A/N: Hello again!
C: Wow, such wonderful feedback from so many! Hee. Makes me happy. :)
H: She's not the only one! I'm literally doing a little dance on my end. I have to say, though: I'm rather glad you lot can't see me, because my dancing sucks. =)
C: So . . . Shall we respond to our reviewers? Which should we start with?
H: It seems only fair to respond to our very first reviewer first, ne, Chibi?
C: That . . . makes sense. Okay! Our first review is from brz.
H: brz - Thanks for reviewing, to start. It's fun to write, and we have definite plans to keep it going. I also love these types of stories; that's why I was so psyched to work with Chibi to create this.
C: Hee. InuYasha is quite huggable. And I find that taking experiences from memories of what happened when I was young help make the story a little more adorable and relatable and all that fun stuff. So, I'm not surprised you've heard of the cootie shot thing before.
H: Our second reviewer is Luvandia.
C: Luvandia - Thanks for the compliment, though I'm sure your story's still quite good. :) And yes, Sessh acted like an older brother, but only because in this story Izayoi and Inu-Papa aren't dead and so they can make sure he takes care of his younger sibling. AU is a wonderful place to write in. XD
H: ^-^ Eh, Chibi stole what I was gonna say. Darn. Um, wisdom from the ... Hyper... Don't knock your own story, because I'm sure it's lovely! And... No, I think Chibi covered it. Gotta love AUs and reformed Sessh!
C: Our next review is from edasama.
H: edasama - Why thanks. ^-^ There were a few occasions writing it that we did have to just stop and squeal for a few moments. I think we should keep up a pretty good pace with updates, because we get stuff done pretty quickly between the two of us. =D
C: Indeed. There was a point where was both just melted from the adorable cuteness and stuff. Really, bouncing ideas off of each other really helps further the story and can just lead to so much cuteness.
H: And the next review is from my sister, BlueForestAngelCat. =)
C: BlueForestAngelCat - . . . Um . . . Hello Hyper's sister. I'm Chibi Blue Mouse. Yep. I think that review was more aimed at you, Hyper.
H: Uh, lol I guess it was. We're working on it, and we should keep up a pretty fair pace. Unlike some people who never update. =P
C: Hey! I'm working on my other stories! I've just got writer's block is all . . . . Pyuun.
H: *whistles innocently* Didn't mean nothin' by it... ;D
C: . Innocent whistle makes me suspicious. (hiss) Anyways, our next reviewer is from Novalia1001.
H: Sorry, Chibi... I'll play nice again. =)
Novalia1001 - =D Thanks. I'm glad you think that we're doing a good job. And as for that line... almost a notorious sense I got from Mama Higurashi, I believe. I distinctly recall her wondering if her grandbabies would have Inu's ears... XD
C: Yeah, having someone help you bounce off character development and story ideas and give critique as you're writing really helps to make a good story. And yes, that line was all Hyperpegasi's. I laughed when I read it.
H: =) And our final review is from InuDemoness1525.
C: InuDemoness1525 - :) Hee. Thank you! We're trying!
H: I think the general plan is to overload the audience with cute. And have a lovely plot full of fluff and hugs and I'm rambling... Lets get to the story, ne, Chibi?
C: Indeed. And without further ado, we no own so you no sue! :)
Chapter 2: Friends
Kagome and InuYasha quickly moved their playing to InuYasha's room; where they built a little town out of some blocks that InuYasha had in his toy chest. Kagome then pretended that she was a giant and had come to destroy the town. InuYasha used a wooden sword and ran 'the giant' off and saved the town. Then they both had fun as Kagome made a sneak attack in revenge and slid right into the town, knocking down half the buildings as she giggled and laughed, sparking a bout of InuYasha ranting how sneak attacks weren't fair.
"I defeated you! You're supposed to stay defeated!"
Kagome giggled some more. "The bad guy always comes back for revenge," she said, trying to obtain a serious tone and failing as she was continuously overcome by giggles.
InuYasha pouted, sitting down, destroying some buildings in the process. "Yeah well . . . you didn't have to attack the town." he muttered sulkily.
Kagome got a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Really?" she asked and suddenly pounced once more for InuYasha's ears. However, she missed a bit this time since InuYasha started to move as he realized what she had been intending to do. She wound up hugging him from behind. Deciding to make the best of the situation, she reached up and started rubbing his ear, which was twitching as though trying to get away from her fingers.
"What's with you and attacking my ears all the time?" InuYasha grumbled, trying to glare at the girl on his back.
Kagome smiled as she leaned around to look at the hanyou. "They're really cute!" she said cheerfully.
InuYasha stiffened and blushed at the comment. No one had ever called his ears . . . 'cute' before . . . And Kagome was actually gentle with his ears, where as others who had ever gotten a hold of them besides his family often tugged them harshly.
A yawn brought his attention back to the girl whose hands had relinquished their hold on his ears. He turned, puzzled. "Are you okay?" he asked, noticing that Kagome's eyelids were starting to droop and the abundant amount of energy she had been displaying earlier was absent.
Kagome nodded, and yawned again, rubbing her eyes. "I'm sleepy . . ." she murmured, laying down where she sat and curling up as she closed her eyes.
InuYasha blinked and then, after a moment's thought, he removed the red robe of the fire rat that he wore and draped it over the tired girl, watching as one of her hands moved out and gently closed into a fist around the fabric.
Her breathing grew slow and even and InuYasha sat down by her, holding onto his wooden sword, staring down at the girl, determined to watch over her as she slept.
"Have you already got them enrolled?" Mama Higurashi inquired politely, taking a sip of her tea.
"Mm," Izayoi affirmed over her own cup. "I've already spoken to their teachers; particularly InuYasha's... I worry for him sometimes." She paused to take a sip of the steaming liquid. "He tends to get picked on a lot. He's never really been able to make friends." She smiled happily. "I have a feeling your Kagome may change that, though."
Mama smiled in return, her eyes crinkling merrily at the corners. "Speaking of Kagome... We really should be getting home. Tomorrow will be their first day in school together."
Izayoi blinked, and turned to look out the window: the sun was already dipping below the horizon. "Oh, you're right. How did it get it be so late?" she exclaimed lightly. "Well, let's go get the kids, then. They've probably already fallen asleep somewhere."
-0-0-
"I'm sure they're in here... I wonder why the lights are off?"
The soft sound of footsteps, accompanied by his mother's whisper, caused little white ears to perk. However, InuYasha did not move from his 'guard' position, even as the two women entered the room on tip-toes.
He knew his mother, of course, and after a moment he discerned - from her scent - that the other woman was Kagome's mother.
"Kagome?" The unfamiliar woman called. He knew it was her mom, but he growled a little anyway before he could really think better of it.
"InuYasha, sweetheart? Are you awake?" His mother soothed quietly, in the direction of his bed.
"You can turn the light on if you want, mama." There was amusement in his voice: his silly human mother couldn't see in the dark, he knew, but he wasn't anywhere CLOSE to the bed.
Izayoi jumped a bit, obviously startled. "Oh. Okay, sweetie." She backed up a few steps, tracing the wall to find the light switch.
InuYasha blinked a little as the lights came on, glancing over at his sleeping friend to make sure she hadn't been disturbed. He nodded to himself, satisfied that she was still soundly asleep.
He looked up, blinking his large gold eyes solemnly at the two maternal figures. "K'gome fell 'sleep while we was playing. I asked Sess t' turn the light off so she wouldn't get woke'd up." The toddler explained frankly.
Mama and Izayoi shared a huge smile that InuYasha didn't quite understand, but they smelled happy, so he didn't bother trying to figure it out.
"What are you doing, InuYasha?" Laughter bubbled under his mother's question, but InuYasha was very serious when he answered.
"I'm guarding my friend. If I'm watching, the boogey-man can't get her."
The mothers shared that look again, and InuYasha wasn't sure whether or not to be offended.
"K'gome said we're gonna be best friends; so I gotta protect her and stuff, like Daddy told me," he said somewhat defensively.
Kagome's mother smiled as she approached her sleeping daughter and the young girl's 'protector'. Smiling bemusedly, she knelt down in front of the young hanyou. "And you've done a wonderful job of protecting her, but now it's time for Kagome to go home." she said, reaching out to gently pet the ears of the hanyou. Like her daughter, she had been fascinated by the adorable dog ears on InuYasha's head and, like her daughter, Mama could not help but wonder if they were as soft as they looked.
InuYasha growled a little, but allowed the petting since she was Kagome's mother. "No. I gotta protect her." he said stubbornly, not wanting his new best friend to leave.
Mama smiled, but Izayoi beat her to the chase. "InuYasha, sweetheart, I know you want to protect her, but Kagome's place is with her mother."
"Like your place is with Papa?" InuYasha inquired, tilting his head to one side.
Izayoi smiled. "Kind of like that. You wouldn't want to take Kagome away from her place would you?"
InuYasha's ears drooped a little. "No . . ." he muttered, sad that Kagome had to leave.
Mama took that as permission to take her daughter and she gently lifted the little girl up, pausing mid lift as she saw that the red coat that had been draped over her had fallen down, but part of it was still clutched in Kagome's hand. Mama smiled and gently pried the fabric out of her daughter's clutches and held it out to InuYasha. "Is this yours?" she asked softly.
InuYasha nodded and took the coat back, putting it on, wrinkling his nose slightly. His robe of the fire rat had soaked up Kagome's scent. Not that it was unpleasant, but he didn't want to smell like a girl . . .
Mama lifted the sleeping girl up into her arms and then turned to Izayoi. "I suppose we'll see you tomorrow then?" she asked with a smile.
Izayoi grinned. "You can count on it." she responded, quite glad that Kagome had made friends with her son. Now to start planning for grandchildren . . .
Suddenly, Izayoi brightened. "You wouldn't mid it if they walked to school together, would you? Sesshoumaru could drop them off on his way, and it would give them more time together."
Mama brightened equally, smile forming before the statement had even finished. "Kagome would love that; as long as it wouldn't impose on Sesshoumaru, of course."
Izayoi waved it off, hoisting InuYasha up on her hip. "Oh, he won't mind."
InuYasha smiled a little at the prospect, and he didn't even mind when his mom dropped a kiss on his hair. Much.
He snuggled a little to his mother's shoulder, blinking drowsily as they walked Kagome's mother to the door.
"Bye, Mrs. Higu-" He yawned loudly, and the rest sounded somewhat garbled, "-wAaashiii..."
Mrs. Higurashi gave him a smile, patting his shoulder maternally. "Goodnight, InuYasha. I'll drop Kagome off in the morning, 'kay?"
The toddler nodded sleepily, mumbling something that neither mother could make out.
Mama laughed quietly, and the two mothers exchanged their quiet good-byes before setting off to put their respective toddlers to bed.
-0-0-
The next morning, Kagome was dressed in her school uniform, excited about the prospect of going to Kindergarten and making friends, and better yet, her mother said that InuYasha was in the same class as her! So even as she held onto her mother's hand as they made their way next door, she was near bursting with energy as she jumped over any cracks in the sidewalks that she came across. Under her breath, she sang softly, "Don't step on a crack or you'll fall and break your back. Don't step on a line or you'll fall and break your spine."
Even if she didn't quite avoid all the lines and cracks in the sidewalk, she was still grinning from ear to ear. Knowing she was going to go to school with InuYasha was fun!
From the living room window, InuYasha watched the sidewalk, his face pressed up against the glass. "MAMA! MAMA! K'gome and Mrs. Higuwashi are comin'!" he called excitedly and quickly ran to his room to grab his backpack his mother had bought just for Kindergarten.
"Yes, yes." Izayoi sighed out, smiling patiently. "Now calm down and eat your breakfast," she said, pointing to the unfinished plate of waffles, eggs, and bacon. All that was left of the bacon were crumbs, and the eggs were nearly polished off too, but the waffles remained virtually untouched. Izayoi knew her son was a definite carnivore, but she at least tried to give him a balanced breakfast.
"Now, I've packed an apple in your lunch. And there's some warm water in a thermos; as well as that ramen you enjoy so much," she listed as she watched her son sit down and finish his breakfast dutifully, though he ate the waffles reluctantly.
And then the doorbell rang.
"THEY'RE HERE!" InuYasha shouted excitedly, rushing to open the door, knocking over his chair in his hurry.
Izayoi sighed and looked at the plate once more. "Well . . . at least he ate half his waffle." she muttered, as she picked up the fallen chair.
"Sesshoumaru, honey, the Higurashis are here. Are you ready to go?"
Her stepson responded with a cold glare, and she was halfway certain the boy growled a little as he made his way down the stairs.
Izayoi hid a smile. "Now, now, Sesshy, perk up! It's your first day of school here, and you'll only have to deal with them for a little bit."
'Sesshy' gave her a look that could freeze lava, somehow managing to look imposing with a backpack slung over his shoulders. Of course, Izayoi responded with a smile, more amused than anything.
"Sess, c'mon!" InuYasha had dragged Kagome inside to see what the hold-up was. "We're gonna be late! K'gome is already here!"
With a resigned sigh, Sesshoumaru grabbed the lunch-bag from his step-mother's outstretched hand. "Very well. Let us go, then."
The toddlers cheered, grinning as they rushed out the door.
"Bye, mama!"
"Bye, mother!"
The duo chimed, waving over their shoulders as they took off down the sidewalk.
Izayoi and Mama waved back, smiling indulgently. "Buhbye!" They called back together, followed by the typical, "Have a good day!" and "Look both ways before you cross the street!"
Sesshoumaru recited ten reasons why he hated people under his breath as he followed the energetic children at a more reasonable pace.
"I'm so x'cited!" Kagome squealed when their mothers were finally out of view. She slowed down a little, glomping InuYasha as she hummed a happy tune. "We're gonna be in the same class and ev'rythin!"
InuYasha grinned, amused by his friends antics. He was excited too, to be honest.
Releasing her grip on the hanyou's shoulders, Kagome spun around to show him her backpack. "Isn't my backpack cool? It's got flowers!"
At this, however, InuYasha wrinkled his nose. "Flowers are for girls, K'gome. Mine has Ninja Turtles." He trumped proudly, turning halfway to prove his point.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Flowers are cooler."
He responded by sticking his tongue out at her, and then silence fell over them as they had a small raspberry war.
It didn't last long. "Looklooklook! Tha's the road we hafta cross to get to school!" She kicked back into a run, dashing right up to the curb to press the button for the crosswalk.
"We can't go over until the sign says so," Kagome informed her friend, loving that she knew stuff to tell him.
"I know how the cwosswok works!" InuYasha shot back defensively, his ears pressed to his skull to try and block out the noise from traffic.
Sesshoumaru caught up to them, finally, and Kagome grabbed InuYasha's hand to drag him backwards towards his brother.
Grinning, the four-year-old slipped her hand into Sesshoumaru's larger, clawed one.
"Mama says we gotta hold hands when we cwoss the woad," she reasoned, smiling cheerfully at the demonic teen.
"This Sesshoumaru does not-"
"Mama says." She demanded bossily, yanking the hand he had tried to pull away. "I don't have cooties anymore, so it's fine."
She readjusted her grip on InuYasha so that she was holding his hand, too, and tugged the brothers to the curb with a smile.
"The light's changed, so we can cross now," Kagome said matter-of-factly, stepping down onto the road.
Sesshoumaru allowed himself to be tugged along behind her, wondering bemusedly at the little human.
InuYasha was snickering at his brother's reaction, absently allowing Kagome to swing his arm as they crossed the street.
They reached the opposite side without incident, and Kagome relinquished her hold on Sesshoumaru's hand, sending the demon a smile as she took off down the sidewalk with InuYasha in tow.
Kagome was grinning from ear to ear. "School's gonna be so much fun! There's gonna be lots a people there, and and we get to learn stuff! Mama didn't tell me what we were going to learn though. She said I had to find out. What do you think we'll learn Inu'asha?"
InuYasha blinked and then shrugged. "I dunno." he stated simply, though he was grinning as well.
"I expect you'll learn basic addition and subtraction along with how to read and write." Sesshoumaru said blandly, finding their ignorance annoying.
Kagome grinned at the cold demon who was only giving them the briefest glance downwards every few seconds to make sure they were still there. Sesshoumaru would allow no one to say that he didn't take care of responsibilities placed upon him.
Even so, he couldn't believe Izayoi had managed to guilt him into walking the talkative children to school. (Technically it had been more along the lines of blackmail, but he'd cut his own arm off before admitting that.)
Kagome dropped InuYasha's hand to run backwards for a stretch, cheerfully swishing the skirt of her new outfit.
"Better hurry, 'Yashie, or we're gonna be late the first day!" She teased, tossing her hair as she spun the next few steps.
Getting dizzy trying to watch her, InuYasha groused back, "Don't call me 'Yashie." But he sped up a little anyway.
If he'd been any other elder sibling, Sesshoumaru might have laughed at InuYasha's reaction. As it were, he allowed himself a slight smirk.
Kagome only giggled in response, grabbing the hanyou's hand to spin him around with her.
Sesshoumaru soon put a stop to the spinning, since trying to keep track of them as they spun was making the teenage demon a bit dizzy himself. Unfortunately, stopping the spinning came at the cost of having to hold the hands of the rather energetic children; being almost pulled double by the force of the children trying to run towards the school.
Despite the children's insistence that they would be late if they didn't hurry up, Sesshoumaru successfully escorted the two to their Kindergarten class at least fifteen minutes before the first bell was supposed to ring. Once they were safely inside the classroom, he quickly let go of their hands and let them mingle with the other excited children. He then quickly left, not wanting to be late for his own class.
"Bye Sesshoumaru!" They called dutifully, not at all put off that when he didn't respond.
Gleefully, Kagome dragged InuYasha around the classroom. "It's gonna be so fun!" She decided again, grinning euphorically. "I can't wait for class to fin'wy start!"
InuYasha was quieter now, strangely subdued as they threaded their way through the crowd of children. He held tightly to Kagome's hand. He could handle Kagome's level of noise, but the barrage voices filling the room were uncomfortable to his sensitive hearing.
Kagome paused her own chatter as she noticed her friend's plight. She squeezed his hand, giving him an encouraging smile.
Not a moment later, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Blinking, she turned to see a young boy with black hair - pulled into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck - with a rosary wrapped around his wrist like a bracelet.
"Scuse me . . . but . . . does your friend . . . have . . . ears?" The kid asked, staring at InuYasha with wide eyes.
Kagome blinked and looked from the boy to InuYasha before nodding silently at the child, her shy side getting the better of her again.
InuYasha growled a little and his ears flicked back against his head. "Yeah, what of it?" he snapped at the boy, pulling Kagome back a little. She was HIS friend, and he didn't feel like sharing.
The boy looked astounded. "That's cool," he said, grinning and then he looked over at Kagome. "I'm M'roku. What's your name? You're pretty. Will you be my girlfriend and marry me?" he asked, grabbing Kagome's free hand with both of his.
Kagome's eyes widened in a shocked - and somewhat disgusted - way as she pulled her hand away and hid behind InuYasha. "Ew! No! You have cooties!" she shrieked worriedly.
Even louder than Kagome's complaint was InuYasha's authoritative, "Don't touch K'gome, pervert!" With his free hand, he bonked the other boy solidly on the head.
Miroku was taken aback by the unexpected reaction, gingerly rubbing his assaulted skull, even as a smile spread across his face. "Sorry, I guess. I don't have cooties, but I shoulda realized..."
Slightly petulant, and not at all happy with violet-eyed boy, Kagome peeked around InuYasha. "Shoulda realized what?" She asked reluctantly, clutching the hanyou's shirt.
Said inu hanyou crossed his arms over his chest, glaring hotly at the human boy: doing a very good impression of an annoyed Sesshoumaru.
Not at all perturbed, the oddly literate child continued sagely, "That you two're an item." Taking it a step further, he pointed out, "You haven't let go of each other once since you arrived." InuYasha might not have completely understood, but he could hear the smugly perverted undertone to Miroku's catty tone.
The confused friends shared a look, wordlessly shrugging to each other.
Miroku noticed the confusion between the two and then put a fist in front of his mouth and coughed, pointing at their hands.
Kagome still looked confused as she looked at her hand that was in InuYasha's. She thought it was normal to hold your friends hands . . . She'd had friends from the daycare she went to, and she held their hands too . . .
InuYasha, however, had a different reaction. He blushed and quickly pulled his hand out from Kagome's, before crossing his arms and glaring at Miroku who now was smirking a little.
"Oh, I see. You're still in denial." he said, his shoulder's shaking a little from holding back laughter.
Kagome, who had been a little hurt by InuYasha pulling his hand away from her, now was confused again and she tilted her head to the side as she looked at Miroku. "In denial about what?" she asked, truly not understanding what Miroku was talking about.
Miroku's eyebrows shot up into his bangs. "You really don't know?" he asked, amazed as Kagome shook her head, and noticing that InuYasha even seemed a little interested. Though the hanyou had pulled his hand out of the girl's, he'd apparently only realized that it meant something; but didn't know what.
Miroku let out a little chuckle. "Why K'gome," he said, mimicking the way InuYasha had said the girl's name. "When two people like each other very much . . . well . . . Dad said something about hooking up and a stork, but they like each other and they become an item." he said, clearly not as knowledgeable as he tried to seem.
Luckily for the little pervert, there was an interruption before the duo could ask any more questions.
"Alright children, it's time to settle down now," A woman's voice lilted, colored with fond amusement. Her entrance to the room had gone unnoticed by most, but as soon as she spoke she had everyone's full attention.
She was lovely. She carried a stern but gentle aura, and at her behest the raucous tamed almost immediately. The class was rewarded with a smile.
InuYasha stared at the pretty woman. She reminded him of his mother, a little. As she smiled, a smile appeared on his face, unbidden, in return.
The woman looked around the class, noting the diversity in her classroom. "My name is Ms. Kikyo. Welcome all of you to your first day of Kindergarten." she said and then went to the front of the room. "On the desks, you will see nametags. If you cannot find your name, come to me and I'll help you find a place to sit."
The desks were actually tables that had four chairs arranged around them so four people could sit at each of the tables. There was a sudden scramble as everyone searched for their name. InuYasha felt someone tugging on his robe and he turned to see Kagome smiling up at him. "C'mon Inu'asha. We gotta go find our names." she said, grinning.
InuYasha nodded and then headed over with Kagome to try and find his name. However, he also noticed that Miroku was following them, apparently unable to find his name on any of the tables they had already checked.
"Don't tell me..." InuYasha griped as he finally caught sight of the familiar shape he knew to be his name. Surely enough, on the other side of the table Miroku plopped himself down with a grin.
InuYasha sat down as well, muttering about 'stupid perverts', even as Kagome slid into the seat next to him, patting his shoulder to console him.
That left one seat at their table, and InuYasha could only hope their other tablemate was less annoying than Miroku. Slowly, the other tables filled up, with the few stragglers going from table to table.
At last, a brown-haired girl sat reluctantly next to Miroku, glancing at each of the table's occupants before averting her eyes to the teacher.
There was a squabble at the table next to them, as two little demon boys were convinced that the last seat at the table was theirs.
"Boys," Ms. Kikyo chided gently, and InuYasha's ears went back of their own accord, even though her disappointment was directed elsewhere.
"This is Bankotsu's seat, alright?" The teacher put one hand on the other boy's shoulder as a triumphant Bankotsu claimed his seat.
"Yours in over here, Renkotsu," she informed with a small smile, guiding the boy to his table.
Ms. Kikyo glanced around the room once, and, satisfied that everyone was seated and where they should be, she smiled. "Now, your first assignment is to get to know your classmates. I'm going to come around the room, and as I do, I'll ask you to stand up and introduce yourselves to the class, and tell us something about you."
She moved gracefully to Kagome and InuYasha's table with a swish of skirts, stopping next to InuYasha first. She rested one hand gently on his head, giving him an encouraging smile when he looked up at her. The boy blinked and blushed a little, standing unsurely, hands nervously fiddling with his firerat robe,
"Uh, I'm InuYasha Taisho... and-"
"Half-breed!" A voice scoffed loudly. "You reek of dog!" Several of the kids joined in the jeering, and InuYasha flinched, wishing to be anywhere else at that moment.
"Kouga-" Ms. Kikyo began, raising her voice slightly.
"SHUT UP!" Kagome's furious voice ordered. She was standing in her chair, fists clenched at her sides. "ALL of you, just SHUT UP!"
She jabbed a finger in the direction of the wolf-demon boy who had spoken first. "Inu'asha never did anything to you, so keep your mouth shut, you stupid meanie!"
InuYasha, as well as just every single one of their classmates, looked to the shy girl in surprise.
"That's enough, everyone." Ms. Kikyo said sharply, her bearing suddenly stern, though her hand remained gentle on the hanyou's head. "There will be NO name calling or harassment of any sort in my classroom."
Ms. Kikyo looked sternly at Kouga and Kagome and then said, "You two will stay in for five minutes during the break with me while everyone else gets to go outside. And if I hear of anyone else calling people names, they can come in and join us," she said, lifting up her head to look at the rest of the class.
Kagome looked completely shell-shocked. She had never been in trouble like this before in her life! She quickly sat down and turned back in towards the desk, her shoulders trembling as she tried to hold back the tears that were forming. She'd only been trying to help InuYasha . . . It was that meanie's fault in the first place. He never should have said something like that.
InuYasha, and many of the other demons, including Kouga, could smell that Kagome was close to crying and while InuYasha looked worried, Kouga looked mildly ashamed. He had actually admired that the human girl had stood up to him in defense of another, even if it was a worthless mutt.
InuYasha sat back down, leaning over to give his distraught friend a hug. "Thank you," he whispered, for her ears only. Like a puppy seeking to console it's master, he nuzzled her tear-dampened cheek with a low whine. He hated it when girls cried.
His comforting worked, though, and Kagome wiped away tears with a small smile as Ms. Kikyo indicated that she was next. "I'm K'gome Higurashi," she said shakily as she stood up, "And I don't like it when people are mean to my friends." There was a fierceness to her statement - even as her voice wobbled under the threat of more tears - and many students decided then and there not to get on her bad side.
Expression blank, Kagome sat back down. Under the table, InuYasha's hand found her own, and he gave it a reassuring squeeze. Gratefully, Kagome squeezed back. The rest of the room remained oblivious to the exchange.
"I'm Miroku Houshi," Miroku volunteered before Ms. Kikyo had even reached him. "And I think you're really pretty." He grabbed the teacher's hands dramatically, asking earnestly, "Will you marry me?"
Ms. Kikyo smiled bemusedly and then crouched down to his height. "I'm afraid you thinking I'm pretty isn't enough for me to want to accept your proposal of marriage." she said kindly, sounding more amused than anything. "And don't you think you're a little young to be asking people to marry you?" she asked, leaning forward to whisper softly, just for Miroku.
The other just smiled unabashedly and Kikyo pulled her hands out of the other's grasp before moving to the last member of the foursome at the table.
The brunette stood up, sending a slight glare around the room. She exuded toughness and self-confidence. "My name is Sango Tajiya. I'm gonna be a cop one day. Just like my dad," she stated quite clearly, her voice not wavering at all.
Ms. Kikyo smiled down at the young girl. "Very admirable," she said and then moved on to the next table: the one Kouga was sitting at.
"Kouga?" Ms. Kikyo prompted, tilting her head slightly. InuYasha growled lowly. Stupid smelly wolf didn't deserve the attention.
Oozing arrogance, the little demon stood up with a smirk and a flourish. "I'm Kouga Ookami, 'n Immuna make K'gome my girlfriend."
There was a beat of silence: and then, with one unified intake of breath, all hell broke loose.
"You're gonna WHAT?" InuYasha and Kagome shrieked together, one with embarrassed disbelief, the other with blind fury. InuYasha stood suddenly, knocking his chair over in the process, looking as though he was prepared to dive across the room and strangle the little wolf prince. Kagome just gawped at the cocky boy, who flashed her a fanged grin.
"Kouga, that was out of line." Ms. Kikyo reprimanded, glancing around the room. ALL of the children bearing demonic blood, plus a few of the human kids with spiritual powers or sensitivity - like Miroku and Sango - were poised halfway out of their seats, prepared to leap into the melee she had barely prevented.
"All of you, back to your seats!" the teacher ordered exasperatedly. "It's only the first day and already I might have to have a talk with parents!"
Some abashed, some reluctant, and more than a few petulant, the children returned to their previous, less violence-ready positions.
Twitching angrily, the inu-hanyou righted his chair.
Afterwards, Kagome remained seated, blushing horribly from embarrassment, while InuYasha sat, raging quietly to himself. The only thing that calmed him down even slightly was that Kagome reached over and clung to his robe of the fire rat. Neither one really paid attention to the other children's' introductions.
When the introductions were over, Ms. Kikyo passed out a thin booklet. On the front in large letters, was the word, "MATH".
"Now that we all know a little bit about each other, starting tomorrow, after roll-call, we shall begin work on learning our numbers and how to add." Ms. Kikyo said with a smile. "However, seeing as this is our first day, I'll leave the learning for tomorrow. Now, I'd like you to get to know the people at your table better. You'll be sitting with these people for a while until I move your seats. It'll be best if you get to be friends," she said and then went back to her desk, keeping an eye on the room, while giving the students space to chat with their tablemates.
Miroku grinned, sidling up to Sango, the one stranger at the table. "Weeeeeell, the two of us are really the only ones of cons'quence... un'quanted," he schmoozed, indicating Kagome and InuYasha with a dismissive wave. "So why don't we focus on getting to know each other more intimately?"
Sango responded with a nervous glance in his direction, before going back to studiously ignoring him, straightening her Math packet.
"Oh lay off, ya stupid lech," InuYasha snapped. He wasn't sure what a lech was, but he'd heard his father use it when perverts had catcalled at his mother. He'd heard several other words at that point, too, but his dad had later been smacked for their use, so he decided they were better left inside his *mental* vocab.
Miroku sighed dramatically, leaning back out of the little brunette's bubble. "Don't use words you don't understand, Yashie," he chided loftily, looking down his nose at the hanyou with his violet orbs half lidded.
"Why you," 'Yashie' snarled, looming forward. His revenge would half to wait, however, because Kagome decided to get hers first.
"Don't call him Yashie," She ordered with a pout, kicking the unfortunate human in the shin. "You'll make him cranky, and then he's no fun."
Both boys gave her surprised looks, equal parts surprise and indignance.
Their quiet tablemate finally broke her silence, snickering cutely into one hand at the other girl's impertinence. Kagome grinned, and giggled along with her.
Seeing that his argument had been overruled, InuYasha sunk backwards in his seat sulkily. He considered pouting, but... Kagome seemed happy, so he decided he'd let it go for now.
"I know we already did the introductions and ever'thing, but... I'm K'gome," the four-year old said with a grin, extending a hand across the table.
"...Sango," the older girl replied, taking Kagome's hand gingerly.
With a wide smile, Kagome tightened her hand into a little shake. "Let's be friends, okay? The boys may act a little funny, but they'll be your friends too!" She pulled a little on Sango's hand, too make sure that her point was acknowledged. "'Kay?"
"Oh," Sango said, a little unsurely. "O-okay."
"K'gome!" A voice called from the next table over. InuYasha's ears went back, and a growl started up in his chest.
Surprised, Kagome looked up from her new friend, leaned partway across the table. Kouga was tilted back in his chair, staring straight at her with blue-blue eyes.
"You're gonna be my girl, okay?" He was grinning widely, exposing sharp little teeth as he waved.
"Nuh-uh!" Kagome shot back, sliding back across the table to duck behind InuYasha's shoulder, blushing terribly.
"Kouga, socialize at your own table, please?" Ms. Kikyo rebuked pleasantly, not looking up from her desk.
InuYasha felt his chest puff up a little. Kouga got told off for trying to talk to Kagome. Served him right. Stupid wolf.
Kagome had entered into an animated conversation of girly things with Sango, so InuYasha was rather content to keep from listening. However, Miroku didn't seem really interested either and had moved his seat around to try and talk to InuYasha.
"So, InuYasha..." The hanyou noticed that the hated nickname had vanished. Hmph. Good.
The human was obviously looking for something to talk about. Since anything would be better than the current feminine squeals about... What were Powder Puffts, anyway? Well, it wasn't something InuYasha wanted to listen to more than necessary, so he obliged.
"D'ya like... Ninja Turtles?" the amber-eyed boy asked lamely, unable to think of anything else.
The human boy lit up, childish grin lighting his features. "Do I ever! Which one's your favorite?"
And their conversation took off, much in the way the girls' had. This was turning out to be kind of awesome: despite the morning's rocky start.