No-Brainer Brawl
Surprisingly enough, their team was the first to arrive. Sango hummed, "I didn't think my presentation was that lacking…" A snort sounded from Hiten, "Lacking lacks how lacking it was." After a pause to decipher his reply, she gave a sly look to match his.
Kagome looked around, and again Inuyasha seemed to have separated himself from their group. She walked over and peeped up, hopeful he had considered what she'd spoken to him before. "Did you think about what I said at all?" Instead, he gave no response- causing Kagome to choke out a laugh. She turned to walk back to Sango, grumbling to herself, "I don't know why I expect a half-wit like you to be able to think in the first place." A tug on her backpack said otherwise.
"Half-wit?" Inuyasha worded out each syllable as if the term itself was completely foreign. Kagome nodded with caution, the confident expression on her face beginning to falter. "The fuck do you know about me?" He spat out, hands in an open gesture demanding an immediate response. Taken aback by his retort, Kagome felt an essence of guilt digging through her stomach.
She stuttered to answer, struggling to look Inuyasha in the eyes. He looked genuinely offended, face screwed up with a stern look as if he'd been betrayed. With a passing of silence, Inuyasha signaled impatience. Kagome had to say something to make amends- and quickly. "Sorry for—"
"It's not nice to pick on girls you know."
Inuyasha snarled, biting together his teeth as he looked to the source of the comment. Kagome, quick to note whoever stood up for her would soon be in their grave too, also looked.
Houjou?!
The atmosphere was now tense. Inuyasha stood tall- as would an opponent in battle, ready to deliver a powerful blow. Houjou's confrontational approach had proved fruitless, although Inuyasha seemed impressed by his confidence, the situation had come to an unnecessary escalation.
"I guess not," He started, "but I'm not that nice to begin with- so that doesn't really apply to me."
Houjou winced, observing Inuyasha's demeanour. Awfully cocky, he thought. Repositioning himself, he joshed up his index finger and began retaliation. "Take this as you will," Kagome saw her saviour's life flash before her own eyes- if she didn't do something she'd without a doubt be sentenced as an accomplice for murder.
"It's—it's okay!" she blurted out, reaching her hand to Inuyasha's shoulder, "I forgive you!" Kagome looked back to Houjou, "See? All sorted!" Beginning to laugh nervously, she continued praying Houjou's impudence would back down.
His face soured for a moment before springing back into a regular smile. "Well if that's the case—" She interrupted, begging for the conversation to end immediately, "It is!" After successfully shooing away Houjou, and preventing a homicide case, she exhaled a sigh of relief. Only to be faced with another problem- Inuyasha.
"You forgive me?" He asked with an aggravated scoff, causing Kagome to weep internally. Why were all the men in her life so difficult to deal with, she thought. Inuyasha raised his right hand, straining the knuckle joints and cracking them effortlessly. "Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're a girl. I'm all for equality, you know?" Static was her only response, the weightiness of the situation only just sinking in.
He took the silence as a cue Kagome was prepared, and stepped forward. She winced, "You're… really going to hurt me aren't you?!" Inuyasha put his left hand on an object tucked by his side, revealing a sword, "It depends if you want to fight. All I need is an apology—"
Kagome immediately saw the sword and jumped back, running toward Sango. "Are you insane?! You want an apology?!" Inuyasha snickered at her reaction, petting his sword back into place and relaxing his face, he followed over to Sango.
"Yeah, it's funny they only added it to the curriculum after I graduated—" Sango instantly turned her vision to Kagome, stopping mid-sentence in a conversation with Jinenji. "Inuyasha," She fell to her knees, "trying." Her message seemed fragmented, the quick sprint over to Sango, as well as a rush of fear proving to be too much for Kagome. She threw her hand up, motioning toward Inuyasha in the distance. As their gaze met, Sango's alarmed expression turned amused.
"Inuyasha, I haven't seen you this attached to a stranger since that incident at the grocery store!" Kagome glared at Sango, using the rest of her strength to mutter about treason. "I'll ignore that remark, on the condition you keep her in order," Inuyasha stood smug, a pointed finger in Kagome's direction. Sango pouted, "I was hoping you would do that for me."
Kagome groaned louder, allowing herself to grovel on the floor in front of her team. Inuyasha crossed his arms to his chest, trying to hold back a laugh. "Pay me and I'd consider it."
Sango looked defeated, "I'd have thought Kagome-chan would be pay enough…" Inuyasha sighed, shaking his head with a mock-apologetic smile. "Sad to say, but the girl's gotta have something going for her to be used as compensation." Sango agreed, acting on half-hearted disappointment.
Kagome instantly stood up, having had enough insults thrown at her, she pet the back of her dress clean of dirt. "Great, glad I had to bear witness to this completely inappropriate conversation, now can we please get on with the day?"
A wave of relief flooded Sango's conscience as groups soon began to join their place at the meeting area. This Social Study class wasn't particularly large- however there were still a total of five individual groups to manage. Their teacher came to the front, standing next to the trail ranger. She clapped a hand against her binder, and soon the murmuring of students came to a silence.
"Gathering you're all well accustomed to the hike's schedule, I'll have this time to answer any questions- from students or counsellors."
For the next ten or so minutes, she answered mostly counsellor queries. At one point the students began to mingle within other groups, until she noticed and ordered everyone back to their places. After 'question-time' was over, she peered at her watch, and then pulled a sheet of paper from her binder.
"Groups will leave separately, with a fifteen minute interval in-between. You are free to decide which paths to take, as a team, as long as you make your way down the mountain before seven."
The crowd hummed unenthusiastically, signalling agreement to their teacher. She smiled, and in an attempt to bring up their moral, she continued. "As long as your booklets are completed, you could make it down before five."
Although the two hour let seemed appealing, students still had a long distance to venture. As the first group was called forward, the other four rested up in attempt to prepare for the hike ahead.
Inuyasha observed the interactions between counsellor and students, bidding their goodbyes and exchanging pleasantries. While distracted, Sango snuck a hand on his shoulder, to which he met her face in close proximity.
"Just wait till I tell Miroku how close you got to me," Inuyasha sneered, "He'll go off the fucking wall." Sango raised an eyebrow and stood upright, "Only if you live to tell the tale." He let out snicker- Sango's threats weren't exactly the most frightening as they were lame. She was much more fearsome when she was serious, any threats given then and you'd be as good as gone.
Inuyasha had positioned himself on a tree stump, not exactly a welcoming seat for company, but Sango found a spot on the ground close enough to him to engage in conversation. "To be fair, I didn't know you'd be on this trip today."
He sighed in return, "You're telling me."
"I would've introduced you to Kagome if I knew. Considering how long the good monk and I have known you, it's strange you and Kagome have never met." Inuyasha guffawed, "Good monk, that's a nice save." Any sane person would quit whilst they were ahead, but Inuyasha didn't have any problem battling against Sango's guns. She instantly covered her mouth with a hand, and fixed an annoyed expression toward Inuyasha- too flustered for a compelling fight.
"She does seem familiar though," he trailed off, looking to observe Kagome. She was seated beside Jinenji, who towered immensely over her. Hiten sat opposite, each elbow rested on his knees. Undoubtedly, Kagome had a certain glow to her. An ability to bring people together- a link between the contrasts.
Inuyasha piped up, "Never thought of bringing her along to those god-awful dates you guys dragged me on?" An immediate response from Sango, spat out in rage, "I have never gone on a date with Houshi-sama!"
Inuyasha's brows furrowed, and as if date was the cue-card, Kagome popped up out of nowhere. She gave a sly look to her friend, nudging her side for more information. "Just how many dates have you two been on without me, huh?"
Head in hands, Sango sat groaning with embarrassment. Kagome continued to pry, laughing at her friend's pain. "On second thought, spare me." Inuyasha snorted, causing her to look over toward the voice, meeting gaze with a now familiar hanyou. "Oh you're here..."
"Oh you're here," he parroted. Kagome looked again at his attire, noticing the only thing Inuyasha was carrying was that sword. "Did you come unprepared on purpose?" Spurring out a gun shape with his fingers, he paired the action with a click of his tongue and pointed the pose toward Kagome. "Yep, all for your inconvenience."
Jinenji and Hiten followed after Kagome, their entire group migrating to surround Inuyasha. She winced at his previous comment. "Do you often draw crowds?" An undertone of mock-interest seeping through her question. He had to admire her drive when it came to trash-talking, although he was of yet to receive any major physical blows to back them up.
Inuyasha smirked, joshing a glance at her figure, "Better to stand out than look as average as you."
A proud retort to say the least, however, both Sango and Jinenji weren't looking impressed. Fury belted down, and from Kagome came the infliction of a major physical blow. As major as you can get from being pushed off a tree stump, at least. She's got guts, he thought, face full of forest top-soil.
AN: Back at it again with the bickering! Actually I think it's been non-stop arguments this entire fic. Can't remember if I use physical appearance further on in the story as means of insults, but re-reading it here reminded me of Ranma toward Akane, although it probably goes with any childish attitudes hahaha. Enjoy, and see you next chapter! 😂