Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Yes, I know, I FINALLY updated. It was taking forever. Why am I finally updating? Well, it's not because I was suddenly hit with inspiration or because I got really bored. It's because hanmajoerin went to the dark side and gave me a DEADLINE. Who does that? The word just makes me cringe. I was actually supposed to have this sent by Tuesday, but she was banned from the computer and my deadline was extended. THANK GOODNESS! I would have never been done by Tuesday. So, you can now enjoy this chapter. And thank hanmajoerin for editing and if you really want to, you can thank her for forcing me to update.

One Year of Hell!

Chapter 9: Drinking and Fighting

The question wasn't whether or not to attack - that was a guarantee - the question was who to attack first. Should she go after Misty for having the nerve to show her face again, Naraku for letting his stupidity show and inviting that bitch to her engagement party, or Inuyasha for holding her back?

"Come on, Kagome," Inuyasha tried calming his fiancé, pulling her to the side. "Just calm down a bit."

Inuyasha, Kagome thought. He's the closest.

"Don't hit me," Inuyasha warned as if he read her mind. "I am trying to keep you from being all bombarded by paparazzi and from getting bitched out by Midoriko. I am helping you."

"Now is not the best time to help me because I am really pissed off and I need to hit something; preferably someone."

"What did that guy tell you to do earlier when you got mad?"

"Stupid stuff!" Kagome shouted. "Deep breathing isn't going to do anything and—"

"Okay, okay," Inuyasha cut her off. He wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly began walking her to a secluded corner where there wouldn't be so many people to watch his soon-to-be-wife blow a fuse. He placed a soft kiss to her forehead and Kagome finally gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Think about it; the public is already ready to label you as a crazy bitch with no control of her temper and if you go out there and attack Misty, you'll just give them the satisfaction."

"I get it," Kagome sighed, her back hitting the wall when the two finally reached the corner. "But she's just..." Kagome took in a deep breath to keep her anger at bay. "She's just looking at me like she won something!"

"What did she win? You're marrying me. If you don't go over there and punch her in the face she doesn't get the satisfaction of you getting labeled as the famous nutcase. The only thing she has is an in to a party with famous people and Naraku as her date." Inuyasha smiled when he saw the corners of Kagome's lips lift. "So let's go out there and dance and show her you don't give two shits about her."

"When did you get so good at controlling your anger?"

"After Midoriko had us sleeping in the bus." Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck. "The conditions of those beds are not really favorable." Kagome laughed lightly and Inuyasha bent at the waist, holding his hand out for her to take. "May I have this dance?"

Kagome slid her hand into his. "You don't really have to ask anymore."

"I like to keep the spark in our relationship."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"It's not going to last."

"Not at all," Ayame agreed with Sango, watching the honorary couple spin around the dance floor. "That Misty seems like the type of person who can't stand to be ignored, so she's going to do something to really push Kagome's buttons and then Kagome is going to snap. And just like that, boom! All hell breaks loose."

"I think we should have a little more faith in Kagome," Rin suggested. "Maybe anger management is helping."

"Oh, you're just trying to get on Kagome's good side after you royally screwed her over on that talk show."

"I have been hiding in that hotel room for days. I need to stay on Kagome's good side." Rin looked back over to the happy couple. "If saying that I believed in her while everyone else thought she would destroy the entire party helps me stay on her good side, then so be it."

"Sell out."

"Hey guys," Tien greeted as she and Bankoutsu joined the group at the snack table. They were both smiling and out of breath. "Why aren't you guys dancing?"

"Miroku's an ass."

"Kouga's an embarrassment on the dance floor."

"Fluffy hasn't asked me to."

There was a pause in the conversation while a slow grin grew on Kouga's face. "Fluffy?" Kouga laughed. "What an adorable—"

"At least I'm not an embarrassment," Sesshoumaru snapped, cutting off Kouga.

"At least my nickname isn't—"

"Let's dance, Rin," Sesshoumaru declared, taking her by the hand and leading her to the dance floor. Rin looked back over her shoulder and smiled broadly at her friends, giving them a wink.

"She's a very sneaky girl," Sango said, taking a sip of her punch. "Very smart."

"Not necessarily." Sango looked at Ayame in question. "She does speak before she thinks a lot. She's the reason we're here."

"Touché." Sango held her glass up and the two clinked glasses. "I'm bored."

"We could always dance," Miroku offered and Sango glared at him.

"I don't even want to look at you right now," Sango hissed. "The only reason we're here together is because Midoriko forced us all here."

"She didn't listen to your story?" Kouga asked when Miroku retreated from the girls.

"Not a word." Miroku sighed. "Irrational girls, what will we do with them?"

-0-0-0-0-0-

Midoriko wanted to laugh in Naraku's face. Sure, she had to buy her date, but at least she didn't bring the bride-to-be's worst enemy to the engagement party. She had always questioned Naraku's intelligence, but she never thought he would be dumb enough to pull something like this. She probably should have been berating Naraku for giving this party the potential to turn into chaos, but she was too amused with the thought of what Kagome would do to Naraku. Normally, she would have thrown Misty out before things got out of hand, but Midoriko firmly believed in revenge; Naraku needed to be punished for making her feel stupid for having to buy a date.

"... It was like an instant connection," Naraku continued bragging, his arm draped over Misty's shoulder and Midoriko rolled her eyes. "We just saw each other and I knew she was the one."

Was he honestly still trying to show off his date? He lost! He brought the worst possible date you could bring to Kagome's engagement party and he still wanted to compete with her? Fine. She'll just show off her date.

"Did I tell you what James does for a living?" Midoriko asked Naraku, gesturing to her date who had taken a very small part in conversation. He was not worth fifty bucks per hour.

"My name is John."

Definitely not worth it.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Confession Cam:

Midoriko— "You'd think that with the money I'm spending on this guy I'd get the full package; brains and beauty. This guy fucking sucks. No charisma, he's well groomed but not sexy, he doesn't drink. He can't even lie correctly! They should offer refunds."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Go on dates desperate women pay for?" Misty guessed, trying to ease her way out from under Naraku's arm.

"He's a music producer," Midoriko lied, glaring daggers at Misty. "I mean, he's starting off with small artists who haven't been discovered yet, but he's pretty talented when it comes to music. That's why we get along so well together." Midoriko leaned into James/John/whatever. "It was, like, an instant connection."

"Actually—" Midoriko subtly pressed her heel into her date's foot, demanding him to shut up. "I-I just love music," the man squeaked out. Midoriko smiled and rested her head on what's-his-face's shoulder.

"Were you two too interested in music to learn each other's names then?" Naraku asked with mock innocence. "I mean Misty and I know each others' names. I thought it would be essential for people with an immediate connection to be able to introduce each other to one another."

"Names are meaningless when you're discussing a much deeper topic such as music; lyrics can mean everything," Midoriko recited with great flourish. "Soul mates have deep conversations."

Naraku pursed his lips. That was a good answer. "Funny how you guys held such a deep conversation when you paid for him."

"You brought Kagome's worst enemy to the engagement party!" Midoriko yelled, tiring of their charade. "You can't compete with me!"

"You bought a date," Naraku laughed. "At least I'm not desperate."

"Desperate!" Midoriko downed the champagne that was in her glass to keep herself from completely losing it. "At least I didn't go date shopping on the fucking corner where you could have picked up some women with crabs. The only reason you have a date is because that little… person wanted to ruin the party. You can't honestly think anybody would go out with you." Midoriko scoffed and shoved her glass into John's chest, the signal for him to get her another drink. "Talk about living in a fantasy!"

"You—"

"I am your boss," Midoriko reminded Naraku with a smug grin. "Think carefully about what you're about to say."

-0-0-0-0-0-

She could not believe she was stuck in this stupid argument between a bunch of old people. When she pictured a fight tonight she had imagined Kagome attacking her, leading to a bunch of bad news in the paper for her, and Inuyasha finally realizing he was marrying the wrong girl. Certainly a man of Inuyasha's stature wouldn't want to settle with such a nutcase. It just didn't make any sense.

"It's okay to admit you two don't have any chemistry," Naraku said, his fingers massaging circles into Misty's arm, abandoning the insult he wanted to say. It took almost everything she had not to cringe. "Not everybody can be lucky like me."

"Yes, you're very lucky to have a snake under your arm." Midoriko rolled her eyes. "I am sooo jealous."

Teenagers, Misty thought, sipping at her drink. They're just like teenagers—immature and arguing over stupid things just to irk the other! People never grow up. So what if she was seventeen; she was mature for her age.

"There is a psychology term for what you're doing right now, Midoriko. It's a defense mechanism called denial. You just can't accept the fact that nobody wants to be with you. Even under the pounds of makeup, they can see those wrinkles."

"Don't throw that psychology bullshit at me. You're fucking delusional!"

"Jealously is such an ugly thing."

Misty tried easing her way out from under Naraku's arm, but he pulled her back towards him, too engrossed in his argument with Midoriko to notice her attempt of escaping. Misty huffed and crossed her arms. What would Inuyasha think of her if he saw her with Naraku? What if he thought she actually liked this sleaze ball? What if he gave up hope on her?

Misty shuddered and looked into the crowd of dancing bodies until she found Inuyasha dancing with Kagome, whispering something in her ear. Good. He was too busy with his fiancé to notice her with Naraku.

Not that that's any better, Misty thought bitterly.

She honestly wanted to break something. Why were they ignoring her as if she didn't exist? She did not agree to accompany Naraku to be ignored. She sacrificed her dignity to save her relationship with Inuyasha. She came to knock some sense into him because he was clearly making a mistake marrying that… bitch.

Misty glared at Kagome's head as she watched the couple spin into the middle of the dancing crowd. Other dancing couples separated as Inuyasha and Kagome came through, smiling and congratulating the soon-to-be-weds. Just looking at the top of Kagome's head pissed Misty off.

It should be me, Misty thought. It should have been me. Fate had dealt her a cruel hand; how will she ever find happiness when no other man will ever come close to Inuyasha.

Kagome's shriek rose up above the music and the crowd parted just enough for Misty to see that Inuyasha had dipped Kagome and she was laughing. Kagome's head tilted back and she saw Misty staring. She smiled.

Misty wanted to stomp her foot in Kagome's face for rubbing the fact that she had Inuyasha in her face. She might have been able to forgive Kagome later when she was planning her wedding with Inuyasha, but for that smug move right then, Misty would never forgive Kagome. She wanted to crush her.

I'll just beat her at her own game.

"So, you work for a big recording company in Japan, right?"

"Yes, I—"

"Actually," Misty cut Naraku off, giving him a fake apologetic smile, "I was talking to Midoriko."

"S.J Records, yeah," Midoriko nodded. John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt had finally returned with her drink and she snatched it from him, taking three large gulps. "What about it?"

"Are you looking for any new talent?" Misty stood up straighter to look more confident. "I have been told by my teachers that—"

"No." Midoriko shook her head. "In case you don't read the magazines—and we all know you do since you happened to know so much about Inuyasha's nonexistent career—I already have my hands full with the ten fools I got stuck dragging across a foreign country. From now on the minimum age for S.J Records recruits is twenty-five." Midoriko tipped her glass back again. She could almost feel her buzz coming. "We need some maturity."

"Maybe if you just heard me sing—"

"I wouldn't even consider you if you did happen to have an ounce of musical talent," Midoriko cut her off. "One, it would be too much drama to deal with considering you're after Inuyasha, and two, I don't like you. Personality is a big part of the job."

Misty did a good job of masking her real thoughts (anger, irritation, I-want-to-slap-you) and tried her damndest to try and charm Midoriko. "I don't think you've known me long enough to make a judgment on my personality."

"You kissed my client's boyfriend, you're trying to steal him away at their engagement party, and you're stupid enough to use Naraku to help you get what you want," Midoriko counted off on her fingers. "Three strikes and you're out."

"Those were all mistakes made out of the passion of love," Misty insisted and Midoriko scoffed and rolled her eyes. Love, schmove. Love didn't exist; it was all about sex these days. "I am really, really a great person."

"And I love my job." Midoriko downed the last of her drink and placed her empty glass on a waiter's tray as they walked my job. "I'm not interested in looking into anymore clients. Let's go Jacob; we have important people to meet."

"My name is—"

"Let's go!"

Misty and Naraku watched as Midoriko dragged her date behind her and disappeared into the crowd.

"Don't worry about her," Naraku assured Misty, his arm lowering from her shoulders to wrap around her waist. "She's just jealous of us." Naraku leaned in to kiss Misty and he was honestly surprised when she shoved him away with an unexpected force.

"Are you really that stupid?" Misty snapped. Her anger and frustration had burst from their cage and she wasn't able to even pretend Naraku was even tolerable. "Did you not just hear what that woman just said? I'm here for Inuyasha. Who in their right mind would ever date you?"

Naraku was honestly a bit shocked. So what if this was the girl that kissed Inuyasha and got seriously bitched out by Kagome? He thought people could change. Was it really that crazy for anybody to like him?

"Misty—"

"Don't touch me!" Misty swatted away the hand that reached out for her and glared at Naraku. "Don't even say my name. You worthless, creepy, slime ball, do not come near me," Misty hissed. "I come as your damn date and you can't do anything but argue with your boss about stupid shit. God, a complete waste of my dignity!"

Naraku's eyes narrowed. "I am about to have you escorted out of here."

"I'd like to see you try," Misty challenged. "Do you even have enough authority to order people around?" Naraku stumbled for words that were at least partially true and Misty smirked. "I didn't think so."

"You bitch."

"Try to be a bit more original the next time you're coming up with insult." Misty lifted her dress so she wouldn't trip on the hem while she walked off. She looked around and noticed she had attracted a small audience and she smiled. She always did her best in front of a crowd.

Misty locked her eyes on her target and smiled confidently at Kagome who stared back at her. She was tired of waiting for Kagome to make the first move to start the war. In this war, she would take matters into her own hands.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Confession Cam:

Naraku—"Just to make this clear, I still really, really, really, don't like Kagome, but she would lose a little of that hatred if she decimated Misty for me. Really; it would be greatly appreciated.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"This girl has to be the dumbest person on the face of earth," Rin mumbled to Sango and Ayame as the three of them watched Misty stride across the dance floor towards Inuyasha and Kagome. "I swear, she's suicidal."

"Or maybe she really believes in the power of love and thinks Inuyasha will actually love her." Sango shrugged and sipped champagne through her green swirly straw. "Some people really are delusional like that."

"I think Misty should be seeing a psychologist. Seriously, who goes after somebody you don't even know and try to break up their engagement? It's madness." Ayame sighed and shook her head. "I need another drink."

"Why?"

"Because I am definitely going to want to forget the gory details of what's about to go down tomorrow morning. It looks like things are going to get ugly."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Inuyasha definitely wanted to run. As much of a wimp that might have made him, he was beginning to learn that Kagome was not a nice person when she got territorial and the price of fame was not light. Having the press in your business all the time wasn't pleasant, especially when your fiancé was about to label herself as a raging lunatic.

"Just stay calm," Inuyasha whispered into Kagome's hair as he tried swaying her with the music but she was immovable. "She hasn't won anything."

"But she's challenging me," Kagome bit out through gritted teeth as she watched Misty approach them. "Stop telling me to be passive."

"Suggesting, not telling."

"Close enough."

Misty came to a stop in front of the couple of honor and smiled, fixing her features into an innocent look. A wolf in sheep's clothing, Kagome thought, her grasp on Inuyasha's hand tightening; She wasn't sure if it was because she needed his support or she needed him to be able to hold her back if the time called for it.

"Hi, Kagome," Misty gushed and Kagome's guard was instantly up. She glared at Misty, but Misty paid little attention to her as usual before turning her attention to Inuyasha. "Hi Inuyasha," she drawled out too slowly for Kagome's liking (not that anything Misty did was to Kagome's liking) and batted her eyelashes. "Written any new songs?"

"I—"

"He is working on a love song," Kagome answered for Inuyasha. "For me. Right, Inuyasha?"

"It'll be performed at the wedding."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Confession Cam:

Inuyasha—"I actually haven't started the song, much less given the song much thought since I promised Kagome I would write it. The creativity just hasn't been flowing."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Oh, well he could sing it to me first so it'll be perfect for you." Misty smiled at Kagome as if they were lifelong friends and Kagome felt her skin crawl. "I almost forgot to tell you, Kagome, your nail polish is really unique. Seriously, chipped nail polish just might catch on. Maybe. And your dress is absolutely hideous."

Misty had said it in that annoyingly, gushing, teen way with a big smile on her face, that Kagome actually had to say the sentence again in her head to realize that it was an insult. "Excuse me?"

"I know you're trying to hide that baby bump from conceiving Inuyasha's illegitimate child, but you're just not pulling that look off. You look great by the way, Inuyasha," Misty complimented. "The suit does a great job of sculpting your body." Her eyes trailed to Inuyasha's backside and Inuyasha could practically feel Kagome's anger.

"Excuse me?" Kagome repeated, failing to remember what it was her therapist told her to do the next time she was feeling angry. They're all stupid suggestions anyway.

"You don't have to hide it, Kagome." Misty had a look of pure innocence painted on her face and it pissed Kagome off to no end. "Everybody is talking about how you're rushing into marrying Inuyasha because you're pregnant, but not by Inuyasha. You don't want the baby to be raised without a daddy. What, did you sleep around that much? To the point where you can't remember the father?" The crowd around the three of them grew quieter as they began to listen in on the drama that was unfolding.

"I'm not pregnant."

"Maybe not," Misty shrugged, "but you're still a whore. If you were pregnant though who do you think would be the father? Bankoutsu, Inuyasha, or Hojo?"

A growl ripped from Inuyasha throat as he took a step in front of Kagome who had fallen into shock. He had felt her body tense and her hand started to shake the slightest bit and his instincts took over. Misty was threatening his mate and he wouldn't just stand and watch. And she had the nerve to mention Hojo. She had uttered that bastards name in front of him—she had to go. Now.

"Get the hell out of here," Inuyasha bit out, his words hard to hear over the growls that were rumbling in his throat. "Get the fuck out of here."

"Inuyasha, baby, please don't be mad," Misty begged, her eyes holding sympathy for some crazy reason. She reached out and placed her hand on his chest. "I know it's hard to find out that you've been cheated on, but, denial is not a healthy thing."

"Get the hell out of my face," Inuyasha snarled, baring his fangs at Misty who still hadn't removed her hand from him. "Go!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, shaking his hand that held hers so tightly. "Let me go."

"Kagome—"

"Let. Me. Go."

Inuyasha looked down to Kagome and saw the flames of hell burning in her eyes. He looked over to Misty who was smiling at the now enraged Kagome.

Idiot.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Confession Cam:

Ayame—"She had it coming. You don't bring up the guy who tried to rape Kagome and expect to just walk away unscathed. Of course, I was on my fourth drink by the time the fighting actually started so everything after that was pretty much a blur. I remember paintball though. We planned to go paintballing. I was going to get customized tie-dye paintballs."

-0-0-0-0-0-

It was the gut she went for first. It was soft without a trace of toning and it she knew her hit would cause a bruise there later. Next her knee connected with Misty's nose when she keeled over from the punch to her gut. To finish it off Kagome swept her leg down low to hit Misty in the ankles, making her lose balance and tumble to the ground.

Three hits; it was just too easy.

Kagome smoothed her dress out and held her head up high. "I told you not to show your face again or I would knock you to Kyoto and I will. I promise." Kagome glared at Misty's fallen form and turned her back on the girl, marching through the crowd.

Misty looked up to see Kagome's retreating back and the look of disdain onlookers were giving her. She saw camera flashes going off around her and she felt a rage ignite inside her. It was one thing to be fighting at a formal party in a dress and heels, but it was another thing to actually get beat. No, she would not be that humiliated in a single night.

Misty quickly stood to her feet and snatched a bottle of wine out of a caterer's hand and downed large gulps of it. It was best to lose her inhibitions while engaging in this fight. When it felt like her stomach was about to burst, Misty shoved the bottle into the caterer's chest and began her charge towards Kagome.

The sound of fast approaching heels tipped Kagome off to turn around, but she had only managed to look over her shoulder to see an enraged teenager jumping in the air before she was tackled to the ground and the two slid across the floor into the refreshment table.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Holy hell." Midoriko's eyes widened as she watched the impeccable layout of food tumble to the floor, plates and glassing shattering upon contact with the ground. The ice sculpture of doves fell to the floor and broke into millions of pieces as Kagome and Misty slid into the table, too busy grappling with each other to notice the wreck they had made. "Holy fucking hell."

"Does this happen a lot?"

Midoriko wanted to say no. She really wanted to say no, but she couldn't because something was always damaged with these kids. Somehow, they managed to cause trouble everywhere they went.

"Get me another drink," Midoriko ordered.

"That'll be you tenth tonight and it's not even 10:30."

And yet, I am still way too sober.

"Did I ask you to tell me which drink this is?" Midoriko snapped. "I'm paying you to look pretty, not babysit me, now get me a damn drink!" Great Date's worst employee seemed to hesitate. "What, are you deaf? Now!"

Midoriko waited for John (she finally learned his name) to disappear before she allowed herself to hyperventilate. Her plan to cover up Rin's slip up on Melissa Live was falling apart and now she would need something bigger to cover up the smackdown that was occurring on the floor where the refreshment table once stood. Would there ever be a day where everything would go right? God, her boss was going to have her fired when she got back to Japan for not being able to tame a couple of teens.

Of course, we don't return for another few months, so, I've got time. The sound of ripping material rose above the commotion and Midoriko knew dresses were being shredded. Yeah, thank you God. I really wanted teenage nudity added to my list of problems.

This was all that dumbass's fault for being an idiot and going corner shopping. If he had just called a fucking dating service she would be hosting a normal engagement party.

"Insane, huh?" Midoriko turned slowly to see Naraku standing next to her. "You'd think—"

"You!" Midoriko grabbed Naraku by the collar and yanked him towards her. "You stupid idiot! You just had to bring that girl with you! You're so stupid!" Midoriko started shaking Naraku like a rag doll and his head looked like it was going to fall off. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"You're the one who didn't kick her out," Naraku wheezed out as Midoriko's grip tightened, practically choking him. "You're…. you're… ch-choking me!"

"And you make me miserable!" Midoriko began stomping her heel into Naraku's foot. "You bastard!"

"Are you crazy?" Naraku tried pushing the crazed woman away from him, but she ground her heel into his foot, punishing him for even trying to escape.

"Now I have to deal with the fucking press and my boss and more damage fees and it's all. Your. Fault!" Naraku was pretty sure his foot was bleeding by now. "You stupid—"

"Midoriko?" John cut into her rant, holding two glasses in his hand. "I got your—"

Midoriko snatched a glass out of his hand and threw her head back, drinking it all down in less than five seconds before she reached for the other glass in John's hand, downing that even faster than her first glass. "Very refreshing."

"That's—"

"My eleventh glass, thank you mathematician!"

"That was my glass…"

"Go get yourself another one then!" Ah, she could feel it working now. The room was beginning to tilt and she was forgetting what she said five minutes ago. Perfect. Now she could go handle the press. "Collect and smash all cameras," Midoriko ordered John and Naraku (who had tried limping away before Midoriko pinned him with her glare). "All cameras so that means you may have to break a few phones."

"I think that's damaging personal property and I don't think—"

Midoriko reached into John's pocket and pulled out his phone. She threw it on the floor and stomped all over it until the screen broke. "Break phones."

"Okay."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Holy shit, did you see that?" Miroku was standing on top of a table trying to see over the heads of the crowd that had surrounded Kagome and Misty. "Midoriko just hit some guy with a camera in the balls and threw his camera across the room."

"Did you see what she did to the guy before that?" Kouga asked, standing on the table next to Miroku. "She hit him in the head with another guy's camera to stop him from taking pictures."

"Midoriko's drunk," Tien explained, her eyes straining to make out either Kagome or Inuyasha. She couldn't see anything. "I think everybody is drunk at this point."

"I'm drunk!" Ayame shouted as she held up yet another glass. "When the world falls apart, drink they say! Drink, drink, drink!"

"Do you think we should try fighting our way through the crowd to try to help break it up?" Sango bit her lip as she stared at the swarm of people. "It's getting kind of crazy."

"Kind of?" Rin snorted and shook her head. "This is absolute anarchy. Midoriko, the one woman who bitches us out for wreaking havoc, is drunk. This is the true form of insanity. We should do some paintballing."

Sango's brows furrowed. "What?"

"I'm just saying. I hear it does a great job of relieving aggression and I think it's something we could all use. This drinking and fighting thing isn't healthy."

"You don't say."

"Can I have tie-dye paintballs?" Ayame asked, her eyes beginning to droop. "Tie-dye is soooo coooool."

"I don't think they have tie-dye paintballs."

"What!" Ayame's eyes widened in shock, "how… how can they not have tie-dye? Tie-dye is the bane of our existence! It's everything!"

"I thought I was everything," Kouga said, casting his girlfriend a playful look which she returned with a serious look.

"They need to have tie-dye."

"I think they have pink paintballs. It might come in an assorted colors bag though."

"I think I'd prefer an electric blue color," Rin said. "Electric blue is very kick ass."

"Tie-dye!" Ayame shouted, raising her glass. "Tie-dye! Tie-dye! Tie-dye!" Maybe she thought she was staring an uprising. Drunk people.

"Does it hurt to get hit by a paintball?" Sango asked.

"I don't know," Rin answered thoughtfully. "Maybe only if you're really close, but they have a bunch of things too. We should go to see for ourselves."

Another loud sound that signified the ripping of clothing was heard through the air.

"We should go to get rid of all this aggression. This is getting out of hand."

"Yeah, why don't you go help your brother out, Fluffy," Kouga laughed, nudging Miroku with his elbow and Bankoutsu covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. "They could really use you out there, Flu—" A splash of champagne hit Kouga in the side of his face, cutting him off and Ayame laughed so hard at the shocked look on Kouga's face that she fell out of her chair. "What the hell, Sesshoumaru?"

"My hand must have slipped," Sesshoumaru shrugged. "But I cannot say that this Sesshoumaru is sorry for his actions."

"Stop talking in the fucking third person," Kouga hissed, wiping the drink off his face with his sleeve. "It's weird."

"It's unique," Rin corrected Kouga. "But you should really help stop the fight Flu—Sesshoumaru," Rin insisted, catching herself. "If it goes on any longer the cops will definitely get here and start locking people up."

"Fine." Sesshoumaru stood from his seat and headed towards the group of people that were crowded around the fight, throwing them out of his way to get to the center.

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Confession Cam:

Sesshoumaru—"How many people do you have to throw to get to the center of a fight? Twenty-nine. Exactly."

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A rip was torn up the side of her dress, exposing her leg, but Kagome was too angry to worry about whether or not she was flashing anybody. The fact that Misty mentioned Hojo pissed her off. The fact that she had been knocked to the ground pissed her off. And the fact that she would actually have a few bruises really pissed her off.

Kagome rolled over, smashing pieces of bread from the dainty finger sandwiches into her dress, and straddled Misty, trying to block the girl's nails and throw punches at the same time. Kagome felt stinging on her left cheek and she knew Misty's nails must have scratched her and she pulled on Misty's hair to try to stop the movement so she could land her own hits.

"Kagome!" Kagome knew it was Inuyasha before he had even spoke, the feeling of his arms wrapping around her waist was so familiar she could recognize him from his touch. "Kagome, stop!"

Rationality and the small bit of mercy she held told her she should stop attacking and let Inuyasha drag her away willingly, but Kagome was far from rational at this moment. Pissed off beyond belief couldn't even justify her anger; she just didn't want to stop.

Realizing Kagome wasn't going to willingly stop fighting, Inuyasha pulled his fiancé away from Misty. He ignored Kagome's feet kicking at him in protest and focused on trying to keep her dress closed as best he could with one hand and his other arm keeping Kagome glued against his chest. Misty got off the ground and tried launching herself at Kagome, but Sesshoumaru snatched the girl out of the air and restrained her. He would never admit it, but Inuyasha was very grateful for his brother at that moment.

"Let me go!" Kagome shouted as she squirmed around in Inuyasha's arms. "Damnit Inuyasha, let go!"

"Kagome, calm down," Inuyasha growled as he forced his way through the crowd of people who still didn't have the sense to look away. He turned Kagome around in his arms and tried to hide her face in his shoulder from the people who tried taking pictures (it would only be a few seconds before Midoriko came around and destroyed their cameras). "You're bleeding."

"And?"

"And don't be stupid." Inuyasha finally managed to break through the crowd and placed Kagome down on top of a table. He brushed his thumb across her lower lip that was red from her own blood. "You're not going to be fun to kiss in the morning."

"Asshole," Kagome mumbled, but the tension was slowly starting to leave her body. "I can't believe that bitch brought up Ho—him." Kagome crossed her arms and glared at Misty's stumbling figure as Sesshoumaru forced her out the door. "I could kick her ass all over again."

"Mmhmm…" Inuyasha ripped the table cloth and began wiping some of the blood off of Kagome and, despite her bravado, she winced. "You're a pretty vicious fighter."

"Yeah, well, I was pissed." Kagome gripped the side of her torn dress and watched Inuyasha study her face carefully for anymore bruises. "Why are you so calm right now?"

"Because I can't release all my anger because Misty is a girl, and I will never hit a girl." Inuyasha exhaled slowly. "But I was tempted to when she started talking."

"I could tell." Inuyasha quirked a brow and Kagome smiled weakly at him. "You were using your loud and scary voice. 'Get the fuck out of here!'" Kagome mimicked. "Very intimidating."

"Not for the stupid though." Inuyasha sighed and dropped the cloth to ground. He slid onto the table beside his battered fiancé and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I should have pulled you out earlier; you're going to be a little sore in the morning."

"It was worth it," Kagome shrugged, but she grimaced when Inuyasha's hand touched a bruise that had to be forming on her side. "I'm ashamed of myself for letting her land a few hits on me."

"She looked worse."

"She looked worse to begin with," Kagome corrected and Inuyasha chuckled, burying his nose in Kagome's neck. He didn't like the fact that Kagome had to fight and that he let her get even slightly injured, but he was proud of the fact that she could hold her own. All those self-defense classes she took after The Incident seemed to have really paid off.

"At least you set her straight now. Imagine what would happen if she smuggled her way into our wedding?"

"I would really lose it." Kagome looked around the trashed ball room and frowned at her ripped dress and the pieces of food that were stuck in her hair. She wanted to cry. "This is horrible. Why can't we just have a normal engagement party where we announce our plans to spend forever together? I do dream about sappy romantic scenes sometimes, too."

Inuyasha kissed Kagome lightly, and picked a piece of lettuce out of her hair. "We have plenty of time for romantic scenes." He smiled at her. "After all, it's forever that we're planning together."

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Confessions Cam:

Kagome—"Cheeeeeessssyyyy! But it was very nice to hear."

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"I'll be back!" Misty screamed as the doors slammed shut in her face. "I won't give up on our love! Wait for me Inuyasha!"

"Give it up already," a security guard mumbled as he walked past her, giving her ripped dress and disheveled hair a disdainful look. "He's married."

"He's getting married," Misty corrected, glaring at the burly man. "It's not set in stone yet."

"Yes it is," The security guard laughed. "Those two are getting married. It's inevitable for them."

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The ballroom had been cleared out after Midoriko made sure she had destroyed all the phones and cameras that would give the media a visual image of what just went down while the band was either cleaning up or having themselves cleaned up. (Ayame fell off a table after doing her drunken table dance, Naraku had ice on his foot and Tien was nursing to the wounds he received after smashing someone's phone, and Miroku was trying to recover from the punishment Sango had inflicted on him).

"How pissed do you think Midoriko will be in the morning?" Kouga whispered to Bankoutsu, eyeing Midoriko out of the corner of his eye. She was draped over her date being flirty, having forgotten the bitch she was to him earlier. "Do you think she'll finally rip our heads off?"

"Please, she's going to be so hung-over tomorrow she won't be able to even whisper-yell at us," Sango assured them as she swept glass up into a neat pile. "How much do you want to bet she forgets everything about tonight?"

"Fifty bucks says she forgets everything after stomping her heel into Naraku's foot," Kouga challenged and Bankoutsu nodded his head.

"Seventy-five that she forgets everything," Rin bet. "I heard her date counted thirteen glasses. Thirteen is an unlucky number."

"I bet a hundred she forgets his name," Sesshoumaru joined in, not lifting his head up from his work, but motioning to Midoriko and John as they started up the steps together.

"Hundred and fifty that she gets laid tonight." The group looked over at Inuyasha and Kagome who were looking a lot happier than they did an hour ago. "And she forgets his name."

"Deal."

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The sun was way too bright, her head was killing her, her legs felt like jelly, and she was going to throw up.

Midoriko groaned and rolled over in her bed, her face coming into contact with warm flesh and her eyes slowly opened to see someone's chest in her line of vision. She looked up and saw that the chest was paired with and somewhat handsome looking brunette. She sat up and studied his face but she couldn't remember his name for the life of her.

Stephan, Midoriko finally decided. I would definitely do a Stephan.

Midoriko's phone rang and she leaned over the edge of the bed and searched through the pile of discarded clothes until she found the offensive device and answered it.

"Hello?" God, she needed something to drink. Her tongue had never felt so… wrong.

"Hi, this is Great Dates and we were just calling to make sure you understood that you kept our escort for fourteen hours." Midoriko's jaw dropped and she looked at the man sleeping in her bed. I fucked an escort! "So your total is currently 700 dollars. We—"

Midoriko hung up her phone and stared ahead of her. Did she really pay 700 dollars for a horrible night and a rump in the bed that she won't even remember?

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Confession Cam:

Midoriko (with sunglasses on to hide her shame)—"I am never drinking again."

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Finally! After far too many months I have updated. I'm not sure about a few parts of the chapter, but I don't have any other ideas to replace them with so nothing is really going to be changed. From here on out though I want to do short chapters that won't take as long to update. And the story will now be told through a series of oneshots describing another random event of traveling. That was my original plan and I am now going to stick with it. There will be no more subplots! It's all easy from here on out.

~Kimiko888~

Ah yes, the magic of the deadline works again. I love my job.

~hanmajoerin