InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Siren ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

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

Disclaimer: Own nothing. Not Nightwish, not Inuyasha, not Eddie Izzard's 'mass murdering fuckhead' line. Nothing. Zippo. Zilch.

---

Kagome looked around, or would have if she’d been able to move more than a millimeter.

‘What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I move?’

She tried to focus on her surroundings. A bow was in her hand, an arrow notched, string pulled taut. In front of her, obviously wounded, was a white haired figure in ancient red robes. He was leaning heavily on the tree behind him.

‘Inuyasha? What’s he doing here?’

“Shoot him,” a voice whispered in her mind. “Kill him.”

‘What?’ Kagome’s breath left her. In response, the arrow was pulled back a fraction of an inch more.

‘Please, get away from me!’ beads of sweat began to form on her brow.

“Kill him!” the voice was annoyed, impatient.

‘No!’ her grip on the arrow began to loosen. ‘I won’t! I can’t!’

Her eyes focused again on the hanyou. He hadn’t moved. He was watching her through hooded eyes; waiting for her next move. He seemed almost resigned.

“Now!”

“No!” it came out as a whisper. The arrow dropped. ‘Get him out of here, you dolt!’

“Inuyasha,” her voice was a strained whisper. “Get away!”

His ear flicked in her direction.

“Please,” she tried again. “I have…no control…over my body!”

His head began to raise slowly.

The pull entered her mind again. Her arm began to reach for the arrow. ‘Damnit! Not now!’

“Stupid mortals,” the voice was back. “No more delays. Kill him.”

The arrow was inches from her grasp now. “I can’t…stop,” she was almost begging him now. “Run, before it’s too late! Before I…”

He cut her off sharply, standing fully now, breathing heavily, a hand pressed against his left shoulder, “That’s enough! I don’t want to hear it!”

She looked at him, trying to will him to leave. ‘Please, don’t fight me. Not on this.’

“I’m sick of you and everyone else telling me to run! I’m not running!”

The control spell spiked suddenly, causing her to wince inwardly and his next words to be muffled slightly. “Not without you! I won’t leave you behind!”

The arrow was nearly in her hand now and she fought to drop it. Her hand rebelled against her mind. ‘I-‘ she nearly wept. ‘I’m losing control again.’

“No,” he murmured, watching her. “Not again.”

She didn’t have time to ponder that statement before the arrow was again notched and aimed. ‘Inuyasha, no,’ the stubborn bastard refused to move.

‘No,’ the string was pulled taut.

‘No!’ he didn’t even flinch.

‘NO!’ her hand let the arrow fly.

---

“No,” a breathless gasp left her. She sat up. No trees, no clearing, no red-garbed hanyou. Just her room.

‘What if he’s hurt? What if he’s dead?’

As ridiculous as her thoughts were at the moment, they got her moving. The ruined shirt came off, the camisole underneath stayed, her slime encrusted pants were removed, pajama pants thrown on. She snatched a long-sleeved linen shirt from her closet and shrugged into it, not bothering with the buttons. She slipped on sandals and ran towards the door.

It was eight-o’clock. By the time she caught the bus and arrived at the school it would be nearly nine. He’d be there already, wouldn’t he?

She made it to the high school without incident and proceeded to scramble for the studio. When she flung open the door, she immediately caught sight of the silver-haired man standing towards the rear of the room.

“You’re alive,” she panted out, leaning against the door.

“Uh, yeah, wench,” Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “If you thought a couple of scratches would take me down, you were sorely mistaken.

Off to his left, Meryn Riley raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again!” he would have expected her to recover by now. However her breathing was more labored and he could smell tears.

“Woman, what is wrong with you?” he refused to let worry creep into his tone. “You run all the way down here or something?” he started to turn. “You don’t sound too- shit.”

Her face was pale, her breathing was becoming thready, there was a fine sheen of sweat on her brow, tears were running down her face, and her eyes were unfocused. It was a miracle she was still standing…Or had been standing.

He vaulted several stunned students to reach her before she hit the ground. As soon as he caught her, she latched on to his shirt.

The hanyou would have made a crack about a teddy bear had he not noticed the blood staining her right sleeve. “Stupid bitch,” he muttered. “Bet you didn’t even notice it.”

“I’ll be back,” he addressed the class. “And if any of you even think of screwin’ around…” before he could finish the threat he was out the door.

Meryn smirked and craned her neck around the doorframe. The sub had decided not to bother with the stairs apparently. “He’s gonna be gone for a while.”

---

Aya’s day had yet to improve since she’d been in a fender bender that morning. “I’m not going to hurt her,” she deadpanned, glaring at the subconsciously growling hanyou. “I just need to tranq her so I can clean it.”

He eyed her distrustfully. The woman in his arms shuddered, then whimpered.

Aya quirked an eyebrow at him. “Unless you want her to get worse. I dunno, you look kinda comfortable.”

His lips twitched slightly. She took that as a good sign and moved forward again. Instinctively, his grip tightened and a growl again left him.

“What is it with you inus?” Aya threw up her hands in frustration. “Mate’s in danger, what do you do? Of course you can’t let the doctor near them!”

His grip loosened around the word ‘mate’. Aya rolled her eyes and quickly tranqed the young woman. His eyes narrowed in response.

“What? There was an opening. I took it,” she smiled slightly. “Now, let me see that arm.”

She reached for it and his grip tightened again. “There’s enough of that tranquilizer for you, y’know.”

He didn’t respond, but he looked slightly amused.

“Ok,” she fell back on her internship in the maternity ward. “All that’s going to happen is that I’m going to clean the little cut she’s got. That’ll get rid of the poison, and hopefully this damn protective streak you’re showing.”

“And you really think I can get her to let go?”

Aya considered for a moment, “Maybe if I had a crowbar…”

He chuckled and gently, so as not to cut the woman with his claws, began to ease her hand open.

“Or you could just try that…”

The instant her hand released his shirt, the unconscious woman gripped his hand.

“Clingy little thing, isn’t she,” Aya remarked, unbuttoning the sleeve of the woman’s shirt. As she rolled the sleeve up, a bit of black caught her eye. “That’s pretty,” the nurse remarked quietly, tracing the ink with her finger. “Wonder what it means.”

“’Hope’,” he offered no other explanation.

Aya smiled gently and continued moving the sleeve up. She quickly cleaned the small cut near the woman’s shoulder, causing the hand gripping the man’s to tighten.

Seconds later she announced, “All done. I’m going to check her over, just to be sure. You can leave if you want.”

As soon as the word ‘leave’ left the nurse’s lips, the young woman pulled herself closer to the hanyou.

“I think I’ll stay, thanks,” he said, dryly.

“I figured you’d say that,” Aya gestured to the woman’s other arm. “If you don’t mind?”

---

Kagome’s eyes snapped open. ‘Where am I? Why are the walls pink?’ She sat up slowly. ‘I have to go yell at Madame. And make sure that hanyou hasn’t gotten himself into trouble. And figure out where the hell my shirt went.’

“Oooh,” There was a motherly scolding tone from off to her left. “Don’t sit up yet. You gave us quite a scare.”

“Us?” her voice cracked slightly.

“Where’d you get ‘em done?” that voice definitely wasn’t a woman.

“Huh?” ‘Great, Higurashi. You’re real intelligent.’

“’Remember’, ‘Hope’, some sort of code?” he was probably wearing that infuriating smirk again.

“No.”

“Is she always this monosyllabic?” Aya questioned.

Kagome flopped back onto the pillow. “Shutup voices. You don’t want me to get the Q-tip again do you?”

“Delusional, interesting,” a new voice joined.

“When did Madame get into my head?” Kagome moaned. Deciding suffocation was better than insanity, she rolled over.

“That’s a kickass tat Kags, design it yourself?”

“Monique! Out of my head!”

“I’m hurt,” Monique pouted.

“Aww, I’m sure she meant nothing by it.”

“Sal?” Kagome turned her head to look at where she assumed they’d be.

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Sal waved.

‘Damnit, they aren’t just voices.’ “What in the seven hells are you doing here?”

“You didn’t show up for that little meeting thing,” Monique explained. “So we decided to check the guitar studio. The little twerps are helpful when they want to be.”

Kagome suddenly remembered her little checklist. “Dogboy?”

There was a snicker from Madame’s corner.

“Yes, Kaggiekins?”

More snickering.

“You aren’t in imminent danger are you?”

“No, that would be Thursday.”

Madame smirked, “Boyfriend?”

“Bodyguard,” Kagome corrected, glaring half-heartedly at the hanyou.

“Good,” Madame nodded sharply. “You need someone to keep you out of trouble.

“He is trouble,” Kagome folded the pillow over her head. “And don’t think you aren’t in trouble missy.”

“Me?” Madame smiled innocently. “Whatever did I do?”

“’Der Hölle Rache kocht en mienem Herzen’,” Kagome spat.

“It does? Really, what an interesting development.”

The amused nurse began to hum the aria. Sal noticed and turned to her, “What’s it mean?”

“’The revenge of hell boils in my heart’, such a lovely little piece,” Aya resumed her humming.

“I’ll do Casta Diva if you want me to!” Kagome begged. “Just not that one! Please!”

“You will do what I assigned you and that is final.”

“You assigned me ‘Oh sleep’,” Kagome pointed out.

“Yes, well,” Madame racked her brains for an excuse. “If I’d announced Der Hölle the students would have assumed I was playing favorites.”

“Or that you hated me,” Kagome muttered.

“Nonsense,” Madame waved her hand. “You know the ‘Fresh Faces’ company is putting on ‘Die Zauberflöte’ this year.”

“Who is doing what?”

“You’re auditioning and that is that,” Madame snapped, causing Inuyasha to flinch. “If you don’t think you’re ready, I’ll train you. Meet me at five,” the imperial matron stormed out.

“Aaagh!” Kagome resumed trying to suffocate herself with the pillow. “I won’t play that vengeful, conniving bitch!” she yelled into the somewhat flat object.

“And that’s out of character, how?” the hanyou snatched the now airborne pillow before it hit his face.

“Really, Kags,” Monique reasoned. “It’s not that bad. Just two aria’s and one quintet.”

“And all in German!” Kagome whined. “It’s impossible to sing in German without sounding like you’re going to spit!”

“Not going to argue there,” Sal acquiesced.

“Well, you have to admit,” Monique’s hands were on her hips now. “She’s only trying to help.”

Kagome’s eyes narrowed. “What happened to ‘the sadistic teacher gave me a Puccini’?”

“Oh, that,” Monique smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah,” Kagome smirked. “That.”

“She switched it to a Purcell.”

“Out!”

“Sheesh,” Monique grumbled heading for the door. “It’s not like I begged her, she just did it.”

Kagome turned to glare at Sal, “Yours still a Puccini? Or did she give you a Purcell too?”

Sal smiled brightly, “Madam is still sadistic. But I’m gonna go now,” he scampered out the door.

When he was out the door, Kagome pouted quietly at the two remaining.

Aya smiled gently. “I’d love to chat, but I have records to file,” she was gone.

Kagome continued to pout, turning to the hanyou.

“Don’t even give me that look,” he raised an eyebrow at her. “And before you throw something at me again, I’ve got to make sure there’s still a studio up there.”

He stood and began walking for the door, before stopping and glancing over his shoulder at her, “I’m not going to ask ‘why’. I’m not going to stand here and call you an idiot. I will tell you that if you ever do it again, I will kick your ass from here to the 16th century.” Then, he too was out the door.

Kagome watched him leave before rolling onto her back. ‘Downside: He knows. Upside: He won’t be asking about the damn sleeves anymore.’

Her brow furrowed. ‘Speaking of which…’ “Where’s my shirt?” she called to the nurse.

“It’s being cleaned,” Aya answered.

“Lovely,” Kagome sighed and decided maybe a nap would help.

---

“Mom!” the half-scream caused Kagome to awaken. “They had nothing to do with this! Your legions of fanatics started this!”

The young woman turned to glare at the disturbance, only to find a boy, who couldn’t have been any older than 16, nose-to-nose with a woman who made the typically aloof Kikyou seem approachable.

“You will watch your tone, young man,” the woman’s voice was ice. “They are not ‘fanatics’ as you have termed them. They are merely concerned for you and are trying to help.”

“By beating me up?” the boy was incredulous. Kagome sat up. “Call off your attack dogs, Mom. I’m not joining your cause.”

“Listen to me,” her tone was deceptively sweet. “You will do as I tell you. I have repeatedly told you that those little ‘demon’ friends of yours are no good. Their kind has caused nothing but trouble-“

Kagome couldn’t help the snort that escaped her.

“Ah,” the woman that Kagome had already decided to call ‘uber-bitch’ turned to face her. “We have an eavesdropper it would seem.”

“It would seem,” Kagome echoed coldly.

“Perhaps you can talk some sense into my son,” the woman raised an eyebrow. “He simply won’t listen to me. Perhaps a woman of your,” she coughed delicately. “Position, will be able to convince him.”

“Mom, shut up,” the boy snarled, praying the other woman wouldn’t understand the insinuation.

“Are you calling me a slut?” Kagome asked in a dead tone.

Uber-bitch smiled politely. “Given your state of attire, I wonder what else you would have me call you.”

“Demon-lover would be about right,” the boy cringed as the second woman took on a flippant tone.

Aya, familiar with Ms. Winslow’s campaign, slapped her forehead.

“Demon-lover?” Winslow arched an eyebrow. “You are aware that those…Creatures…And their kind make up for half of the country’s crime.”

“Oh, damn,” Kagome looked thoughtful. “And I suppose the sewer rats make up the other half?”

“They are lower than sewer rats!” the woman suddenly screeched. “They are foul, debase. They have no respect for the sanctity of marriage! They steal, lie, cheat-“

“And I can point you to over a hundred full-blooded humans who fit the same description,” Kagome glared at the ranting woman.

“All of those humans must have been corrupted by demons,” the woman, having retained a semblance of composure, sniffed. “There’s no other explanation. Once we get rid of all of them and their foul breed, especially the half-bloods, everything will be perfect.”

Kagome shook her head. “Hitler would have loved you,” she murmured.

“You dare compare me to that mass-murdering psychopath?” Winslow laughed coldly.

“He was a mass-murdering fuckhead, I’ll grant you that,” Kagome said without humor. “But, what you’re suggesting is genocide. I don’t see any difference between the two of you.”

“What I am suggesting is an extermination of a pest that has overstayed its welcome,” she smiled placatingly. “You would do well to look over your history text again.”

“Hitler blamed all of his country’s problems on the Jews, Romani, homosexuals, and anyone who didn’t fit his description of a human being,” the college student stated bluntly. “You’re doing the exact same thing.”

“You poor, deluded child,” the older woman clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Take a closer look at your little ‘demon’ friends. What you find may surprise you.” She turned back to her son, clearly finished with the conversation.

Kagome glowered at the back of the woman’s head. “Jawohl, mein Fuhrer,” she remarked coldly.

Whipping back around, the fuming mother marched forward until she was inches from the raven-haired student. “Listen to me, you little demon-whore,” she seethed. “The entire race is flawed. Untouchable. By associating with them, you have debased yourself until you are nothing more that a speck of dirt. You, and all of them, have no place in a civilized society.”

The woman took a step back, heading for the door. “Whore yourself out to them. You serve no other purpose.”

The door slammed shut.

“Better a demon’s whore than prejudiced bitch deluded by self-righteousness,” Kagome whispered to no one.

“You really shouldn’t have argued with her,” the boy muttered from his seat by the door. “She’ll be on the warpath all day.”

“You live with that-“ Kagome broke off before she cursed again.

“Dear old Mom,” he laughed harshly. “I’m the black sheep, of course.”

“Good for you.”

“Michael,” Aya said quietly. “I’m going to call your father, alright?”

“Go ahead,” Michael waved dismissively. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I am,” Kagome climbed out of bed. “One of the Mamoru’s is bound to have a prep.”

“The elder one does, I think,” Aya told her, already dialing the boy’s father.

“Thanks,” the younger woman smiled gratefully. She then turned to Michael. “C’mon, I want you to meet a friend of mine.”

The boy turned to the nurse for permission. She smiled gently and waved him off.

Once out the door, Kagome began nearly marching for the History classroom. “You’ll like Mr. Mamoru,” she told the boy. “He’s pretty cool.”

“I think I’ve seen him around,” Michael answered dismissively.

They reached the door and Kagome knocked quietly, not wanting to interrupt in case he had a class.

The door opened and the History professor smiled kindly. “Kagome, come in. We were just talking about an interesting conversation we overheard.”

“We?” Kagome smiled, ushering Michael into the classroom.

“What the hell are you doing out of bed, wench?”

“That answers that question,” the woman rolled her eyes.

“Who are you guys?” Michael asked.

“I’m Mr. Mamoru,” Inutaisho introduced. “This lovely lady,” he gestured to a corner, “is Rin. The foul-mouthed one is my son, Inuyasha. And the Ice King over there is my other son, Sesshomaru.”

“Sorry to interrupt the family reunion,” Kagome went and sat by Rin. “Just really needed to get out of there.”

“Ms. Winslow is rather overbearing,” Sesshomaru conceded.

“She’s a bitch,” Inuyasha and Michael corrected.

“How long has she been doing that?” Kagome asked, intrigued.

“Every time she shows up here she tries to convert someone,” Inutaisho shrugged. “I don’t think she’s won anyone over yet.”

“I wonder why,” Rin remarked, dryly.

“That was, though, by far the most unsettled I’ve heard her,” the professor smiled. “Good job.”

“Yeah,” the hanyou smirked. “The Hitler thing was a nice touch.”

Kagome looked between the two, confused. “How can you be so, so… blasé about this? In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a sect out there that would be perfectly fine with initiating another Holocaust to get rid of you!”

“Yeah, caught that,” Michael watched interested as ‘the foul-mouthed one’ stared out of a window while answering. “They tried it fifty years ago too. Nothing new.”

“And what?” she was fuming and near tears. Not good. “You’re fine with it? You…Expect it?”

“No,” Inuyasha snapped. “There’s just no point in trying to convince morons that they’re wrong! They’ll rant and rave for a while, maybe kill a few! Then they’ll shut up. Thirty, forty years later, someone will think they’re being original and they’ll start it up again. It’s a cycle.”

“So fight back!” she exploded, moving forward and shoving a finger into his chest. “They do it because they know you won’t do a goddamn thing! But if you fight-“

“They’ll what?” Michael flinched at the anger in his tone. “Back off? I’ve got news for you babe. If we fight back, even if we don’t injure anyone, they’ll twist it, call us bloodthirsty savages. They’ve been doing it for over 500 years, they ain’t gonna stop now.”

“You have just as much of a right to live as they do,” she hissed. “The only reason they’re afraid is because you’re different. They need to get the hell over it!”

“You know it, and I know it,” he smiled grimly. “But it ain’t gonna happen.”

Rin, who had watched the scene play out with an odd sense of fascination, gave Inutaisho a half-hearted glare when he asked, “How’s Jinenji nowadays?”

Apparently having forgot there were other people in the room, the two turned, wide-eyed, to look at him.

“I-I don’t know,” Kagome confessed. “I haven’t talked to him in months. Last I heard he was working for a psychology degree to become a counselor.”

“And his mother?” Rin’s glare became slightly more heated and Sesshomaru inched away from her.

“She died, five months ago. There was an attack on their home. Why?”

“Just curious,” he smiled nervously at his elder son’s girlfriend and quickly began filing graded papers.

“So you guys are demons, huh?” Michael studied the three.

“Yeah,” Inuyasha muttered.

“Mostly,” Sesshomaru corrected.

“What the hell was that supposed to mean?” the younger brother was immediately defensive.

“In case you have not noticed, little brother,” Sesshomaru hid a smirk, feigning boredom. “There are two human females in our ranks.”

“Here they go again,” Rin muttered as Kagome moved to sit next to her.

“They always arguing?” the other woman asked.

“No,” Rin smiled. “Sometimes they bicker.”

“You son of a-“Inuyasha broke off, considering. “Damnit. Can’t even use that one on you.”

“Oh, look,” Sesshomaru smiled condescendingly. “It can think.”

“Yeah, ‘it’ can,” Inuyasha retorted. “’It’ is also five seconds away from kicking your sorry ass.”

Michael sat down on the other side of Rin. “They’re a bit…” he searched for the right word.

“Juvenile?” Kagome supplied.

“Quirky?” Rin threw out.

Inutaisho calmly continued to file papers. “Boys, if you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. The janitors just cleaned this room.”

“Sorry,” the two looked appropriately chagrined and moved to opposite sides of the room.

“Bipolar,” Michael concluded.

“You sayin’ I’m nuts?” Inuyasha snarled from his corner.

“Down boy,” Kagome laughed. “When you two go from allies, to combatants, to…” she paused, “house pets in a matter of minutes, what else do you expect the kid to think?”

“I’m not crazy,” the snarl was gone, replaced by a slight pout.

“I’m not too high up on the sanity scale myself,” she gestured to her left wrist.

“Now who’s being blasé?” he grinned.

“And there they go,” Rin muttered.

“Hey, I’m over it,” Kagome’s smile was a bit strained.

Papers forgotten, Inutaisho leaned against the file cabinet, a bit confused.

“And that’s why you hide?”

While everyone else looked confused, Kagome became defensive. “Just because I’m over it doesn’t mean I’m proud.”

“Then why’d you do it?” he prodded, leaning against a wall.

“What is it with you and questions?” Kagome exploded. “First the bruise, then the sleeves, now this? Lay off, would you?”

“Alright,” he raised his hands. “Fine, I’ll back off.”

It was quiet for a moment, then he asked. “Why the tattoos?”

“Augh!” She glared at him. “Curiosity and the cat, remember?”

“Not a cat,” he waved dismissively. “Why the tats? Got bored? Needed a change? What?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, “More like, ‘needed a pain fix and someone hid the blades’, alright?”

“All I needed to know,” he resumed staring out the window.

Kagome dropped her head into her hands. “I’m gonna kill him. One of these days…”

“Yep,” Rin said, hollowly. “Know the feeling.”

Sesshomaru’s eyes widened marginally and his fiancée quickly added, “The ‘gonna kill him’ thing. Not the pain thing.”

Sesshomaru subtly began checking the exits and looking for weapons.

“Lighten up, Sess,” his brother snorted. “If she goes psycho, I won’t tell her where you hid.”

“I wouldn’t tell you,” Sesshomaru pointed out.

“Ouch.”

---

“You’re late,” Sango sing-songed as Kagome walked in.

“Bite me,” the other woman snapped.

“Bad day?”

A glare was her only answer.

“You’re up tonight, you know,” Sango grinned broadly.

“Perfect,” Kagome groaned, picking up a tray and pad. “Madame’s gone Marquis de Sade, the guys are raving lunatics, I have a meeting with the label tomorrow, and Tero’s flying in three days from now! Any other little tidbits to make the week worse?”

“We have no set list, you’re ad libbing.”

“Remind me to yell at Tyson.”

---

“Hi!” Kagome smiled brightly. “Welcome to Tyson’s. I’m Kagome and I’ll be your server this evening.”

“She’s about to strangle someone, isn’t she?” Miroku smiled falsely, watching the waitress flit from table to table.

“She’s seconds away,” Sango confirmed. “Which is why I’m taking over your table for the evening.

“Why, my dearest Sango,” Miroku’s smile turned disarming. “What a pleasure-“

“Stow it!” the waitress snapped. “Order your drink, or shut your mouth.

Sesshomaru smiled slightly as Rin giggled. This little get-together had been her idea. The nitwits had been brought along for entertainment.

So far they were serving their purpose.

---

“We’re going to do things a little differently, here, tonight,” Kagome began, the accent drawing out the vowels. “I have no program.”

There was a small chorus of ‘awww’s as some of the patrons noted their disappointment.

“However,” she smiled slightly. “I do have an audience. Is there anyone here celebrating something? An engagement, maybe?” she looked to Sesshomaru and Rin. “Or an anniversary?”

A hand was raised in the right corner and she turned. “Really? What are you celebrating?”

The reply was somewhat muffled but she was able to make it out, “A honeymoon?” She laughed. “Then what on earth are you doing here?”

There was a smattering of laughter and the bride blushed.

“I’m sorry,” Kagome shook her head softly. “What do you want to hear?”

The reply was almost instantaneous. “Walking in the Air.”

The hooded figure nodded and a soft piano melody started. When she began to sing, her voice was light, airy.We’re walking in the air
We’re floating in a moonlit sky
The people far below
Are sleeping as we fly

The slow, swaying tune caused several couples to stand and slow dance at their tables.

I’m holding very tight
I’m riding in a midnight blue
I’m finding I can fly
So high above with you

She paused for a moment and a flute played a small scale, the keyboard suddenly relegated to intermittent chords. When the flute had finished, drums began to add a subtle 4/4 rhythm. Her vocals returned with a bit more power behind them now.Far across the world
The villages go by like dreams
The rivers and the hills
The forests and the streams

Kagome never noticed when she started to sway in time. She closed her eyes and allowed the music to take over. This one was easily her favorite.Children gaze open mouthed
Taken by surprise
Nobody down below believes their eyes

Inuyasha glanced around, making note of the various lighters and cell phones being waved.

Rin rested her head lightly on Sesshomaru’s shoulder. This had definitely been a good idea.We’re surfing in the air
We’re swimming in a frozen sky
We’re drifting over ice
Mountains floating by

Instead of the flute providing the break, Kagome vocalized it herself. In her mind’s eye she could see a single feather, floating on an updraft. Given the slight gasps from a few in the crowd, she guessed that what she had pictured had emerged in the form of an illusion.

She wasn’t wrong. Upwards of forty shimmering, pale feathers seemed to dance around the room.

Rin smiled broadly. A very good idea indeed.Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep
We’re rousing up a mighty monster from its sleep

She held the note, but tapered off as the guitar came in, playing a slow, wailing solo. The guitar ended, echoing slightly, and those who knew the song by heart began clapping a quick rhythm, which the drums soon took up. The synth, sounding more like strings, joined in.We’re walking in the air
We’re floating in a midnight sky
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly

The smile on her face grew as she sang.I’m holding very- holding very tight
I’m riding in a midnight blue
I’m finding I can fly so high above

She paused to take a breath before nearly belting out the final words.With you

The drums, synth, and guitar continued for a close-out. The synth was simply repeated, melodic chords, the guitar was quick low-end work, and the drums added small counter-beats. The tempo began to slow before ending the song.

There was applause, catcalls, and even a few whistles, but everything went silent when she raised her hand. “Any other special occasions I should know about?”

The show continued without a hitch, until a man, who had apparently had a bit too much to drink, decided that he was going to unmask the singer.

Kagome saw him coming. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sango and a somewhat hesitant Hojo prepare to defend her. She held out a hand to stay them.

The man leapt onto the small stage and Kagome barely had time to concentrate on a glamour before he ripped back the hood.

His eyes grew wide and he backed away, fearful. “Marie?” his voice trembled.

Kagome smiled tremblingly and, thankful the charm had worked, held out a hand to him. Immediately he was sobbing onto her shoulder, murmuring teary ‘I’m so sorry’s.

She said nothing for a moment, trying to calm him. Hearing a murmured ‘what the fuck?’ from table six, she began to wonder if the charm had worked like she hoped.

It had.

Inuyasha was blatantly staring as a doppelganger of his mother comforted the unknown man. ‘Izayoi’ gave him a soft smile, and began to gently stroke the man’s hair.

Without music, she began to sing, her voice low and gentle.Sleep Eden, sleep
My fallen son

Her voice was trembling as she continued to hold the man, trying to absorb his pain.Slumber in peace
Cease the pain

Rin watched the woman, who looked like her long-dead friend, soothe the broken man and tried to stop her tears. Instantly, Sesshomaru pulled her into his arms and she closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest.

Life just in vain
For us to gain
Nothing but all the same

A soft piano played a mournful melody. When she began to sing again, light, staccato chimes accented her words.

No healing hand
For your disease
Drinking scorn like water
Cascading with my tears

The man’s knees buckled and she slowly sank to the floor with him. Resting his head on her chest, she sifted through the turmoil coming off of him, crooning all the while.

Beneath the candle bed
Two saddened angels
In heaven, in death

Different memories began to flash through her head; a woman screaming into her face, the same woman weeping, a different woman with tears in her eyes, holding out her hand, ‘Mama, what’s a half-breed?’, the first woman on a hospital bed, tubes springing from her frail body, a coffin-

Now let us lie
Sad we lived, sad we die

-two words echoed in two different voices, ‘My fault.’

Kagome shook her head, trying to clear the words. Her voice trembled on the next lines. She stroked the man’s face lightly, trying to make herself understood.

Even in your pride
I never blamed you

The man dropped his head and held her tighter. Knowing exactly who the other ‘voice’ was, Kagome glanced sadly at table six, locking gazes with a suddenly withdrawn hanyou.A mother’s love
Is a sacrifice

Sesshomaru followed the woman’s eyes, and decided to leave his brother alone. There was nothing he could do to change his mind. Inuyasha would most likely always feel guilty.Together sleeping
Keeping it all
Keeping it all

Knowing that she hadn’t been heard nearly broke Kagome’s heart. Tears slipped past her lashes as the guitar played a mournful solo.

Sango watched silently as her friend seemed to age ten years over the course of the song. She decided that, as soon as Kagome was off stage, she was sending her home.

Kagome closed her eyes and began to sing again, her voice openly shaking.No sympathy
No eternity

Suddenly, small pinpoints of shimmering light filled the stage. The tears on her cheeks seemed to crystallize before floating off her face and hovering.One light for each undeserved tear

The vocalization that followed was at the same time powerful and fragile, she was close to breaking and her voice showed it.

The music stopped suddenly and she closed the song a capella, still refusing to open her eyes.Beneath the candle bed
Two souls with everything yet to be said

The light on stage went out, a murmured ‘I’m sorry’ was heard and when the lights came back up, the man was alone.

---

Back in the small room, Naraku remained silent as the two women went about the post-show ritual. Kagome seemed to be ‘shell-shocked’ as some would call it, barely moving.

Finally, Sango hugged her friend, saying, “Go home, we’ll cover,” and nodded to him.

Naraku stepped forward slightly, unsure of how to begin the conversation.

“Miss Higurashi-“ he started.

“Don’t,” she cut him off, her voice still quavering. “That reminds me of the psychs. You know you can call me Kagome.”

He nodded slightly. “Kagome,” he amended. “My sister informed me that you were in need of a keyboardist,” his inflection caused it to become a question.

“I am.”

“I’d like to help,” he said quietly.

“And what would you be asking for in return?” she was beginning to fidget. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him, she was simply feeling especially vulnerable right now.

“I only ask for some of your time,” he chuckled. “I sound like a Jane Austen movie. All I want is an interview. On –air or pre-recorded, your choice. You don’t have to say your name, and we can tweak your voice…” he trailed off, feeling a bit unsure. “I’d understand if you didn’t want to, I mean the whole secre-“

“I’ll do it,” she turned to him and smiled slightly. “Just give me a date, time and address.”

He nodded. “I’ll give it to Kagura.”