A/N: Yo yo, people! We are at the QUARTER MARK of my goal to reach 100 reviews! In order to commemorate this happy event I give you…. CHAPTER 5! Enjoy! :D
Kikyo POV:
I opened my eyes for the first time in fifty years. I didn't know how I was alive again, nor did I want to. The pain washed over me again, that mortal agony of my lovers talons tearing through my flesh. I would never forgive him. He was mine and I was his. I would drag him to hell on my way back. But first I had to annihilate the one who had brought me back to this world of suffering. I turned on the ogress and burned her into a million pieces.
"Not…me!" her head gasped.
"Yes you." I said in a low voice. "You brought me back from a death I had no wish to leave." As her ashes faded into nothing, I stalked away, taking a few of the demons' mini-soul collectors. The green serpents spun around me as I examined my porcelain skin. Revenge…it was such a sweet word.
Kagome POV:
I gasped, breathless with laughter as Inuyasha and I sat at an outdoor table in front of Myoga's slurping ramen noodles. We had been out since ten this morning and it was now nearing 8:30. After a minor brawl between Koga and Inuyasha over me, (I managed to break it up before it got too ugly and someone busted out with claws or fangs….) Inuyasha and I went to the movies and decided we were hungry. We then hit Myoga's for some ramen, and here we were. A strange thought occurred. Though I had only known Inuyasha for about three weeks, I felt like I understood him. It was odd because I hardly knew anything about him, but as I watched him laugh I felt as though making him happy was all that mattered.
Miroku POV:
"Mushin!" I yelled as I picked up my car keys. "I'm going out for a date! Be back late!" I headed toward the front door and found my alcoholic foster father in the living room. He looked up from his book.
"Going on a date? Or going to take some girls virginity?" He asked easily. After all, everything I learned, I learned from him. I glared at the man in question.
"Mushin, this girl means a lot to me." I said as I straightened my button up lavender shirt over black slacks.
"Sure, sure…" he replied disbelievingly. I turned my piercing purple-gray gaze on him.
"No, I mean a lot." He looked at me in surprise. I usually didn't go into serious relationships. Without waiting for a reply, I opened the door and walked out. I unlocked my Prius and hopped in. With any luck, I would make it to Sango's by 8:15.
Sango POV:
I looked at myself in the full length mirror in my room. The dress I was wearing had a fitted black bodice with thin straps, the floor-length hot pink skirt beginning at hips. I had black flats on and my brown eyes were accented with pink eye-shadow, my hair left down. Kirara brushed against my ankle.
"No touching Kirara, you're shedding remember?" She mewed in response and several white cat hairs fell to the ground. She scampered to the front door as I heard a light knock. I walked after my feline companion and opened the door. Miroku as waiting for me in a slightly fancier variation of what he usually wore to school. In place of black jeans were slacks of the same color, and he was wearing a purple button up shirt with his hands held behind his back. I looked at his hidden arms suspiciously.
"Why are your hands back there? Does this mean you're going to keep your hands to yourself tonight?" I asked. He smirked in response, gray eyes sparkling.
"Perhaps. Or it could be because I brought you these." He said as he produced a bunch of lilies from behind his back. I blushed slightly as I took them.
"Yellow lilies…. My favorite! But you will keep your hands to yourself, right?" He heaved a sigh, though the amused gleam never left his eyes.
"If you wish, dearest." He proffered me his arm and I took it, not bothering to lock the door due to the fact that Kirara would be home. "Your carriage awaits!" Miroku said as he opened the door to the passenger side of his midnight purple car.
Miroku POV:
Unfortunately we couldn't get very good parking, it being a Saturday night and all, so we were left to walk a short ways in order to get to the desired restaurant. Sango and I walked arm in arm down the slightly crowded walkways past boutiques and grocery stores when we heard a loud roar of laughter that easily cut through the crowds from across the street. Though I had never heard Inuyasha laugh that loudly I knew who it was right away. I looked over to see my best friend sitting at an outdoor table with Kagome in front of Myoga's. Inuyasha looked slightly worse for wear, with a split lip and black eye, but he was happier than I had ever seen him. Kagome was doubled over in her seat with tears gathering in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard, and Inuyasha was leaning back in his chair clutching his sides. Sango made a move to walk over to them, but I held her back, shaking my head. They looked so happy, any disturbance might interrupt them. I had noticed the absence of Inuyasha's hat; that was probably the reason for his high spirits. Kagome obviously didn't care about his… mixed blood. I watched Sango as she threw a distrustful look at Inuyasha before walking on.
"He's not going to hurt her you know." I said reproachfully. Not on purpose anyway… I thought discreetly. Sango snorted.
"Not going to hurt her, huh? The guy was convicted for killing a priestess, thank you very much!" I shrugged the accusation off.
"Actually, he was framed for killing a priestess. I would know because my grandmother was personally responsible for Inuyasha's cell." My mind went back to the pictures I had seen of a short, dark-haired woman with indigo eyes, to the diary she had kept of Inuyasha's story. He had fascinated her, not only because he was half-demon, but because he didn't seem like the type of person who would kill for selfish motives. After his mother's death, my grandmother had brought Inuyasha extra food, or talked to him in her free time. Sango's beautiful face registered pure shock.
"Framed? How do I know you're not making this up?"
"I have the diary my grandmother kept at my house if you want to see it. Here are the facts as I know them. Inuyasha was in love with a priestess called Kikyo. They were to meet in a forest park because Kikyo said that there might be a solution to Inuyasha's mixed blood. Inuyasha came late, but Kikyo wasn't there. Thinking that she may have already left, he turns to go back. He sees her and she pulls a hand gun on him and fires three shots, one hitting him in the right shoulder, triggering his demon blood. He destroys several buildings, causes a city fire, and kills two or three people who try to stop him. He comes back to his senses in a fountain square when he spots Kikyo again, this time with a gaping wound in her neck and shoulder. She fires at him again in a near fatal shot to the chest and Inuyasha goes down. When he comes to, he is arrested by the Demon's Guard and about twenty-two eye witnesses say that they saw Inuyasha wound Kikyo, but this is impossible because he was at the park, you see? So in truth, I'm thinking that a shape-shifting demon must have… oh, here we are!" I say as we arrive in front of the restaurant, cutting my monologue short. Sango has been listening patiently the whole time, a thoughtful look engraved on her features.
"So… Wouldn't it be possible for a demon to tell that the scent on Kikyo's wound wasn't his?"
"Perhaps." I say with a nod as we are seated. "But Inuyasha is a half-demon, and thus, under privileged. But let's turn our conversation aside, because my oddball best friend doesn't really make the best conversation…" Sango smiles at this comment. She is so beautiful, I hardly take my eyes off her the whole night. Unfortunately, my hands have the same problem, and by the end of the dinner, I'm pretty sure that Sango's hand-print has been permanently etched onto my face.
Sango POV:
Surprisingly, I had had a really good time with that lecherous monk! I returned home around 10:00 pm, and Kirara greeted me warmly by the door. I need to get to know the monk better. I think to myself as I cuddle my cat. But only to find out more about Inuyahsa's case. I…don't really like that pervert… But her conscious called for her to pay attention to her new feelings.
Inuyasha POV:
I passed a tired hand over my face. I had the best time of my life today with Kagome. She accepted me for what I was. Not like Kikyo, who was always wishing I could be human. Never like Kikyo. I had dropped Kagome off at her shrine, the trip taking a considerably shorter amount of time now that I didn't have to hide my demon strength and speed, and then come home. Intent on sleeping a bit before my work shift, I opened the door to my apartment. I smelled earth, and bone ash, and…whoa crap, there is no way that is what I think it is. There is a good reason for these smells, I'm sure of it. The soil is from my neighbors potted plants, the ashes from and urn in the house next to me, and the last smell… maybe I'm delusional. Or crazy. Or maybe I have Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. But that cannot be what it smells like. I flip on the lights and find out that I'm not crazy or delusional, nor do I have PTSD. Kikyo is sitting on my couch.