InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mermaids ❯ Brandy ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I've written about Inu-Yasha so much, I think I should get to own him. At least a BIT of him- you know, like frequent flyer miles? ^_~

Author's Note: I'm sorry it's taken so long to update. It was all school's fault- but now school is over! ^_^ So yes, updates should be a bit quicker from now on- but just remember that I have things going on this summer, as well. ^_~

Oh- and a note on ED- I'll be updating that fic next. I'm happy to see there haven't been TOO many complaints on my updating habits for that fic- thank you. I appreciate it. ^_^

Anyway, just a word to those of you who don't really like song lyrics in your fics- there are quite a few in this chapter, but this is the most they'll ever be in a single chappie from now on, `kay? So just get through this and you're home free.

For the most part. ^_~

REMEMBER:

Italicized- present

Normal- past

Bolt Italicized- song/Miroku singing

Please enjoy! ^_^

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Mermaids

Part I: Brandy

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There's a port

On a western bay

And it serves

A hundred ships a day

Lonely sailors

Pass the time away

And talk about their homes

"Brandy! `Nother round o' shots, love!"

"Coming, sir!"

"Ooo, damn! Brandy, darling! Have any towels? Kyo's gone and spilt on `imself again. . . clumsy bloke. . ."

"Right away," the cheerful, gray eyed bartender chirped as she skillfully balanced two silver trays, smiling at the many sailors around her as sweet early-summer sunlight poured through the small taverns windows. "Just hold on a moment!"

And there's a girl

In this harbor town

And she works

Laying whiskey down

They say "Brandy,

Fetch another round"
She serves them whisky and wine

"God, it's getting busy again," Sango sighed as she mopped a hand across her sweaty brow, all but running through the kitchen doors with two large orders of steaming tuna. "The winter ice must have melted."

"Certainly seems like it," Kikyo smiled thinly as she, too, toddled out of the kitchen- only she carried four tankards of beer in her hands. "But hey! What's a few more people? Makes the place much more cheerful, if you ask me."

"Yep!" Kagome agreed with a laugh as she yanked a worn washcloth off of a rusting hook and raced towards a wine spill, her braided hair tumbling over her left shoulder as she got on her knees to clean it up. She chose to ignore the stares she felt on her backside as she stuck it up in the air to wipe up the mess; she was in too good of a mood to let perverted sailors get on her nerves. After all- the air was warm, the birds were singing, their business was thriving. . . Everything seemed oddly perfect- it was if the air itself was crackling with energy and happiness; with a secret it wanted to tell.

"Brandy, a spot more whisky, if you don't mind?"

"Another glass of rum over `ere!"

"Of course!" Kagome beamed, straightening up and rushing back to her spot behind the bar, pulling out a few clean mugs and setting them under their respective wooden taps. She perkily hummed to herself as Sango swore loudly in the kitchen (the sounds of shattering plates and platters accompanying her curses), and Kikyo slapped Onigumo (her persistent, `stalking sailor'), from the corner of the pub. Again.

But that didn't matter.

In fact, Kag was so happy that morning that she didn't even wince (like she normally would have) when she heard a loud, familiar, slightly irritating voice come through the doors. Instead, she simply tried- and failed- to miss the return of her persistent `stalking sailor'- a man who went by the name of Kouga.

"Kagome, darling!" the ice eyed male cried happily, trailing after Kag like a puppy as she flounced from table to table, taking orders and delivering drinks. "And how's my woman today?"

"I'm not your woman, Mr. Kouga," the girl reminded the sailor lightly, playfully batting off the groping hand of another customer. She shot the young lech a gentle, but warning look as he smiled guilty. "Besides- I don't go for sailors."

"Oh, that's my Brandy!" Kouga sighed dreamily, as oblivious as ever as he suddenly shot out and grabbed Kag by the shoulders- whirling her around and clasping her hands in his own; causing her to drop her (thankfully empty) tray with a clatter. "As feisty as ever!"

Kagome felt her good mood slip the slightest of notches. "Mr. Kouga, I'm not yours," she repeated firmly. "I'm my own person, thank you."

"Oh, Brandy, you're such a lovely girl," the man sighed, still so thick headed that Sango- who was watching from the gap between the kitchen doors- wondered which would happen first: Kouga falling unconscious or the Autumn Leaves running out of dishes to smack him over the head with. "What a wonderful wife you'd be! Your eyes- they could steal a sailor like myself from the ocean for good!"

Kagome smiled impatiently, yanking her hands away. "Yes. . . Well, thank y- - -"

"Oi!" Miroku suddenly called from the piano, his previous diddle coming to a halting stop as his mind returned to reality. "That would make great lyrics!"

A few groans echoed off the tavern walls and the piano man frowned, glaring indignantly at the customers- all of whom were quite accustomed to Miroku's attempts at "compositions". After all- who could forget "Waltzing on the Poop Deck" or "Wet Dog"? And he still had yet to live down "Rubber Ducky in the Hurricane" and "I'm a Root' Toot' Tootin' Seaboy". Not to say that he couldn't play- he was by far the best piano player in town, no one could deny that.

Provided he had pre-written music.

"I'm serious!" the man insisted with a grin, totally immune to the other's coughed comments. "I bet I could fit that into a good song!"

"Oh, come off it!" one withered captain scoffed, his weathered face so wrinkled it was hard to see his eyes. "You've been tryin' to write a decent song for the past ten years an' you ain't succeeded yet."

"Well I never will if I don't try," Miroku smiled, undaunted, as usual. He then proceeded to ignore the rest of humanity as he began plunking out random notes, trying to find a tune for Kouga's words.

Meanwhile, Kouga himself was trying to find a way to squeeze himself through Kag's locked heart.

"Come on, just one date," he begged, following `his woman' back to the bar and sitting on one of the ancient stools as she wiped off the counter top, picking up empty glasses of beer and whiskey as she did so. "That's all I ask!"

"Mr. Kouga," Kagome sighed wearily, glancing at him from over her shoulder as her working hands slowly came to a stop. "I- - -"

"'Ey! If he gets a date, then so do I!" a random seaman interrupted with a guffaw from a near by table. The girl's hands subconsciously began clenching.

"Oo! And me!"

"Me too!"

"Don't forget me!"

"An- - -!"

"Sorry, men!" Kagome called briskly over the raising chaos and noise, biting back her irritation, "but I am NOT going to go out with a sailor! Not ever!"

The sailors say "Brandy,

You're a fine girl

What a good wife

You would be!

Yeah, your eyes

Could steal a sailor

From the sea!"

That firm statement, much to the men's disappointment, pretty much ended all competition right there. So with loud, defeated sighs and a couple of "Awwww"s, the rest of the sailors returned to their alcohol and conversations as Miroku cried out in victory- having found the perfect melody and phrasing to fit Kouga's words.

Not that anyone really cared.

After all, the piano man's "victories" tended to be short lived at their best. ("The day Miroku actually writes a good song," one boy grunted to another, "is the day that I dance through the town square in nothin' but my knickers.")

"Now, Kouga," Kagome wiped her hands off on her apron, shooting the black haired sailor a pointed look. "I really don't have anymore time to talk today. So perhaps- if you're not going to buy anything- you should go. . . ?"

She arched an eyebrow, letting him know that there really wasn't any question in the matter.

He blew out his cheeks dramatically, resting his hands on his hips.

"Oh. . . fine. . ."

With a soft scuffle he began slowly trudging towards the tavern's door- just as he had countless times before. Then, per usual, an `original' idea struck him as he reached the door frame. Turning to smile widely at Kagome, he called across the noisy sea of heads:

"If I leave, will you go on a date with me?"

"No!" the girl responded without even looking up from the plate she was cleaning, wringing out a limp rag. "I told you- I'm not interest in nor will I ever consider courting a sailor!"

"Interesting moral you have there," a male snickered from the open door- the open door Kouga must have dashed quickly through when he heard the start of the memorized rejection speech. "Odd, isn't it, for a seaside bartender. . . ?"

Kag tried her best not to grind her teeth.

"Yes, true- but why should you have a problem with that, Mr- - - ?

Mr. . . "

She suddenly frowned as she realized that this was an unfamiliar voice- a new one. How could she have not noticed. . . ? Glancing up from her work to eye this new buyer-

She found herself staring, wide eyed, at a man standing in the doorway- a man silhouetted by the bright summer sun. He. . .

He. . .

Was certainly odd looking.

He wore a simple pair of tan slacks, a baggy white shirt- a leather vest and worn boots with silver studding upon them to match his single earring. A shiny pistol rested against his hip (next to a small satchel of what could only be presumed to be `valuables'), and a thick, dark brown cloak was tied around his neck.

Of course, that was all but standard among sea men, but then. . .

Her eyes wandered up to his face.

He had the silkiest looking hair- and had allowed his glossy silver locks to grow long. Very long. Insanely long, really, for a sailor. But he kept it loosely bound with a red velvet ribbon so it remained out of his eyes at all times. His eyes. . .

Speaking of his eyes- were they truly golden. . . or did the mischievously playful emotions hidden inside them only give them that appearance?

Kag's hand slipped on the dish. "Mr. . ."

"Mr. . . ? Inu-Yasha, ma'am. Just Inu-Yasha," the new sailor smirked, noting with obvious satisfaction the temporarily stunned look on her face. "Forget the `Mr'. A simple sea-salesman like myself has no need for respectful titles like that."

The bartender nodded once, eyes never leaving the man's as she set down her rag and the plate. "I. . . Inu-Yasha, then. . ."

-

"`Inu-Yasha'. . . ?" Hojo repeated slowly, his eyes squinting up a bit as he tried to read the name on the girl's locket. "Is that what it says?"

"Brandy,

Wears a braided chain

Made the finest silver from the north of Spain

A locket

That bares of the name

Of a man that Brandy loved," Miroku all but answered in his now-famous melody.

Well, no point in trying to hide it. . .

". . . Yes," Kagome sighed sadly, fingers rubbing the heart-shaped charm like a worry stone, recalling the already memorized crevices and engraved lines that made up her sailor's unique name.

"Ah, Inu-Yasha. . ." a few of the older listeners nodded, tankards pressed lightly to their lips as the nodded wisely, letting their memories of the young man surface. "Interesting bloke, he was. . ."

"Sounds it. . ." one woman grunted, brow furrowing as she tried to imagine this oddly wonderful character in Brandy's story.

"Is he still around?"

"If you listen, Kyoko, I'm sure we'll find out. . . "

"Were his eyes really amber?"

"Was he nice?"

"I recall one conversation I had with him, Yume. . ."

"Perhaps he looked cruel. . ."

"I wonder who named the poor kid. . ."

"Was he smart?"

Kag allowed her customers to talk themselves into silence, feeling no need to rush on with her tale. In fact, she liked to think of this pause as a chance to let it all sink in- let her mind take her back. . .

Take her back to when. . .

"My Inu-Yasha. . ." she whispered, holding the precious locket close to her heart. Her heart that still felt so very sore. . . She felt Sango and Kikyo put their hands reassuringly on her shoulders, pressing her silently to continue as the bar grew silent once more.

-

He came

On a summers day

Brining gifts

From far away

"Inu-Yasha. . ." one man echoed softly as the new sailor walked casually inside the Autumn Leaves, heading towards the empty bar. "Where have I heard that name before. . . ?"

"I dunno- you coulda bought something off of him, I suppose," his friend shrugged, tipping his head way back in order to swallow the last drops of his beverage.

"I doubt it, Kappuchi- all them sailen' salesman are secretly pirates. I'd all but bet my life on it."

"Well, I don't know then, Oni. Maybe you should ask him if you've met?" Kappuchi suggested rather loudly.

"What?! No way!"

"Why not?" the second frowned, confused.

"BECAUSE," Oni exclaimed exasperatedly, leaning forward and speaking in the tones one would use to address a toddler, "that would PROVOKE him. Why don't I just REQUEST to be shot?! It's better just to let `em be."

"Mm. . . You're probably right," Kappuchi finally agreed, taking a few moments to think it through. "He's rather dangerous looking, that one, isn't he? Can tell just look at `im! See it easily- can't you?"

"Aye- Perhaps he really IS a pirate. . . ?" the first of the two sailors pondered in a "whisper"- a "whisper" that traveled easily across the room- making said `pirate' roll his eyes in annoyance before whirling around to face the talkers with an angry gaze.

They instantly recoiled as he approached- his boots tapping ominously and his nostrils flaring.

"A pirate. . . ?" he echoed softly, coming to a stop before the pair's table. ". . .Keh. . .

You think. . .

I'm a blasted pirate. . . ?

Fools!" Inu-Yasha spat, speaking so loudly and so articulately that even Miroku paused in his playing to listen. "If I were a pirate, do you think I'd be drawing attention to myself by entering a public pub?! Of course not! You know, I sailed here believing that many men in these parts were pompous, superstitious idiots who didn't know when story ended and reality began- and I must say that you two certainly aren't helping prove my assumptions false!"

Seeing as how neither was quite sure what this freaky `Inu-Yasha' bloke had just proclaimed (but were both rather sure that he was mad at them), they only nodded timidly at his words- eyes wide and their chairs almost pressed against the wall. And- as many secretly expected- as soon as Inu turned his back, Kappuchi and Oni only took the time to quickly toss a few copper coins on the table before fleeing for their lives.

A long silence held.

Kagome couldn't help but shoot Inu-Yasha a slightly cold stare as he proceeded on his way to the bar, sinking comfortably into one of the stools- acting as if nothing had just happened. "You know," she reprimanded lightly, gliding over to him while wiping out the inside of a dirty tankard, "if you can't play nicely, I'll have to kick you out."

Kick him out. . . ? Good.

Seeing that their Brandy was now taking care of the intruder, all decided returned to their previous engagements- drinking and gossip- without much of a care. However, they didn't bother trying to hide the short glances they sent occasionally over their shoulders, as if attempting to determine this Inu-Yasha's true nature.

Both Kag and Inu chose to ignore them- up to the point where they almost forgot they were in public.

The sailor shot the girl a devilish grin from over his wallet- which he had retrieved moments before - as she coolly reprimanded him. "Kick me out? You wouldn't do that to a well-paying customer, now, would you. . . ?"

"Hmm. . ." Kag pretended to think it over, watching the new man flick through countless leaflets of strange, foreign money in hidden awe. "Yes, I would."

"Aww, well, that's not very kind of you, . . . ?" he "pouted", but his almost playful voice trailed off and ended with a note of question- his brow wrinkling slightly as if he were trying to think of something. "Say, have you told me your na- - - ?"

"Brandy, daaaaarlin'!" one red-faced, suit-adorned, middle aged man suddenly bellowed drunkenly, arms thrown around two scantly clad, giggling females. "Fuurreeee more spooooshts of tequilllllla, donshaaa knoooow!"

"You've had enough for the night, Mr. Daniels," Kagome called back with a semi-sweet smile. Yes, her good mood was fast disappearing- though by now she wasn't even sure if she could call it a good mood anymore. "I'm sure those young ladies need to go home, as well. It must be past their bedtimes."

". . . Brandy, is it, then?" Inu-Yasha prompted distractedly, arching an eyebrow at the scene playing out around him. A scene that consisted of a 40-some year old man being hoisted upon the shoulders of two teen females and carried out of the Autumn Leaves.

. . . No comment.

The girl quickly looked away from the other table, catching the new sailor's golden eyes as he subtly twisted back around and hunched over a clean mug. After a second he held out the glass with shrug, silently communicating that he didn't care what she filled it with. Only then did he press his unanswered question- pressed with so much force that the bartender jumped. ". . . Well?"

"Huh? Did you say something?" she inquired- sounding rather tired-, and all but at her ropes end as Miroku once again cried out happily, evidently having found the perfect tune to go along with another one of his pieces. The customers relayed their excitement to this news by chucking bits of bread, cheese, and fish at the piano.

And, of course, it had to be HER turn to clean up the dance floor tonight. . .

Disgusting.

"Brandy- that is your name. . . ?" the man repeated, enunciating each syllable carefully so that she could understand him. She shot him a withering gaze and had to fight to keep from smiling as he grinned jovially.

"No, it's not," she replied simply, pouring some ale into his tankard.

"See? That's all you had to tel- - - huh?" He blinked in mild surprise. "It isn't?"

"No. It's Kagome. `Brandy' is just a nickname." She smiled slightly as she glanced out of the far away windows, watching the sea glisten off in the distance- surrounded by cliffs, hills, trees; dotted with houses, shops, carriages- and ribboned with wide dirt roads. "When I first started this bar I only had one beverage."

"Brandy," Inu-Yasha filled in with a small smirk, tracing the rim of his tankard with a finger.

"Yes," Kag nodded with a nostalgic expression in her eyes; amusement playing on her lips as she slowly turned back to the man before her. "And for some reason, the men just started calling me Brandy. And it stuck. That's all."

"Hmmm. . . A rather disappointing story behind such an enticing nickname," the man murmured after a few seconds of "deep thought", looking down his nose at the bartender. "I'd have thought it had something more to do with. . . I don't know, the way you taste, let's say. Or the fact that you're positively addicting . . . ?"

Kagome flushed slightly, but with practiced grace hid the fact rather well. "`Taste'? `Positively addicting'? You sound as if you're speaking from experience." She grinned slyly at him before turning her back, tossing her dish rag over her shoulder and gliding towards the cash box- swinging her hips a bit more predominantly than usual.

"Well, I'm obviously not," the man admitted with a shrug and a lazy stretch- reaching his arms high above his head as he leaned back slightly. "But I'd sure like to be."

- - - ?!

Kagome whipped her now very pink face towards him, shaking her head and briefly sticking out her tongue as Inu-Yasha graced her with a hearty wink.

But as she returned to counting up the days profits, she felt the sailor's eyes linger on her-

Linger for a long time. . .

- - -

^_^ Well, until next time! Please R&R!

Ja ne!

PS. By the way, this wasn't explained very well, so I'll say it now. This is going to be one of those fics where Inu-Yasha is human, but he still has his normal colored hair and eyes. Okay? ^_^ So sowwy, no puppy ears, but at least we still get to keep our silver and gold. ^_~