Crazy? Not me.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot off this story. I am also not making money off this.
Chapter 6: Born anew…
"MOM?" Inuyasha shouted again.
"…Yes, sweetie?"
The hanyou turned away from the reflection staring him down and bolted down the stairs. "W-what happened to my ears!.?"
Izayoi looked at her husband for support, but to her dismay, he seemed just as uncomfortable as she was. "Well…I- I… the thing is… they wouldn't let you out until you became human. I'm so sorry, sweetie; I know you hate me for this, but I had to have my little boy back," she explained in a watery voice.
Inuyasha looked from his awkward dad, to his crying mother, and finally into a mirror that was hanging on the wall in the living room attached to the kitchen. It was weird; like a familiar stranger was looking back at him. He took in his cropped black hair, slate grey eyes, human ears, and fangless mouth. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed. His vision was dull, he could barely hear anything, and it felt like he had a stuffy nose though he knew he didn't. He had figured it was just a side effect of the operation… though technically it was…
His mother told him that he turns human once a month, and he always tried to stay up for it, but he was younger back then and was always too tired by that point. Besides, even if he had stayed up to witness it, the mental hospital was so stuffy and dark in his soundproof room already, he hadn't noticed.
He looked back up at his crying mother. Why was she so upset? She had saved him from the horror he had been living through for the past three years. Granted, she put him there in the first place, but that didn't change the fact that she did whatever she could to get him back home. So what if he was human? At least he was out of that hellhole…
"I don't hate you, momma," he whispered reassuringly.
Izayoi looked down at her son through blurred vision. "Why not? I always told you that you are who you are and you shouldn't let anyone change that. And I'm the one that did." Her voice was shaking and barely audible. She and her husband had always been the weird couple on the block, but that didn't matter to them. They always vowed that their son's life would be lived through half-demon eyes; they didn't want him to change, even if he sometimes went through a hard time because of it.
"You only did that because you had to. I didn't want to stay in that place, and now I don't have to. I'm happy," he said with a smile.
Izayoi sniffled before nodding with a shaky smile herself. "Let's have dinner, it's your favorite."
"Ramen!" Inuyasha yelled happily as he ran to sit in his seat.
The next morning, Inuyasha didn't complain when his alarm clock buzzed for a wake-up call. He didn't complain when he found out he woke up late, or when he had to get ready in less than five minutes only to still miss the bus. He didn't complain when he came back inside and his mother scolded him, or when he had to be driven to school instead of hanging out with his friend on the bus. He was completely happy… until that thought had stuck him. Hanging out with my friend on the bus? I can't hang out with him; his mother would never let me after what I did… besides that, it's been three years; I doubt anyone even remembers I went to that school.
After the lonely realization hit him, his mood turned sour. He sat in the car staring out the window instead of asking his mom to change the radio station every time a song he didn't like or didn't know came on, and when they pulled into the school, he didn't even return his mother's "have a nice day."
He walked into the large building and got his schedule from the office. The receptionist seemed nice as she handed him the name of his new teacher and the number of the room she was in. He thanked the woman and went off to try to find his way through the maze of hallways.
Since he was schooled at the rehabilitation center,* he was admitted into the fourth grade as per usual for his age group. He may have missed the first week, but at least he didn't have to go back to the first grade…
When Inuyasha walked into his classroom, the teacher stopped talking and everyone turned to stare t him. He shrunk back a little at the undying blank eyes that seemed to stare straight through to his soul and feed off his memories. He knew almost everyone in the classroom, or talked to them before, but he doubted any of them remembered who he was.
"Can I help you?" the teacher asked. She was a short, Latina woman with long black hair and large brown eyes. She talked with a Hispanic accent, which was uncommon in Japan, but apparently happened.
"I-I'm the new student here," Inuyasha stuttered. He voice sounded off; like when you have an ear infection and everything sounds like you're in a bubble, but he knew they couldn't hear what he did.
"Oh, well why don't you have a seat next to Miroku?"
Inuyasha looked around and saw his former friend. He smiled a bit as the teacher asked Miroku to raise his hand and Inuyasha sat down next to him.
"Hey," Inuyasha said with a smile.
"Um… hi…" he started awkwardly. "I'm Miroku."
The former hanyou looked at his friend with puzzlement before slowly grabbing his outstretched hand. "Hi, I'm… Inuyasha?" he said back as if not sure if that was what he was supposed to say.
"Nice to meet y-" Miroku stopped and his eyes widened slightly. Noticing the glances he was getting from the teacher, he started speaking in a horse whisper. "Inuyasha?" he asked in a non-believing voice.
The boy in question realized that Miroku had never seen him as a human and smiled as he realized that meant his friend hadn't forgotten him. "Yeah, what's up?"
"Whoa, what happened? I thought you were in that mental place?"
"I just got out yesterday."
"And… being human?"
Inuyasha's eyes darkened with sadness. "They would only let me out if I got rid of my demon half…"
"Oh, I'm sorry, that's rough."
"Yeah, it's not easy to get used to, but I'm starting to get the hang of it."
"That's good. Hey, listen, I'm so sorry about what happened all those years ago. I didn't mean to get you in trouble, and I certainly didn't mean for you to become human."
"It's not your fault," Inuyasha started with a faraway look. "I'm the one that hurt you. I'm really sorry for that…"
"Don't mention it," Miroku responded with a smile that was returned full-heartedly by the hanyou turned human. "We're still friends, right?"
Inuyasha stared at him for what seemed like hours. How could Miroku forgive him so easily? Why did he still want to be friends? Well, whatever the reason, Inuyasha wasn't about to decline. "Right," he answered with a smile.
Miroku and Inuyasha spent the day being caught up on everything they went through during the three years. Miroku told Inuyasha everything, but the information he received back was very limited. In fact, Inuyasha barely told him anything at all.
By the time lunch had come around, all Miroku knew was that they cut his hair and kept him in a singled-out room. Miroku tried not to push too much, but he was so curious, and it bothered him that his once best friend wouldn't tell him much anymore without prodding. "Sounds pretty tough there," Miroku replied absently to disguise his disappointment.
"Yeah, but at least I'm out now, right?" the once-hanyou replied while biting into his pizza.
"Right, now hopefully my mother doesn't hate you for the rest of eternity…"
"…" Inuyasha stared silently into the woods at the end of the playground. He had forgotten momentarily about Miroku's mom. There was no way that she was going to let him see her son again after what happened those three lonely years ago.
"Well, I'm sure it'll all work out for the better…" Miroku muttered not even trying to sound convincing.
"You're right, surely you mom will forgive me!"
"No fucking way in hell!" Mrs. Houshi yelled at the questioning Inuyasha.
"But mom-!" Miroku attempted only to be cut off by his enraged parent.
"There is no way I'm letting that… that thing inside my home again!"
"Mom! It was an accident! Besides, he's human now, it can't happen again," Miroku pleaded.
"…" Mrs. Houshi knew he was right, of course, but admitting was another story. She didn't want to trust the young boy from next door again, but he was the only friend her son honestly had. It truly had been an accident, she realized only after a year of convincing from Miroku. Now he was human, as well. He wouldn't be much stronger than Miroku himself, and certainly couldn't easily harm him again. "…If anything goes awry…"
"Thanks mom!" Miroku yelled synced with Inuyasha's "Thanks Mrs. Houshi!" as they ran inside.
Once in Miroku's room, Inuyasha called his mom to tell her where he was:
"Hello?"
"Mom?"
"Oh there you are! Why didn't you get off the bus?"
"I did; I'm at Miroku's house. Sorry I didn't ask first…"
"…Miroku's mom was okay with that?"
Inuyasha smiled. "Yup!"
"Okay then, have fun."
"I will, bye mom!"
The week passed and every day after school was spent at one or another's house. They filled each other in on other things they had forgotten to mention, and laughed about old times and inside jokes. They were finally becoming best friends again, and before long, Miroku and Inuyasha were acting as if the latter had never left in the first place.
By the time Friday came around, everyone knew that he was the weird one. Those that had known him as a half-demon, started recognizing him as a human; those that hadn't known him before heard the rumors of where he was for the past few years. Before a full week had gone by, he was isolated by everyone except Miroku. Everyone thought he was some sort of freak that should still be kept in a mental hospital.
Then there was Kouga. He was the new kid, and already, he had learned of Inuyasha. It wasn't long at all before Inuyasha had to endure the torment of the young wolf demon. That's right, he was a demon himself, but did he sympathize? Of course not. According to Kouga, the only reason Inuyasha had to give up his demon half was because hanyou weren't strong enough to control their power in the first place.
Inuyasha hid all of this from his mother, of course. He didn't want to tell her that a kid that had just moved there on Thursday was taunting him along with the rest of the crowd. As long as he had at least one friend, Inuyasha could handle it. So his mother stayed in the dark… until the suspension…
And that brings us back to Friday. Inuyasha actually made the bus that morning and had gotten plenty of sleep the night before. He was ready for his quiz and was feeling pretty good. However, when he got off the bus and headed towards the schoolyard, Kouga was already waiting for him.
"Hey mutt," he replied nonchalantly. "Or, I suppose you aren't a mutt anymore…"
"Come off it, Kouga," Inuyasha responded with a sharp tone that showed he wasn't going to deal with the flea-bitten wolf today.
"Come off what? Your three-year vacation?"
"Yes. That."
"Okay, keep calm now, wouldn't want you to get crazy on me," Kouga mocked as Inuyasha halted abruptly.
"What did you just say?" the once-hanyou asked in a cold voice.
"I don't want you to freak out on me," Kouga responded back, confused.
"No. You didn't say that. Say exactly what you just said."
Kouga thought for a moment before realization dawned in the young youkai's eyes. "Oh, you mean 'crazy.'"
Inuyasha turned with a glare that couldn't have been scarier even if he was still half-demon. "I am not crazy. Never was. Never will be."
"Oh really?" Kouga replied with a smirk that revealed triumph for finding Inuyasha's sore spot. "Because I heard you were so insane, they only let you out to get rid of you."
Inuyasha let out a growl that sounded fake and distorted, but he didn't let the odd sound change his expression. "Call me crazy again, wolf. Do it. Go on, I'm waiting."
"…" Kouga started walking away; and Inuyasha would've left him alone if it wasn't for the mutter of "crazy son of a bitch" under his breath.
Inuyasha could almost hear the rubber band in his mind snap as he ran full speed at the blue-eyed youkai. He glared at the ookami and crashed him into the ground. Even though he was human, he easily brought the beast to the ground and pinned him. "Take it back!" he snapped, as Kouga looked terrified up at him.
"Yeah right, I only take back lies, freak."
And that was when the first punch was thrown. Inuyasha hit him square on the nose. He was astonished that even with his human power, the wolf's nose bled profusely. Koga snarled and threw Inuyasha off him and straight into the brick wall of the building. The back of his head throbbed, but he got up anyway and ran towards Kouga again. This time, however, the demon was ready and easily close lined the hanyou turned human.
"You think you can pin me like that again? I'd like to see you try," he replied angrily whilst wiping blood from his face.
"I know I can, bastard!" Inuyasha growled back as he stood up as if the hit didn't even affect him.
Kouga got into a fighting position with a smirk. "Bring it on then, mutt-no-more." Kouga snarled back with a deafening glare.
The stand-off only lasted a few moments before they lunged at each other and were fighting tooth and nail (or claw?). A circle of kids had gathered around the area and was yelling cheers of encouragement to their favorite side. In other words, everyone was cheering for Kouga except for the lone Miroku.
The fight itself only lasted for a few minutes before a teacher came and yanked the two boys apart.
"What on earth is going on here?" the teacher yelled, red-faced.
"He started it!" the two yelled simultaneously.
"I don't care who started it! Both of you to the office!" the teacher yelled and led them to the principal's office.
Kouga and Inuyasha sat at separate ends of the waiting room, glaring at each other silently. Finally, the principal arrived and called them in. He scolded them a bit, listened to their stories, and sent letters to their parents explaining the fight and how they were not to be allotted in school for the next week.
Inuyasha trudged off his bus and up the front steps of his house. He thought this operation was supposed to make him normal, but he was starting to feel as far as normal as he could get. He sighed as he opened the door; there was no way he was going to let anyone call him crazy ever again.
*I didn't write about the education at the center, but I decided in this chapter I didn't want to make him go back to the first grade like he had been in the first chapter, lol.
**So, I've been working on this at school for the past two days. I had an epiphany in the middle of my info/tech class, and luckily, we were in a room of computers. In different classes, it was a "creative writing assignment," except for English, where it was a "history paper." So here you all are. A chapter that's unusually longer than my others. Please leave your review; the more I get, the more I'm opted to continue. 'Til next time!**