InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bliss Of Another Kind ❯ Piano Smart ( Chapter 5 )

Maybe it could be called cynical, misleading, or even down right mean, but Inuyasha couldn't help it. The moment Kagome had reprimanded Kikyou he knew he'd picked the right girl. He tried to wipe any hints at how obviously pleased with himself he was as he made his way to the band at the side of the room.

Across the floor Kagome remained by the bar with the others looking sheet white.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Sango offered helpfully, "It's not like anyone's forcing you."

Kagome considered this, maybe that would be the better option? She wasn't very big on public humiliation. Her mind was abruptly made up for her however by Kikyou.

"Of course you don't have to go up there. It's probably for the better, I'm sure all these nice people enjoy their ear drums left intact."

Kagome fumed, "You didn't seem to concerned for their health when you decided to blind everyone with that dress."

Okay, maybe it was lame come back, but at least she didn't give Kikyou the last word. She knew she couldn't back down now, not after Kikyou's comment. She was beginning to feel her nerves set in again as she watched Inuyasha make his way back to them.

"It's all set up," He said ,"Your on in two songs."

"Great," Kagome replied feeling less than invigorated.

There was no question now that she felt like fainting. In an attempt to keep her mind off it she began to listen half-heatedly to the other's small talk and take sip after sip of her drink. She vaguely realized that she was packing away an awful lot of wine. What had been in her glass was gone in less than a minuet.

"May as well be smashed through this, " She thought to herself as she ordered another drink.

Wine was definitely the answer. Half way through her third glass she started to notice the change. Her fears were replaced by a warm floating feeling. Suddenly performing didn't sound that bad. In fact, she was damn good pianist. These people should be thrilled that she would even consider gracing them with her skills.

She smiled to herself at these thoughts, feeling very good. Maybe she could sing while she was on? Dance a little too? Was it possible to dance while playing the piano?

She couldn't remember at the moment whether or not she could sing or dance but it didn't matter. There was a first time for everything!

She let her dazed vision settle on Inuyasha who was talking to the group around them in general about a subject Kagome couldn't make out at the moment. He was being so supportive of her right now. Such a nice guy, the stories of all his one night stands and party habits couldn't possibly be true. As she was pondering this she noticed his attention shift to her directly. What had he said?

"Kagome? Did you hear me?"

"HHHmmm? Wow! Has anyone ever told you you have really pretty eyes?!," She slurred in response.

"Aahhh, no. Are you sure your okay to go up there? Your looking kind of tipsy," Inuyasha asked, showing an uncharacteristic amount of concern. It wasn't a lot, but then again he usually didn't show a lot.

"Yeah! Of course! Which way's the stage?," She took a dazed step in the wrong direction.

Now Inuyasha wasn't a rocket scientist, but it also didn't take a rocket scientist to recognize when a girl was pretty damn hammered. It probably violated good decency to let her go up on that stage, in all likeliness she'd fall on her face or something equally as embarrassing. He was actually about to call the whole thing off and bring Kagome home until he saw the look in Kikyou's eyes. She was standing with slight smirk on her face and the unmistakable glare of a challenge in her eyes. This was one of their oldest games and if he backed out he'd be losing to that bitch.

"This way Kagome," He instructed while pulling her along after him.

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Close up she could see that the stage was low on the ground and actually built into the floor.

"Do they have parties like this a lot?" Kagome questioned.

"When there's something to celebrate or someone to manipulated," Inuyasha replied.

She felt a twang of both guilt and curiosity go through at that last comment but didn't have time to linger on the feeling. As Inuyasha led her to the step on the side of the stage hosting a grand piano she could feet go heavier than they should be. This caused her to nearly trip while taking the actual step up and reach out to Inuyasha for support.

"Whoa, easy there. The conductor will announce you right after this song so have fun and play whatever you want. I'll be waiting right here when you're done."

Even through the haze that 5 to 25 glasses of wine could induce, it didn't take long for the gravity of the situation to reoccur to Kagome and as she walked shakily over to the piano bench to wait for this fate-sealing announcement she could feel every glass revolting in her stomach.

Just as she seated the conductor stepped toward the microphone instantly gaining the silence of the room.

"And now, as a special present to his brother and sister-in-law, Inuyasha Ishamaru has arranged a live performance by pianist Kagome Higarashi."

The sound of polite applause barely registered in Kagome's head. The lights suddenly blinded her. This was probably a blessing as now she didn't have to look back at the hundreds of eyes on her.

She moved her hands clumsily to the key board. She could have sworn her hands were usually in tune with her brain but at the moment she couldn't control them, she couldn't even make them move. A half minuet of ear splitting silence followed until Kagome felt that nasty alcohol induced ball feeling move from her stomach to her throat.

"Oh god, I can't do this!" She mentally screamed.

In a split second she flew off the piano bench, across the stage, and down the step to the main floor. Unfortunately, before she had moved even a full two feet away from the the stage and the public view she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and promptly threw up in a near by potted plant.

Just before she fainted into a pair of strange hands, one thought crossed her mind:

"Naraku is going to be so pissed."

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AN: Hmmm....this one's been a long time coming. I'm really sorry about the wait for those of you who still care. I could make excuse after excuse but I don't think it would get me anywhere so maybe I'll just apologize and be done with it.