Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha...
A/N: I AM SO SORRY! I didn't even realize how late it had gotten!! I feel like such a bad person now...I wasn't allowed on the computer for two days because I got a really bad cold type thing, and I've been SO SLOW!! So I hope you guys are doing better than I am...I swear I'm going to fall asleep right here. I'm not being sarcastic, either - I already fell asleep in Lang. Arts today, although I don't think the teacher noticed at all. -- Whatever. Excuse me for any grammar or spelling errors...I'm exhausted, so cut me some slack. At least I updated.
Special Thanks To...
Beautiful.Black.Joy, Sienna-shirou, MadeNew (new reviewer!)
Chapter 20 - Reunion
If Kagome had thought the next day was going to be any better, she was wrong.
She wasn't even fazed when she caught Inuyasha standing outside her house, or the fact that Miroku had one of his arms around Sango's shoulder when they walked through the snow-covered yard; the girl looked simply too tired to care.
Neither of them had seen heads or tails of Tai or Rizu, but her mother had claimed - after a very long lecture and some yelling spasms - that they were going to Sango's house later that day to practice. Shippou had been introduced to Kea as a small friend, and was going to Souta's school as a 'visitor'. She didn't bother to ask where he came from. And, apparently, Nanami had so graciously assigned them another gig, this time in a city about an hour drive away, scheduled for Friday night. At least she didn't know about what the scheduled 'meeting' they had with Naraku...just as long as she didn't schedule anything else coincidentally on Saturday afternoon.
Half of the walk to school was in silence, until Inuyasha decided it was too quiet for his liking. He watched Kagome out of the corner or his eye, until she glared back at him. A few seconds later, and that glare turned to a smile. Needless to say, Inuyasha was scared by now. It was an actual smile too; no masks, no forced grins. He couldn't put it into words.
Sango released a distressed breath when the school came into view, and although her hands were shoved in her pockets, one of Miroku's was still draped lazily over her shoulder. On any other day, she would have minded, but there was too damn much going on to care about such a petty problem. "Gee, Kagome, I wonder how Bankotsu's coming along. Think he's recovered from his walk of shame yet?" She laughed lightly and wiggled her fingers inside her jacket pockets, only now noticing that they had turned numb. Miroku began chuckling himself, a distraction while his hand slid precariously close to her rear, until Sango swatted it away.
Kagome rolled her eyes, training them for a moment on her feet. "Well, if you want to know, I couldn't care less about Bankotsu's ample amount of arrogance. He'll have to get over it." She knew, by now, that the news would have spread around school; needless to say, she wouldn't be surprised if she ended up breaking someone's arm by the end of the day. She didn't have the patience to be taunted or mocked.
Her hostility had seemingly vanished after she woke up, leaving a feeling of pure exhaustion and emptiness. But right along with it, her mind had shifted into high gear and she was constantly thinking. A rare occurrence indeed, and she had no wish to stop it. Maybe if she though long enough, they could come up with a plan to at least faze Naraku.
"HIGURASHI! WE NEED TO TALK!"
The four heads snapped up at once, only to find that Bankotsu was running across the school yard, seemingly fuming. Kikyou was behind him, running the best that she could in her stilettoes. Kagome stopped dead and stared, her brows furrowed. "Do they really have to make such a scene so early in the morning?" she half-muttered, half-yawned, apparently unconcerned by their demands. "Although...I would have never thought that Kikyou would hook up with Bankotsu. It's a nice match, nonetheless; it's too bad I don't give a damn."
In fact, Kikyou wasn't seeing Bankotsu, but had instead come to see Inuyasha and to deliver her daily annoyances to a pissed off Sango and a very irritated Kagome. Miroku, of course, made a move to stand in front of Sango; a gesture of protection, she was sure, but pitiful nonetheless. It didn't help any that he couldn't keep himself from smiling at the two storming figures, Bankotsu arriving much earlier than Kikyou. She was struggling with her heels, which kept getting stuck in the snow.
"You rang?" Kagome asked, glancing up when Bankotsu leered down at her. She folded her hands behind her back, doing her best to resist the urge to smack him across the face. "If you don't mind, Bankotsu, I'd like to make this quick. Unless you want another bruise under your eye?" Outside, the dark purplish bruise was very easy to see, as well as the anger etched on his expression.
"You're damn right I rang!" Bankotsu shouted, leaning dangerously close to Kagome's face. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sango and Miroku standing there, while Inuyasha seemed about ready to rip Bankotsu's head right off his shoulders. "If you think you're gonna get away with what you did yesterday, Higurashi, you are dead wrong."
She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and crossed her arms, laughing inwardly when she saw Kikyou trip and fall face first into the snow. It was hilarious, really; she was just disappointed when Inuyasha had to ruin the moment by going to help her up.
"Bankotsu, you better get your ass out of here if you wanna get to class in one piece. You're just mad because you got slugged by a girl," Sango interrupted, finally breaking away from Miroku's hold. She shot Kagome a withering glance, as if to apologize, and started tapping her foot impatiently. "Times ticking, 'Kotsu, and I don't see your feet moving. It's either that or a trip to the hospital."
Bankotsu smirked, tossing his head to one side, his abnormally long braid flying over one shoulder. "Whatever. Such an empty threat for one so overly confident," he chided, his eyes landing momentarily meeting Sango's. "You're cute enough. I don't see why you hang out with this chick in the first place," he taunted, jerking his head in Kagome's direction.
If Inuyasha heard this remark, he surely didn't show it. Sango flipped him the finger and shot him a burning glare.
She was tired.
She was more than angry.
She was confused.
She was feeling disconnected.
She was about ready to break down.
And she was going to explode.
"Listen here, Bankotsu!" Sango shrieked, grabbing onto the collar of his shirt and yanking him down so they were eye-level with each other. "I've heard absolutely enough of your vulgar mouth, and I'm sick and tired of your arrogance! Nobody talks to Kagome like that, not ever, and if I even hear you utter her name today, I will make sure that you come to school tomorrow in a body cast!"
Kagome whistled when Sango finally forced Bankotsu onto the snow, where he laid dumbly for a few quiesce moments. It was impossible not to hear Miroku cracking up in the background, while Inuyasha seemed to have struck up a quiet, yet vivid, conversation with Kinky-hoe.
"Sango, dearest, that was the best display of anger I've seen in a long time. Except, of course, when Kagome's going off at Inuyasha," Miroku babbled incessantly, clutching one of his sides. "I only feel bad for Bankotsu. Two different girls in less than twenty-four hours; a new record, I'm sure," he added, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.
Kagome had to force back a snicker herself, but instead readjusted the overloaded backpack on her shoulder and turned her attention towards Kikyou and Inuyasha. The space between them was closed in less than three strides on Kagome's part. "Conversing with the enemy, ne, Inuyasha?" she chided lightly, shooting Kikyou a mock-grin. "In case you didn't know, it's much easier to run if your not wearing those ludicrous sized heels. Maybe next time you won't trip over your stupid pride and land face-first in the snow. Although it was entertaining, I'll give it that."
Kikyou appeared offended, for a minute or two, but her face soon split into a wide, loathing smirk. "You're one to talk, Kagome; I'm surprised your even able to stand without falling all over yourself and your ample amount of arrogance." She laughed haughtily, throwing her head back exaggeratedly.
Sango, by now overly curious, had attempted once to get closer - if only one of her feet wasn't placed firmly on Bankotsu's chest, taking away any chances he had of standing, while she tuned out his growing protests. Miroku, by now, had gotten over his hysteria and once again let his arm hang loosely around her shoulders, his foot planted firmly across one of the braided-haired boy's ankle.
Inuyasha, however looked torn; he had broken it off with Kikyou, sure, but that didn't mean he should stick up for Kagome. Miroku would have told him to suck it up and take it like a man - Kagome would be the obvious choice, even if they could hardly be addressed as acquaintances. He would have said something just then if Kagome hadn't interrupted.
"I knew you were an ass before this Kikyou; hell, you're way past that stage. But this is getting ridiculous - I think we can all see that me and Sango couldn't care less about what you say, or do. If anyone's arrogant, it's you, because you can't seem to register the fact that you're just as low as anyone else in this forsaken school," Kagome retorted, her voice lowering to a dangerous level, jabbing one of her fingers into Kikyou's chest. She smiled, suddenly, and backed a way, running a hand through her hair. "Well, time flies when you're having fun. It's about time we get to class." She latched onto one of Sango's arms and began dragging her off, Miroku following behind, while Bankotsu jumped up and brushed the snow off his back. Inuyasha continued to stare, and shrugged somewhat apologetically towards Kikyou, before sauntering off.
Kagome sighed once they were a good distance away, letting go of Sango's arm shortly thereafter. "Kikyou...Bankotsu...Naraku...If we don't shape up, Sango, soon the whole city's going to be holding a grudge." She laughed lightly, climbing the school's front steps slowly and feeling the tension in her shoulders slowly begin to disappear. "Maybe we could take Tai and Rizu to WacDonalds later, and then get some practicing in before tomorrow night."
Sango blinked incredulously, smiling faintly herself. She didn't know it was possible to change your mood - from that of a boiling rage to a calm, more peaceful nature - so quickly. With Kagome, anyway. Apparently, something had gone right, or Kikyou would have been staggering towards the school by now, minus a head.
When Inuyasha caught up with them, he side-stepped in front of Kagome and started walking backwards, keeping his eyes fixed on her's all the while. "Quite a show back there," he admonished, crossing his arms grudgingly. Would he regret his decision later? Bankotsu was as sure as hell going to be angry at him for the rest of his years in high school, but Kikyou would probably get over it within the span of a few hours.
"So, Kagome, how's your project with Kouga coming?" Miroku queried lightheartedly, hoping to strike up a new conversation; the project was due on Monday, anyway, and he doubted that Kagome and Kouga had spent any time on it at all, not counting the minute amount of research they did in school.
Kagome shook her head wildly, letting her bangs fly in front of her eyes. "I'm going to fail; I just know it. Unless we can get together sometime on Sunday or Saturday night, I'm screwed." She grinned wickedly and opened the school doors, waiting until Sango stepped inside before closing it in Miroku and Inuyasha's faces.
Inuyasha grumbled a few choice incoherent words under his breath and opened the door again, watching with narrowed eyes as Kagome and Sango turned down the hallway and to their lockers. 'Get together...' Somehow, for some reason, he felt a pang of...something. Jealousy? Nah, that couldn't be it. Why would he be jealous of Kouga working on a History project with Kagome? It was ridiculous, and he knew it, but...the feeling wouldn't fade.
"Hey," Miroku drawled, clapping a hand on his back. Inuyasha grunted. "There's no possible way that Kagome would ever even consider going out with Kouga. So you can relax, all right? Don't get yourself all worked up over it."
When Inuyasha didn't crack a retort, and instead started stomping off in the opposite direction, Miroku didn't follow. If his hanyou friend had been in any other mood, he would have; but Inuyasha needed to sort out his own feelings. Instead, Miroku began trailing the next girl that passed by him.
Sango paused by her locker when she noticed Kagome standing there, holding something in one of her hands. She leaned hesitantly over her shoulder and almost died after she read what the note's messy writing said. With heaving shoulders, she spun on the heel of her foot and doubled over.
Kagome,
Since we need to finish that History project, I say we make it a date. We've already decided it would be at your house...See you Sunday.
-Kouga
At the sound of Sango's laughing, Kagome whipped around, tearing the note to shreds. "If Kouga thinks," she huffed, throwing the remains of the paper on the tiled floor, "that I will ever go out on a date with him..." Her locker door slammed shut. "He needs to go see a psychiatrist. He has got to be kidding me!" She pounded one of her feet into the mental locker door, a dent impressing itself on the surface.
Sango, on the other hand, couldn't stop her laughing fit. She thought it was hilarious. And Kagome's face turning that red was priceless. The only disappointing thing was that she didn't have a camera with her. How she would positively love to show that picture to Kouga.
With the last of her laughter fading, Sango straightened herself and grinned 'apologetically' at Kagome, who was consistently banging her head on the locker's door. "It can't be that bad, can it, Kagome?" she started, and realized moments later that it wasn't helping any. The consistent metallic banging had stopped, however. Kagome was still now, one hand slapped over her forehead.
"Yes, Sango, I think it can be," Kagome responded smartly and shot her an irritated glance. "I gotta go. Ms. Rikei's fed up with me, and if I'm late for class again, she's gonna be making some calls." It didn't help that almost every teacher in the school thought of her as a delinquent; always late for class, picking fights, skipping school...It was too bad not much of that was true. She didn't start fights, and although she was occasionally late for class by a few minutes, she never skipped school without good reason.
Sango waved to her before running off in the opposite direction, leaving Kagome to walk alone in the halls. She glared at a girl, seemingly her own age, who must have figured it okay to gawk like an idiot. But instead of walking away, the girl continued to stare. Kagome stopped walking and shifted her weight onto her left foot. "What?" she snapped, somewhat rudely. "Don't you have something else to do?"
The girl shook her head suddenly. "No. I just think you look familiar, that's all," she retorted heatedly, switching her load of books into her other arm. A small section of her hair was pulled into a ponytail off to one side of her head, brown eyes sharp and determined. "I don't know you, do I?"
Kagome cocked her head to one side, examining the girl closely. She wore black flared jeans and a light orange form-fitting long sleeved shirt. The stitching in it was black. "No," she responded flatly, and then smirked. "Although Bankotsu did get his ass kicked by me and Sango. It was pretty sad, really."
She shook her head violently, although her glare seemed to soften somewhat. "Name's Rin. I worked with Sango on the History project Myouga assigned us. She mentioned you once or twice, I think. Kagome, right?"
Kagome nodded, just as the warning bell sounded. "I...uh...gotta get to class. Maybe I'll see you later." As Rin nodded, she spun on her heel and started running down the hall, throwing a quick wave over her shoulder. By the time she made it to the Science room, she had a minute to spare. Ms. Rikei shot her a meaningful glare before turning her back.
Inuyasha and Miroku had already made it inside, and were sitting in the back row, as usual. She took her seat three desks away from the two of them, in the corner right next to the window. It was custom for her to sit there; then, when Rikei was droning on about something that nobody could understand, she would turn and stare out the window, lost in a daydream until class was over.
She grunted as one of her books fell to the floor, and reached down with a small huff to get it. 'Someone give me the patience to get through this day,' she thought, closing her eyes as she caught sight of the pair of shoes that had come to stand before her desk. 'I was so close...' "Can I help you?" she queried and straightened herself, coming face-to-face with none other than Inuyasha.
He shook his head and straddled the chair from the desk in front of her, his eyes meeting her stern gaze. They sat in that manner for a few minutes, merely staring at each other, until Kagome turned her face away.
"What do you want, Inuyasha?" she asked wearily, opening her notebook so she could start copying notes off the board. Her voice had been lowered to a harsh whisper, but Ms. Rikei didn't even turn around. "Have I really caught your attention all that much that you have to talk to me behind the teacher's back?" she exaggerated, smirking vivaciously when he started growling. It was a low, rumbling sound that Kagome had actually found slightly funny.
Inuyasha turned his head away abruptly with a grunt, his white ears flattening against the top of his head. "Feh. As if, wench," he taunted; it was his turn to smirk when he realized that he had gotten a rise out of her. She had stiffened, her pencil had stopped moving, and although her eyes were closed, he knew that she was holding back a mouthful of rage inspired retorts. Instead, she glared at him vehemently, her fiery eyes promising a revenge stored for later.
After another minute or so of reveling in his small victory, Inuyasha stood up and crept back to his desk next to Miroku, whom greeted him with a lecherous grin. Kagome rolled her eyes before returning to her notes; although, by now, she had lost her train of thought and nothing she had written minutes before made any sense.
She shook her head, trying to clear her head of any nonsense. It was only five minutes later when she lost track again, and another ten seconds before she gave up entirely.
Sango glowered at the white board for what seemed to be the thousandth time in the past five seconds. She threw her pencil on the floor in frustration, watching satisfyingly as another classmate stepped on it, effectively cracking the pencil in two.
It didn't help any that she had Bankotsu in her first period class, History, or the fact that Mr. Myouga had decided that he was going to be even more annoying than usual that day. She leaned back in her chair and began tapping her fingers on the desk surface. She knew this stuff already, so what was the point of even taking notes? Unlike Kagome, she cared a little - emphasis on little - more about school work, but she never actually put as much time as she should have on the assignment. Whoops.
Sango pretended to listen as Myouga droned on and on, standing and stating an answer whenever he asked her to. If he was trying to get her in trouble, he wasn't doing a very effective job. Her and Rin had another day to turn in their project, although it was already finish. Meaning that she had more time to practice after school with Tai and Rizu.
When the bell rang, signaling the end of Home Economics, Kagome could have ran around the halls screaming bloody murder. The school day wasn't over, but it was close; and Home Ec had never exactly been one of her favorite class. It was, as far as she was concerned, the most boring and completely useless classes ever. Mrs. Keizai, the nasally and sleazy teacher didn't help it any further along.
At least Phy-Ed was a class that she was good at. She was more than just a decent player at volleyball, right along with tennis and track. Sango was in her class, too, and they had one hell of an hour-and-a-half long period bugging Mr. Koushi so he was on the brink of insanity, although half the time, he was certainly lighthearted about the whole thing. He was one of the youngest teachers as well, so, naturally, he was more respected than the others; in the students' eyes, anyway.
Kagome met Sango in the locker room afterwards, and the two of them quickly changed into their gym class uniforms. But if it was anything that they hated more, it was the damn buruma that they had to wear because of the 'school regulation.' Sango felt about ready to brutally murder the person who had ever invented them. It was one thing just having to wear them; but constantly having to pull them our of your ass got annoying after a while.
The two of them made their way to the gym; considering the fact that there was snow on the ground, they wouldn't be going outside for a while. Kagome fixed her hair up in a high ponytail using one of the bands that she had pulled from her gym locker. Sango had already started running the warm-up laps.
Kagome lagged behind a few steps, pumping her arms rhythmically, letting the sound of the pounding footsteps around the gym completely encase and dissolve any emotions she had been feeling the past few weeks. It was a feeling of utter bliss, and she closed her eyes, now only able to hear her own heavy breathing. She sped up her pace, and gradually began to push in front of the other students, her run steadily increasing into a sprint.
She sped past Sango, and didn't even realize it, only focusing on the movement of her legs and her own laborious breathing. It was exhilarating, her veins pumping wildly; she couldn't even grasp the feeling of leadenness in her legs.
She ran for who knew how long, until Mr. Koushi blew the whistle, and she slowed to a gradual stop. He clapped her on the back, beaming. She only nodded her head and bent over, placing her hands on her knees, and wiped the sheen of sweat that had collected on her forehead. Her heart beat was resounding like thunder in her ears, just as she began to feel as if she was being watched.
With a quick turn on her heel, she was facing the open doors to the gymnasium; and froze completely. She didn't notice Sango stopping next to her. Tai and Rizu were standing in the doorframe, both of them leaning against one of the metal bars, Rizu grinning wickedly.
Kagome could have laughed, and then slapped them, but she didn't. Instead she gave them a quick wave. They could be such jerks sometimes.
A/N: Well, I have some more bad news. It might take a while for me to update. I have a wedding to go to this week, and I'll be spending the weekened at my friend's house. I don't know how much I'll be able to get on the computer, but...I'll try and work something out. I'll see you guys later!
