File 5: Meeting

 

            Artificial light glinted off the steel arrowhead as Kagome nocked her bow, her eyes glued to the target.

 

            ‘Focus…’

 

            It had been nearly a year since her life had been thrown into utter chaos.

 

            ‘Focus…no distractions…’

 

            Nearly a year since she had become a member of the IYC.  Nearly a year since she had been taken under Shiraha’s wing.

 

            ‘No distractions…just you and the target…you are the target…’

 

            Nearly a year since she had come home to find her family dead.

 

            ‘Mama…’

 

            Kagome jumped, startled by the sudden thought.  Too late did she realize her hold on the string had released.  The schoolgirl could only watch as the arrow flew through the air, clipping the side of the target before clattering to the ground.

 

            “Nice shot,” a feminine voice commented dryly.  Turning, Kagome looked over at the speaker.  Shiraha stood there, leaning against the doorframe that served as the entrance to the locker rooms.  The ryu’s gaze was focused not on Kagome herself, but on the fallen arrow.

 

            “I was distracted,” Kagome replied, her voice emotionless.  Shiraha frowned as she shifted slightly.  She opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to think the better of it as she closed it without a sound.  Kagome watched her passively for a moment, but no other reaction came – the older woman’s eyes were still locked on the fallen arrow.

 

            Satisfied, Kagome turned back to the target.  Nocking another arrow she drew back, distancing herself.

 

            Shiraha’s gaze shifted to Kagome the moment the teen’s back was turned.  It had been eleven months since they had been forced to recruit the girl.  Eleven months, and there had been no progress in drawing her from the cold, emotionless shell she had wrapped herself in.

 

            “You missed the meeting,” a masculine voice murmured from behind.

 

            “I know,” came the soft reply.  A moment passed before she turned around, smiling in greeting.  “But quite frankly, listening to others whine and complain is a complete waste of time.  I have other things to do.”  She smirked,” and besides, I have you to fill me in on what I ‘missed’.”

 

            “So you’re simply using me as an excuse to get out of meetings?”

 

            “Exactly.”

 

            “Uh-huh.”  Ginharou crossed his arms in front of his chest.  “And if you didn’t have me as a partner, then what would you do?”

 

            The smile slipped from her face.  “If I didn’t have you as a partner I would probably enjoy the meetings.  Because if I didn’t have you as a partner I would probably be like Kagome.”  Shiraha paused, a thoughtful look on her face.

 

            The wolf dog blinked – what could she possibly be thinking?  And then it clicked.  He could feel a slow smile creeping on his face.  “Do you want to ask, or shall I?”

 

            “I’ll do it.”  She smirked.  “I have better methods of…persuasion.”  And before Ginharou had a chance to reply she bolted, leaving the wolf dog to silently watch Kagome’s never-ending practice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Shinonome sighed as she dropped into her chair – today had simply not been her day.  She glared at the paperwork on her desk as if it, too, was conspiring against her.  Emitting a groan she leaned forward, reaching for her pen.

 

            A bell sounded and she paused, a small growl working its way up her throat.  What was it now?  “Come in.”

 

            The metal door lifted up into the wall and Shiraha nearly bounced into the room.

 

            “Shino-chan!” The ryu sang out, stopping at the front of the desk.  “I have a widdle favour to ask.”

 

            The eagle youkai arched an eyebrow in amusement.  “I’m listening.”

 

            “I need a partner – ” came the solemn proclamation.

 

            Shinonome fell out of her chair.  What the hell?

 

            “ – for Kagome,” Shiraha finished, a small grin on her face.  “Why, Shino-chan, what did you think I meant?”  The devious light in her eye belied her innocent tone.

 

            “Just for that, you know, I should deny your request.”  The ryu’s playful demeanor evaporated at Shinonome’s words, and the eagle youkai held up her hands to forestall the inevitable argument.  “I should deny it, but I’ll approve.”  Her lips twitched in a smile.  “I know you all too well.”

 

            Shiraha raised an eyebrow, but her knowing look gave her away.

 

            “Chibi-Shin knows one too many tricks already,” the eagle youkai commented dryly.  She leaned back, picking up her pen.  “Just to let you know, the trainees have already been paired up.  However, there is one remaining trainee, if you really think Kagome could handle him.”

 

            “Do I really want to know?”

 

            “Probably not.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Kagome leaned against the wall, completely puzzled.  Her practice had ended a half-hour ago, so she was now dressed in black slacks with a red shirt.

 

            She frowned slightly – Shiraha had asked her to wait here – something about a surprise – but the ryu was nowhere to be found.  She shifted; this waiting about was wasting her time.

 

            Noise at the end of the hallway drew her attention and she turned her head just in time to glimpse two people coming into view.  Nope, it wasn’t Shiraha.

 

            Instead, there were two males coming closer, and complete strangers at that.  She had few friends in the IYC, but the Tokyo Division was small so she knew most people by face if not name.  That, and the way they carried themselves, indicated that they were trainees.

 

            One was obviously a youkai – the white ears and golden eyes made it obvious even without the chill Kagome felt creeping into her bones.  He stared at her and stopped, his eyes narrowing.  “No way in Hell,” he declared.  His companion grinned.

 

            “Lucky, Inuyasha!” He exclaimed.  “You have a girl as your partner!”  Kagome raised an eyebrow.  Partner?  Inuyasha, however, didn’t seem to share his companion’s enthusiasm.  Instead, he grumbled and turned away.

 

            “Wait a minute, partner?”  The monk nodded.

 

            “Yeah.  Inuyasha has…trouble…keeping a partner for a long period of time.”

 

            The dog youkai bristled, his eyes flashing.  “I’m not going to waste my time protecting a damn girl!”

 

            Heated anger, something Kagome hadn’t felt in a while, began to simmer in her veins.  Her right hand clenched convulsively and her teeth ground together.  Miroku took a step back, his danger radar screaming at him to run away.

 

            “I can protect myself just fine,” she snapped, her eyes narrowing dangerously.  “I should be worrying about protecting you.”

 

            Inuyasha’s ears snapped back to lie flat against his skull.  A deep, faint rumbling rose in his chest.  “There’s no way in hell that I would need protection from a scrawny, weak gir –”

 

            SMACK!

 

            Kagome turned away, her mouth whitening in anger as unshed tears clouded her vision.  She needed to get away from her ‘partner’ before she lost her control again – a control she had fought to gain over time.

 

            Miroku watched, slightly frowning in disapproval, as his friend staggered from the force of the blow. One of his hands went up to cover the red handprint as Inuyasha stared at his partner in disbelief and one other, unrecognizable emotion.  Beside him, Miroku grinned.  These recent events had a lot of potential.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Kagome sank to the carpeted floor in her room, tears openly pouring down her face.  Why had she reacted like that?  What was it about that boy’s comments that drew such an unwanted reaction from her?

 

            “…protection from such a scrawny, weak gir –”

 

            Was that it?  Kagome hugged her knees.  Was she reacting violently to being called weak?

 

            ‘Of course you are,’ a voice whispered nastily.  ‘Because you are weak.  If you weren’t you could have saved your –’ Kagome tuned the voice out, her puffy eyes staring silently at her bedroom door.

 

            She would just have to keep herself emotionally distant from her new partner.  That way, he wouldn’t be able to affect her so.  That way, if neither of them were strong enough…

 

            Straightening, Kagome dried her eyes and washed her face before going down to dinner.  Her red eyes were the only evidence of the crack in her façade.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Living with Ginharou and Shiraha, Kagome had seen many unusual, though amusing, things.  But nothing prepared her for the sight of American-Chinese food.  She stared at the cartons sitting proudly on the dark oak table before looking at her two guardians, bemused.

 

            “It was Shiraha’s turn to cook,” Ginharou stated, as if that explained it all.

 

            “Shiraha cooks?” Kagome exclaimed incredulously.  And, just for a moment, the Kagome everyone had thought long dead flickered to life within steel-blue eyes.  But, just for a moment.

 

            The three settled down to dinner, a false, peaceful air giving the whole process the disguise of normalcy.  Kagome gave a brief summary of her day in a dry, monotonous tone, intentionally skipping the confrontation with her new partner.  Alas, it seemed lady Fate would not leave her be.

 

            “Sooooo…how did your meeting with your new partner go?” Shiraha grinned, trying to gauge Kagome’s reaction.

 

            The schoolgirl began to choke on her rice.  “Just fine,” she muttered, but her right hand tightened into a fist, snapping her chopsticks in half.

 

            “ ‘Just fine’?” Shiraha echoed, gesturing toward the broken utensil.  “I wouldn’t call that ‘just fine’.”

 

            “He’s a sexist, insufferable jerk!” Kagome growled, her control snapping.  “Who would be stupid enough to assign me a partner?  I don’t need anybody.”  She muttered something even Ginharou’s sharp ears couldn’t decipher.  “May I please be excused?”

 

            “Yes you may.”  Kagome stood up and started walking toward the staircase – it was Ginharou’s turn to clean up that evening.  “Oh, and Kagome,” the schoolgirl turned at the sound of Shiraha’s voice, puzzled.  “That idiot was me.”

 

            Kagome stiffened but said nothing, deciding it wiser to just get ready for tomorrow.

 

            Grinning in triumph, Shiraha plopped down on the couch.  “I am so good!”

 

            “Good?  Kagome doesn’t get along with her partner!  You should request a change.”

 

            Shiraha smiled.  “He’s the last one left.”

 

            “Ah.”  Ginharou frowned, folding the newspaper in his hand.  “Then maybe I should tal –”

 

            “No.”

 

            “What?”

 

            “I said ‘no’ Ginharou.  Do you need you hearing checked?” Shiraha teased lightly.

 

            “But why?”

 

            “Because I said so.  You know, I’ve always wanted to say that.”

 

            “Your not my mother,” he muttered.

 

            “I know.  I’d be scared if I was.”

 

            Ginharou opened his mouth to retort then paused, frowning thoughtfully.  “Don’t try to change the subject.”

 

            “Am I changing the subject?”

 

            “Shiraha…”

 

            “Okay, okay,” Shiraha leaned forward, her face resting on her knees.  “When was the last time you saw Kagome angry?”

 

            “I’ve never seen Kagome angry.”

 

            She paused.  “Oh, right.  Okay then, when was the last time you saw Kagome express emotion?”

 

            The wolf dog’s eyes widened in understanding.  “Not since her mother was…”

 

            “Exactly.  We’ve given her pity, understanding, friendship, yet none of these things have helped her.  However, because of one insult from her partner she got angry.  She also cried, in case you didn’t notice her red eyes.”

 

            “I noticed,” he murmured.

 

            “He’s breaking down her defenses.  If her defenses break down, maybe she’ll finally allow herself to grieve.”

 

            “But I never acted like this and you changed.”

 

            “Maybe,” she conceded.  “But remember, I hated you first.”  She left, leaving a stunned Ginharou on the couch, where he listened to her retreating footsteps.

 

            “I don’t get it,” he muttered.

 

 

 

 

 

Author’s Notes ~ chapter 5 done – and Inuyasha finally makes the scene!  Anyway, instead of rambling on and on like I usually do, I would like to a) respond to a specific question posed by a reviewer – and – b) make a special announcement.

 

Nim – About your ‘concerns’ over Kagome’s family.  Yes, her grandfather did die; there was no getting around it – why would she live with the two ‘nutcases’ otherwise?  I was, originally, going to spare Souta, but I couldn’t think of anything for him to do.  However, at your suggestion to leave him alive I thought some more, and then I came up with an idea.  So, consider yourself responsible for saving the poor little guy’s life! (I was looking for a reason anyway  ^^;;)  And as for the whole ‘last Higurashi’ deal – I can’t tell you.  It’s an important plot twist for later.

 

Now, for the special announcement – I’ve actually worked out a posting schedule!  Chapters for “Confidential” will now be posted every other Friday (there’s an actual reason why it’s not every Friday, so all pleas will fall on deaf ears ~. ^) However, in case I’m running a day early or a day late I’m going to start a mailing list!  So, if you want to be e-mailed about updates, just send an e-mail to [email protected] with the subject “Fanfiction Notification” (or something similar, so I don’t delete it as junk mail!)  And please remember to put which fic(s) you want to be notified of, that way I don’t get confused. ^^;;

 

Disclaimer – Inuyasha doesn’t belong to me!  I mean, come on!  Use common sense people!  ^_^