InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cats and Dogs ❯ Perfect Prom Performance ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 2

 

 

With the founding of Cat Stars, the all-girl-band barely notices the school year pass them by. 

 

Kagome attends regular sessions with Kaede-sama and quickly learns to better control her miko half; even being able to imbue objects with spells and incantations and throw up barriers without agitating her youkai side. She also learns to better understand her beast, letting loose every once in a while and forging a closer connection with the instincts that seem to have a mind of their own at times. 

It makes flying and other attack and defence methods a lot easier. 

 

Kagura dyes her complete uniform black after her first day, and no teacher dares make her aware of the school’s dress code. Otherwise, Kagura is content to sit at the back of all of her classes, absorbing the relevant words when she hears them. Kagome also pulls out one of her upper fangs at some point and imbues it with a protective charm out of her combined youkai and miko powers. Kagura never takes the gift off, wearing it proudly, on a short leather thread, around her neck. 

 

Kagura also learns to better control her own youkai, soon understanding the impact a minimal aura can have on her life. It makes sneaking around and keeping an ace up her sleeve, in case she ever gets into trouble, surprisingly simple. Her flying also improves and she even manages to perfect a few more advanced attack techniques in combat class. 

 

Ayame and Sango are actually neighbours, a fact that surprises the two after their first jam session, since they didn’t have all that much to do with one another before discovering their shared love of music. Since then, the four girls meet up to practise every afternoon, usually at the Kumoiro house. 

 

Constantly making music together also means that the girls learn a lot about each other. 

 

Ayame is an only child and the only blood relative to the current ruler of the Northern Mountains. Her bright, fiery red hair is natural, and Ayame’s grandfather swears it’s blessed by Ho-musubi himself, the god of fire, who was the only son of the gods of creation, Izanami and Izanagi. 

 

Sango has a younger brother, Kohaku, and before the youkai and humans lived together in peace her ancestors were known, not as Demon Whisperers, but as Taijiya, demon slayers for those of you who don’t know the ancient Demonicryl language. Sango is well versed in both the language and fighting techniques of hundreds of different youkai, being able to understand many of the youkai dialects, despite her human inability to physically speak them. 

 

Kagome being a hanyou doesn’t bother her two new friends in the least, though they’re more than a little surprised when they find out that her human half is actually a miko. 

 

When Kagura divulges her childhood heartbreak, there are tears all around. All the girls know what it’s like to lose a parent, but none of them have been denied the time to grow up with both their parents as completely as Kagura has been. 

 

It was once said that “wounds will heal with time”. 

 

Kagura’s have. 

 

Though she is also very thankful for the time she gets to spent with her friends in their final high school year. 

 

No-one thought to mention that friendship grows with time too, just as much as wounds heal. 

 

… 

 

The four friends had finished their finals only two weeks ago, and today was the last day they would ever be required to step foot on school grounds. 

 

Kagura growls when Kagome again ignores her knock on the bathroom door, late in the morning on the day of their high school dance. 

Prom, if you will. 

 

“KA.GO.ME! You’ve been in there for over TWO HOURS, let me in!”

 

Kagura yells at the locked door, slowly but surely losing her patience with her little sister. 

 

‘Are you alone out there?’

 

“YES, I’m alone out here, everyone else left the house over an HOUR ago!” 

 

Kagura fumes, barely registering that Kagome is speaking through their telepathic link and not out loud. 

 

‘Think you can save my hair?’

 

Kagura pauses in her rant when the quiet question captures her attention. 

 

“You know my secret talents better than I do Kags, would you just open the damn door.”

 

She replies with a scoff, though her expression softens when she hears the click of the bathroom door being unlocked. 

 

Sighing, Kagura taking in the situation at a glance. 

 

The hair straightener is a smoking mess in the sink, Kagome’s hair stinks of metal, and there’s a lock at the front that’s a good few inches shorter than the rest of her waist-length hair. 

 

‘Oh boy. This is going to be fun.’

 

Kagura thinks grimly, starting with her sister’s thick mane. 

 

First, Kagura combs Kagome’s hair from tip to root, being sure to use a good amount of hair oil to aid in the detangling process. 

Then she unsticks the hair still caught in the straightener and gives it to her sister. 

 

‘You know I’m only good with poison and antidotes. If you want to save it, you’ll have to attach it yourself, else I’ll just have to even out the cut for you.’

 

Kagura explains, while moving from the wide-tooth comb to an actual brush, to get out the smaller knots still hidden in Kagome’s ebony locks. 

 

Twenty minutes later, Kagome’s hair is as it should be, and Kagura even pulled it up into a high ponytail, which would be easier to work with when they prepared for their first live performance that night. 

 

That’s right. 

 

Kagura could care less about prom. But, Cat Stars had been invited to perform a live show at their prom, and Kagura was VERY much looking forward to that. 

 

She had taken her girls shopping the week prior, making sure they had absolutely fabulous dresses that worked for both dancing AND performing. 

 

After a quick brush through of her own hair, which Kagura pulls up into a ponytail that matches her sister’s, the two girls hurry to get dressed and meet their best friends in the gym of the school, which had been transformed into a large, brilliantly lit and beautifully decorated dance hall. 

 

Kagura had, of course, taking into the account the venue and mild weather forecast that the day of their prom, in the middle of March, was supposed to have, when she’d taken the girls shopping. 

 

Kagome was wearing a gorgeous, dark blue, knee length, dual layered dress with spaghetti straps, the bottom layer a shimmery satin, over which a curtain of sparkling chiffon flowed. 

It was simple, beautiful and breathtaking. Doing a superb job of highlighting the creamy tone of her skin while also bringing out the bright blue colour of her eyes. 

 

In a similar style, but with a diagonal one shoulder strap, Sango was wearing a stunning, shiny, pine green dress patterned with lighter emerald lace along the fringes of the garment, twining it’s way a little ways up one frontal part of the hem, while the same happened over the shoulder strap and breast. The skirt was tailored to flare to a full circle when she spun around, making it hang in a hypnotic swirl around her thighs.

Similarly, the dark colour helped to accent Sango’s peachy, though still pale, skin, while also making the brown of her eyes really pop. It also did a splendid job of accenting the curve of her long legs. 

 

Ayame had a stylish, silk, diluted orchid purple, jumpsuit on, which, to the untrained eye, could easily be mistaken for an off white. The top had a sweetheart neckline, but it was held up by two sheer ribbons that Ayame had tied into a bow at the back of her neck. The bottoms were a skort, the shorts hugging Ayame’s thighs, while a second silken layer rippled freely to rest above her knees. Ayame had also spiced up her ensemble a bit by wearing stark white, rabbit fur accessories. On one arm she had a fur sleeve that went from her wrist to her elbow, while a thick bracelet adorned her other arm. 

 

Because the wolf demoness had such snowy white skin, her body offset the pale purple tint of her outfit all the more, and automatically drew anyone’s focus to her fiery hair. Not to mention that any demon who paid attention to another’s aura would immediately see the two jade shards that were Ayame’s eyes, piercing through the fainter, paler colour that was her aura. 

 

As for Kagura, she had allowed her friends to talk her into buying a blood red, halter neck, knee length, satin and chiffon dress with a feathery pattern of white that started at the base of the dress and slowly rose up the fabric, looking a lot like falling dove feathers. 

The colour really brought out her eyes, even more so with her dark hair providing an ideal contrast since it was currently long enough to frame her face. 

 

‘DAMN, Cat Stars look Hot as HELL tonight!’

 

Kagome thinks when she claps eyes on her two friends. 

 

“Looking good girls.”

 

Kagura acknowledges Sango and Ayame, both of which smile and blush at her compliment. 

 

“Come on, we need to get the stage set up so that we still have some time to warm up and practise before the first guests start to arrive.”

 

Kagura instructs, sending each of the girls to take care of their instruments and direct the stage hands on where and how to set up their equipment. 

 

Kagome immediately takes her violin out of it’s case and lets Kagura direct her around the stage until she’s pleased with her position. Then, it’s merely a matter of moving two mics over and adjusting the height so that they project the best sound from the instrument and her voice. 

 

Ayame also wastes no time in checking the drum kit on site, loosening and tightening a few screws to get the cymbals and hats to make the sounds she wants them to, tuning the snare drum to that perfect tension and doing a quick sound check with the mics. 

 

Sango checks the keyboard settings and enters the correct sound, before checking that both mics are in ideal positions, since Sango will be singing and playing the keyboard for their number tonight. 

 

Finally, Kagura checks the amps and tunes her electric guitar, muffling the speaker so that they still get that rock, pop and party feeling without totally drowning out all other sounds. She finishes up by setting up the final mic, since she will be singing as well. 

 

Heaving a collective sigh of contentment, the girls say their goodbyes to the stage hands, grab a master key from Kaede-sama, and head up to the music room where they first met. 

 

 

A few moments later, the stage hands suddenly gather into two rows and bow at the waist as a fifteen-year-old girl enters the gym. 

 

She has long black hair down to her hips, a pair of triangular dog ears on her head and the unmistakable golden gaze of a Shiroichi Dog Demon. 

 

The Shiroichi family are one of the most powerful youkai families to live in Japan. Inutaisho, the head of the family, is a father of four and owns more than 30% of ALL the businesses in Japan, focusing mainly on schools, universities, book stores, libraries, infrastructure and investment. 

 

Sesshomaru is a full blooded youkai like his father and the oldest.

Inuyasha is a hanyou and only a year younger than Sesshomaru.

Rin is also a hanyou, and she is three years younger than Inuyasha, though she is closer to Sesshomaru.

Shippo is a full blooded dog demon as well, but he was adopted after his parents were killed for their rare red fur, making Shippo the last of the Red Akita Dog Demons. 

 

The three blood relatives have the same golden-brown, honey-toned eyes, while Sesshomaru and Inuyasha share their silvery blond hair colour, and Inuyasha and Rin inherited the gorgeous bronze skin-tone from their human mother. 

 

“Rin, my child, ye are early.” 

 

Kaede greets the young heiress and only daughter of the Shiroichi family. 

 

Walking down the man-made aisle, Rin grins up at her favourite teacher. 

 

“I know. I was hoping to show father around my new school, now that it’s not so busy that he’d have to worry about being swarmed by students.” 

 

Rin confesses, though her grin already tells Kaede enough to know that there is no way to refuse the girl what she wants. Then again, Kaede doesn’t really see a problem with letting one of the oldest and most powerful youkai alive have a look around his daughter’s school. 

 

“Just be sure to get out a good ten minutes before our scheduled start time.”

 

Kaede whispers with a wink, pressing a spare master key into the girl’s hand. 

 

Rin’s smile brightens at her response, and the young hanyou is quick to leave the gym, no doubt to go and free her father from the confines of his six bodyguards. 

 

 

Indeed, no sooner does Rin have the master key, does she make her way back to her father. Knowing that his guards would insist on regularly moving the car, and that the school has two entry points, Rin decides to go upstairs and see if she can catch him on the high road. 

 

The small hanyou finds her pace slowing however, as she nears the upper levels. 

 

She can hear music. 

 

Now, that’s not exactly uncommon on a floor filled with music rooms. But it’s rather odd, considering that there shouldn’t really be anyone else in the school, unless they were teachers or stagehands organised to help prepare the gym for the dance. 

 

Curious in spite of herself, Rin carefully creeps closer to the one room, on the entire fifth floor, whose door is just slightly ajar to let a sliver of light spill into the corridor, and dares a little peak inside. 

 

“Hm, Sango, try that C-chord in a second inversion, It might harmonise better with our vocals.”

 

A dark haired demoness suggests, nodding back when the brunette sitting at the keyboard, whose name Rin guesses is Sango, gives her the go ahead. 

 

“One more time, from the top.”

 

The same demoness calls and a red-headed drummer cues the entrance of the four-person band with a six tap intro. 

 

As soon as the first note is played, Rin finds herself riveted by the performance that the girls put on. Each member builds off of the other, bringing out their differences to unite their instruments into a powerful song that makes Rin’s eyes widen as she struggles to stay still, despite the music’s plea for her to just let loose, have fun and dance to her heart’s content. 

 

As soon as the song ends, Rin slips out of the hallway as silently as she can, her heart hammering in her chest. 

She’d been to dozens of concerts in her short life already, and the only band that had ever managed to get a similar reaction out of her was her brothers’ band, The Fangs. 

 

‘If they perform that song at prom later…’

 

Rin lets that thought trail off, taking out her cell to type a quick text to Sesshomaru before focusing on getting her father to stay for that girl band's performance. 

 

Inutaisho is more than happy to spend more time with his only daughter, so it’s actually not too difficult to get him to agree to stay at the school longer. 

 

What Rin doesn’t count on, is her brother’s early arrival. 

 

Sesshomaru had left for Rin’s school straight from a meeting he’d had regarding The Fangs next tour. He wasn’t just the band’s best guitarist, but also their manager. 

 

Still, wearing a designer suit that perfectly contrasted his pale skin and straight hair, which was held in a low ponytail that flowed all the way down to his tailbone, it was impossible to miss the COOL member of The Fangs. 

 

Rin almost feels like facepalming. 

 

Instead, she weaves her way through the crowd that is slowly gathering around her brother, tugging at the hem of his jacket to get his attention. 

 

He lets his eyes slide down to hers lazily. 

 

“What is it, little sister?” 

 

Sesshomaru asks, his voice a low, smooth rumble. 

 

Rins puffs out her cheeks, knowing that he knows full well what he’s doing by showing up to her school dressed like he is. 

 

“Oh, I don’t know, I was kind of hoping to get into the gym WITHOUT being squashed by your adoring fans.”

 

Rin says in a totally deadpan voice, dropping her head to sigh theatrically. 

 

“Haven’t you ever heard of going undercover? You’re not even performing later.”

 

Rin says exasperatedly. 

 

Sesshomaru arches one perfectly sculpted brow in answer to his sister’s question. 

 

“This is a school dance Rin, it would not do for this Sesshomaru to not wear a suit.”

 

He informs his sister simply. 

 

Picking her up and jumping over his fans right to the entrance of the gym in one smooth motion, Sesshomaru is quick to set down his little sister, though he doesn’t release her just yet. 

 

Now it’s Rin’s turn to raise a questioning eyebrow up at her brother. 

 

“Would you like to inform this Sesshomaru WHY you called him here on his evening off?” 

 

He asks at last, an underlying question in his eyes that Rin only catches because she’s family. 

 

Smirking, Rin uses her expression as a distraction to extract herself from her brother’s grip before answering him. 

 

“You’ll see.”

 

She says with a cheeky wink, quickly turning to disappear into the crowd of students now gathered in the gym. 

 

There was some quiet music playing over the surround sound speaker system, friends were getting together, taking funny pictures in front of different back drops, but that wasn’t what Rin was scanning the room for. 

 

After a few rotations with no headway, Rin feels her whole body tense when a pair of hands take a hold under her arms and lift her off the ground. 

 

It’s only the familiar scent of her father that stops her from screaming, quickly followed by the wash of his old, golden aura over her person. 

 

It takes a moment, but, when Rin realises what he’s doing, she uses her new height to her full advantage and does another quick scan of the gym-turned-dance-floor. 

 

This time, her eyes alight upon the group of girls from before. They’re right at the edge of the stage, clearly waiting for Kaede’s signal before beginning their performance. 

 

Seeing his daughter’s grin, Inutaisho carefully sets the teen back down, before leading her to a support pillar, where there are less people around. 

 

“I’m guessing you had a reason for wanting me to stay?”

 

Inutaisho asks his daughter, whose eyes gleam at how quickly her dad catches on. 

 

“I heard some pretty cool music earlier, and it just so happens that the girls who made that music are about to perform here.”

 

Rin says innocently, though her smile is anything but. 

 

Inutaisho gives a weary chuckle at his daughter’s antics, though there’s a seriousness underlying his gaze. 

 

“Alright. I’ll hear one of their songs, but I’m going to have to leave soon.”

 

He concedes, a rush of air being forced from his lunges when Rin suddenly launches herself around his neck in an ecstatic hug… and it’s in that moment that the music is suddenly turned down. 

 

Rin’s wide eyes tell Inutaisho everything he needs to know. 

 

“Go and find yourself a good view, I’ll just listen.” 

 

He says, smiling as Rin rushes into the crowd of teens, and smirking when he sees Sesshomaru silently tail her. 

 

For the fact that people thought him to be a cool and collected character, he was incredibly fond and protective of his little sister. 

 

Settling on a spot slightly to the side of the makeshift dance floor, and at a diagonal angle to the stage, Rin listens for the footsteps of the four girls with bated breath. 

 

When the group gets up on stage, Rin immediately takes out her phone and starts recording, gripping her dress with her free hand to keep from jumping around in her excitement. 

 

“Good Evening Umitoge High!” 

 

The red-headed wolf demoness calls happily, her bubbly mood infectious to everyone exposed to it… Well, not counting Sesshy, who, Rin notices, has come to stand next to her with a mildly disinterested look on his face. She knows well enough that he’s keeping an eye on her though. 

 

“We’re thrilled to be able to perform a song for you tonight that’s guaranteed to get you moving your feet!” 

 

The red-head continues, though a ruby eyed wind demoness takes over from there. 

 

“We are Cat Stars, and this is a song we’ve composed for this very occasion. We call it, Black Magic.”

 

She finishes, sharing a quick look and small smile with each of her bandmates, before the red head, now seated at the drums, counts the group in. 

 

(Song: Black Magic, Artist: Little Mix)

 

Before the first drumbeat sounds, Kagura and Sango take their cue and start singing an upbeat tune together. 

 

“All the girls on the block knocking at my door,

Wanna know what it is make the boys want more.”

 

Almost immediately the dance floor starts filling up and students quickly get into the groove of the party tune Cat Stars is performing. 

 

After a short breath, Kagura keeps singing while Sango focuses solely on her keyboard part. 

 

At the sound of her first solo, Rin notices that Sesshomaru’s muscles slacken for a second, but she pays it no mind. 

 

“Is your lover playing on your side?

Said he loves you

But he ain't got time.

Here's the answer

Come and get it

At a knocked down price.”

 

Keeping a carefully ear on the drums, all four girls then harmonise a single word. 

 

“Hey!”

 

Before Sango sings her solo part and gives Kagura a break to enjoy her electric guitar a little more. 

 

“Full of honey

Just to make him sweet.

Crystal balling

Just to help him see

What he's been missing.

So come and get it

While you've still got time.” 

 

Again the girls wait for their drumming cue and harmonise brilliantly. 

 

“Hey!”

 

Kagura then keeps going with a slightly deeper, but beautifully controlled, alto. This time, Rin notices the tensing of her brother’s arms in her peripheral vision. Partly because his aura flares up for a split second, as if responding to the song. 

 

“Get your boy on his knees

And repeat after me, say…”

 

Keeping tabs on the beat, the girls then all provide an echoing backup as Kagome sings the chorus in a loud, clear and fun-loving tone. Almost everyone is dancing now, fully feeling the music. 

 

“Take a sip of my secret potion

I'll make you fall in love.

For a spell that can't be broken

One drop should be enough.

Boy, you belong to me.

I got the recipe

And it's called black magic.

(And it's called black magic)”

 

The last line is repeated by Kagura, giving Sango a moment’s time to prepare her part of the chorus. Her voice being just a little bit breathier and huskier than Kagome’s. 

 

“Take a sip of my secret potion

One taste and you'll be mine.

It's a spell that can't be broken.

It'll keep you up all night.

Boy, you belong to me.

I got the recipe

And it's called black magic.

(And it's called black magic)” 

 

This time Kagome does the last line repetition and Kagura uses the depth and strength of her voice to change the tempo of the song with the next verse. 

 

Rin feels her brow furrow when Sesshomaru doesn’t react to the wind demoness’ voice this time. What she doesn’t know, is that Sesshomaru himself is struggling to understand why he’s reacting to the ruby eyed demoness’s voice so strongly, where he is usually in complete control of his body, which is why he’s actively focusing on remaining impassive when she sings next. 

 

“If you're lookin' for Mister Right.

Need that magic

To change him over night.

Here's the answer,

Come and get it

While you've still got time.”

 

Again the girls all join in for their catchy little word, both happy and surprised when their peers sing it with them. 

 

“Hey!”

 

Kagura then keeps going, lowering the range of her tone and adding a little more vibrato to the next two lines. Though she lets her voice grow in pitch and decibels, showing off her range with the final word before the next chorus. 

 

“Get your boy on his knees

And repeat after me, say… oh!” 

 

When the wind demoness NAILS that last note, Rin can’t help but look to her brother to see if he really is unaffected by her voice. When she sees her brother’s wide eyes and slightly slack jaw though, Rin feels her own jaw hit the floor, quickly accompanied by her phone, totally shocked. 

 

Sesshomaru NEVER displayed emotions through his expression. You could read his mood from his eyes, yes, but never before had Rin seen Sesshomaru so openly… 

‘awed.’ 

 

Rin realises with ever widening eyes. 

 

Her big brother was IN AWE of someone who wasn’t their father! 

 

…Was the world ending?

 

Rin didn’t have time to think about it, as Cat Stars performance continued. 

 

This time all four girls sing the entire two parts of the chorus together, harmonising in pairs of Kagome with Kagura and Sango with Ayame. 

 

“Take a sip of my secret potion.

I'll make you fall in love. 

For a spell that can't be broken.

One drop should be enough. 

Boy, you belong to me. 

I got the recipe 

And it's called black magic.

(And it's called black magic)" 

 

"Take a sip of my secret potion.

One taste and you'll be mine. 

It's a spell that can't be broken.

It'll keep you up all night. 

Boy, you belong to me.

I got the recipe 

And it's called black magic. 

(And it's called black magic)”

 

Sango and Kagura sit out the last line repeat, instead catching their breath for the next lines, which the pair sing in strong, clear and naturally deeper voices. The echoes are taken care of by Kagome. 

 

“All the girls on the block knockin' at my door.

(I got the recipe)

Wanna know what it is make the boys want more.

(Now you belong to me)

All the girls on the block knockin' at my door.

(I got the recipe)

Wanna know what it is make the boys want more.

(Now you belong to me)”

 

With a drumming tap on the bow of the ride cymbal, Ayame then takes a solo verse for herself, this one being higher and slower than the rest of the chorus’ so far, which perfectly matches her voice, though it’s also a little quirkier than her band members voices. 

 

“Take a sip from my secret potion

I'll make you fall in love. 

For a spell that can't be broken

One drop should be enough. 

Boy, you belong to me (hey)

I got the recipe. 

And it's called, and it's called, and it's called black magic."

 

On the final line, Sango and Kagura periodically join in, before Kagome adds her voice so that all four girls sing the second part of their last chorus together. 

 

“Take a sip of my secret potion. 

One taste and you'll be mine. 

It's a spell that can't be broken. 

It'll keep you up all night. 

Boy, you belong to me. 

I got the recipe 

And it's called black magic.

(And it's called, and it’s called black magic)”

 

While Sango holds the final note of the former line, Kagome starts softly singing the repeated lines at the end of their song, the echoes being sung by Kagura in a slightly louder voice. 

 

“Falling in love (hey)

Falling in love (hey)

Falling in love (hey)

Falling in love (hey)

Falling in love (hey)

Falling in love (hey)

Falling in love (hey)

Falling in love (hey)”

 

Then, the girls harmonise their final word in an alto one and soprano setting, while Ayame brings the song to a close with another soft and repetitive drumming tap on the bow of the ride cymbal. 

 

“Magic.”

 

The instant the music completely fades out, the gym becomes a roaring din of shouts and thunderous applause pleading for more. 

 

Hidden amidst that sea of faces, Rin feels her father’s hand come to rest on her shoulder. 

 

He had made his way over to his daughter when the song had started to reach its end. Suddenly realising that her phone was back in her hand and her brother seemed to have left the building, Rin takes a moment to collect her thoughts. 

 

“Rin.”

 

Inutaisho says, not daring to take his eyes off of the phenomenon before him. 

 

The girl hums her response, a smile already tweaking her lips. 

 

“You have a damn good ear.”

 

Her father states, bending down a little to give his daughter a proud smile and, more importantly, four pristine, white envelopes, freshly sealed with the golden crest of the Shiroichi family. 

 

Rin takes them with a clear nod and immediately slips out of the crowded gym. She’s fairly certain she knows where the new celebrities will be headed after their performance. 

 

‘Cat Stars, huh… I can’t WAIT to see their reactions to the scholarships!

…Oh, but I have to make sure we make it back downstairs in time to see ‘Yash and the gang perform.’

 

Rin thinks, grinning when she remembers the riveted expression Cat Stars’ performance had managed to put on her big brother’s face. 

 

She just hopes her dropped phone turned in such a way that she can pause the video and look at it again. 

 

A few more moments alone with her thoughts is all the time Rin gets, before she hears the repeated click of heels headed up the stairs. 

 

Quickly deciding to simply sit on one of the stools in the room, Rin restlessly taps her thumb against the scholarship letters in her hands, while she waits for the four girls to enter the music room where they’d first caught her attention. 

 

What she doesn’t expect, is for the girls to enter the room in total silence. 

 

No, EXPECTANT silence. 

 

“Can we help you with something Miss Shiroichi?” 

 

One of the band members asks, and Rin recognises her as the lead singer almost instantly. 

 

She also takes a near-instant liking to the young woman. 

 

“Actually…” 

 

Rin lets the word hang in the air a moment, rising from her seated position with the grace and poise she’d been taught her whole life. 

 

“I was wondering if I could help you?”

 

She poses it as a rhetorical question, of course, but she’s also curious to see how the girls react to her words. 

 

A few moments pass, where the lead singer and guitarist exchange a look, and suddenly Rin finds herself awash in a sea of rubies, Kagura having moved to bend to her eye level with a speed that could only be demonic. 

 

Then, without nudge or warning, Kagura starts to talk. 

 

“Ayame was on drums, Sango played the keyboard, Kagome sang and I’m her older sister, the guitarist and founder of Cat Stars, Kagura.”

 

Opening her mouth to introduce herself, Rin feels her eyes widen when Kagura blatantly ignores her and keeps talking, ticking off one of her fingers with each point she makes. 

 

“Being that you aren’t without your own fame, we all know your name, Miss Rin Shiroichi. 

We are a hobby band who write our own songs and music. 

No, we don’t have a contract with a producer yet. 

Yes, we were all considering attending university after our graduation. 

And we would be most grateful for those scholarships in your hand.”

 

Kagura caps off. 

 

Though Rin doesn’t miss the scent of surprise on Ayame and Sango, it does little to relieve her of her own flustered state. 

 

“I’m sorry… how did you KNOW all that!?”

 

Rin bursts out suddenly, all rules and regulations forgotten in her mental confusion. 

 

This gets her a VERY rare and very gentle smile from Kagura. 

 

“You may only be three years younger than me, but you have A LOT to learn about subtlety.”

 

Kagura states, moving back to stand with her friends. 

 

“We noticed your aura back when we were practising…”

 

Kagome admits with a small smile. 

 

“and then we saw you filming our performance from the fringe of the dance floor…”

 

Sango adds with a helpless shrug. 

 

“Plus your dad got a hold of our numbers and sent each of us a message explaining the more intricate details of the conditions for our scholarships.”

 

Ayame pips up, causing four heads to suddenly snap in her direction. 

 

She flinches, a little taken aback by the intensity of their reactions. 

 

“What? You guys may have had your phones off, but I see nothing wrong with silent and airplane mode until a show ends.”

 

Ayame defends herself, only to be faced with three “really?” looks from her girls. 

 

She blinks a few times before it clicks. 

 

“OH, you haven’t read your messages yet… I just scanned mine while Kagura was talking, and the last line mentions all of us, so, you know, it’s a logical conclusion.”

 

The redhead explains. 

 

Her tone and the simplicity of her statement make Kagura lower her head and avoid her gaze behind a raised hand, while Kagome presses her lips together to keep from either smirking or laughing, and Sango merely rolls her eyes and shakes her head. 

 

“You, my dear Princess, are truly one of a kind.” 

 

Sango says, laughter lilting her tone as she speaks. 

 

Her choice of words makes another little princess’s eyes widen though. 

 

“Wai- wai- wai- wai- wait.” 

 

Rin says quickly, before clearing her throat and using that moment to collect herself. 

 

“Ayame is a princess?”

 

She asks tactfully. 

 

Though she can’t help but feel her eyes widen when Kagome reintroduces her. 

 

“Yes, Ayame is of the Hikaru clan, the only heiress to the northern mountains. Blessed by the god of fire, Ho-musubi, and the last blood relative to the current chief of the rare white wolf youkai, descendent of the Okuri Ōkami youkai.”

 

Ayame gives a practiced curtsey when Kagome finishes talking, which Rin automatically returns. 

 

“My apologies, the Hikaru have long been friends with my cousins, the Reimei, but I hadn’t yet had the pleasure of personally making their acquaintance.” 

 

Ayame’s smile seems to sadden and brighten simultaneously at the mention of the Reimei clan. She had a childhood friend in that clan, whom she hadn’t seen in three years, though that didn’t make her love him any less. And she could always keep tabs on him in music and gossip magazines, but she did miss him. 

 

“That’s quite alright, we are by far a smaller and younger family than the Shiroichis… But, I’m curious, why didn’t you just see that I was royal?”

 

Ayame asks, trying to redirect the conversation elsewhere. 

 

Her question is genuine though. 

 

Most hanyou should have no trouble seeing another demon’s aura, and it’s common knowledge that, if the aura sparkles with a second colour, usually metallic, the demon is royal. 

 

“Well, to put it simply, I can’t.”

 

Rin admits quietly, drawing four sad pairs of eyes back to her. 

 

“There were some complications during my birth, and, the stuff they gave my mother to save our lives inhibited my ability to see and distinguish auras while also making my other youkai powers much stronger and more volatile.”

 

Rin explains with a shrug. 

 

She doesn’t need pity. 

 

She and her mother are both alive, and there is no known cure, if you will, that could unlock the slumbering parts of her power. 

 

“Anyway.”

 

Rin says, clapping her empty hand against her wrist, and suddenly seeming much too chipper. 

 

“Here are your scholarships. I need to be on my way too. I’d never hear the end of it if I asked Inuyasha to come perform at prom and I wasn’t even there to hear him. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

 

She continues, raising a hand to wave as she leaves the music room. 

 

The four remaining girls simply stare at each other for a few seconds, each tightly holding her own scholarship letter. 

 

“You know…” 

 

Kagura starts. 

 

“we really need to talk about this…”

 

Sango continues. 

 

“but we can do that at our sleepover after prom…”

 

Kagome points out. 

 

“because The Fangs are holding a LIVE CONCERT under our feet at any moment!”

 

Ayame squeals, jumping excitedly and already bolting out the door to follow after Rin, the other three each following at their own pace. 

 

- - - - - 

 

Author's Note 

 

Hello again my wonderful readers! 

 

I hope you're all enjoying CaD! 

 

If you want to post a question or comment, feel free to do so! I'm just as happy to read your critisicm as I am to recieve your general thoughts or ideas. 

 

Should my inspiration and creativity decide to bless me with their presence for a while longer, I should have the next chapter up in a week or two! 

 

As always, let me know what you think, and enjoy the read! 

 

Tora 

 

PS. I do not own the song "Black Magic" by Little Mix and it only exists in my fictional world as a written cover version for my fictional band Cat Stars!