InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Siren ❯ Chapter 1

The young woman looked over the list. Nothing new. Start off with a crowd favorite, in this case `She Is My Sin', move on to a slightly slower one, `Ever Dream', her version of `Walking in the Air' came next, then another crowd pleaser, `Deep Silent Complete'. After that, she would do her signature then leave the stage.

 

She glanced over at her friend and co-worker, who gave a reassuring smile, then pulled the hood to her robe over her head.

 

The anonymity had been her idea. She'd told all of them that if she were to do this, no one would know who she was. They'd told her `fine' but insisted on a stage name.

 

Hence the small, out of the way, semi-rock bar's announcement of `The Siren'. She didn't argue the name; she actually liked it. What she didn't like was the contest that evolved.

 

It had started off as a couple of patrons trying to guess who she was and had turned into an advertising gimmick to get more customers. She figured that the lucky one who did figure out her identity would get about $3000 out of it.

 

“Hey,” Sango's voice broke through her thoughts. “You alright? You zoned out for a minute there.”

 

“I'm just fine,” she smiled, slipping into her father's native accent, pronouncing the `j' as a `y'. “Thank you.”

 

Sango smiled back before going into `older sister' mode. “Now, you know that if at any time you don't think you can handle it, or if someone gets a bit rowdy, we're right there.”

 

“Sango,” the smile slipped for a second. “I know this. You forget that this is not the first time.”

 

“I know, I just worry about you. We all do,” the two women embraced for a moment. When she pulled away, Sango narrowed her eyes and morphed into `drill sergeant' mode. “Repeat after me: venom.”

 

“Wenom,” the hooded girl replied, making sure to keep the accent.

 

“The.”

 

“Da.”

 

“Unbearable.”

 

“Unbeerable.”

 

Sango smiled. “I love the way that word sounds.”

 

“You would,” she sighed.

 

“Thanks for taking the lech's table tonight, by the way.”

 

“Why do you all complain about him so much?” she shook her head. “He was a perfect gentleman every time I was over there.”

 

“I think it was his buddy's doing,” Sango admitted. “I don't think that guy could crack a smile without killing himself.”

 

“True.”

 

Mysterious though she was in the midnight blue clinging robe shot through with silver thread, the woman was slightly nervous. She bounced on the balls of her feet for a moment before clasping her hands together, crinkling the list, and then twisting her mother's ring.

 

“Christ, girl,” Sango muttered. “You're making me jittery. You still have a couple minutes.”

 

“Sorry,” the hooded girl winced.

 

“Soo…What's on the list?” Sango smirked; the girl would wager she knew damn well what was on the list.

 

“She Is My Sin, Ever Dream, Walking In The Air, Deep Silent Complete, and the signature. But I'm tempted to just end with Deep Silent Complete.”

 

“Sounds like a fun lineup,” Sango grinned wickedly.

The girl narrowed her eyes. “You aren't the one performing them.”

 

“True,” Sango's grin grew. “What's that one stanza of She Is My Sin again?”

 

“Why?”

 

“'Cause I want to know when to check the pervert's reaction.”

 

Sango ducked quickly as the other girl swiped playfully at her.

 

“Ummm…” A quiet, unsure voice broke through the light atmosphere. Both women turned guiltily.

 

“Yes?” the hooded woman asked kindly, the first to recover.

 

“You've got twenty seconds,” the sandy haired man said, over his insecurity, smiling brightly, if a little dumbly.

 

“Thank you, Hojo,” Hojo nodded and left the room. “Guess I better get my ass out there, eh, San?”

 

“Break a leg,” Sango said softly, watching her friend head for the small stage.