ear. "I told her you were actually there and she believed me and gave you the credit."
Kohaku looked at Kagome with starry eyes, walking backwards in front of her. "Oh my bittersweet pearl, death would befall my flimsy downtrodden figure if not I had you!" Unfortunately, walking backwards was not very easy without eyes in the back of your head and he tripped backwards into the foods door, making the door slam open.
Kagome laughed, stepping over him into the room. "Bittersweet, Trip?" She asked him, curiously. "Fortunately the ground and door broke your fall or you might have suffered some serious damage."
Mrs. Zeishun looked at the two grinning teens disapprovingly. "Ahh, I say detention for you both!"
Kagome snickered and she loosely draped an arm around Kohaku's shoulder. "That's right, I am the bittersweet pearl, and you are saved from death an hour longer while you serve a DT with me!" She said and snickered again.
Kohaku threw his hands dramatically towards the heavens as the two took their seats. "Forgive thine humblest servant, oh God in thy highest of heavens, for I mean you no woes! I beg upon ye for thine forgiveness for this cruelest of worlds has given me yet another bag of poo!"
Mrs. Zeishun started class just as soon as Kohaku's daily outburst was over. She truly thought he had a serious problem with his outbursts and thought he had Turrets syndrome or something. Kagome leaned back on the back two legs of her chair, leaning against the wall to keep her balance.
Kohaku dazed out the window, but Kagome knew he was paying attention. He always did, though joking around with him during free time or work time in class was a common pastime.
"Today, class, we're starting a new unit." Mrs. Zeishun said, avoiding Kohaku's eyes as they swiveled away from the window and onto her figure. Kohaku and his 'Turrets syndrome' unnerved her.
"Oh, Mrs. Zeishun, I have to go to the bathroom!" A girl said frantically waving her hand in the air in the front of the room. Kagome was surprised to notice that it was Karei. She hadn't realized the girl was in this class.
Now that she did, she figured she should have known because the girl was so attached to Sesshoumaru that she'd probably only taken the class because he had. She was sitting at the table he was at, her chair dangerously close to his. So were a few other girls, trying to get as close to him as possible.
"Miss Taisei, you just had lunch!" Mrs. Zeishun said exasperatedly. She sighed and signed the anorexic girl's passbook. Immediately Karei took off. Kagome was thankful for stopping in the bathroom during fourth period.
She was, after all, still dealing with her little 'PP' and would be for the next five and half days or so. "Alright, now I'm assigning groups to these two person projects."
She picked up a baby basket, setting it on the desk in front of her. "I've already talked to Ms Saeko, and I know all about those of you who are –sadly- not going to be with us next week. So I have assigned you partners to match if you are on this field trip."
She explained everything about how to take care of the baby, explaining that it was an actual android, so it did eat and digest (Kagome couldn't figure out how, androids were supposed to be all metal and wires) so you had to feed it, pat its back when it was done eating, change its diaper (of which were washable diapers), and comfort it when it was crying.
"These are new," she explained, "last year did not have the benefit of these more advanced versions. It will record how you treat it, so you had best be careful."
Karei came back. Kagome wasn't aware that it took twenty minutes to go to the bathroom when it was literally just across the hall.
"It can 'die' if you let it sleep on its stomach, but it won't like sleeping in the crib. You and your partner will take care of these babies together, and note I did say together because it does record the fact that there are two of you or just one of you taking care of it, and you will care for it until the first of next month.
"I don't care if you have to sleep over at each other's house; you will take care of it together! These babies are very expensive, so be careful with it, though you don't have to worry about water, it can go in it. It will drown if you hold it underwater.
"The baby will grow over the week, changing in size, but the clothes are made so that they grow with the baby, though they too will need washing. Do not put the clothes or diaper in the washer!
"It must be hand washed. If you do well, your baby will grow into a toddler by Monday and depending on how intelligent, and cared for your baby is, you might get you a decent grade!"
Mrs. Zeishun picked up a list much like Ms Saeko had that morning. Kagome began pounding her head on the table. 'I won't be able to escape! I'll be stuck with either Ice Prince or Lightning Rod!' She grumbled in her mind. Both of the boys were in the room. Karei was clinging onto Sesshoumaru's arm as though she'd already been paired with him.
Mrs. Zeishun started naming off pairs. " Kohaku Ichiro and Kikyou Motshuria."
Kohaku grinned at Kagome, and then suddenly burst out before Mrs. Zeishun could continue, "Oh my beloved Kikyou!" He said, jumping across the two tables to capture Kikyou in a hug from behind. "Whilst you birthed my child, I shall stay by your side, forevermore! Need I commit my love to you further?"
And as an added surprise to even Kagome, he planted a kiss on the blushing elder girl's cheek and took her hand, leading her up to the many androids on the floor so they could choose one.
Silence ensued and everyone watched curiously to see which one they would take even though all of them were identical and genderless. Kohaku let her choose without his opinion on the matter and when she made one, he grabbed her and pulled her into a passionate embrace and told her how much he loved her decision while they took the android back to Kikyou's table.
Kagome raised an eyebrow at Kohaku's back. That was certainly strange of him to do... She couldn't help but wonder if in the strange depths of Kohaku's mind, some part of him had a crush on Kikyou. It was possible. He never really talked about who he liked in such ways, preferring to keep aloof in that section of the social command.
Kohaku was just an inch taller than Kikyou, like Souta was an inch taller than Kagome, and though he was younger, Kagome knew that Kohaku was far from stupid, as much as he made it seem like there was something very loose in his head.
Finally though, talk began quietly until Mrs. Zeishun began tapping her foot impatiently. Kagome went to dazing out the window. She figured that whoever was her partner, be it Sesshoumaru or Hiten, they would come to her with the android.
"Alright, then..." She erased something after seeing how Karei wouldn't listen to her and was too busy talking Sesshoumaru's ear off and wrote something else down. " Sesshoumaru Nokugami and Kagome Higurashi." Mrs. Zeishun said.
Kagome hadn't heard the announcement, so lost was she in her daze already, tipping back on the chair precariously on two legs.
Karei spluttered her outrage. "You can't do that!" She yelled, spittle flying from her mouth.
"I just did, Miss Taisei. I suggest you calm down. Hiten Dansuka is who you will be with! Now, Miss Higurashi, pay attention!"
Kagome lost her grip on her perch and the chair tipped over backwards, taking her with it. "Aw crap! What's with everything today?" She said angrily. "What do you want?"
"I chose your partner!" Mrs. Zeishun said exasperatedly. It was almost getting unbearable the way the students would ignore her. Once again, she thought about transferring to public. It would be less pay, but perhaps they would treat her better? "You are with Sesshoumaru Nokugami! Now choose your android!"
Kagome paled. Dang it, why can't anything go right! Why'd she have to give us this unit THIS WEEK? "Fine." She grumbled. She went up to look at the androids, grumbling all the while. Behind her she heard chatter and the furious flapping of Karei's jaw as she struggled for something to say.
"This one." She said, picking it up. She looked at Sesshoumaru and tilted her head towards her chair. He got up and walked back there with her, sitting in Kohaku's vacated chair as she righted her own. Kagome looked at the unresponsive android. It hadn't been turned on yet. It would be sometime before midnight though.
Mrs. Zeishun had explained that she would remote activate them sometime before midnight, which would be when they were 'born'. Kagome began bashing her head against the table. That was becoming a very familiar pastime for her recently. Okay, actually, she'd done it most of her life, but who could blame her?
But I'll get away from Naraku for a week! And he doesn't touch mama, so she's safe at least. Heh, I'd like to see Karei, Chrisa, and Maren last in those woods. They won't. None of them will last long under the guidance of Karei. I'm going to make her squirm tomorrow night with stories about those woods... The guys might be able to stomach them but...they're girls. I do know so many good ones! Kagome thought wickedly, still pounding her head.
"Ow..." Kagome muttered a moment later, resting her head against the smooth surface. Boy, now did she have a headache.
"WAAAA!" The baby in the seat screamed in front of Kagome. She was so startled that she accidentally tipped her chair over backwards, managing to somehow bash her head on the table, the wall, and the floor all in succession as she went down. How she hit the back of her head on the table was unknown though.
"Crap!" It was a good thing Mrs. Zeishun didn't believe in giving more than one detention to a person a day. Kagome would probably never be out of DT hall if Mrs. Zeishun believed in the ludicrous idea.
Bloodlike fluid showed sticky on the androids body, signifying he'd just been born. Whereas before, he'd been an 'it', with no apparent genitalia to signify gender, now the android had grown the necessary genitalia.
Kagome climbed to her feet, rushing to get a towel from the cabinet and taking the screaming baby over to the sink while the rest of her classmates laughed at her. Boy did she sometimes really hate being an outcast of society.
Sesshoumaru came over and helped her by turning the cold and the hot water on, so that the water would be perfect warm and got a pitcher out of one of the kitchen cupboards, filling it. Slowly they got the bloodlike fluid off the baby and they dressed the baby in the clothes, fitting the cloth diaper on.
After being wrapped in a blue baby blanket that Mrs. Zeishun brought them the android fell asleep. Kagome felt her blood boil when she realized that the other students were still laughing at her. Not at Sesshoumaru. They were sending piteous glances at him. But slowly after that, Mrs. Zeishun activated some of the other babies after they were all handed out.
Kagome sighed and carried the 'sleeping' android to her desk, where Kikyou and Kohaku were waiting, Kohaku with a large grin on his face. "Ah, my lovely banana blossom," he started, looking at Kagome.
"Kohaku, you wouldn't happen to have headache meds on you would you?" Kagome asked. Kohaku took out a small baggie from his pocket, retracting two pills from it. Kagome swallowed them dry, though it hurt to do so.
Kohaku cleared his throat, putting the baggie back in his pocket. "I'm afraid, my lovely clam, I have found another, and my love has been blessed with a pearl!" Kohaku exclaimed.
Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow at Kohaku who was staring at Kikyou with a poetic love in his eyes. "Clam?" He questioned.
Kikyou blushed. "Ichiro, if you don't mind my saying so, you are a twit." She said irritably.
"Ah, but 'twas as a twit that I fell for you, and so it shall remain that I shall stay a twit but not so much to radiate peace, for it is all for your joy that I am in love with you." He took her hand in his and lifted it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles.
Kagome snickered quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping 'bundle of joy' in her arms. "Kohaku that made no sense at all!" She said. The bell rang, startling the sleeping babies awake. Some were lucky and didn't have 'born' androids yet. So much for being quiet.
Kohaku was one of those lucky ones. "So what, my sweet tasting chocolate cube, are you going to do with ye love child during band, my Hell's Bitch?" He snickered as her face flushed angrily.
"How the heck am I going to exact my revenge tonight?" She growled. "Now I'll most likely be taking care of the android because Ice Prince," she snapped the name off, "will just leave me to it!" Sesshoumaru had stayed behind in class, and Kagome couldn't help but wonder what for.
She learned moments later when she was getting out her violin and Sesshoumaru came in with a slip of paper and nodded towards Kagome when he was talking to the band director.
The band director scowled momentarily and then sighed. "You guys are my best strings!" He complained. "How will I go on!?"
The band room was bustling with people getting out their instruments, tuning them – the sound varying from bad to good depending on talent – and no one was paying any attention to Kagome while she tuned her violin, carefully and meticulously.
Much more of the raucous though, and she knew the baby would wake, immediately catching everyone's attention. Kohaku was in the band room and so were Sango, Souta, and Miroku, but each had their own respective instruments to get ready, so none of them were goofing off at the moment.
"Alright, fine fine!" The director said in a very sad tone. "Take Miss Higurashi and the android. My strings section is going to be utterly pathetic until the first of next month."
Sesshoumaru walked briskly over to Kagome, being sure his mask was in place. "We are not needed to stay." He told her, quickly picking up the baby car seat and carrying the android out of the band room.
Kagome sighed and rubbed her temples. Well, at least she would have a break from the noise of band for a day. She'd never had a hangover before, but was sure that this was what one felt like.
The blinding, excruciating pain behind her eyes slowly making its slow tread towards the back of her mind sending needles of pain to every inch of her body. She slowly got up, waved to her friends who gave her confused farewell waves (except for Kohaku of course; he was making a gushy starry eyed face and puckering his lips as though for a kiss, grinning at Kagome in which case when she saw this she flipped him the bird) as she walked out of the room.
The noise was not much less in the music hall, but it had minimized slightly. When the two went into a practice room together though, Kagome carrying her things – including her violin and music because she would have to practice this week, and the door shut behind them the music was gone almost immediately.
"Peace and quiet! Ahh, just what you need after an agonizingly tediously long day..." Kagome said her voice bitter as she slid down the back of the door until she was sitting on the ground.
"Why are the child's eyes flashing like they are?" Sesshoumaru asked moments later. He was kneeling on the ground in front of the android that was rapidly changing from one thing to another, yet still somehow staying as it was.
Kagome crawled over to him and looked at it. "The android is trying to figure out what genes to use." She told him. "Mrs. Zeishun said that when we clean the blood from it, it recognizes us as the parents, which was why both 'parents' were crucial at this point in bathing the android. It memorizes our traits from the simple touch and takes shape within the next few hours."
Kagome leaned her head against his shoulder, not caring that he was the Ice Prince at the moment. Her head was pounding and she needed refuge from it. "God, the rest of this month is going to be the worst time of my life." She muttered absently. "Both the best time, and the worst time. I couldn't have gotten worse pairings for these stupid projects. I think the teachers really are out to get me."
Sesshoumaru looked curiously, nervously, down at her black haired head. She was a curious girl. Why was it that his heart nearly stopped when Mrs. Zeishun said they would be paired together?
He couldn't even fathom what about her affected him like it did. And when Ms Saeko had announced this morning that he would be spending a week with Kagome... well, he'd actually wanted to jump up screaming how the world was in his favor this week until composure of course got the better of him.
So he'd just sat down... and then his least favorite 'fans' hounded him. It was a disgusting display the way they fingered his hair... okay, the way they touched him period! He really wanted to slaughter them then, but couldn't.
"Want to do me a favor?" He heard Kagome mutter. "I'll do anything for you if you do one thing for me..."
His curiosity was perked. What could possibly be so important? "Depends on what it is." He told her, trying to keep his voice calm and even, not squeaky and nervous like he knew it wanted to be.
"Scratch my nose... I'm too lazy to do it myself."
Sesshoumaru paused with an 'Eh' look on his face, or a 'What the heck' look in other words. "Um..."
Kagome was laughing. He could feel it, and he could hear the alto rumbling that her voice box made, though it was very faint. "I'm kidding." She said. "It appears that the android's settled on an appearance." Kagome pointed out. Her head was spinning so bad just then that she felt like vomiting. "I'll be right back..." She mumbled, standing and walking –somehow- over to the door, exiting towards the music room bathrooms.
She walked into the girls' bathroom, it really was nothing special with its white tile floor, white stone walls, and a large mirror covering one wall, a shelf to set your books at the entrance, then a line of pristine white sinks in the large part of the bathroom and a line of pea green stall doors on the other side of the sinks.
There were the necessary things in the bathroom: generic Tampad dispenser, hand blow dryer, and napkin dispenser. Of course, the smell of the bathroom was disgusting. It wasn't the smell of Port potties, or waste, it was the smell of cigarette smoke. Kagome hated it.
Obviously some of the girls had been smoking in the bathroom during the seven minute between class periods. She went into the first stall, locking it and kneeling in front of the toilet.
She never had to worry about the toilets in school not being flushed because they were auto flushed. The toilet motion detector was too high to see that she was kneeling there, but if she stood it would flush.
Moments after trying to gulp back the feeling that she had to vomit, she did. It burned her throat as the bile came surging out of her mouth to splash into the toilet. She felt tears press against her eyes when she was lacking air and they trickled down her cheeks to land haphazardly on the toilet seat.
Ten minutes after losing her very meager lunch and dry heaving until her voice became hoarse, she stood, the toilet flushing. She grimaced as she saw some of her vomit had dripped onto the seat and wiped it off with toilet paper, then waved for the motion detector to flush again.
She left the stall and rinsed her mouth out, hating the vile taste, and then washed her face and rinsed her hair in the wide shallow handicap sink so she had the nice cool wet feel on her person. Her face was pale, and her eyes were tired. She'd not slept much the previous night, obviously, since she'd not gotten back until after five from walking home.
But at least, though her mouth and esophagus were burning, her headache was starting to recede as the Tylenol began to run its course. Sluggishly, she made her way back to the practice rooms to find Sesshoumaru playing the piano. He was quite good, actually, but she had thought he was a violin player. Obviously, though, he could play multiple instruments.
Sesshoumaru heard her enter, and could smell that it was her. He frowned though when he caught the scent of cigarette smoke on her. Does she smoke? He wondered. But he didn't mention it. He just kept playing the song he'd composed, yet not yet named.
Kagome looked at the android sleeping contentedly in the car seat, walking over to peer at it. "It seems to have taken a liking to your genes..." Kagome said, her voice slightly, noticeably raspy from all the abuse her throat had just taken.
The android had grown a bit of black and silver fuzz on his head so when it grew out it would be black hair streaked silver, and he'd chosen the deep midnight blue eyes that were Kagome's.
His eyes however were more angled like Sesshoumaru's and he had Sesshoumaru's sharp defined facial features, but Kagome's soft pink lips. He had tiny claws instead of nails and Kagome saw that his ears were pointed elfishly.
Sesshoumaru stopped and turned on the piano bench towards Kagome. "I don't have claws." He said quietly, wishing it to be true. The witch's charm that he had made his claws look like regular nails but they were still there.
"No point in lying to me." She told him, her voice slowly gaining its strength back with each passing moment. She sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, one leg straight from her body, the other jutting up in the air. She casually rested an arm on her leg. "I already know."
Sesshoumaru held tight to his stony mask. He wouldn't let it fail him now. He couldn't let it fail him now. Not in front of her. But yes, he was very surprised. He knew what she was talking about, and it was apparent by the look in her eyes as she watched him that she knew he knew.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied, purposefully turning back to the piano.
"My rear you don't," she said, grinning.
He began to play, ignoring her as best he could.
"Well, whether or not you admit it is not really my concern, but you should learn to like it." She said, watching the side of his face closely, yet hating the way he so easily ignored her. It was like she was scum, not worthy of his presence.
She continued, "There's nothing wrong with what you are." She told him, smirking as she watched his icy mask almost slip and his fingers mess up in their movements.
He said nothing, and the baby woke up crying. "WAAA!" he screamed.
Kagome diverted her attention to the baby. "You know, we weren't supposed to have this unit until next semester." She grumbled, scooping the baby into her arms and searching in the diaper bag for the first bottle of milk. "Where's the milk bottle!" She asked, panicked. Her panic only made the baby cry louder.
Sesshoumaru turned to her, getting off the bench to kneel on the floor and search the bag's many pockets. "There is no bottle." He said in as calm a voice as he could. He didn't want to panic too. He had to keep a level head. "I'll go to Mrs. Zeishun's room and get the baby bottles." He said and moved quickly out of the room. Once he was in the hall he broke into a run.
Mrs. Zeishun apologized for not packing the bottles and gave him the bottles, baby milk mix, and instructions for making a bottle and he quickly made one and ran with the things back to the practice room. Once he got there, he handed Kagome the bottle and she coaxed the android into drinking while he reorganized the bag.
Once the android was peacefully drinking, Kagome began to laugh quietly. "Well, this week is sure to be a very interesting one, however horrid." She muttered under her breath. "Bad for me, but promising for you since you'll get to spend a week with Karei, Chrisa, and Maren."
Sesshoumaru frowned, but she didn't see it, or if she did she didn't care. He really didn't want to spend a week with those three girls. Just spending eight hours a day with Karei the stalker was enough. She was like a leech; she clung on to you and sucked your life dry of excitement.
Though he wasn't sure how things would turn out with Kagome added to the group. He knew Karei and the other two had something very against Kagome. And she didn't seem to like them much either.
"So what are you gonna name him?" Kagome asked him suddenly after a long period of silence.
Sesshoumaru shifted nervously in his spot. "Why do I have to give it a name?"
"Well, you are the rich boy, so I figured you'd whine and moan until I let you name him anyway." Kagome said matter-of-factly.
Sesshoumaru glared at Kagome, and this time he knew she saw it. She was getting angry at the look he was giving her. "I'm not like that." He said finally, spitting the words out as though they were poison in his mouth.
Kagome had just been about to yell at him about the stony look he was giving her until he said that. Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "All you rich people are like that!" She said with just as much venom as he, but also as quiet as he had kept his voice. Neither wanted the sleeping android to wake.
"You all throw around the fact that you're rich, slapping people in the face with wads of thousands rather than a glove! I only know of one family that isn't like you are who is rich, and that's the Ichiro's."
Sesshoumaru didn't know what made him lose his stony mask, but he knew that a look of anger and frustration came over his face as he argued with her. Normally he didn't argue either, preferring to just stay silent and watch the other person make a fool out of him or herself. "I don't throw around any money!"
"Right, sure you don't." Kagome hissed. "Just like you don't have half the school throwing themselves to you, willing to screw you!" She put the baby securely in the seat, covering him with the blanket.
"Do you think I actually like that attention? It's ludicrous! It's a hideous display of female hormones in action, and it's enough to make me go insane!"
"Ha! Right! You go insane? I think you got that wrong, Ice Prince. You went insane a long time ago! All that money went to your head and convinced you that you're better than everyone; well here's a reality check! You're not!"
"Well at least I'm better than you!" He hissed. He regretted his words immediately as her eyes narrowed in severe anger.
"That's right." She sneered, her voice filled with sarcasm to a point of near overflow. "But for a rich boy with absolutely no problems in comparison to a lowly poor outcast of society, I'm sure that must be an easy feat to accomplish!" She grabbed her things and left the room, leaving the baby with him. Let him deal with the baby. He needs to come back to earth anyway, and this should humble him.
"Dang it!" He muttered. He really needed to get a grip on himself. He couldn't understand why she affected him so badly. She made him something that he'd never wanted to be.
Or maybe she made him what he wanted to be; he just couldn't admit it. Seconds after she'd stormed out, the bell for seventh period rang. He quickly got his things together, shoving them in his backpack before grabbing the baby and its diaper bag, leaving the room.
He wondered what he was going to do during Chemistry. They were working lab that day, so he wondered how he was going to go about taking care of the baby. He sighed. Starting Tuesday night, life had changed for the worse. It all started with Inuyasha finding his journal and reading it.
"My pigeon toed beauty!" Kohaku shouted as Kagome entered the Language room. "Desolate was I without your love to grant me salvation during the slow steady moments of band class!" Kohaku surged forward, pulling Kagome into his lap from where their group sat on the couch in the Language room.
Seats in the Language room were first come first serve always, and most of them were comfortable. Kagome's group always sat on the large couch, but with Rin added to the group, there wasn't enough room on the couch. All five of Kagome's friends were in this class with her.
Kagome laughed at Kohaku. "Aren't you in a mood today, Trip? First you kiss Kikyou and act as though you're her boyfriend, and then you do this? I wasn't aware you liked me so much!"
She made to get off his lap, but he grabbed her around the waist, holding her there. "My love, don't leave me!" He fake-sobbed. "Thy actions will cause a rift in mine heart that shall forever be open!"
Kagome laughed again and pulled out of his grip, sitting on the floor next to the couch. As usual, the rest of the class ignored them and the teacher was sitting at his desk but was asleep. Since Mr. Thomas was a heavy sleeper, not even the fire alarm would wake him.
Everyone knew because it had once gone off and the students had had to carry him out of the room. But still, he was Kagome's favorite teacher when he was awake. It was just that sometimes he fell asleep.
"Trip, you kissed Kikyou!" Souta hollered gleefully. "Trip and Kikyou sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Souta said in a singsong voice.
Kohaku made like he was starry eyed as he imagined Kikyou. "Ah, beloved Kikyou, thy eyes sparkle with the moonlight, dancing gleefully with ye chocolate colors. Ye lips are as soft as the petals of the beautiful red Rose, and with as much color as the healthiest Rose blossom... Ye skin as we dance the...OW!"
Sango, who was next to Kohaku on the couch, had smacked the back of the poet's head. "I've heard enough, and the poor girl doesn't need rumors to be spread about her!"
Miroku groped Sango. "Ah, your rear is as lovely to the touch as it is on the eyes." He said right before Sango knocked him off the couch.
Kagome took the vacated seat, using Miroku's back as a footstool. "Ahh, this is the life." She said with a grin. "So how are things going for you, Chicky?"
"Great! This school is very fun and interesting."
"My Kikyou! She is all alone with our love child for these three cruel agonizingly dragging hours!"
"But the baby hasn't woken yet." Rin said who'd just had choir with Kikyou.
Kohaku ignored the comment and continued, "I pray she forgives me! I shall prance to her the instant I have showered after Gym and shower her beauty with my love!"
"Do get dressed first, won't you?" Miroku said. "Some of us would prefer if only the female race walked these sacred halls bare-butt."
The group laughed, and even Rin joined in. Miroku sounded so serious that somehow hilarity in it had been found. Soon, Mr. Thomas woke and started the lesson, which was as usual, just a single worksheet.
Gym class was tedious. Kagome had Gym with Kohaku and Sango and for some reason it seemed the gods had to be evil to Kagome and Sesshoumaru because they were in Gym together, and they had the baby to contend to.
Because of the noise in the Gym, the baby kept waking up, so either Kagome or Sesshoumaru were over there, comforting it back to sleep only to have him wake five minutes later. Kohaku's baby had not woken yet, so Kikyou was having no trouble caring for it while in History class.
Once Gym was over, Kagome sighed a relief and went to shower, taking the baby with her. Soon as she got out of the showers (which were all separated with walls and fog-glass doors) she found the baby needed changing. She dressed as quickly as she could back in her normal clothes, shoving her gym outfit in her gym locker before carefully changing the baby.
One can only be thankful for mama and her insisting that I took those babysitting classes last summer... She thought. How the heck does an android digest? Or eat for that matter? She wondered. Truly technology is an amazing thing.
"'Gome, you ready?" Sango asked, popping up behind the girl as she finished changing the baby's diaper. "We were gonna go to Medallion's park and wait for him to show up so we could get your jewelry back."
"Okay, hang on though. I want to go to Ms Saeko and see if it is all right for me and Souta to just wait at home. Wanna come with me?"
Kagome put the baby in the car seat again, taking the dirty diaper to the sink and washing it though she wasn't happy to do so. As soon as that was done, she wrung the cloth out as best she could and then stuffed it in the diaper bag.
"Sure. You wanna come with us to the park then?"
"Of course I do! But before we do that, we'll have to find Ice Prince. I can't have Medallion breaking the baby. Who knows how many thousands one of these things costs?"
Sango laughed. "Well, Rin caught the bus, and Souta went to the payphones with Miroku so that he could call in sick."
"What about Kohaku?" Kagome asked, shouldering her backpack and picking up the baby. Sango picked up the diaper bag for Kagome. "Stole my car to give his 'Lady Kikyou' a ride home."
Kagome laughed. "I was so shocked when he all of a sudden kissed her! It was really hilarious to watch actually, and really cute. And you know, for a prep she doesn't seem all that bad." They had reached Ms Saeko's room, so they entered. "Ms Saeko?" Kagome asked, looking around for the teacher.
Ms Saeko came from the back room. "Yes, Miss Higurashi?" She asked pleasantly. "May I help you?"
"Yah, I was wondering if my brother and I could just wait at the shrine tomorrow morning, since it would be a waste of gas to drive to school just to go back home again."
Ms Saeko grinned. "Of course. But only on one condition."
"That is?"
"You draw maps for all of the groups, of course! Of the whole garden, including some good paths through that forest. Agreed?"
Kagome smirked. Well, that task was done. Souta and she had long ago mapped the entire garden on his computer, so they'd just have to print them off. "How many maps do you need?"
"Oh, thirty or so. There are some groups from Sunset Public doing this as well."
Kagome frowned. "You do know that I, as one of the Shrine Keepers, will file a lawsuit against you and the school if anything happens to my garden, correct?"
Ms Saeko smiled a very serious smile. "I'm well aware. Your mother explained this much. Now you can go ahead home, or wherever you are to go. Tomorrow I'll collect your and your brother's permission slips from you when we arrive at the shrine, and further explain the adventure."
"Okay, thanks Ms Saeko!" Kagome said, waving a goodbye. She had a feeling that she would both love and hate her new cousin very dearly, which was a strange conjunction.
The two girls picked up their previous conversation in the hallway. Sango nodded her agreement to their previous subject at hand. "No, she doesn't. Actually, I did some snooping around and there's something interesting about her. She disliked widely amongst the school.
"Truth to tell, I hadn't noticed her before today, but I guess she did something to Karei on accident, so Karei hates her, and if Karei hates her then so does the rest of the school. She seems to have absolutely no friends."
Kagome frowned. "We might be outcasts, but at least we have friends. I don't like that Karei won't let her have friends. The stupid slut thinks she owns this school!"
"She practically does." Sango pointed out. "If she gives the word, then everyone goes against you, and KABOOM your life is a living hell. Karei has her marked."
"She does? Wow... what did Kikyou do?"
"I haven't found that out yet...But she's survived being marked since age thirteen."
"She's nineteen now, isn't she?"
"Yep. She's survived a long time. Surprising thing is, you haven't been marked. Karei hates you more than anyone."
"I know..." The two had reached the parking lot where Souta and Miroku were waiting by Kagome and Souta's car. "We should invite her to our table at lunch sometime." Kagome looked around the parking lot for Sesshoumaru's car. It was gone. "Aw shit! What a fuckin' crappy day." She muttered. "Ice Prince is already gone."
Sango sighed. "We can still go you know." She said. "It's weird seeing you without your bells."
"It's weird feeling or seeing myself without my bells."
They reached the car and with help, the car seat was put in securely and the baby buckled in. "So are we for the park or not?"
"No." Kagome said with a sigh. "I can't afford the baby to get broken."
"Sweet love of god, Trip, what are you still doing here?" Souta hollered as Kohaku and Kikyou came out of the school.
"Beloved and I return to you, unscathed by the scorn of the arrival of our sweet love child!" Kohaku said as they stopped by the others.
Kikyou turned about three completely different shades of red. "Um..."
Kagome laughed. "Don't worry." She told Kikyou. "He does the same to me as he's doing to you."
"Yeah, just smack him upside the head if he starts to annoy you. It's what the rest of us do." Sango added.
"Oh hey! I have an idea!" Miroku said. "Kikyou, Kohaku, would you baby-sit Kagome's android for a few hours?"
"My raspberry sherbet, of course thy request is accepted freely!" Kohaku said, embracing Kagome and planting a kiss on her forehead.
Kagome laughed, shoving him from her and looking at Kikyou. "Would you, please? I've got some things to take care of and my partner decided to take off."
"Of course." Kikyou said with a small smile. "I would be obliged to."
"Thanks, I owe you one!" Kagome said gratefully as she went into her car and unbuckled the android. "It'll only be about an hour or two. Kohaku knows my cell phone number if you need me."
Kohaku took Kagome's baby and baby diaper bag. "Fear not!" Kohaku began, but Sango smacked the back of his head. "Ow!"
"Try to act normal for once, idiot!" She grumbled. "See you at home, and don't you be inappropriate!"
"My kin fear not, for I shall not fail you! I shall try my very best!"
As Kohaku and Kikyou went towards Sango's car, Miroku and Souta climbed into the back seat and Sango sat in the front passenger, with Kagome driving. They put their backpacks in the trunk. Kagome took her keys from where she kept them in the glove compartment and was off.
"Good, now that's one less worry." She said. She turned the stereo on as talk varied for the few moments in the car. She parked at Medallion's, ignoring the fact that she'd double-parked in the parking lot. The four got out, and Kagome grinned. "Ready for a nice fight?"
The other three returned her malicious grin with ones of their own. "Of course, 'Gome. I'm always ready to beat the shit out of people! Especially when those people include Medallion and his peeps." Souta said.
"Ah, my chance to grope Sango!" Miroku said and did just that.
Sango slapped him hard enough to get him to think otherwise but not to knock him out. "Miroku, knock it off."
Kagome laughed, walking towards the center of the park. The others followed her. This would be a very interesting fight that was for sure.