InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cinderyasha ❯ The Results ( Chapter 3 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Frost Fae 
Uh huh...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.06.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 244 | Status: Work In Progress
Uh huh...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.06.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 244 | Status: Work In Progress
A/N: Um... third chapter is up... and... hm... JUST READ THE DAMN STORY ALREADY! Hm... you know what I've noticed readers? I use the little '...' thing all the time... like right now! Yay! Anyway... ::: means Flashback. Okay? Read and review.
Disclaimer: I own Inuyasha! I own Inuyasha! I own Inuyasha! (Just kidding!)
PB
Cinderyasha
Chapter 3
The After Effects
PB
Inuyasha still stood as he had a half-hour ago, although he certainly wasn't complaining. The rumours had been true... Kikyo WAS as sweet as she was beautiful, and he loved every minute that he spent with her.
Even though it seemed as if nothing was in his mind except enjoying the moment, there was something plaguing him senselessly. The other girl... Kagome: how she had just fled in the midst of it all without caring what anyone thought... how she had come in eye contact with him and it seemed as if they had known each other... in fact, he felt that he HAD to go find her, at all costs.
"-don't you think so?"
"Uh... sure. Yes, I do."
"Excellent! I'll talk to mother and father about it straight away! And while I'm doing so, why don't you go freshen up? As if you need to, anyway."
"Great! Okay!" Although he had no idea what he had just agreed on, he was happy that an opening for his plan had come about, and he wasn't about to ruin things.
He turned immediately and swept up the stairs happily.
PB
"Hm... good thing you ran away like you did, though."
"Why?"
"Because if you hadn't, your clothes would've vanished and everyone would've seen them turning into normal evening wear."
"So...?"
"They can't know about me. They would either exploit me, or make me sick by not believing in me."
"Um... do you care to explain about that?"
"It's just as I said, Kag. When people don't believe in us, and they come across us, then we get sick. And we can get cured by being exposed to these rock things, well, it's kind of complicated. The good thing about me, though, is that I can't die."
"Well, I knew that already. No fairies can."
Sango shook her head exasperatedly. "Yes, actually, we CAN die. But only out of broken hearts. And I will NEVER fall in love, so, no death for me."
"Is there a cure for death also?"
"Yeah... same thing. But the exposure makes fairies lose their powers and become... human... with sickness though, the rocks don't make you lose your powers."
"I'm confused..."
"I thought you would be. Humans always are." Kagome bristled and Sango just snorted. "Well, it's true. But anyway, as I was saying-when a fairy's sick, the rocks don't make them lose their magic because people not believing in us is so hurtful that our bodies automatically draw a force-field of nonchalance around us. Only this can block the radiation of the rocks. And loss of magic cannot be healed... obviously."
"Uh... right. So, why did you start explaining this to me again?"
"Because... okay, don't get me started again. Fairies are naturally talkative, and we love to explain things."
"Uh-huh..." Suddenly, Sango snapped her fingers and disappeared. Simultaneously, a knock sounded against the hardwood of Kagome's door.
She tightly drew her dress around herself, and smoothed out the creases. The knock came again.
"Coming, coming..." She opened the door and found herself staring into the golden eyes of a bewildered hanyou.
"Hello...?"
Then she got her wits about her. "Where's Kikyo?"
'Oh, real smooth Inuyasha... Sibling rivalry... why didn't I remember?'
"Well, excuse me! I just came up here to see if you were okay, but obviously a wench like you always does that at parties to get attention."
As soon as Kagome clenched her fists tightly, Inuyasha realized that he had picked the wrong girl to mess with.
"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" As she moved to slam the door in his face, a force kept it open. When Kagome looked at the confused expression on her 'wonder' boy's face, she immediately understood.
"Kagome, don't be too hasty. And you, you shouldn't be so rude. Don't look so surprised! I was just invisible. You have a fairy godfather, and I'm Princess Kagome's godmother. Maybe you should learn to respect royalty a bit, little boy."
"What-?" The clock chimed twelve times and Inuyasha suddenly grimaced. He ran out of the door, and rushed down the stairs so fast that all the naked eye could see was a white and red blur. Kagome saw a bit of a haori before she blinked and he was gone.
"What was up with him?"
"Look at yourself Kagome." Sango held up a mirror. Kagome was in her normal clothes.
"Oh... okay. Poor little Kikyo won't be getting her man tonight, because even your little manual thing doesn't have his NAME! HA!"
"That's the bad thing... it's personalized. I only have YOUR main information, and your family's also. It just says HIS fairy godfather and his preferences. That sucks."
"Sucks what?"
"Never mind..." Sango could be heard murmuring something that sounded like: 'uptight princesses don't know what they're missing...'
"Hey!" Kagome looked at herself in the mirror once more...
'Uptight princesses? Sometimes I wish I could be normal for once.'
PB
Kikyo spun around as she felt something brush past her. All she could see, however, was a blur and it was hard to discern anything, let alone the person it actually was. She shook her head dismissively, and pretended that nothing had happened, as everyone else obviously was. Although, when she opened her mouth to call for the boy that had caught her fancy, she remembered that she hadn't even caught his name.
She jumped up from where she was discussing the possibilities of marriage with her family, and ran up the stairs.
"Kagome!"
The said girl stuck her head out of her door and shouted back, "What?"
"Where's- where's that boy that I was talking to?"
"Uh... just left..." Kikyo was very keen and she noticed that something suspicious was going on.
"What's going on in there?" She moved to open the door, but her 'plotting' sister shut it... on her fingers.
She gave a long piercing yell and spiraled down the stairs wildly.
"My hand! My hand! Where's Inuyasha? My hand!"
She flung open the great palace doors and bent down to see something. As she picked it up from the ground, she stood majestically once more, and smiled gloriously. THIS was how she could find the boy that she had grown fond of in only minutes. THIS was how she was going to complete the last stages of her beautiful plan... THIS was going to contribute to her ultimate goal.
"What's that you're holding, Kikyo?"
"Huh? Oh, father... it's just a shoe."
"A shoe?" This time it was the queen who had spoken.
"Yes, mother, a shoe. That boy's shoe to be exact. I'm going to get every boy in the country to try out this shoe. And then I'll get them to dance with me." At the blank stares on her parents' faces, Kikyo knew that she would have to elaborate. "YOU saw me dance with him. It was like poetry. I'd know if it were him by the way he danced, and how the shoe fit. See? Now do you understand?"
"Yes, as it were. When do you wish to commence this... plan of yours?"
"Soon, mother. Very soon. Tomorrow even."
"And so it shall be." With a nod of his head, the king walked away to find his Royal Messenger. "Mother, I know Kagome will be awfully disappointed, and it was originally her that was to be wed... but... PLEASE, won't you reconsider?"
"Well, I could, if and only if you promise me right at this moment that you will NOT throw this boy away after you're done with him."
"Yes, yes. I promise. May I go now? Thank you." And without even awaiting the queen's leave, she turned and walked forcefully up the stairs. Her patience was dwindling, even as her excitement peaked to new heights, and she had nothing on her mind except coming up with a new ploy to get what she wanted.
PB
Inuyasha turned the corner quickly, just quick enough to catch his last glimpse of the beautiful coach that had once been presented to him.
As much as he wanted to be happy, he felt his spirits dampen as soon as he saw the disheartening 'mice' and 'squirrels' as they circled the pomegranate ominously.
'I knew that pomegranate would bring trouble. Now to get home faster than my "family" and finish that... ugh... report. Crime really doesn't pay.'
As Inuyasha remembered the events of the early evening, he felt almost inclined to smile. Almost.
He jogged a bit for the first few miles, but when he heard the giant ringing of a clock chime thirteen times he felt the need to sprint.
As he caught sight of his luxurious home, he remembered how rich he really was.
'I'm the son of a lord that died... so... am I a lord?'
He jumped into his bedroom through the window and brushed himself off. Back in his usual servant garb, Inuyasha felt strangely uncomfortable and more peasant-like then usual.
"Hey! Anyone here?"
"Yes, yes..."
"Miroku, I need a small favour. then we need to discuss a little- plan- of mine."
"Shoot."
what?'
"Uh... right. Anyway, can you write up that little essay I was supposed to do?"
Miroku glared at him for a while and then took out some parchment. Then he spoke clearly, "I am sorry. I was bad. I stole some clothing from my brother. The consequences are thus: whatever you see fit."
Inuyasha rubbed his eyes as if what he was witnessing was fictitious, then, for good measure, he cleaned out one of his ears with a claw.
"What in hell are you doing now?"
"Hmph... that's gratitude for you." At a shake from Inuyasha's head, he explained the rules of sarcasm for him angrily. When Inuyasha had finally learned something, Miroku continued on with his work.
Tapping a finger lightly on the parchment, he was pleased to see that it became a long essay at once. "Let me see that!" Inuyasha grabbed for it, and read it aloud:
The Consequences of My Actions
Before, I had thought that taking the clothes of a loved one ("I think I'm going to gag.") was okay and not necessarily a crime. But due to the taking away of my own pleasure, I learned my lesson. I have sat here contemplating the effects of my misbehaviour and yearn to make it up to Sesshoumaru one day.
As a result of this situation's end, I now realize that I have rights, and I have privileges... and going to a party is NOT a right. If information could be disclosed about the nature of the royalty at the ball and the evening's events, I would be much obliged to behave better the next time. And even if this information is withheld, I will still promise to be a better role model to less fortunate young men like me. In fact, I promise right now that I will-
"Oh god, enough of that please..."
"Well, aren't you satisfied with my summarizing technique?"
"I guess... but anyway... on to more pressing matters. My plan."
"Does it have something to do with two girls at a ball?"
"How did you know? Oh, wait... the manual, right...?"
"Yep, exactly. So, carry on."
"Why don't I enforce upon them a hidden test?"
"Enforce? Hidden?"
"You know, subtly perform tests on each one and compare the results."
"Okay, like what for example?"
"Um... I don't know... how about one day I'm really nice, and another I'm really mean. Or, one day I act like I'm avoiding them, and another I keep on hitting on them?"
"COUNT ME IN!" Inuyasha hit him on the head. "Well... of COURSE I meant that I would help YOU go through with the plan... although I COULD have a little fun with Sango."
"Whoever Sango is, I'm sure she'll appreciate your special attention."
"I WOULD say I beg to differ, but that would indirectly insult myself."
"You've already DIRECTLY insulted yourself many times... what does it matter if you insult yourself once more? Especially if it's indirect?"
"I don't like you very much right now. That's why I'm glad that you'll have to sit through a lecture from your stepfamily about what happened at the ball. See you."
"Wait!"
"And what have we here? Lo and behold, Inuyasha has finally gone insane. Do you need a little help with your schizophrenia?"
"Shut-can you please be quiet?"
"Hm... I see that that little brush with the 'law' has made you a better person, little brother."
"Sesshoumaru, please get out of my room and leave me alone."
"No. Well, I will be getting out, but so will you. Come." And without even waiting for a reply, Sesshoumaru dug his nails deep into Inuyasha's arm, ignoring his grunt of pain, and dragged him almost haphazardly into the hall. He then noticed the sheet of paper clutched in his stepbrother's hand and tore it away from him. As he overlooked it, his face remained cool and calmly collected.
'On retrospect, I'm so glad that I didn't force Miroku to go away... he's actually SATISFIED! I can tell.'
"I'll show this to dad, and maybe, just maybe, we'll reward you with the long tale of what happened at the ball. Maybe I'll even tell you about an exotic princess that I met there."
'On second thought...'
"So, Inuyasha... I see that you have learned your lesson. While you are serving us tea, we will tell you the interesting details."
'An embarrassing analogy can be made about this. Me, a female hairdresser and these two imbeciles gossipy, rumour-spreading old ladies.'
"Thank you very much..." So Inuyasha got to work on the tea while Sesshoumaru started their little 'anecdote', although he spoke of it as a parable:
:::
As he closed the door behind him, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel a glimmer of happiness. He would meet HER once again. Her, that had softened him, even for a few minutes, she had made a difference. And that day, that fateful day... when they had met on the side of the main road, when they had bumped into her... she had captivated him.
A fellow demon, yet more human somehow, more... emotional. She had told him that she would be at the ball; otherwise Sesshoumaru never would have agreed to go. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cared if Inuyasha went or not. Because Inuyasha certainly wasn't going to cause trouble for him!
"Sesshoumaru, come on. We need to talk. But first, get into the coach."
He stepped up into it and sat down opposite his father. Cruel, but proud, he and Sesshoumaru were almost the splitting image of each other.
"Father?"
"Oh yes... what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, there is going to be a princess, other than the two ones hosting the event of course. Her name is Kagura. And you are betrothed to her." Sesshoumaru gasped unwillingly, then checked himself readily. "She is a wind demon and is very attractive. She is also intelligent, and learned in all the arts of school. But best of all... she is going to be queen of the neighbouring lands, and she has no brother. Just one sister, Kanna, who I plan to give to Inuyasha. She's very cold, but will be able to keep Inuyasha in check."
Sesshoumaru just kept silent, thoughts racing in his head.
'But what about the nameless woman that I met? I've never felt this way about a woman before...'
"So, what do you think?"
"Well... I-I think it's fine."
"Great. Here's the castle." Sesshoumaru could hear the sounds that usually followed a party, and instead of the earlier tremor of excitement, he felt a dread that he had never experienced.
As he clambered out of the coach unstably, he felt rather than saw the strange looks that his father was giving him.
'Better start being my normal poised self, or I might embarrass my father and the family's name.'
He stood straight and tall, while Ryo nudged him in the back to get moving.
As the doorman let them in, calling their names out from a long list, Sesshoumaru took in the scene before him. The king and queen still sat in their thrones, while the two seats on the queen's side were unoccupied as was the seat beside the king. He looked around and saw the royal children mingling with the crowd. As his father talked to the eldest daughter, he avoided her gaze.
'I refuse to talk to children. A person of the age of twenty-four should not have to associate with young people. Even ROYAL young people.' So he continued to pointedly look away, until he saw HER.
He let in a small intake of breath, even as his father pushed him forward to talk to her.
"Father...?"
"That is Kagura. I see that you are already quite taken with her. Is it her beauty, perhaps? Or maybe something else?"
"Something else, although she is very beautiful. We've met."
"Oh, really? And you wish to marry her?"
"Uh..." But just then, she spoke up.
"Why, hello there, Sesshoumaru! And you must be his father. You're certainly as dashing at any rate."
"Thank you, thank you. Why don't you two talk? Maybe about... some possibilities having to do with your relationship? Hm...?" Sesshoumaru blushed, but Kagura just smiled a little.
(Outside of Flashback: "Sesshoumaru! Enough of this... all he needs to know is that you two agreed to marry. Now for the rest of the story.")
Ryo turned as the two lovebirds started to talk. Roaming through the crowd and stopping occasionally to chat with strangers, he passed three quarters of an hour of time. It was now quarter past ten and he was strangely bored, then, the door burst open.
A bright vision entered through the doorway. (OOF: "Uh..." And then, "Shut up, Inuyasha.")
He seemed to be obsessed with the eldest child, and refused to look at anything else, as did she. They never even exchanged names! Although it was unlikely that he didn't know Kikyo's name.
Kagome, the middle child, ran up a flight stairs.
A lot of time passed, and finally the two parted, Kikyo to her parents and Inuyasha up the stairs. Kikyo spoke very softly, so softly, that her parents were resigned to using sign language, and no demons could overhear the conversation. Kikyo seemed to be ecstatic.
(OOF: "Done yet?" And then inevitably... "Inuyasha!")
A blur ran down the stairs and out the door, and all that was left was a shoe.
:::
"So, what happened next?"
"Not so eager to end the story now, are you?"
"No, sir." Inuyasha cringed.
"Anyway, now Kikyo is going to put the shoe on every young man between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four, and also... DANCE with them. Something about knowing his style... the king signed an official decree, and the princess, accompanied by the Royal Messenger, will set out tomorrow. Or rather... later, much later, today."
"Go to bed now, Inuyasha. The wedding will be in a few months."
But Inuyasha didn't care. All he could think about were the problems that would undoubtedly arise, although unbidden, the next day.
So, the third chapter of Cinderyasha. This update was actually pretty fast, seeing as my internet's been all screwy and the other two were very close together. Also, this chapter is pretty lengthy, for me anyway. Ten pages. I usually stick with eight to nine pages... so... be grateful. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed that, and remember the most important thing of all... to READ AND REVIEW! Buh-bye!
Disclaimer: I own Inuyasha! I own Inuyasha! I own Inuyasha! (Just kidding!)
PB
Cinderyasha
Chapter 3
The After Effects
PB
Inuyasha still stood as he had a half-hour ago, although he certainly wasn't complaining. The rumours had been true... Kikyo WAS as sweet as she was beautiful, and he loved every minute that he spent with her.
Even though it seemed as if nothing was in his mind except enjoying the moment, there was something plaguing him senselessly. The other girl... Kagome: how she had just fled in the midst of it all without caring what anyone thought... how she had come in eye contact with him and it seemed as if they had known each other... in fact, he felt that he HAD to go find her, at all costs.
"-don't you think so?"
"Uh... sure. Yes, I do."
"Excellent! I'll talk to mother and father about it straight away! And while I'm doing so, why don't you go freshen up? As if you need to, anyway."
"Great! Okay!" Although he had no idea what he had just agreed on, he was happy that an opening for his plan had come about, and he wasn't about to ruin things.
He turned immediately and swept up the stairs happily.
PB
"Hm... good thing you ran away like you did, though."
"Why?"
"Because if you hadn't, your clothes would've vanished and everyone would've seen them turning into normal evening wear."
"So...?"
"They can't know about me. They would either exploit me, or make me sick by not believing in me."
"Um... do you care to explain about that?"
"It's just as I said, Kag. When people don't believe in us, and they come across us, then we get sick. And we can get cured by being exposed to these rock things, well, it's kind of complicated. The good thing about me, though, is that I can't die."
"Well, I knew that already. No fairies can."
Sango shook her head exasperatedly. "Yes, actually, we CAN die. But only out of broken hearts. And I will NEVER fall in love, so, no death for me."
"Is there a cure for death also?"
"Yeah... same thing. But the exposure makes fairies lose their powers and become... human... with sickness though, the rocks don't make you lose your powers."
"I'm confused..."
"I thought you would be. Humans always are." Kagome bristled and Sango just snorted. "Well, it's true. But anyway, as I was saying-when a fairy's sick, the rocks don't make them lose their magic because people not believing in us is so hurtful that our bodies automatically draw a force-field of nonchalance around us. Only this can block the radiation of the rocks. And loss of magic cannot be healed... obviously."
"Uh... right. So, why did you start explaining this to me again?"
"Because... okay, don't get me started again. Fairies are naturally talkative, and we love to explain things."
"Uh-huh..." Suddenly, Sango snapped her fingers and disappeared. Simultaneously, a knock sounded against the hardwood of Kagome's door.
She tightly drew her dress around herself, and smoothed out the creases. The knock came again.
"Coming, coming..." She opened the door and found herself staring into the golden eyes of a bewildered hanyou.
"Hello...?"
Then she got her wits about her. "Where's Kikyo?"
'Oh, real smooth Inuyasha... Sibling rivalry... why didn't I remember?'
"Well, excuse me! I just came up here to see if you were okay, but obviously a wench like you always does that at parties to get attention."
As soon as Kagome clenched her fists tightly, Inuyasha realized that he had picked the wrong girl to mess with.
"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" As she moved to slam the door in his face, a force kept it open. When Kagome looked at the confused expression on her 'wonder' boy's face, she immediately understood.
"Kagome, don't be too hasty. And you, you shouldn't be so rude. Don't look so surprised! I was just invisible. You have a fairy godfather, and I'm Princess Kagome's godmother. Maybe you should learn to respect royalty a bit, little boy."
"What-?" The clock chimed twelve times and Inuyasha suddenly grimaced. He ran out of the door, and rushed down the stairs so fast that all the naked eye could see was a white and red blur. Kagome saw a bit of a haori before she blinked and he was gone.
"What was up with him?"
"Look at yourself Kagome." Sango held up a mirror. Kagome was in her normal clothes.
"Oh... okay. Poor little Kikyo won't be getting her man tonight, because even your little manual thing doesn't have his NAME! HA!"
"That's the bad thing... it's personalized. I only have YOUR main information, and your family's also. It just says HIS fairy godfather and his preferences. That sucks."
"Sucks what?"
"Never mind..." Sango could be heard murmuring something that sounded like: 'uptight princesses don't know what they're missing...'
"Hey!" Kagome looked at herself in the mirror once more...
'Uptight princesses? Sometimes I wish I could be normal for once.'
PB
Kikyo spun around as she felt something brush past her. All she could see, however, was a blur and it was hard to discern anything, let alone the person it actually was. She shook her head dismissively, and pretended that nothing had happened, as everyone else obviously was. Although, when she opened her mouth to call for the boy that had caught her fancy, she remembered that she hadn't even caught his name.
She jumped up from where she was discussing the possibilities of marriage with her family, and ran up the stairs.
"Kagome!"
The said girl stuck her head out of her door and shouted back, "What?"
"Where's- where's that boy that I was talking to?"
"Uh... just left..." Kikyo was very keen and she noticed that something suspicious was going on.
"What's going on in there?" She moved to open the door, but her 'plotting' sister shut it... on her fingers.
She gave a long piercing yell and spiraled down the stairs wildly.
"My hand! My hand! Where's Inuyasha? My hand!"
She flung open the great palace doors and bent down to see something. As she picked it up from the ground, she stood majestically once more, and smiled gloriously. THIS was how she could find the boy that she had grown fond of in only minutes. THIS was how she was going to complete the last stages of her beautiful plan... THIS was going to contribute to her ultimate goal.
"What's that you're holding, Kikyo?"
"Huh? Oh, father... it's just a shoe."
"A shoe?" This time it was the queen who had spoken.
"Yes, mother, a shoe. That boy's shoe to be exact. I'm going to get every boy in the country to try out this shoe. And then I'll get them to dance with me." At the blank stares on her parents' faces, Kikyo knew that she would have to elaborate. "YOU saw me dance with him. It was like poetry. I'd know if it were him by the way he danced, and how the shoe fit. See? Now do you understand?"
"Yes, as it were. When do you wish to commence this... plan of yours?"
"Soon, mother. Very soon. Tomorrow even."
"And so it shall be." With a nod of his head, the king walked away to find his Royal Messenger. "Mother, I know Kagome will be awfully disappointed, and it was originally her that was to be wed... but... PLEASE, won't you reconsider?"
"Well, I could, if and only if you promise me right at this moment that you will NOT throw this boy away after you're done with him."
"Yes, yes. I promise. May I go now? Thank you." And without even awaiting the queen's leave, she turned and walked forcefully up the stairs. Her patience was dwindling, even as her excitement peaked to new heights, and she had nothing on her mind except coming up with a new ploy to get what she wanted.
PB
Inuyasha turned the corner quickly, just quick enough to catch his last glimpse of the beautiful coach that had once been presented to him.
As much as he wanted to be happy, he felt his spirits dampen as soon as he saw the disheartening 'mice' and 'squirrels' as they circled the pomegranate ominously.
'I knew that pomegranate would bring trouble. Now to get home faster than my "family" and finish that... ugh... report. Crime really doesn't pay.'
As Inuyasha remembered the events of the early evening, he felt almost inclined to smile. Almost.
He jogged a bit for the first few miles, but when he heard the giant ringing of a clock chime thirteen times he felt the need to sprint.
As he caught sight of his luxurious home, he remembered how rich he really was.
'I'm the son of a lord that died... so... am I a lord?'
He jumped into his bedroom through the window and brushed himself off. Back in his usual servant garb, Inuyasha felt strangely uncomfortable and more peasant-like then usual.
"Hey! Anyone here?"
"Yes, yes..."
"Miroku, I need a small favour. then we need to discuss a little- plan- of mine."
"Shoot."
what?'
"Uh... right. Anyway, can you write up that little essay I was supposed to do?"
Miroku glared at him for a while and then took out some parchment. Then he spoke clearly, "I am sorry. I was bad. I stole some clothing from my brother. The consequences are thus: whatever you see fit."
Inuyasha rubbed his eyes as if what he was witnessing was fictitious, then, for good measure, he cleaned out one of his ears with a claw.
"What in hell are you doing now?"
"Hmph... that's gratitude for you." At a shake from Inuyasha's head, he explained the rules of sarcasm for him angrily. When Inuyasha had finally learned something, Miroku continued on with his work.
Tapping a finger lightly on the parchment, he was pleased to see that it became a long essay at once. "Let me see that!" Inuyasha grabbed for it, and read it aloud:
The Consequences of My Actions
Before, I had thought that taking the clothes of a loved one ("I think I'm going to gag.") was okay and not necessarily a crime. But due to the taking away of my own pleasure, I learned my lesson. I have sat here contemplating the effects of my misbehaviour and yearn to make it up to Sesshoumaru one day.
As a result of this situation's end, I now realize that I have rights, and I have privileges... and going to a party is NOT a right. If information could be disclosed about the nature of the royalty at the ball and the evening's events, I would be much obliged to behave better the next time. And even if this information is withheld, I will still promise to be a better role model to less fortunate young men like me. In fact, I promise right now that I will-
"Oh god, enough of that please..."
"Well, aren't you satisfied with my summarizing technique?"
"I guess... but anyway... on to more pressing matters. My plan."
"Does it have something to do with two girls at a ball?"
"How did you know? Oh, wait... the manual, right...?"
"Yep, exactly. So, carry on."
"Why don't I enforce upon them a hidden test?"
"Enforce? Hidden?"
"You know, subtly perform tests on each one and compare the results."
"Okay, like what for example?"
"Um... I don't know... how about one day I'm really nice, and another I'm really mean. Or, one day I act like I'm avoiding them, and another I keep on hitting on them?"
"COUNT ME IN!" Inuyasha hit him on the head. "Well... of COURSE I meant that I would help YOU go through with the plan... although I COULD have a little fun with Sango."
"Whoever Sango is, I'm sure she'll appreciate your special attention."
"I WOULD say I beg to differ, but that would indirectly insult myself."
"You've already DIRECTLY insulted yourself many times... what does it matter if you insult yourself once more? Especially if it's indirect?"
"I don't like you very much right now. That's why I'm glad that you'll have to sit through a lecture from your stepfamily about what happened at the ball. See you."
"Wait!"
"And what have we here? Lo and behold, Inuyasha has finally gone insane. Do you need a little help with your schizophrenia?"
"Shut-can you please be quiet?"
"Hm... I see that that little brush with the 'law' has made you a better person, little brother."
"Sesshoumaru, please get out of my room and leave me alone."
"No. Well, I will be getting out, but so will you. Come." And without even waiting for a reply, Sesshoumaru dug his nails deep into Inuyasha's arm, ignoring his grunt of pain, and dragged him almost haphazardly into the hall. He then noticed the sheet of paper clutched in his stepbrother's hand and tore it away from him. As he overlooked it, his face remained cool and calmly collected.
'On retrospect, I'm so glad that I didn't force Miroku to go away... he's actually SATISFIED! I can tell.'
"I'll show this to dad, and maybe, just maybe, we'll reward you with the long tale of what happened at the ball. Maybe I'll even tell you about an exotic princess that I met there."
'On second thought...'
"So, Inuyasha... I see that you have learned your lesson. While you are serving us tea, we will tell you the interesting details."
'An embarrassing analogy can be made about this. Me, a female hairdresser and these two imbeciles gossipy, rumour-spreading old ladies.'
"Thank you very much..." So Inuyasha got to work on the tea while Sesshoumaru started their little 'anecdote', although he spoke of it as a parable:
:::
As he closed the door behind him, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel a glimmer of happiness. He would meet HER once again. Her, that had softened him, even for a few minutes, she had made a difference. And that day, that fateful day... when they had met on the side of the main road, when they had bumped into her... she had captivated him.
A fellow demon, yet more human somehow, more... emotional. She had told him that she would be at the ball; otherwise Sesshoumaru never would have agreed to go. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cared if Inuyasha went or not. Because Inuyasha certainly wasn't going to cause trouble for him!
"Sesshoumaru, come on. We need to talk. But first, get into the coach."
He stepped up into it and sat down opposite his father. Cruel, but proud, he and Sesshoumaru were almost the splitting image of each other.
"Father?"
"Oh yes... what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, there is going to be a princess, other than the two ones hosting the event of course. Her name is Kagura. And you are betrothed to her." Sesshoumaru gasped unwillingly, then checked himself readily. "She is a wind demon and is very attractive. She is also intelligent, and learned in all the arts of school. But best of all... she is going to be queen of the neighbouring lands, and she has no brother. Just one sister, Kanna, who I plan to give to Inuyasha. She's very cold, but will be able to keep Inuyasha in check."
Sesshoumaru just kept silent, thoughts racing in his head.
'But what about the nameless woman that I met? I've never felt this way about a woman before...'
"So, what do you think?"
"Well... I-I think it's fine."
"Great. Here's the castle." Sesshoumaru could hear the sounds that usually followed a party, and instead of the earlier tremor of excitement, he felt a dread that he had never experienced.
As he clambered out of the coach unstably, he felt rather than saw the strange looks that his father was giving him.
'Better start being my normal poised self, or I might embarrass my father and the family's name.'
He stood straight and tall, while Ryo nudged him in the back to get moving.
As the doorman let them in, calling their names out from a long list, Sesshoumaru took in the scene before him. The king and queen still sat in their thrones, while the two seats on the queen's side were unoccupied as was the seat beside the king. He looked around and saw the royal children mingling with the crowd. As his father talked to the eldest daughter, he avoided her gaze.
'I refuse to talk to children. A person of the age of twenty-four should not have to associate with young people. Even ROYAL young people.' So he continued to pointedly look away, until he saw HER.
He let in a small intake of breath, even as his father pushed him forward to talk to her.
"Father...?"
"That is Kagura. I see that you are already quite taken with her. Is it her beauty, perhaps? Or maybe something else?"
"Something else, although she is very beautiful. We've met."
"Oh, really? And you wish to marry her?"
"Uh..." But just then, she spoke up.
"Why, hello there, Sesshoumaru! And you must be his father. You're certainly as dashing at any rate."
"Thank you, thank you. Why don't you two talk? Maybe about... some possibilities having to do with your relationship? Hm...?" Sesshoumaru blushed, but Kagura just smiled a little.
(Outside of Flashback: "Sesshoumaru! Enough of this... all he needs to know is that you two agreed to marry. Now for the rest of the story.")
Ryo turned as the two lovebirds started to talk. Roaming through the crowd and stopping occasionally to chat with strangers, he passed three quarters of an hour of time. It was now quarter past ten and he was strangely bored, then, the door burst open.
A bright vision entered through the doorway. (OOF: "Uh..." And then, "Shut up, Inuyasha.")
He seemed to be obsessed with the eldest child, and refused to look at anything else, as did she. They never even exchanged names! Although it was unlikely that he didn't know Kikyo's name.
Kagome, the middle child, ran up a flight stairs.
A lot of time passed, and finally the two parted, Kikyo to her parents and Inuyasha up the stairs. Kikyo spoke very softly, so softly, that her parents were resigned to using sign language, and no demons could overhear the conversation. Kikyo seemed to be ecstatic.
(OOF: "Done yet?" And then inevitably... "Inuyasha!")
A blur ran down the stairs and out the door, and all that was left was a shoe.
:::
"So, what happened next?"
"Not so eager to end the story now, are you?"
"No, sir." Inuyasha cringed.
"Anyway, now Kikyo is going to put the shoe on every young man between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four, and also... DANCE with them. Something about knowing his style... the king signed an official decree, and the princess, accompanied by the Royal Messenger, will set out tomorrow. Or rather... later, much later, today."
"Go to bed now, Inuyasha. The wedding will be in a few months."
But Inuyasha didn't care. All he could think about were the problems that would undoubtedly arise, although unbidden, the next day.
So, the third chapter of Cinderyasha. This update was actually pretty fast, seeing as my internet's been all screwy and the other two were very close together. Also, this chapter is pretty lengthy, for me anyway. Ten pages. I usually stick with eight to nine pages... so... be grateful. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed that, and remember the most important thing of all... to READ AND REVIEW! Buh-bye!