Disclaimer: I have no claim to IY, FMA,FF, YYH, or any of those other big name critters. Ryfen, Lynx, and Caligo are mine, and Ezekial is my husband's.
Well, my family's gone back home and I've gone back to work, so I'll try to be posting more often now. This chapter introduces the students and throws in a bit of fun at the end. Enjoy!
darkangelprincess24 and Cold Kikyo: You two rock my socks. Thanks for continuing to read and giving your support. Cookies all around!
darkpriestressofhell: YAY! Another supporter! Thanks muchly!
nEeLLoC: Hehe, cute is good! Thanks for the support!
Chapter Seven – Classmates
The dining hall was a nearly full when the three arrived, as most of the students and teachers were already in their places. Each bowed and moved down the table, looking for three seats together, Kagome ignoring the stares and whispers directed towards her. They found places near the middle of the table, two on one side and directly across on the other side. Kouga darted around to the other side and took his seat across from Kagome, while Inuyasha sat down next to her.
The hall itself was long and thin, leaving enough room for only the teachers' table along the back wall, and the students' table running lengthwise down the middle. Kagome peered around Inuyasha to look down the table, noting Kikyo in the seat nearest to the teacher's table. She sighed softly and leaned back in her chair, not wanting to draw more attention to herself than necessary. That hope was soon dashed.
Headmaster Naraku stood and smiled widely to the double line of students before him. "Hello again, children. I trust that you all had a good night's rest last night and an enjoyable and educational day today as well." His eyes drifted to Kagome for a moment, and she dropped her gaze to her plate, blushing brightly. "I do so hope that you will enjoy dinner tonight, but there is one thing we must take care of first." He motioned to Kikyo, who stood, looking slightly nervous. "Tonight, you will introduce yourselves. Just first names and ages, please. We're all going to be friends here, after all! We'll go around the table." He nodded to Kikyo before sitting down, fingers steepled in front of his chin.
Kikyo nodded and turned slightly to address the table. "I'm Kikyo, age nineteen." She bowed her head slightly and took her seat, nodding to the boy next to her. He gave her a warm smile and stood.
He was tall and lean, though nowhere near as muscular as Kouga or Inuyasha. His hair was black and kept back in a short tail at the nape of his neck, his bangs left to ruffle over his forehead in a boyish manner. His face was warm and kind, though Kagome noticed his gaze seemed to linger on the girls, and more specifically on the naughtier parts of said ladies. He raised his hands to chest level, palms together, and bowed slightly. "My name is Miroku, and I'm twenty years old. Very pleased to meet you all." He flashed his warm smile again before taking his seat. Kagome noticed that his hand strayed to Kikyo's shoulder, but she froze him with a glare before it wandered too far. He sighed and turned to the girl who had just stood up next to him.
She was small, smaller even than Kagome. She couldn't have been more than five feet tall, and easily under a hundred pounds. Her hair was long and faintly blue, contrasting sharply with her tanned skin and vibrantly purple eyes. Her head remained lowered, a faint blush fanning her cheeks. "S-Shiori is my name. I'm…nineteen." She bowed swiftly and took her seat again, staring at her plate as her blush spread to cover her face. Kagome's heart went out to the girl, though she was glad to note that Miroku didn't try to make any advances at the girl.
The boy next to Shiori stood quickly, and Kagome was amazed to note that he couldn't have been any taller than Shiori had been. Closer inspection of the blond-haired, yellow-eyed boy proved him the one she had been scrunched in next to in the hallway earlier that morning. His braid was still in place, with small clumps falling on either side of his face. His right arm clanked oddly as he brought up in a fist against his chest. "I'm Ed, and I'm twenty years old." His chest was puffed out proudly, but barely-suppressed snickers spread throughout the hall, as though no one could believe that a male entering his twenties could be so short. He huffed and flopped back down in his seat, arms crossed and a distinctly Inuyasha-like pout on his face. Kagome snorted into her fist, trying hard not to laugh and miss the next introduction.
Lynx stood up and bowed respectfully to both ends of the table. Her blue hair was held back under a white bandana, and her green eyes stood out vibrantly against her tanned face. She smiled ever so slightly. "Lynx. Age twenty." Her voice was soft, but held the same amount of power that she had displayed during the horseback lesson that afternoon. She nodded and took her seat again, casting a smile to Kouga as he stood, then glanced over to Kagome, giving her a once over before turning her gaze down the table. Kagome blushed under the scrutiny and barely heard Kouga's proud exclamation of his name and of being twenty. She gave him a bright smile as he sat down, ignoring Inuyasha's snort of laughter at Kouga's puffed chest and inflated ego.
Ryfen was the next to stand, her pink hair still all over the place, and her fox ears twisting around to catch sounds that only she seemed to be able to hear. "I'm Ryfen, and I'm nineteen, not that it should matter to any of you." She grinned somewhat sadistically, but ruined the effect by sticking out her tongue. She waved down the table at someone before plopping down in her chair again, poking and muttering at the boy next to her to hurry up and stand.
He was on the tall side, but had the lean and lanky look of one who was still growing into his body. He glanced shyly up and down the table before Ryfen poked him again, clearly unimpressed with his reluctance. His hair was nearly as bushy as Ryfen's, though his hair was red and his downcast eyes were bright green. He had pointed ears and a fox tail, though it was much shorter and floofier than Ryfen's. Kagome guessed that the two were related. "Um, I'm Shippo, and I'm nineteen. And quit poking me, Ry!" He turned and tried to pin the girl under a glare, but she effectively floored him with one of her own.
"Oh, sit down, Ship-ship, and let the lovely lady on the other side of you go." Ryfen rolled her eyes as Shippo sat down sheepishly. Kagome sent him what she hoped was a comforting smile, but he just shrugged and rested his chin on his hand, staring off into oblivion as the girl next to him stood.
She was of moderate height, though her body had a muscular build to it. Her skin had the healthy glow of someone who was active and out in the sun a lot. Her hair was black and fell to the middle of her back, and her eyes were a deep brown. She bowed deeply. "My name is Sango, and I'm nineteen. Pleased to meet everyone." She bowed again, a faint blush working it's way over her cheeks as she sat down, glancing back down to the other end of the table since they had run out of people on that side.
The girl across from Kikyo had to be poked a couple of times before she stood, grumbling under her breath at the boy next to her. She had much the same coloring as Shippo, though her hair was a more fiery red, and her emerald eyes almost seemed to glow in the light of the candles. Her hair was caught up in two pigtails, which would have looked childish on anyone else, but seemed to suit her perfectly. "My name is Ayame, and I'm twenty." She dipped her head gracefully and sat down, but Kagome caught the slight movement as she twitched her white tail out of the way. She glanced over to Kouga, who nodded slightly at her unspoken question. Ayame was a wolf demon as well.
The boy next to Ayame rose and flipped his long, black braid over his shoulder. He looked a bit shorter than Inuyasha, and he had a purple cross in the middle of his forehead. He regarded the table with a haughty gaze, his dark eyes gleaming with some hidden mischief. "I'm Bankotsu, and I'm nineteen years old. You guys best remember that name." He grinned and sat down again amongst the confused stares of his classmates, flicking his braid again so it lay over the back of his chair. He leaned over and said something to Ayame, who promptly blushed and tried to hit him without incurring the wrath of the teachers or interrupting the introductions. Kagome snickered and let her eyes rove over the next new classmate.
He also seemed on the short side, though his blond hair, part of which stood straight up on his head in a way that reminded her of Vash, certainly gave him a bit of height. The rest of his hair fell in clumps and spikes around his head and face, making him all angles and no curves. His eyes were blue and held an iciness that reminded her of Sesshoumaru's gaze. He stared down the table for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Cloud, age twenty." He sat again and leaned back in his chair, eyes closed and his entire body language showing that he was overly bored with the whole thing.
Next to stand was a boy of moderate build and stature. His short black hair formed a fuzzy halo around his head, errant strands falling in his green eyes. Those eyes were calm and calculating as he seemed to survey the table and its occupants. He smiled softly and bowed from the waist towards the teacher's table before turning and nodding to the students. "My name is Ezekial (pronounced Eh-ze-key-ul), and I'm eighteen. A pleasure, all of you." His smile widened slightly as he sat down, resting his elbows on the table and loosely lacing his fingers together.
The rather buxom girl between Ezekial and Kagome stood and glanced down both ends of the table. Her hair was long and brown, caught near the end in a simple white ribbon. She was reasonably tall, and rather muscular for a girl. She smiled brightly, making her brown eyes light and dance. "I'm Tifa, and I'm twenty. Pleased to meet'cha!" She waved to both ends of the table before carefully moving her hair out of the way and taking her seat again, looking almost expectantly to Kagome. Here goes nothing…
Kagome stood and bowed to both ends of the table, trying hard not to make eye contact with her twin. "I'm Kagome, and I'm nineteen." She was relieved that her voice hadn't broken at the scrutinizing stares. A soft whispering started to buzz through the room, and a blush burned its way onto her face. She bowed swiftly again and sat down, eyes on her plate. Obviously, like any other school, rumors spread fast.
Inuyasha had watched quietly as Kagome made her introduction, a low growl starting in his throat as he caught snatches of the whispered conversations. As soon as Kagome sat down again, he stood, glaring down the table with his arms crossed. The growl rose slightly in volume, adding to the one Kouga had begun voicing at the same time. Once the whispers had stopped and all eyes were on Inuyasha, he gave a cocky smirk. "I'm Inuyasha, and I'm twenty. And stop gossiping." He bowed slightly to the teachers' table before sitting again and taking Kagome's hand under the table. She shot him a grateful smile.
After Inuyasha stood a tall fox demon with long silver hair, large fox ears, and a long floofy tail that nearly reached his feet. His eyes were yellow, warm and kind as a crackling fire, and he had a soft smile on his face. He nodded slightly to Inuyasha, who grinned and nodded back, before he turned his gaze down the table, bowing from the waist. "Good evening, all. My name is Kurama, and I'm twenty. A pleasure, I'm sure." His voice was as soft and warm as his eyes, and Kagome found herself instantly drawn to the man. He'd be a great listener…
The last to stand was the blonde girl who had been the first to choose her horse earlier that day. Most of her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, while her long bangs hung down past her chin, framing her face. Her bright blue eyes were dancing as she bowed to the tables. "I'm Winry, and I'm also twenty. I'm glad to meet you all!" She flashed a bright smile and took her seat again.
All eyes turned to the teachers' table as Winry sat down, but a voice from the shadows of the doorway made everyone freeze and turn again to look for the source. "Caligo, aged twenty-three." The voice was soft, almost haunting, matching the girl who stepped into the light of the room.
She's tall… was Kagome's first thought. And in truth, she was, standing right around six feet. But what held the attention of the room was the clear, clean whiteness of her skin and her short mop of hair, which hung in her bright red eyes. She was an albino. What's more, she was an albino neko. A pair of delicate white ears peeked out from her hair, and a long, slim tail fell from her hips to her knees. She dropped into a curtsey at the end of the table, arms extended to hold her non-existent skirt. She rose and, casting a slight smile to the students, turned and silently made her way to the teachers' table to hand a piece of paper to Naraku, who took it and read it over silently. The two spoke for a moment longer before the headmaster gave a slight nod and motioned to one of the servants to fetch another chair and place setting. Caligo smiled again and made her way back down the table to sit at the foot when her chair was brought.
The silence was deafening for a moment or two more, but it was soon broken by the arrival of the platters of food. After a short offering of thanks, everyone dug in, the cool tones and wary looks of neighbors turning into helpful offers of platters and the beginnings of conversations.
Dinner progressed smoothly enough, with only one upset cup of water to mar it. To Kagome, the food was delicious, the company wonderful, and the potential for a nice long sleep was more than inviting, even if she had to share the room with her sister. As dinner was finishing, Naraku stood again and called for attention.
"Well, children, I hope that wonderful meal didn't muddle your minds too much, for I have one last wrench to throw into the works." He paused and gave a small, almost sinister smile. Kagome shivered. "I'm doing a little rearranging of the bedrooms. You all will still be in double rooms, with the exception of one, which will have three to a room." He nodded to Caligo at this, who smiled softly and nodded back.
The silence was thick and oppressing.
"Lady Kagura will read off the list." He paused again for one last wicked grin. "Each pair of roommates will be male/female, and will remain that way for the rest of the year, unless serious problems arise." He nodded to Kagura and took his seat.
Silence.
Followed by mass hysteria.