InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Fortuneteller and a Nerdy Hanyou ❯ Twist of the Blade ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Don't motherfucking own Inuyasha. Or the Smashing Pumpkins song used in this story. I think the title is simply “Rain” but I could be wrong. Anyway, its on “Machina: The Machines of God”. I probably got that wrong to, but you know what I'm talking about.

 

A/N: All right, here's the deal, though very hypocritical of me, (because I hate when other authors do this) I have a proposition for you guys. See, I'm going to China for school, and to say I'm a nervous wreck is an understatement. Here's where you come in: whenever I get one of those little “Review Notifications” in my inbox, it like endorphins are released in my brain and it makes me happy, and in turn my stress level drops a little bit. I have the next chapter for this fic almost done—it just needs to be proof read and wrapped up and tweaked—so as much as it pains me to say this, if you guys get me 10 more reviews, I'll post it by Wednesday before I leave. If you think you can wait until the 20th of July for the raw-thrill continuation, I really won't care, it will give me more time to fit everything into my super small suitcase and study.

Got it? 10 more reviews by Wednesday morning, the 29th of June around 11:00, and you have Chapter 4. Otherwise, I'm going to focus on packing like I should, and that means no update for three weeks.

I'm really sorry that I have to whore my story out like this, but I need that happy-review-in-the-inbox high! Going from China to from my spit-on-the-side-of-the-road town is roughly the same as going to the moon. You'd be scraping for endorphins too if you were me!

 

Thanks to my past reviewers (fanfiction.net) agent-doo, Charlie, and (mm.org) Bob the Fanatic.  

 

Chapter 3

 

Kagome shrugged as she watched the man's retreat.

 

“Your friend is rather odd,” she commented, thus breaking the lovebirds' reverie.

 

“Who? Inu…” Sango realized that he was not longer sitting in his corner sulking. “…yasha? Where'd he go?”

 

“He came to the astounding conclusion that Kikyo is my cousin and took off.” She shrugged, sipping on her bottled water.

 

Miroku and Sango flashed each other a look and turned their attention back to Kagome.

 

“I knew you looked familiar…” Sango offered.

 

“I forgot you and Kikyo were cousins. You two look a like, but god, you have such different personalities.” Miroku said, fiddling with his drink.

 

“And that has what to do with me, exactly?” Kagome looked at them, very confused, her eyebrow twitching a little. Kikyou wasn't her favorite topic of conversation.

 

“Kikyo was Inuyasha's girlfriend. She dumped him. Ugly.” Miroku shuddered.

 

Kagome was thoughtful for a moment. “About—god—six months ago she confided in me that she was dating a hanyou. I thought it was odd—you know Kikyo, she's practically a separatist—that she would even start a relationship with anyone from the youkai community was completely out of character. Then a few weeks later, I asked her about it in passing and she said that things had gotten too serious so she had to end it. That must have been your friend.”

 

“That would be about right,” Sango muttered. “Inuyasha proposed and Kikyo basically said she wanted him to give her back the stuff she had left at his place. Very cold about it.”

 

“He wouldn't admit it, but Inuyasha was fairly broken up about it.” Miroku continued. “I'm surprised he stayed as long as he did once he knew who you were. He'd practically vanish at any mention of Kikyo right after it happened.”

 

“I can understand. Kikyo has a tendency to be overly blunt.” Kagome said.

 

“Do you know why she did it really?” Sango asked.

 

Kagome practically snorted out some of her water. “Why does Kikyo do anything? She went though miko training so she could have the title, but never helps at the shrine. She broke up with your friend because she was afraid of what it would look like for a miko and a hanyou to be together. Kikyo is very independent, but she always feels the need to put on a good face for people.”

 

Sango looked down at her drink, “How sad.”

 

“Like I said that's Kikyo.”

 

Miroku looked down at his watch. It wasn't that late, but Inuyasha was probably cold outside. Saying as much, Sango nodded.

 

“You want come back to our place, Kagome?” Miroku offered. “You can meet Inuyasha and show him that not all members of the Higurashi family are frigid bitches.”

 

“Alright, I'll go tell my manager that I'm going. She shouldn't mind, I don't get too many customers this time of night anyway. I'll meet you guys in the lobby?”

 

“She's cute,” Sango commented as soon as Kagome had headed off.

 

“Yeah, she'd do Inuyasha some good.” Miroku seconded under the watchful eye of his girlfriend. When Sango only raised a brow at him, he hurried on, while at the same time leading them to the door. “Look, we only under the same roof when we were kids, and after that, only at holidays and festivals. Her grandfather started my training and Kagome was somewhat of my comrade in arms during that.” Sango nodded, but still looked suspicious. “I haven't talked to her or her family in more than three years and I swear she's like my little sister!” He raised his palms defensively, walking through the lobby door that Sango opened for him. “And besides, Kagome isn't like me.”

 

“Alright, that's fine,” Sango grinned. She liked to see him flustered when she grilled him over past relationships. Though with Miroku, they were more like past flings. He, the ladies man, could get the cutest little blush when he thought she was going to get angry and he was trying to dig himself out of a hole.

 

“Ready to go?” Kagome asked, stepping up to them as she exited the club.

 

“Sure.”

 

Once outside, Kagome made to turn to the right, while Sango and Miroku looked to go left.

 

“Oh, I'm parked in the staff lot,” she motioned.

 

“And we're about three blocks away.” Miroku sighed.

 

“Well, I can give you guys a ride to your car, and then I can follow you.”

 

They turned toward the staff lot with Kagome leading a few steps ahead, and had just passed through the gate when someone stepped in front of their path. Next thing Kagome knew, she had been lifted off her feet by a pair of hands gripping the front of her jacket, was spun around, and her back was roughly pushed against the chain-link fence that surrounded the parking lot.

 

“You were the one who sent her away!” A somewhat inebriated voice slurred in her face.

 

Miroku and Sango were quick to move, but as soon as they had their bearings enough to try to pull the guy off Kagome, the attacker saw them. Reaching behind him, he raised his hand, pointing the open palm and fingers at them. It was instantaneous: Sango and Miroku were thrown backward through air as though someone or something with super human strength had shoved them. The landed heavily, skidding to a stop on the ground. Neither Miroku nor Sango moved, both seeming to have fallen into a deep sleep.

 

With them out of the way, the man tightened his grip on Kagome. As his nails dug into her skin, she cried out.

 

“Help! Somebody HELP! HEL—”

 

His hand moved from her jacket to her throat, hoisting her farther up the fence, and cutting off her vocal chords. He was strangling her and her friends still laid stunned on the ground.

 

 

The stars were out, the moon was rising: all in all it was rather a romantic setting. On the river, a cruise ship rippled its way through the blackened waters. On the ship's deck lights were strung out, lighting the tables of the boat's patrons who were enjoying a late night dinner.

 

Inuyasha finished with his food and placed the utensils he had been using over his plate. One of his hands snaked under the table and he fiddled with something in his pocket.

 

Waiting for dessert, he practically broke out into a sweat. He had to keep pushing up his thick glasses up as the sweat kept them sliding down.

 

Were all men so nervous?

 

Being so preoccupied with what was to come, he didn't notice the angry looks his date continuously gave him. If he had been paying attention, he would have picked up on her bitter indifference to all that was going around her, including him. Maybe he would have picked up on the fact that she looked fairly seasick.

 

Finally, the dessert came, was consumed, and the last of the plates were cleared away.

 

Was this the right time? Maybe he should have gone with his gut and done is before dessert.

 

Too late now…

 

“Kikyo, I have something to ask you.”

 

That seemed like a good start.

 

“Can't it wait, Inuyasha? I'm kinda tired.”

 

“It will only take a second, Kikyo. I've been planning this for some time…” He let his words set in. Hope flitted in his eyes.

 

Kikyo's eyes went wide, flashing with panic. Quickly, though, her face reset itself, going back to its previous bored expression.

 

“Inuyasha? Are you proposing?” Her voice took on a playful, toying quality.

 

The hanyou could only gulp and nod. This was it.

 

He made a move to get one knee, but Kikyo stopped him. “Don't.”

 

“I—”

 

“I'm not going to marry you, Inuyasha.”

 

Inuyasha felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. His insides were tightening around themselves—he was going to be sick.

 

“If you're proposing, this has gone way to far.” She looked him directly in the eye, her voice monotone, but no more than usual. “I was going to break up with you, but you invited me to such a nice place, I couldn't resist. I guess I should have known.”

 

The boat gave a lurch as it docked.

 

“Goodbye, Inuyasha. I'll get a taxi home. Tomorrow, I'll bring you the things you left at my house…please get what I left at your place together. I don't want to have to search for it.”

 

“W-why?” Was all he could get out as she turned to leave, but it was enough to stop her.

 

“Why don't I want to marry you?” Her head cocked to one side as she continued calmly. “Inuyasha, you are a hanyou. I am a miko. I guess I always thought it was obvious that this was temporary, that nothing would come of it.” She paused, realizing she might be coming off to hard. “I have enjoyed our time together…I'll see you around, Inuyasha.”

 

And with that she was gone. The wind twisting in her hair, her skirts swishing as she walked; Kikyo was gone.

 

Inuyasha stared at the place where she had just been sitting, wondering if it had really just happened.

 

He still had the ring in his pocket, it must be.

 

He nodded his head slowly.

 

It was over.

 

Inuyasha exited the boat. He didn't see Kikyo in the parking lot, or in the street as he drove away. She would come by tomorrow and get the things that he would carefully pack up, and that would be that. He'd have to give the ring back to Sesshomaru for safekeeping, it was one of the Takahashi heirlooms. Both their mothers had worn it, but Sesshomaru hadn't wanted to use it when he wed, so it had been passed down to Inuyasha. He had wanted his bride to wear his mother's ring, but after as well as this night had gone…

 

He climbed out of his car, locking it behind him.

 

Taking the stairs to his apartment two at a time, he hurried in and locked the door, shutting out the rest of the world.

 

In a matter of five minutes, he had stripped the place of pictures of Kikyo, taking note for the first time how few of the pictures were of them together. When the photos did have both of them there, they weren't touching—or rather she did seemed to be making an effort not to touch him. He would have his arm on her waist, but Kikyo posed as she did in the ones that had her solo.

 

Inuyasha crumpled up the photographs and burned the midnight oil to give the apartment a once over. As he worked, he opened a bottle of wine, in the back of his mind registering that he had been saving it for tonight.

 

So he could celebrate. With Kikyo.

 

In the end, he found all he had was a box of un-personal garbage: a sweater he had bought her that she had worn once, a book he had given her for her birthday but had never read, a locket he had…

 

He kicked the box at the door once his mind had pieced together the worrying trend.

 

Downing the last of the wine, he passed out on the sofa with an infomercial blaring along with the Smashing Pumpkins.

 

“Rain falls on everyone. The same old rain…”

 

Inuyasha scrunched his eyes closed. Damn Kikyo's cousin looked like her. It was unnerving as hell: bad enough to drag forth all the memories of Kikyo that he had been trying to get rid of for the past six months.

 

He was lying on the roof of Sango's car, waiting for them to get back.

 

Just when he thought he could stop sleeping in the office, this had to happen. It was almost as if he had ran into Kikyo herself.

 

Except her cousin could smile and had friends.

 

Rolling over onto his stomach, he propped his head up with his hands, looking out into the night. Things were calm and quiet. The only sounds were the cars from a distant street and the thumping base beat from the club.

 

Suddenly the stillness was disrupted by a shriek that cut through the quiet. Flipping over and sitting up, Inuyasha pivoted his ears to the sound just in time to hear another scream before it was violently cut off.

 

In an instant, Inuyasha was up and leaping through the air, following the sound of the cries. He landed in a parking lot and was just in time to see Kagome go slack in the attacker's grasp.

 

A/N: I know, I did it again, I fell in to the Kikyou bashing trap. I have said it before, and I will say it again: I like Kikyou. She's a cool character, especially in the black miko episodes when she does the awesome bow-deflection trip. She's just an easy character to be the frigid bitch. My apologies to Kikyou.