InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Siren ❯ Chapter 3

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Kagome unlocked the front door, and, peering around the frame, asked, “Dad? You up?”

“I'm in here,” her father's voice called from the living room. “You're home late.”

“I had to close today,” she answered, walking into the room, trying not to jostle Shippo.

Her father smiled gently, his dark brown hair falling into his blue-gray eyes. “Here,” he opened his arms, “I'll put him to bed. You go sleep.”

She handed Shippo over, “As much as I'd love to just fall into bed and not get up, I have that Voice challenge tomorrow, and I have to show some progress on that Music Comp final,” she paused. “And I'd die for a shower.”

Tony Vuorinen chuckled. “I don't think you'll have to do anything that drastic. Go get your shower, I'll put him to bed, then make some tea.”

Kagome smiled gratefully, kissed her father's cheek and said “Kiitos, Papa.”

Her father rolled his eyes slightly, “Douitashimashite, daughter.”

“Your accent is horrible,” Kagome laughed.

Her father playfully stuck his tongue out at her. “Go get your damn shower. Before I decide to do the wash.”

Laughing, Kagome ran to go get that shower she'd been wanting.

Twenty minutes later, feeling very refreshed, Kagome emerged from the steaming bathroom. The scent of Jasmine floated out after her.

“What were you singing?” her father asked, a pot of Oolong tea resting on a thick square of cloth in front of him. He poured her a cup and then replaced the pot on the table.

“When?” she sipped the tea and smiled.

“Just now,” he idly traced a path on the table. “I know the first song was `The Laughing Song'. I want to know what you were singing after that. By the way, you went slightly flat at the end of the second verse in the Laughing Song.”

“Thanks, Dad,” she said wryly. “Anyway, that was what I've been working on for that final.”

“Ah, what do you have for music so far?”

“That's just it. I know exactly how the tune will go for the first few stanzas. I know where to incorporate the chorus. I don't know how to work that infernal orchestra in.”

“What have you tried so far?”

She ticked off on her fingers, “I've tried opening with strings, opening with woodwinds, opening with the chorus, opening with the guitar, opening with the keys; nothing sounds right.”

“Drums.”

Kagome narrowed her eyes at her father, “And why should I do that?”

“Establish a rhythm. Then build from there,” he shrugged. “Maybe stick the chorus in there at the outset.

She nodded, “Slow crescendo on the strings, throw the horns in after a few measures.”

He smiled, “Then the strings take melody, then add in your guitar.”

“Harsh, or melodic?”

“Eh,” he tilted his head, “Harsh.”

“Offset the orchestra.”

“She gets it.”

Kagome smiled, taking another sip of tea.

“What lyrics do you have so far?”

She looked at him, “They're stupid.”

“Now I'm intrigued,” he gave her a smirk.

“Promise you won't laugh?”

“Scout's honor.”

She gave him a deadpan look, “You were never a boy scout.”

“Quit stalling.”

Kagome pouted, then cleared her throat. In a clear, low soprano she sang, “We used to swim/ The same moonlight waters/ Oceans away/ From the wakeful day,” she stopped abruptly. Biting her lip, she bounced slightly in her seat.

“That's all?” Tony gave his daughter an indulgent smile.

“No,” she continued chewing on her lip.

“What's wrong?”

“I don't know how to do the chorus,” she looked him in the eyes, tears of frustration about to spill over.

“Well,” he smiled genuinely. “Let me help you.”

“Alright,” she wiped her eyes. “I kinda wanted to have the chorus chant/sing a few lines and then sing over them.”

“Gethsemane,” he nodded, naming where she'd used that tactic before.

“Yeah,” she nodded, smiling again.

“So, what'll the chorus be doing?” he prodded gently when she said nothing further.

“Huh?” she blinked. “Oh. Promise me you won't freak out or send me to a shrink for this?”

“I promise.”

She nodded again, then sung quietly in a measured tempo, “My fall will be for you/ My love will be in you/ If you be the one to/ Cut me I'll bleed forever,” she repeated the phrases again in the same tempo, taking the last line up a few notes.

He looked at his daughter silently. She avoided his eyes. Sighing, he asked, “What'll you be singing over it?”

“My fall will be for you,” she quoted.

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Care to sing that?”

“Well, I have to time it with the chorus.”

“Let me take the chorus bit, you sing the line.”

“No offense, Dad,” she smiled apologetically. “But you really-“

“Can't sing,” he grinned. “I know that. I'll just chant it.”

“Alright.”

He chanted the lines dutifully, his daughter singing over him. She drew the vowels out, showing off a bit, at times harmonizing and at times leading him. Overall the sound was pleasing.

When the chorus had been heard, Kagome informed him, “Then I've got another verse, then the chorus again, and after that I'm lost.”

He grinned childishly, “Lyrics go bye-bye?”

“Sadly, that's exactly what happened.”

“You want me to help you work out that intro?”

“Nah,” she smiled, then took another sip of her cooling tea. “I think I can figure it out.”

“Alright,” he stood, kissed his daughter's forehead, then headed off to bed. “Don't stay up too much later, it's already almost three.”

“Ok,” she smiled brightly at him. “Good night, Daddy.”

“Night, Satakieli,” he returned, using his nickname for her.

“Oh, before I forget,” he turned around to hear what she had to say. “I was gonna go visit Mama tomorrow, so I'll just be dropping Shippo off before I head out.”

He nodded and continued to bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome scrambled up the stairs to her Voice class. It wasn't that she hated the class; she just really was not looking forward to it today. She normally didn't have any problems with the `challenges', then again, she normally didn't have `The Laughing Song' aria from “Die Fledermaus”.

She wasn't sure, but she thought that meant `The Flying Mouse”…Crazy Germans…

Rushing into the room ten seconds before the class began was probably not the best way to start off the day, but oh well. Kagome sat down in one of the empty chairs, waiting for her time.

Monique sat down next to her. “Habañera. You?”

“The Laughing Song,” Kagome wrinkled her nose.

“'What a funny, ha ha ha,” Monique began.

“Situation, ha ha ha,” Kagome smiled, continuing the game.

“What a startling, ha ha ha,” Monique narrowed her eyes in playful competition.

“Revelation, ha ha ha ha ha ha,” Kagome sang the laugh, hitting the notes perfectly, a slightly arrogant smirk on her face.

“Damn, you win,” Monique responded with a laugh of her own. She flipped her newly dyed blue hair out of her face, her green eyes glazed over with boredom. “What are you doing after this?”

“Music comp,” Kagome again wrinkled her nose. “Then lunch, I'll probably just head over to the library, then practice, pick up Shippo, drop Shippo off at home, then I was gonna go visit Mom.”

“Fun day,” Monique grimaced.

“Higurashi!” The sharp voice rang through the room.

“Wish me luck,” Kagome smiled nervously.

“You don't need luck,” Monique smiled genuinely.

Kagome was about to thank her when she grinned devilishly, “You need a frickin' miracle.”

Kagome resisted the urge to flick her off and merely walked to the door.

She entered a small room with the standard three judges. It wasn't Madame Cordon couldn't grade for herself, she was simply aware that she was biased towards some students and wanted to give everyone a fair chance.

“Kagome, dear,” Madame Cordon smiled warmly at her. “Tell us the name of your piece and if you have a musical accompaniment, please.”

Kagome half bowed. “The piece I will be singing is `The Laughing Song' or `Mein Herr Marquis' from Die Fledermaus. I have no accompaniment at this time.”

She scanned the judges; one seemed entirely impartial, the second looked quite interested, whether in her or in the piece she wasn't sure, the third seemed determined to hate her.

Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking on the persona of the character at the same time. The character was amused, haughty, flirtatious. When Kagome opened her eyes her `smart-assed' smirk was in place.

My dear Marquis
Why must you be
So loathe to use your eyes

She sang the first lines with strong vibrato, making it seem as though she was nearly giggling. Shaking her head softly, as though amused she continued,

When you stop and stare

Take a lot more care

And closely scrutinize

She continued, losing herself in the persona. Scolding the imaginary Marquis for being gullible, teasing him for loving a parlor maid, and generally pretending to be a haughty, egotistical bitch.

She had to admit it was fun.

When she came to the end, the part she dreaded, she went through the chorus, slowing towards the end of it, as though losing the humor. Then she began the vocalization, coyly at first, before closing her eyes, letting the practice she'd done take over. Her voice traveled in an almost chromatic scale down from the high before soaring back up. Finishing the song, she wiped all traces of the persona from her face and gave another bow.

Knowing that she was no longer needed, she walked back into the `waiting room' to tell Monique `bye' and to collect her things. She entered the room and wasn't two steps in before Monique had engulfed her in a huge hug.

“Not that I'm not happy that you're affectionate or anything,” Kagome began. “But why are you hugging me?”

“Kouga just called your cell,” Monique explained hurriedly. “He said that he'd heard from someone that there was some guy who seemed really interested in you and that he wanted to meet him, make sure he passed the test. I'm so HAPPY that you found someone!”

Kagome blinked, then blinked again. “You answered my cell?”

“Yep,” the green-eyed girl grinned brightly. “Kouga also said he's gonna meet you for lunch today.”

“Joy.”

Monique swatted her on the arm. “Well, get your things, maybe you can head down to the library now, meet Kouga for lunch later instead of being a bookworm.”

Before Kagome could respond, Monique's name was called and she was out the door. Shaking her head, Kagome grabbed her stuff and headed for the library.

Entering the double doors, Kagome inhaled. Musty, paper-scented air filled her senses. Complete silence reached her ears. She grinned stupidly and walked back to her normal reading area, aka the very back of the library.

She set her things down and headed for a random aisle. Her brows knitted in confusion when she saw a very familiar head of silver hair. A head of silver hair that she'd never seen on the campus before.

“Fancy meeting you here,” alright, so maybe the haughty bitch persona from earlier hadn't been erased completely.

“Whaddaya want, wench?” the reply came instantly.

“I was merely wondering if I should notify security,” she smiled sweetly.

He turned to her and raised an eyebrow, “What? `Fraid I might bite?”

“Hardly,” she deadpanned. “You'd probably heel after a good flick on the nose.”

“Wouldn't bet on it, bitch,” he turned back to the shelf.

“Do you call anyone anything that isn't an insult?”

“Only when I'm drunk, babe.”

“What the hell are you doing here anyway?” her eyes were dangerous slits.

“You ever heard of the Dewey Decimal System?” he flashed his own somewhat-more-smartass-than-Kagome's-smartass-smirk smirk.

Kagome's nostrils flared indignantly. “As a matter of fact, yes. I have.”

“Oh, good,” Kagome tried to restrain the urge to knock that smirk off his face. “I'd hate to have to explain it to you. Well, I happen to be using it to find a book. Anymore questions, Ka-go-me?” he infused her name with as much mocking as was possible.

“Ass.”

“Bitch.”

“Moron.”

“Wench.”

Inuyasha grinned, it wasn't often he got to bicker with someone. The raven-haired girl across from him muttered something in what sounded like an East European language. “I'm sorry, what was that?”

Kagome snarled the word again.

“You are aware that you look like a rodent when you do that,” he casually brushed past her on his way out, “right?”

“You wait just one minute!” Kagome hissed.

Inuyasha stopped dead, ears flat against his head. What choice did he have? She'd used the `Mom' voice. “You called?”

“Why are you on the campus anyway?” there was no hostility in her voice now, just curiosity.

“One of the perks of subbing at that high school across the way is unlimited access to the University,” he smiled at her.

“What are you subbing in?”

“Ever heard about curiosity and the cat?”

“Yeah,” she grinned. “I enjoy tempting fate. What are you subbing in?”

“Their guitar instructor is out for a while. I'm taking over until he gets back.”

“Electric or acoustic?”

“Prefer electric, but I'll play either.”

“What model?”

“That, my dear, is for me to know, and you to wonder about.”

She pursed her lips; Inuyasha inwardly cringed. Her next question might be something to worry about. She suddenly smiled brightly.

“Boxers or briefs?”

Kagome struggled not to laugh at the dumbstruck look on the hanyou's face. Apparently he wasn't used to being asked that point blank. Then again, what man was? “Poor thing, he's stunned.”

He quirked an eyebrow, then smirked yet again, “Thong or granny panties?”

Kagome's jaw dropped and she stood motionless for a moment. Then she spoke, “P-Point taken.”

He grinned then, one ear cocked to listen to her reply, “What're you doing for lunch?”

“Supposedly meeting a friend,” she gave him a quizzical look. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Don't feel like hanging around the pervert and the Ice King.”

She snorted. “University cafeteria, two hours?”

“Fine with me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome spotted him instantly when she entered the cafeteria. He was leaning against the wall, one foot propped on it, with a `devil may care' expression. She tried not to snicker at him.

His right ear was flicking like mad. `Must be the noise.'

She whistled to him and he turned a glare on her. Smiling unapologetically, she gestured him over. He made a great show of rolling his eyes and sighing deeply before swaggering over.

“They're annoying, aren't they?” she gestured to the crowd as a whole.

“As fuck,” he agreed.

“You must be going crazy in here,” she smiled sympathetically.

“Who says I'm not already nuts?” he grinned wickedly.

She shook her head. “Patio?”

“Please?” he looked as though it pained him to say it.

She jerked her head towards the door, walking outside. He followed.

No sooner did Kagome feel the sun on her face when her ears were assaulted by several shouts.

“Kagome!” Kouga greeted.

“Kags!” Ayame, Kouga's sister, shrieked.

“Kago-no-nee-chan!” Ginta and Hakakku chorused.

“Kouga,” she addressed the wolf youkai when she reached where he was. “You said you were coming. You didn't mention the whole gang.”

“They begged,” he smiled, enveloping her in a friendly hug.

“This your `friend'?” Inuyasha's amused voice reached her ears.

Kouga stiffened. He pulled back from the hug. Walking past Kagome, he eyed Inuyasha, who glared right back.

“Dog shit,” Kouga addressed.

“Wolf breath,” Inuyasha returned.

Kagome slapped her forehead. “Kouga,” she placated.

Kouga ignored her. “What are your intentions?” he asked Inuyasha.

“Eating lunch is pretty damn high on the list.”

“I meant with Kagome,” Kouga growled.

“Intentions?” Inuyasha laughed. “With that little wench?!”

Kagome saw Kouga's hand twitch and quickly tried to step between the two. Unfortunately, the punch flew before she could open her mouth. Sighing deeply, she knocked the wolf prince's hand away with a sharply raised forearm.

Kouga's shocked expression faded into a smirk. He aimed a kick at her side, ignoring Inuyasha's growl of warning.

Kagome arched a brow when his expression changed. She saw the blow coming and dropped into a crouch, kicking a leg out to sweep his feet out from under him.

It worked and Kouga fell back, stopping his fall by reaching his arms back. He smiled appreciatively, “Sango, eh?”

Kagome smiled back, holding a hand out to help him up. He ignored it, of course. “Yeah, Sango.”

Inuyasha blinked several times. They were acting as if they did this everyday. For all he knew, they probably did. `Memo to self: Never piss them off.'

He was about to question the two on it when another voice rang out, “You hooker!”

Kagome turned with a bright smile on her face; Kouga was back on the ground, rolling with laughter.

Inuyasha was positive that someone in this group was very insane. Shrugging, he pulled his lunch out from his bag

“Kagura!” Kagome ran to hug a tall young woman. The woman was decidedly a youkai, her crimson eyes shining with mirth, hair pulled back elegantly to reveal pointed ears.

“You hooker,” she repeated. “You haven't called me in ages!”

“I know,” Kagome smiled. “I'm sorry.”

Kagura returned the smile. Then she glared at Kouga. “And just what is so funny?”

Kouga continued to laugh unashamedly. “Hi-his face!”

Kagura, having no idea who the wolf youkai was referring to, furrowed her brow. Kagome, on the other hand, looked to where Inuyasha was calmly eating his lunch.

“Really not seeing the funny,” she said bemusedly.

Kouga stood up again, glaring at the hanyou, who looked quite nonchalant. “You would have laughed too if you'd seen it.”

“I'm sure,” Kagome smiled indulgently.

“Spook him again!” Kouga cried. “You'll see! It's hysterical.”

“I'd really rather not,” Kagome said simply.

Kagura, again smiling, glanced from Kagome to the silver-haired hanyou, “New boy-toy, Kags?”

The gaping Kagome had to admit that Inuyasha's shocked face was humorous.

~*~*~*~*~*~

You finally find

You and I collide

You finally find

You and I collide

“That was `Collide' from Howie Day,” the DJ had a deep baritone and seemed somewhat relieved that the song was ending.

“Now, as per special request, here's One Less Reason with `Favorite Color. Pick up their CD on the 27th. You won't `be disappointed',” the opening notes to the song sounded as he spoke again. “Kags, this one's yours.”

If I said the wrong thing would you leave me?

Though my fingers may break,

I just can't let you go.

Don't know why I believed you.

Not with that promise you made me just yesterday.

“Kagomeeeee,” Shippo whined. “Why are we listening to this again?”

“You don't recognize the DJ?” Kagome said, turning the radio up a bit.

“No,” the `Why should I?' went unspoken.

Kagome glanced sidelong at him before returning her eyes to the road, “That's Naraku, Shippo.”

“No wonder he sounded creepy.”

Kagome bit back a laugh. “We're home, sweetie. Go tell `grampa' that I'll be back later.”

“Ok,” Shippo bounded out of the 1981 Datsun.

Kagome cringed when he slammed the door. There was only so much more abuse this car could take.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Oh, thank God!” an orderly began to push Kagome toward room 283. “She's getting out of hand. You have to calm her down!”

Even down the hall, the shouts of “Where is my son?!” and “Bring me my baby!” could be heard clearly. Kagome continued to walk towards the room, trying to project an aura of calm. She reached door 283 and, unheeding of the chaos within, opened the door and walked inside.

Immediately a wild-eyed, black-haired woman latched on to her. “Please,” she sobbed. “Please tell me where my son is. I just want to know that he's alright. Please.”

Kagome smiled reassuringly, “I'm sure he's fine. He's probably at home and safe,” she tried to swallow around the lump in her throat. “I'm sure he's fine,” she reiterated.

“You're sure?” the pitiful pleading in the woman's voice threatened to bring tears to Kagome's eyes.

“I'm positive,” she hugged the woman to her, moving to sit on the small, cot-like bed in the corner of the room. Sitting, she rocked the woman back and forth, as a mother would rock a child to sleep after a nightmare.

“Could you sing that song for me?” the woman queried tremulously. “It's so pretty. Could I hear it again?”

Kagome stroked the woman's hair and began crooning. The song was old, written during an old war. It was one that Kagome's mother had sung to her, once, in a long forgotten time.

The water is wide

I cannot get o'er

And neither have

I wings to fly

Give me a boat

That will carry two

And both shall row

My love and I

She felt the woman's breathing even out and continued to sing until she knew the troubled soul was asleep.

Laying the woman out gently on the bed, Kagome rose and walked to the door. Turning out the light, she whispered, “Goodnight, Mama.”