InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ All of Me ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

^**^

Chapter 2

^**^

"Did you hear? There's a new transfer student today."

"I heard that she was kicked out of her last school for fighting."

"I heard that she beat up a teacher."

"Even the principal is afraid of her. They'll send her to a reform school if she doesn't shape up."

Kagome ignored the whispering in the halls. She had better things to do than speculate about the new transfer student. Souta had worried all night about his beloved dog. He was thrilled to find the animal waiting outside the door in the morning.

"Hey, Kagome!" Kagome turned around at the sound of her name. She smiled to see her three friends.

"What do you think about the new transfer student?" Yuka asked excitedly.

"What about her?" Kagome looked blankly at her.

Eri rolled her eyes. "Honestly, girl. You are hopeless. Don't you ever listen to the gossip?"

"It's all over the school," Ayumi broke in. "She was kicked out of her old school for fighting. I heard that she put some guy in the hospital. They don't know if he'll ever walk normally again."

Kagome started walking again while Ayumi chattered on about the new girl, repeating the rumors she had heard and making up some of her own. She stopped by her small personal locker to exchange her street shoes for plain, rubber-soled school ones, only half-listening to her friends.

"Has anybody talked to this girl, yet?" Kagome interrupted Ayumi's stream of talk. Ayumi fell silent, blinking, as she tried to think. One after the other, the three shook their heads.

"I bet that she's a very nice girl," she continued. "Someone should talk to her and fill the rest of us in on something besides rumors.

Eri's eyes lit up with a wicked gleam. "That's a great idea, Kagome." She put an arm around her friend's shoulders to prevent her from bolting. "Let us know what you find out." Kagome threw her a sour look, but didn't argue since it really was her idea. Fortunately, at that moment, they reached their room. The girls scattered to find their seats before the teacher entered. Most of the teachers expected the students to be seated and prepared to pay attention when they arrived.

Fate must have been listening to Kagome's words and decided to help. The third class of the day had just ended, and people were taking advantage of the small break to gossip with friends. Her brain already felt numb with an overload of new information that she would be expected to remember. Being midmorning, she was thinking ahead to lunch and not really paying attention.

Taka-sensei, the history teacher, entered the room with a quiet, dark-haired girl walking a step behind her. They stopped at the front of the room and waited patiently for the noise to die down. Nobody paid any attention, continuing to fill the room with the hum of conversation. Taka-sensei frowned.

"May I have your attention please?"

Most of the students ignored their teacher. A repeated call for silence was also ignored. Taka-sensei sighed. At only a little over five feet, she was shorter than most of her students. A fact that caused most of them to think she was easily cowed by larger people. She stood straight and filled her lungs with air.

"Sit down and shut up!" Startled silence reigned throughout the room. Such a booming voice coming from a small person never failed to get instant cooperation. The girl standing next to her flinched slightly, her only sign of unease.

"You have five seconds to find your seats or it's detention for everybody!" That announcement had boys and girls scrambling for their chairs. For the first time, the new student was noticed. Now she had their complete attention.

"Class, I would like to introduce our new transfer student." She indicated the silent girl with the long dark brown hair. "This is Taijiya Sango. I want everybody to make her feel welcome." A few girls in the front row started whispering, earning a glare from the teacher. "You can sit at the empty desk next to Kagome."

Kagome smiled warmly at Sango as the girl made her way down the aisle. She frowned when Sango didn't respond to her attempt at friendliness. This might be harder than she thought. The rest of the lesson passed in a haze of facts and dates. As soon as class was over and the teacher had left, Kagome rose from her seat and approached Sango.

"Hi, Sango." Sango ignored her. Kagome shifted her weight uneasily, unsure of how to start a conversation with this plainly unfriendly girl. She glanced around to locate her friends. They were standing in the back of the room. Ayumi gave her an encouraging gesture. They weren't going to be any help. Kagome took a deep breath.

"My name is Kagome." She put on her friendly face.

"I know." Sango sat straight in her chair, eyes fixed firmly on the blackboard. Small knots of students gathered in various places in the room, leaving an obvious clear space around the two girls. Kagome wracked her brain for something intelligent to say.

"What do you think of the place?" she asked. “Don't let Taka-sensei scare you. She's tough but fair. What was your old school like? I hope we can be friends. I want to get to know you.”

Sango whirled around on her chair. Kagome took a step back at the look on her face. "Why? So you can start more rumors about me? I've only been here for half a day and already students are avoiding me. You don't think I see the looks? Hear the whispers?" Sango tilted her head back, running a hand through her hair. "God, I wish everyone would just leave me alone!" She turned to face front again, ignoring Kagome so completely that she might not have even been there.

Kagome stood by Sango's desk, her mouth falling open in shock at the girl's rudeness. She struggled to think of a reply, but the opening of the classroom door distracted her. Mizuki-sensei, the math teacher, entered the room and immediately started writing formulas on the board. Kagome and the rest of the students scurried for their desks and pulled out math books and paper.

Lunch couldn't come soon enough. Kagome was sure that everyone could hear her rumbling stomach. It was nice weather and she decided to eat outside. She scanned the yard, looking for her friends, and her gaze fell on Sango. The new girl was sitting by herself, slowly eating a sandwich. Kagome gathered her courage.

"Hi. Can I sit here?" Sango responded with a slight shrug of her shoulders, not even looking up from her lunch. Kagome sat down on the bench and began rooting through the contents of her lunch sack. She pulled out a piece of chocolate cake, her mom's special dessert and Kagome's favorite. With a regretful look and a silent promise to her growling stomach, she held out the treat to Sango.

"Do you want this? I don't really like chocolate." Sango gave her a disbelieving stare. "Please." Then in a softer voice, "I want to be your friend."

"Thank you." Sango took the cake from Kagome. "Do you want to share?"

The two girls ate their lunches in silence. Kagome glanced at Sango from time to time out of the corner of her eye and tried to think of a good conversation starter. She didn't think Sango would be interested in hearing the local gossip.

"I'm sorry," Sango said. Kagome looked over to see the girl staring at the scarred wood of the table, idly tracing patterns with one finger. "I'm sorry I was so rude. This has been a really bad day for me. I thought I could get a fresh start. You know?" She sighed, an exhaling of breath that came from deep inside. "I guess you can't escape your past."

"Why don't we start over?" Kagome bent her head in a small bow, an encouraging smile on her face. "Hi, I'm Kagome." Tentatively Sango returned the bow, her eyes softening with the beginnings of friendship.

"It's nice to meet you, Kagome. My name is Sango." Sango met Kagome's eyes squarely and, for the first time, smiled. The two girls grinned at each other, savoring their new friendship. A shout from the edge of the schoolyard caught their attention.

"Where'd that dog come from?"

"Somebody catch it! Dogs aren't allowed at school!"

Kagome peered in the direction of the shouting. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was pretty sure she knew whose dog had come to school. A flash of white burst through a cluster of students and headed right for her. Both girls leaped to their feet. To Kagome's surprise, Sango didn't look frightened, but instead fell into a fighting stance. The dog dashed under the table.

"Is this your dog, Higurashi?" one of the panting boys demanded. Demon growled from his position of safety. Kagome glared at him and the dog glared back. She drew breath to deny even knowing the dog when a rough nudge nearly unbalanced her. She looked down to see Demon rubbing his head against her leg, looking like a beloved pet that had missed his master. Kagome sighed, admitting defeat.

"I'm really sorry, Hojo," she said. "He must have followed me. I'll make sure he stays home from now on."

Hojo nodded acceptance and left, taking the rest of the curious students with him. Kagome watched him go. At one time he had been sweet on her, always bringing her presents. She had tried to discourage him without hurting his feelings. As nice as he was, she just wasn't interested. The constant gifts of therapeutic sandals and soothing teas she found weird, wondering why he seemed to think she needed that stuff. Finally, he noticed her disinterest or got tired of waiting and turned his attentions to a cute girl in the year below him. Both of them seemed to be very happy.

Kagome suddenly remembered the dog. She turned around to chew out Demon for nearly getting her in trouble and saw Sango calmly scratching the dog's ears.

"What's his name?" she asked. Demon allowed the girl to continue scratching his ears, but kept his eyes trained on Kagome.

"Demon." Kagome gave said dog a sour look. Demon's tongue lolled out of his mouth. The stupid mutt was laughing at her! "Suits him, don't you think?"

Sango followed Kagome as she dragged Demon to the gate. She crouched down to look in the dog's yellow eyes. "Listen here, mutt. I know you're smarter than you look." An offended look passed over Demon's face. "So I'm only going to say this once. I don't want to ever see you here again. You almost got me in big trouble, micro brain. Are you listening to me?" Demon had stopped watching Kagome and was instead staring into the trees surrounding the school grounds. Kagome peered into the shadows, trying to see what Demon found so interesting. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. For a moment, she thought she had seen a darker shadow moving under the trees. It must have been a trick of the light because there was nothing there now. Beside her, Demon let out a low warning growl.

"What is it, Kagome?" Sango asked.

"Nothing," she replied. "It must have been my imagination." She turned back to continue yelling at Demon, but the dog was already trotting off in the direction of the shrine.

"What else do you do for fun around here?" Sango asked as they made their way back to the school building.

"Somehow, I think the fun's just beginning." Kagome cast a thoughtful glance over her shoulder in the direction of the vanished dog.

^**^

Kagome emerged at the end of the day to find her friends already outside and waiting for her. She beckoned to Sango who was hanging back, still unsure about meeting the other girls. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi openly studied the girl that they had heard about only through rumors and never spoken to, despite sharing several classes with her.

"Hi, guys," Kagome said, seizing Sango by the arm and pulling her forward. "This is Sango." The three girls murmured greetings. "Sango, I'd like you to meet Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi." She pointed to each girl in turn.

"I heard that your dog followed you to school, Kagome," Eri said after a quick smile at Sango.

"I didn't know you had a dog," Ayumi commented. She gazed inquiringly at Kagome, waiting for her to explain.

"He followed me home the other day," Kagome explained. "Mom said that he could stay and Souta named him Demon." She shuddered. "He gives me the creeps-- always staring at me with those yellow eyes."

"Don't look now, Kagome, but he's back." Yuka nodded towards the gate. Kagome reluctantly looked, praying that it was some other big white dog. Demon sat in the middle of the sidewalk, forcing students to walk around him. He was watching her and again Kagome was unnerved by the intelligence in his eyes.

"Talk about loyalty." Eri studied the dog that was ignoring the teens milling around him. For their part, everyone gave the animal a wide berth. A little island of calm surrounded him. "I think he missed you, Kagome."

"I think he's just trying to weird me out." Kagome shuddered again. "Maybe if we ignore him, he'll go away."

The five girls began walking. The dog continued sitting, but just before they were out of sight, he stretched and began nonchalantly to follow.

"Where are you from?" Yuka asked Sango. Kagome hadn't told them anything interesting and they were dying of curiosity.

"Another city," Sango answered shortly.

"What city?" Yuka pressed.

Sango met her curious gaze squarely. Not a trace of her former friendliness could be seen. "What does it matter? I'm here now."

Not willing to give up, Yuka asked another question. "Were you really expelled from your old school for fighting?" Kagome, Eri, and Ayumi gasped at Yuka's boldness.

"Everything that happened in the past is the past. And I'm not going to discuss it," Sango replied in a tone that warned Yuka not to pursue the subject.

Yuka frowned at Sango's non-answer and took a breath to speak. All that came out was a muffled squeak when Kagome clamped her hand over Yuka's mouth.

"Don't mind Yuka," Kagome said with a fierce look at her silenced friend. "She never learned when to quit." She released Yuka who huffed in irritation but didn't ask anymore questions.

Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi said their goodbyes not too long afterward. Kagome and Sango continued walking together. A comfortable silence stretched between them. Kagome was even able to ignore the white shadow that insisted on following her.

"Do you live out here, Sango?" Kagome asked as they passed into an area where there were fewer houses and they were spaced farther apart. Sometimes it was nice living in a shrine. There was a bit more acreage than most people enjoyed.

"Yeah, it's not too much farther." Sango was being quiet again, almost withdrawn. Kagome turned her head to look at her friend in concern and smacked into someone. Her books went flying as she landed hard on the pavement.

"I'm so sorry," a masculine voice said. Kagome blinked to clear the stars from her vision. She gingerly grabbed the hand that was extended to help her up. A firm tug, with more force than necessary, brought her to her feet and against another person's chest. She looked up into violet eyes, suddenly aware that she was standing much too close to a stranger and that he was still holding her hand. He gripped a long wooden staff in his other hand. Her cheeks flamed red as she mumbled an apology and tried to pull away. His grip tightened fractionally, and he flashed a charming boyish grin.

"Don't leave on my account," he said. "It's not everyday I run into a girl as beautiful as you." Kagome gasped in shock. From behind her came a loud growl. The young man dropped her hand at once, surprise and recognition flickering across his face. Demon stood on the sidewalk just beyond the girls. For once he wasn't watching Kagome, but instead had his eyes on the stranger.

"There you are," he exclaimed, not put off in least by the dog's threatening posture. "I've been looking everywhere for you." Something like alarm or warning showed briefly in Demon's eyes.

Kagome paid no attention to Demon's odd behavior. "Is this your dog?" she asked in relief. Finally, she could get rid of an animal she didn't want in the first place.

"Uh, no," the stranger began, with a nervous look at the white dog. "Yeah, um, well, you see… I've been trying to find him a home because, well, I'm unable to care for him anymore." He cast a sideways glance at Kagome before schooling his face into a mask of sorrow.

"I've had this dog since he was a puppy. Yes, just a little puppy I found wandering by the side of the road." He relaxed, warming to his story. "There were cars coming from the left. Cars coming from the right. And the little puppy cowering in the middle."

"I thought you said that you found him by the side of the road." Sango spoke for the first time.

"I first saw him by the side of the road," the young man said swiftly. "But then he tried to cross the road to get to the cool water on the other side. I ran to save him because that's the kind of thing I do. I'm always rescuing puppies or kittens or beautiful damsels. I scooped up the trembling puppy seconds before a huge semi would have crushed him." He looked at the girls to see if they were buying any of it. Kagome looked faintly interested, while Sango looked bored. The object of the story looked disgusted with the whole thing.

"Why are you getting rid of him?" Kagome prompted.

The young man drew himself up straight, bringing the butt of his staff down on the sidewalk and causing the rings to jingle musically. "My name is Houshi Miroku. I am a traveling monk and, unfortunately, I don't have the time to care for a pet. My duties keep me far too busy." Kagome looked over at a snort from Demon. The more she was in contact with the animal the more she became confused. Demon just didn't act like any dog that she had ever seen. Though, she had to admit that she was more familiar with cats than dogs.

"Have you found him a home?" Sango's voice broke into her thoughts.

"He seems to like the two of you. Can one of you take him?" He looked hopefully between the two of them, though his gaze seemed to linger a fraction of a second longer on Kagome.

Sango shook her head. "I can't have pets where I'm living. What about you, Kagome?"

Kagome gave up the fight right there. "Souta would kill me if I came home without Demon. I guess he can stay."

"Great! I'm sure he will be very happy." Miroku looked not so much pleased as smug. “And don't worry if he disappears from time to time. He'll always come back.”

“What does a traveling monk do?” Kagome asked curiously. She wondered if he was telling the truth about the dog. Something just didn't feel right. She might have to track him down and interrogate him if Demon turned any weirder. Of course, that might be why he was getting rid of the mutt.

“The usual stuff.” Miroku shrugged. “Offering enlightenment and dispensing blessings. I'm especially good at dispensing blessings. It is one of my more pleasant duties.”

He turned his winning smile on Sango. In two steps he was in front of her, clasping her hands in his own. "Allow me to perform this duty, my lady. Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?"

Sango went very still. She took a deep breath. "PERVERT!" she screamed, jerking free. Her fist connected with Miroku's face and he went down like a rock. Through a haze of pain he could hear Kagome's voice.

"You didn't have to hit him that hard, Sango."

^**^

Kagome muttered under her breath as she stalked down the darkened streets. She had arrived home with Demon to be mobbed by Souta who had been hysterical when he had been unable to find the dog. She gave a highly edited account of the meeting with the dog's former owner and informed her mom that she had made a new friend. Mom had smiled pleasantly and suggested that she invite Sango over for dinner sometime.

Because of everything that had happened, it was getting late before she got a chance to start her homework. She was halfway through the second math problem when Souta burst into her room without knocking. He demanded to know if she had seen Demon. The dog had pulled his disappearing trick again.

Mom wouldn't let Souta out to wander the dark streets and Grandpa said his rheumatism was acting up. To stop Souta's howling, Kagome agreed to go look for the stupid mutt. Now here she was, sacrificing her schoolwork to look for a dog that she didn't even like.

"Demon," she called periodically. "Get over here, you stupid mutt." She listened, but couldn't hear anything. You would think that a white coat would make the dog stand out at night like a sore thumb. But the streets were bare of all but a few mangy alley cats and late night commuters on their way home.

"Auntie Kagome's got a surprise for you," she said in a sing-song voice. "How about a nice big mallet between the eyes?" She paused, and another reason for Demon's roaming occurred to her. "If you're good I'll take you to get fixed and you'll never chase another female dog again."

Kagome heard a sound in the alley on the other side of the street. It sounded too big to be a cat. She started across, peering into the darkness to try and catch a glimpse of Demon's white coat.

Squealing tires and a blaring horn made her jump. She looked to see the headlights of a truck bearing down on her. Caught by surprise, she froze, her eyes getting bigger as the headlights came closer. Too frightened to scream, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the end.

Suddenly strong arms grabbed her. She did scream then as she and her rescuer tumbled onto the hard pavement. The speeding truck didn't even slow down; its tires missing them by mere inches. Kagome looked up into the face of her savior. Long black hair framed golden eyes that were narrowed in anger. His otherwise handsome face was marred by the scowl he was wearing. He pulled her to her feet, releasing her arm almost before she had her balance. She drew breath to thank him when he spoke.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed, you stupid bitch?"

^**^

A/N: A few more characters, a little more information, and a lot more violence. Kagome has finally met human Inuyasha! And it doesn't sound like he is going to make it easy for her to fall in love with him. We'll have to see what happens.

Food for thought: Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching.