School came to a close, thank God, and the halls slowly started to empty. Inuyasha leaned against the lockers next to mine as I put my extra books away. I gave him a sideways glance, thinking this the perfect time to talk to him alone. "Where's Kikyo?" No, I didn't really care but her location would give me an estimate as to how long she'd be gone.
"She's talking to the class president about catching up in her classes." He yawned widely, eyes watering afterwards.
"You would know."
He glowered at me. "Are you seriously trying to fight with me again Kagome?"
"Of course not."
He huffed, "whatever, just get off my case already," pulling his hands from his pockets to fold his arms across his chest. He shifted uneasily on his feet. "So… would you like to ride home with Kikyo and me?"
"You're kidding, right?" I scoffed, turning my head to raise my brows at him. By the look in Inuyasha's eyes I knew he spoke in absolute seriousness, which made me frown and narrow my eyes. "Okay, dog, what made you think I'd ride home with the two of you? What's wrong with walking? With me?" I spoke the last part so softly he wouldn't have heard it had he not been part demon.
His face softened instantly and he came over to take me by the shoulders, holding me at arms link. "Nothing's wrong with it. It's just that Sesshomaru said we were under a tornado watch. I don't know when I'll be home and I know you don't deal well with storms…"
I broke away from his grasp to shuffle through my locker, pulling out and tossing him an umbrella. "We've walked in the rain before, now let's go." I looped my arm through his the moment she arrived.
"Where are you going?" Kikyo shot an accusing glance toward Inuyasha, then at me.
"I'm sorry Kagome," Inuyasha pulled himself free, causing me to stumble from his abrupt pull away. "But I already promised Kikyo I'd go with her."
"Fine," I snatched my umbrella back from him. When I got to the Exit door, I shot a longing glance behind me. The yearning was gone as soon as it had come. My eyes found Inuyasha smiling at her, like only she mattered. I shoved the door open and headed into the swirling winds.
It wasn't raining yet, so I kept my umbrella safe in my tight fists. My feet took me in all the right directions, so used to this path that my brain no longer had to think about it. However, there was other at hand things to occupy my thoughts: like how the rolling dark clouds were hanging so low. And the rumbles of thunder sounded as if buildings were crashing down. Or how the sidewalk looked as if it stretched on forever. Yes, the walk home was going to be especially long since I was going alone.
Suddenly, my pace toward the crosswalk slowed to a stop and my eyes closed without my consent. It was a weird feeling. One moment, dread was washing over me, and then the next I had this instant sense of calmness. There was music dancing in the air, one that had me wobbling on my feet— dizzy. I fell to my knees, unable to stand as I continued to listen to the song being played.
Where was it coming from? Should I be scared? Damn, if I was attacked and killed now I don't think I would mind if I were listening to this.
A flash of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha came as a picture in my mind. Immediately, I fought against the music and opened my eyes. In front of me, I saw a girl. Her hair danced wildly in the wrathful wind, eyes peacefully shut. She pulled the yellow pipe at her lips away from her mouth and the music immediately stopped. I gasped at its absence, the peacefully feeling I once felt left along with the melody.
At hearing the noise, the girl snapped her head in my direction. If I thought I was feeling dread before her song, I was absolutely fear stricken now. She was a beautiful girl: white-blonde hair, petite form, and innocent looks. But it was her crimson eyes. They were strangely familiar. The remaining sun reflected in them and made it seem as if the very souls of the dead roamed there. The girl pulled her red scarf up over her head to cover her ears, then tied it by her mouth. She cast her eyes down, and took a step forward— into the active traffic.
I was on my feet in an instant. Before either of us knew it, I'd taken her hand and drew her body to mine just as a car sped by in the place she'd been standing. We both stood there a moment, absorbing of what could have happened and thanking the God above that it didn't.
She stepped away from me, eyes squeezed closed, and bowed. The girl sped away in the direction I'd been coming from before I could reply.
I did that only thing I could do: I didn't think about it. Waiting for the crosswalk sign to turn green, I went home; not noticing that the rain had began to pour until I was in the driveway. I entered the house through the side door, so I didn't drip water on the good wooden floor, and headed off to the shower.
Mr. Taisho was in the living room when I got out of the shower. He gave me an amusing look. I guess finding me in a Super Man shirt and Simpson boxers were funny. Then again the shows couldn't be more different. He got up from his favorite chair to pull me into a hug. "My child," he stroked my hair. There was no need to try and keep up a front for this man. He always put a crack in my hard exterior. "How was your first day back?"
Emotionally draining. "Rough. What about you?" I directed the conversation toward him, not wanting him to question me further about it.
He sighed, sitting back in this comfy chair and pulling me down into his lap. "I've been ill all day." I made a face, scooting myself away from him.
"Well, thanks for spreading the germs. I appreciate it."
Mr. Taisho chuckled, lowering my head back down to his strong chest and patting my back. I closed my eyes, finding comfort in feeling young again. It's like he's taken me back to when I first moved in with his family. I would always come to him because when I had to leave his side I left happy. He said he'd always wanted a daughter because he couldn't baby his boys; mainly because Izayoi did enough of that, so he showered all his doting adoration on me.
"You know as well as I do that human sickness does not affect us demons in the slightest." Mr. Taisho smiled. "There's just been a strong demonic presence in the area lately. It's given me a headache. Do you feel it?"
"No," I reply.
He was silent. "So, about them boys, where did you say they were?" His sudden turn in topic caught me off guard.
I hadn't even mentioned them, let alone said where they were. "Sesshomaru said he had practice and Inuyasha's out with his new girlfriend." Mr. Taisho raised his brows in shock. "A girl that's a friend," I corrected myself, feeling my cheeks heat. I felt my face scowl in anger toward my idiot mistake and tuned my head from view. "He was all over her today. Inuyasha sat by her in classes, helped her around school, talked to her instead of me! The reason he's doing it is what I don't understand. She's threatening our friendship, clearly determined to make it nonexistence, and he doesn't care! He's picking her over me! Why is he so eager to be friends with someone like that?" Finally, I could let it out and tell someone.
Mr. Taisho was giving me a pitying look the whole way through my rant. I wanted to smack him across the face for looking at me like that, but I suppressed the urge. Instead, I withdrew my shaking hands from his now wrinkled T-shirt, seeing as I was clutching onto it during my angry outburst, and began to get up.
"I don't think you understand," Mr. Taisho leaned forward on the edge of his chair, grabbing my arm in the process to stop me from leaving.
"What is there not to understand?" I choked out through my tight throat.
Mr. Taisho let me stand in silence, probably hoping I'd see where he was coming from. When he noticed that I couldn't see what he did, he sighed. I settled for the floor by his feet, feeling that he was about to talk for a bit.
"Kagome," he said sternly.
I put my chin on his knee, looking up at his serious gaze. "Yes?"
"Can you tell me the names of Inuyasha's friends?"
"Um…" Their names all begin with Kagome. "I can sir."
"Now can you tell me the names of Sesshomaru friends, er, followers?"
"I can't," the number was enormous. I would be dead before I could even say the final name.
The Great Dog Lord's eyes softened. "Can you understand now? It isn't often that Inuyasha has the chance at making new friends, so he jumped at it without thinking. Kagome, dear, he's not intentionally hurting you. If anything he wants another person who's as good of a friend as you are."
What if I want to be the only one though? What if he develops feelings for Kikyo, feelings I've always wished he'd direct at me? What if he leaves me to be with her? I can't lose him like that. I can't lose him at all! Why doesn't anyone understand that? Inuyasha, you of all people should know that I don't want to see you go. You said that I've been on your case all day! That's why! Anyone else around to see me nagging at you should know. I shouldn't have to say them!
Mr. Taisho hauled me from my thoughts by picking me up from under my arms. "Still small enough for this," he smiled, the thought pleasing him.
Although I didn't smile back, my bottom lip trembled. "I just don't want to be forgotten." I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms falling limp at my side, and my head rested on his shoulder.
"You won't," he spoke softly as the door opened.
I felt the cool whip of the air as it slipped into the house.
"Father—" A new voice called.
"Sh," Mr. Taisho hushed him. I didn't notice how tired I was until then either, so I let my sleepy eyes shut.
A moan of thunder jolted me from my dreamless sleep. Lightning flashed through the window, causing sinister shadows to dance on the wall before fading a second later. I rested my forehead on my knees as I pulled them to my chest. I whimpered as the noises and dark figures continued to torment me.
"I'm here," A familiar warmth rose up beside me. They gently laid me back on my side, running their fingers through my hair to soothe me. It was until I stopped shuddering that they curled up beside me, snaking an arm around my waist. "You're not alone."
This. This was the Inuyasha I knew. The Inuyasha I fell hopelessly in love with. And the Inuyasha I would fight to keep.
A/n: *Promises not to ramble, just read please* I want to again thank all who favorite/alerted(: Also to sherry15 for reviewing. Lol, when I read it I never really thought about it like that. But after thinking about it, I see now that that's going to play a role in the story. You were close on your guess, too. Kagura does have red eyes and is in the story but she is not the new girl. Now, I want to talk about reviewing. The reason I'm asking for you to is because I want to hear your thoughts about the chapter or story in general. Is it moving too fast, should I slow down? Do you like it? All of these are important. If there's something you'd like to see I'll do my best to add it in. If something needs to be changed, like if it contradicts itself, I want to know. Or if my characters aren't believable or Mary/Gary Sues/Stu's Dx Now I'm rambling when I promised not to ^w^ R&R/favorite/alert! Guesses for the new girl are still up. If you want to, go back to the last chapter A/n to see the hint. Sorry for any confusion. I'll edit and clear it up if you ask to. Byebye:3