InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sengoku Jidai University ❯ Freshman Fall Part 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Freshman Fall Part 3

 

“What the hell were you doing at the archery range at this time of night?” Inuyasha demanded as he carried the crying girl on his back. She was a mess with dirt caked in her hair, blood down the front of her shirt…not hers thankfully…and tears streaming down her face. God he hated that smell.

“I have to practice sometime. I couldn't fit it in my curriculum this semester,” she sniffed.

“Next time take a demon for protection! Hojo is about as protective as a piñata.”

“Is he going to be alright?” she whimpered.

“Nothing serious, but his arm is probably broken. The nursing staff know what to do.”

“But what about you?”

That soft question made him stop. Looking back over his shoulder his golden eyes met hers in confusion.

“Me? I barely got scratched. What the hell are you worried about me for?”

“They're dead….won't you get in trouble?”

“Keh! As if! Who would tell? Hojo blacked out, you have two black eyes and the brothers have either turned into dust or been mutilated beyond recognition. No one can pin it on me and I sure ain't gonna go present my self to Sess and tell him what I did.”

“But won't they smell you there?”

“Wow, you do have a brain in there!” he joked and continued walking. “Hiten and Manten won't be missed. The school gets to keep their tuition and since there is no family to send the remains to, no one will really even know.”

As he reached the dorm he didn't even bother with the door. Crouching low he pushed off the ground with an amazing strength, sending them flying upward until he landed on the window sill of their room. Expert fingers slid open the window and hopped in the room.

“How is it you are a dog demon if you go jumping around like a cat?”

“Keh.”

Inuyasha pulled out her desk chair and gently let her down. Walking over to the small fridge he yanked it open and pulled out the ice tray. Kagome watched in amazement as he then wrapped the ice in a wash cloth, dampened it and held it out to her.

“Put that over your eye. It'll help the swelling.”

Kagome gently took it from him and did as he instructed. She tried to focus her other eye on the hanyou, curiosity blooming.

“Why…are you being so nice?” she asked quietly. He whirled at the accusation, looking almost pissed off.

“Not all of us demons are out for cold blood you know. Besides, if you die they might stick me with a worse roommate. At least you don't stink…much.” Instead of being offended she laughed. It wasn't one of those silly female laughs. It was short, genuine and relaxing. He felt his guard dropping ever so slightly. She wasn't about to go running down the dorm telling everyone about his human saving escapade.

Bad enough he had to save that idiot RA, Hojo. Honestly, why was that boy in this school anyway? Maybe his family had really good connections or something.

“Next time take a demon with you. Too many demons on campus would love to shed more human blood, especially miko blood.”

“I don't really know any demons…except you and Kouga. I don't like…encouraging Kouga. And before you say anything, he is NOT my boyfriend.”

“That's a relief. That bastard fucking reeks!”

A knock interrupted any reply Kagome would have made. Inuyasha's nose twitched and his body relaxed.

“It's just Rin,” he said and got up to unlock the door.

“Hey Inuyasha! How's school going? You adjusting well?” the small girl asked cheerfully, a large box in her arms.

“Keh!”

“Thought so. Sorry to bother you two this late, but….oh my god, what happened to Kagome?”

“Hiten and Manten,” Kagome replied bitterly, not elaborating.

“Ahhh. Yeah, Sesshoumaru got a report less than ten minutes ago. He actually smiled a bit, but don't tell him I said that!” Inuyasha sighed. So his brother already knew and didn't care. Not that he expected gratitude or anything.

“So what's in the box?”

“This? I have no idea. It's Kagome's. I picked it up in the mail room while I was there.”

“Isn't it against the law to do that?” Inuyasha pointed out.

“Yeah, but this is me we're talking about. You think Sesshoumaru would let them drag me off in chains over something so trivial?”

“Did you threaten the postal boy again?” he asked.

“No, I simply took the box while he wasn't looking.”

Inuyasha shook his head in bewilderment. Where the hell had Sesshoumaru picked her up again? She was definitely an odd girl that was for sure. He took the box from her and closed the door behind the cheerful girl who went happily skipping down the hallway.

“Is she ever not peppy?” Kagome asked.

“When Sesshoumaru goes away on long business trips, yes. If he's around though, she's always Miss Fucking Bright-Eyes.”

Inuyasha stopped as a gentle scent hit his nose. He looked down at the box incredulously, his golden eyes suddenly widening in excitement. He could smell it. A whole shit load of ramen!

“Gods, another care package from mom. She seems to forget I have a perfectly good dining hall to eat at and…” Kagome trailed off as she saw the expression on the hanyou's face.

“So you don't want all this ramen?” he asked eagerly, looking more and more like a puppy wanting a treat.

“Well I will eat it eventually…how much did she send this time?”

Inuyasha took a single claw and sliced open the box. On top lay a short note which he handed to his roommate while his gaze was still fixated upon the rows and rows of noodles.

“Kagome, How are you, the family is fine. I saw a TV show that said most college students end up living off of ramen and I didn't want you to feel left out. I didn't know what flavor you wanted so I got you five of each. Love, Mom.”

There had to be over 50 packs of ramen in the box. Inuyasha felt his stomach growl as he looked upon the various colors of plastic wrapping, the gentle scent of the uncooked noodles calling out to him. It was like heaven in a box. It was like salvation. It was like-

“Would you like some?” Kagome asked. “If you can help me to the kitchen I'll make you a bowl….or five.”

He looked up at her incredulously. Her offer seemed sincere enough. Unlike Jaken, his freshman roommate, she didn't look like she was going to eat a bowl in front of him just to spite him.

Then again he'd never saved Jaken's ass from a bunch of demons.

“I'll make you a trade,” he said. Her head cocked sideways in confusion but nodded for him to continue. “Ramen for protection.”

“Ramen for protection?” she echoed. “Ok. I feel like I'm getting too much of a good deal though, so I'll cook it for you whenever I can.”

“Deal,” he said and held out his clawed hand. Without hesitation she put hers in his and they shook on it.

 

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“Ramen for protection?” Sango asked over lunch one day. “No wonder he watches you like a hawk now. Here I thought he was imagining you naked or something.”

Kagome choked on her drink and began coughing uncontrollably.

“Sorry, probably should have waited until you were done. So what does this protection entail? 24/7 surveillance or what?”

“I don't know, but I haven't been threatened since. Even the professors are nicer to me…sort of. Less sadistic anyway.”

“Oh…uh….Inuyasha isn't the reason for that,” Sango said, looking rather guilty. Kagome gave a groan.

“Now what?”

“Well…you see….Kouga kind of told them all you were his woman….and uh…threatened them with pain of death etc. You know, macho male demon stuff.”

The thud of her head hitting the table echoed throughout the entire cafeteria.

“Doesn't that idiot get a clue?” Inuyasha commented as he sat down next to them.

“I think he lacks the communication skills needed for a clue,” Sango said stiffly.

“Whoa, don't get all defensive on me wench. I'm not here to piss you off!” he snapped.

“Why me? Why me?” Kagome moaned.

“Higurashi!” a cheerful voice called out. Looking up from the table Kagome caught the unexpected site of Hojo bounding toward them with a smile upon his face.

“Uh…hi….Hojo,” she said, wondering why on earth he was calling her by her last name.

“I wanted to thank you for the thoughtful card you sent me. My arm is doing much better. Oh, and I heard you have a pop test in youkai studies today so I thought I'd give you this good luck charm. It always helped me on those tests. I have class soon so I'll see you later!”

And then the cheerful boy bounded away.

“He reminds me a lot of Rin sometimes,” Inuyasha said dryly. “Except she isn't half as annoying.”

“Or half as dumb,” Sango added with light snicker.

“You two aren't being very nice. It was very thoughtful of him to….SHIT!”

Two pairs of eyes looked at Kagome in shock. Had she just cussed?

“Pop test! Oh god, I gotta run to the library. I have an hour before that class!”

Inuyasha and Sango watched her sprint out of the cafeteria, their eyebrows raised in wonderment.

“Doesn't she have Youkai studies in the morning, not the afternoon?” Inuyasha asked with a slight frown.

“Now that you mention it….yeah. She already had that class. I wonder when she'll remember that.”

 

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The room was freezing. Peeking out from under her covers Kagome hit the snooze button of her small alarm clock and rolled over with a groan. Her morning silence was soon broken when the door swung open and Inuyasha dropped something heavy upon the floor. She looked up sleepily from her pillow.

“What's that?”

“A kerosene heater.”

“Why do we have one of those? Don't they stink?”

“Yes, they stink, but I'd rather not freeze. We're in the dorm with no central heating remember?”

No she didn't remember. No one had told her.

“That can't be legal.”

“Sure it is. As long as they supply us with a method of heating it is perfectly legal. This is cheaper on the college anyway. Remember that when you apply for rooms next year. Not that it will do you any good….most humans get stuck in this dorm anyway.”

Kagome flopped back down on the bed, intent on a few more minutes of sleep. A knock on the door rudely interrupted her.

“RA,” Inuyasha said in a mildly amused tone. He kind of enjoyed watching the young man make a fool of himself over the obviously uninterested female.

“What does he want now?” she groaned and got up to answer the door. The cold floor was a shock for her warm feet and she bit back a yelp as she made her way over. Swinging it open she gave him what she hoped was an unamused glare.

“Good morning, Higurashi. You are looking lovely today!” Hojo said brightly. Kagome blinked in response, not believing a word of it. “I'm afraid I have some rather unfortunate news.”

Kagome felt her heart clench. Was it her family? Her grades? Did Kouga find someway to marry her without actually having her present?

“The police are doing an investigation, but they doubt anything will turn up. The job was too professionally done. There wasn't even anything large enough to be identifiable left.”

Now she was really confused.

“So it was your car that blew up this morning,” Inuyasha commented behind her as he held his nose and started the kerosene heater. “Went flying 10 stories into the air and blew with such a force all the car windows in the parking lot were shattered.”

“My…my…car?” Kagome asked, shock reverberating through her frame. “Why would someone blow up my car?”

“Oh there's usually one every year,” Hojo chirped. “One of these years they'll blow up the president's car and something might actually be done, but for now, well, you were unlucky. I don't own a car or I'd lend you mine.”

Kagome did something rather uncharacteristically rude. She very slowly closed the door in his face. Like a zombie she made her way back to the bed, turned off the alarm and crawled under the covers.

“You ok?” Inuyasha asked tenitively.

“My car blew up. I have no way of getting home now. Winter break will be three weeks of nothing to do, sitting in the cold and eating ramen. I'm not going to class today. I don't care what they say.”

Inuyasha just laughed.

“Welcome to college life!”

 

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“Sometimes I dream this campus is fair,” Miroku commented as they dropped the books on the table. Kagome gave a weak smile in reply.

“I don't think even a normal university would replace a blown up car,” Sango pointed out. “Technically that is up to the insurance.”

“The car was so old all we got was barely enough to pay for an oil change,” Kagome said. “I don't think it was as random as everyone thinks.”

“How's that?” Sango asked.

“Think about all the cars that have blown up in the past,” Miroku said, pulling out a paper that looked suspiciously official. “I found this is the Dean of Student's office. Most of the previously blown up cars were all expensive imports. They never blow up classics or cheap ones. This was planned and set up to look like the yearly car blow ups.”

“You shouldn't take papers out of DoS you know,” Sango replied with a raised eyebrow.

“It doesn't matter,” Kagome said with a sigh. “Nothing we find out will bring the car back or give me a new one.”

“True true, now what is it we are researching again?” the monk asked with a scratch of his head.

“Demons of the sea,” Sango said, flipping open his book and pointing at the picture.

“Oh, I like this topic,” he said with a grin. “She's hot!”

“She's 3 inches tall.”

“Damn. Always too good to be true.”

“So what are you doing for break, Kagome?” Miroku asked, his attention shifted.

“Well I was going home, but now I'm stuck here. With the snow in the mountains the buses won't be running.”

“Ah, I'll be flying as usual. Gotta try and sober the temple master up before I come back. Silly old man drinks half the sake before New Years…quality testing of course,” he replied sarcastically.

“Yo, guys, research paper?” Sango asked testily. Why did she have to get grouped with Miroku, king of flirtation and avoider of work?

“Sorry. Ugh, I can't even think anymore. I don't even care!” Kagome said with a sigh.

“So where's Inuyasha?” Miroku asked, changing the subject once again. Sango gave him an annoyed look. Did the boy's mind always flutter around like a damn butterfly?

“He has class until 10.”

“What's he doing for break?” Miroku asked.

“None of your damn business!” Inuyasha snapped and plopped down at the table. They all blinked in surprise. He'd come out of practically nowhere.

“Myoga fell asleep at his desk again so we all just left. Honestly, you'd think the old man would get a fucking clue and have earlier classes so he doesn't fall asleep halfway through them.”

“I just want to go home,” Kagome moaned.

Inuyasha suddenly let out a growl and visibly tensed.

“Yo, Kagome, why are you studying with Dog-shit? He doesn't even know how to open a book.”

“Fuck off,” Inuyasha growled.

“We are working on a research paper and Inuyasha offered to help,” Sango said calmly. “We're really busy, Kouga, what do you need?”

“Just came over to see my woman,” he said proudly. “And to see if she had any plans for break. I have a private jet headed for the beach and-”

“She's going home,” Inuyasha interrupted. “Aren't you, Kagome?”

“Uh….yeah,” she said hesitantly. She suddenly got the feeling if she told Kouga she was staying on campus she'd end up on that jet…with him. Ugh!

“Didn't your car blow up?” Kouga asked.

“I'm…..uh….walking,” Kagome responded.

A long and tense silence followed. Inuyasha was fighting the urge to snort, laugh and groan. Here he had it all under control and she had to go and say something completely obvious like that….only an idiot would believe her.

“But it's like a 3 hour drive!” Kouga finally said, breaking the silence.

`Idiot,' Inuyasha mentally labeled him.

“I'll be fine,” Kagome reassured him. “A little exercise never hurt anyone.”

“How can she say that with a straight face?” Miroku whispered to Sango who immediately tried not to dissolve into giggles. Luckily for them Kouga still didn't catch on.

“See, wolf ass?” Inuyasha snarled. “You're unwelcome. Get lost.”

“Inuyasha!” Kagome admonished. “That was rude!”

“Yeah, fuck you dog-shit. Kagome, as my woman you shouldn't hang out with such….filth,” Kouga said, turning up his nose.

“He's my roommate,” Kagome said brightly. “And I wouldn't trade him for the world!”

A dark blush stained Inuyasha's cheeks as Miroku suddenly got very interested in the conversation.

“Little coed action happening in room 713?” he asked and got smacked by both Sango and an angry hanyou.

“How can you want to spend time with-” Kouga began but his eyes suddenly shifted as his nose worked furiously. “SHIT!” he swore and suddenly sprinted from the room, leaving his underlings to whine after him.

“What was that all about?” Sango wondered. “He doesn't usually give up that easily.”

“One word,” Inuyasha said with a smile. “Ayame.”

“Who?”

“Wolf Princess,” he clarified. “She's supposed to be betrothed to Kouga, but he keeps getting fucking cold feet. Amazingly enough he's managed to avoid her for years even though they live on the same campus. He doesn't even pick classes until he finds out what she is and isn't in.”

“Don't they have the same major?” Miroku asked with a frown.

“Yep,” the hanyou replied with a wide smile. “Damn hard for him to graduate without half the classes she's in. Damn coward.”

“Hmm,” Kagome mused. “I want to meet this princess.”

“Why?” Inuyasha asked, startled. “You wanna figure out how to stalk that idiot?”

“Nope. But if she is who he avoids then maybe the key to evading him is to hang out with her.”

“Bah, I wouldn't hang out with a Psychology major for the world,” Inuyasha huffed. Kagome looked at him in confusion.

“Hard science verses soft science. They usually don't get along,” Sango said for clarification. That did not, however, help Kagome out one bit.

“So,” Miroku asked casually, “how are you going to hide from Kouga on the last day of classes? Ten bucks says he wants to see you off.”

A resounding thud echoed through the library as Kagome's head connected with the hard oak study table.

“If you get a concussion, bitch, I ain't carrying your ass back to the room.”

 

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What species of demon is a firefly demon usually subordinate to?

Kagome chewed the tip of her pencil in frustration. The youkai studies final was looking more and more deadly with each question she answered. How the hell did one pass this damn class?

How many subspecies of fox demons are there? Define subspecies.

Definitions? Since when did she have to come up with definitions? What the hell was this? The youkai test from hell.

Name five ways to break a miko.

`I hate this professor,' Kagome mentally seethed. Not caring about her grade she actually left that one blank. She wouldn't give the cruel woman the satisfaction of knowing how Kagome thought someone could kill her. Damn…that would be a whole 10 points too. Oh well.

Final Essay: What is the most powerful demon species today and why?

`Oh screw it!' she thought. `I have no idea. Let's see….who scares me the most? Kouga? Nah, he's just creepy. Hiten? No, he's dead thanks to Inuyasha. That snake demon? No…Sango beat him up last week. Hmm, what demon commands respect of all others and bows to no one?'

Outside the classroom a flash of silver hair caught her attention. Inuyasha punched some demon across the hallway with a string of curses. The much larger demon was easily knocked out as Inuyasha didn't even wince.

`Inuyasha is pretty strong…but I think the professor might count it wrong and claim a hanyou isn't a demon.'

That left only one logical conclusion.

 

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“I,” Kagome said brightly. “Am a genius!”

Inuyasha gave his petit roommate a strange look, his mood still foul from the demon who dared to insult his mother earlier.

“What did you do? Blackmail the professor?” Miroku asked as he dragged himself out, looking hopeless. “I think I failed that class….again.”

“Nope. I wrote an entire essay on how Sesshoumaru is the strongest demon.”

“Keh, that's a lie,” Inuyasha said with a huff and crossed his arms.

“Doesn't matter,” she replied with a mischievous grin. “The point is she can't refute it unless he does….and who here thinks Sesshoumaru would admit any demon is stronger than him?”

Miroku stared at her in shock.

“She is genius, pure and utter genius!”

“Keh!”

“Kagome!” Sango shouted from down the hall and came bounding up. “Present for you.” Kagome looked down at the pink, bow covered box in near horror. It looked annoyingly atrocious.

“Smells like wolf shit,” Inuyasha snarled. Sango merely shrugged.

“I'm just the messenger.”

Kagome took the box with a sigh and began unwrapping the paper. She hoped it wasn't something truly embarrassing. She wouldn't put it past Kouga to send her some sexy underwear and a note demanding she show up in it or something.

“Wash your hands when you're done,” Inuyasha said with annoyance. “I don't want his stench in the room.”

Kagome rolled her eyes and finished opening the small box. Something cold and metallic fell into her hand with a clink, a small piece of plastic attached. She blinked a couple of times in confusion and looked at the keys in her hand.

“Does that say Porsche?” Miroku asked.

“Holy shit…those are car keys!” Sango swore.

“Oh no,” Kagome groaned. “I can't accept a car from Kouga!”

“Well you're out of luck,” Sango said with a sheepish look. “He left campus an hour ago. He was going to come see you but I told him you had classes all afternoon.”

Kagome looked down at the keys in her hand, biting her lip with indecision. Should she accept them or reject them. Surprisingly she found herself looking up at Inuyasha. The hanyou had his arms crossed in an annoyed fashion, his body language tense and defensive.

“Did the fucker give you a full tank of gas?” Inuyasha asked.