Wednesday, September 7, 2005

   The next episode of Inuyasha and ch 2 of bus stop fairy tale just read it.





Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say

Please share my umbrella...

Chapter One: Meeting and Some Background

*I POV*

The bus. I hate the bus. I hate the fact that I have to take the bus. The only thing I hate worse than the bus is the people on the bus. They're all assholes and they all believe that everyday is the worst day of their lives. They don't hesitate to take it out on you either. Especially if you're in their favorite seat.

Bus people are even angrier when it's raining.

As soon as I set foot out of the building, I felt a drop hit my nose. 'Just my lucky day.' I ran back inside and grabbed the first umbrella I could find nearest to the door of my apartment. I stood silent for a moment and watched my mother standing in the kitchen. She was staring blankly into a cup of coffee. She hadn't even heard me come back in.

Sighing, I walked back outside. I stepped into the light drizzle fully protected by a ratty red umbrella.

***

"Bye Momma! I'm leaving! I'm really late!" her voice faded as she ran out the door.

"Kagome! Wait it's-" Peering around outside, Ms. Higurashi could already see her daughter halfway down the stairs.

"It's raining." Sighing in defeat, she hung the umbrella back on it's place on the wall, and walked back into the kitchen.

***

*K POV*

`I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!'

I chanted the words over and over in my head as I ran. I was so distracted that I didn't even notice the slight drizzle.

In all honesty, I really wasn't late. I was ten minutes early. I was just paranoid about missing the bus. Over the past year I'd learned that most drivers worked on their own schedule, and what was ten minutes early for you was ten minutes late for them.

When the stop came into my sight, I smiled brightly and slowed my pace. I could only see two other people waiting there. I first took notice of the red umbrella. It stood out in stark contrast to the gloomy sky and the gray atmosphere it projected over the city. That's when I realized that it was in fact raining and this particular bus stop had no pavilion over it. Just a very wet bench. My bright smile faded quickly.

I sighed audibly and walked even slower.

This day was not going to be as good as I had hoped.

My first day of college and my first day of work on campus.

Another semester of not driving. A new bus route to learn. A whole new routine of life to learn. And the real doozy-i had no friends.

Eri, Ayumi, and Yuri-all three had left to study abroad. I decided to stay close to home and was punished for my choice. I was left alone with no one to talk to but my fat cat Buyo. sigh....what a summer...

I forced myself to smile as I reached the bus stop.

Once again the red umbrella caught my eye. Rather, the boy underneath it. The first thing I noticed was his eyes. They were a rich golden amber color and they were looking right into mine. We stared at each other for a moment before he glanced over both of his shoulders. Then returned my gaze with a questioning look.

When I realized I was staring, I blushed and looked away. He on the other hand, didn't stop looking at me. My face reddened under his gaze and I once again met his eyes. I smiled slightly and took in the rest of his features.

`His hair is silver...' It was almost white and I'm pretty sure it was longer than mine. Long bangs drooped down and covered most of his thick black eye brows. It looked so soft, I felt a twinge of jealousy. Then I really wanted to touch it.

Suddenly he spoke to me.

"You do realize it's raining, right?"

I could put a fire engine to shame with how deeply I blushed. Here I was standing in the intensifying rain staring at a boy I didn't know.

"Y-yeah, I guess I didn't notice at first."

I shifted the uncomfortably heavy yellow backpack I carried and suddenly found the cars going by very interesting.

"You wanna share?" He asked.I raised my head confused.

"Huh?"

"Do you want to share? Or if you prefer to let yourself get soaked...."

"Oh! uh...sure...." I laughed at my own idiocy. I stepped closer to him and under the protection of the umbrella. He held it closer the space in between us, to give us equal coverage.

"Thanks, that's so nice of you."

"I just didn't like feeling sorry for you. You look like a drowned rat." He smirked arrogantly. My face fell.

"Wow a gentleman and a sadist. You're quite the catch." I replied flatly.

I saw a look of surprise flash over his face. He certainly wasn't expecting that.

"This coming from the girl who didn't notice the biggest downpour of the year. Quite the sharp one, aren't you?"

"Kagome!" I said suddenly, in a bubbly voice.

"Huh?" He asked confused.

"Kagome. What's wrong, your mother too busy to give you a name?"

He stared at me blankly for a moment, before his face melted into a faint smile.

"Inuyasha."

I extended my hand and waited. And waited. He just continued to look confused.

"You know 'round here, we shake hands to greet people. I understand if this is all new to you."

"You've got a lot of nerve being such a bitch to someone you've never even met."

I reached over and grabbed his free hand, shaking it profusely.

"On the contrary-we have met!"

*IPOV*

`The little bitch! What an attitude! What a mouth on her! What soft hands- WAIT, what the hell was that?'

I was so thrown off by her actions and my own train of thought, I couldn't even think of a comeback. Miroku would have had a heart attack if he'd seen me. So I just stared blankly at her for the third time.

"You know, that part where I told you my name, you told me yours-"

"I know what you're talking about!" I said more sharply than I intended. She didn't seem to notice.

"Then why the look? Are you lost? Are you sure you're at the right stop?"

"Look, girl-"

"Kagome, weren't you paying attention?"

"Kagome," I spat out bitterly, "I'm not lost, I know I'm at the right stop because I've been taking this route for the past five years. What I'm confused about is how such a little girl can have such a big attitude and such a big mouth. You know, I'm not feeling much like a gentleman anymore."

I began to jerk away the umbrella from her side when the thunder suddenly boomed. She let out a noise suspiciously close to a whimper and grabbed onto my arm.

"What're you scared of thunder?" I smirked. Finally this was going my way. She blushed prettily and released me.

"No, it just shocked me okay? Although not nearly as much as your lack of social skills." She added emphasis by sticking her nose in the air.

I laughed. I didn't want to but it just came out. After a moment of silence and her staring at me as if I'd gone mad, I asked her.

"So, where do you go to school, Kagome?"

"How do you know I go to school?" She eyed me suspiciously.

"That monster on your back is kinda hard to miss. That or you're on some kind of life journey."

Smiling, she rolled her eyes,

"I go to the University. Well, today's my first day, actually."

"Wow. that's a big campus. You're gonna be running around an awful lot today aren't you?" I did my best to strike up a neutral conversation.

"Yes I suppose...I don't really know where everything is. I'm also starting my first job there too."

"You think you'll make enough money there to buy yourself an umbrella?"

"Maybe even enough for two." She retorted.

"Your bus is here."

She darted a glance to where the bus was coming to a stop in front of us.

"Is this your bus too?"

"No, that one is." I said gesturing to the one still coming down the street.

"Well...I guess this is bye then. It was nice to meet you and thanks for sharing with me." She said softly and almost sadly. It took me mere seconds before I had decided what to do next.

"Yeah, well until you save up enough to by yourself that umbrella you've always wanted," I placed the handle in her hand, "You can borrow mine."

"But...won't you need it? And...I mean, how can I give it back to you?"

"I'll be here tomorrow at the same time. You wouldn't mind bringing it to me, would ya?" I ventured. Sure it was a long shot, but still...

"Of course not! I mean...actually I'll be here too." She replied, her eyes brightening.

"Well then I'll see you tomorrow, Kagome." I smiled reassuringly as her fingers tightened around the handle.

"Th-Thank you...Inuyasha."

"Don't lose it." She rolled her eyes.

"I'll try."

I watched her walk up to the door, collapsing the umbrella and shaking the water from it. She glanced back again and smiled warmly.

I nodded and then turned my attention back to my own transportation.

"Jesus kid, you look like a drowned rat. It`s pouring out there!" A burly voice grumbled to me as I stepped on board.

"Oh yeah? I guess I didn't notice..." I muttered as I dropped in my token. I took a seat in the back of bus and kicked my feet up.

`Kagome, huh?'

I mused over the annoyingly beautiful girl I had just met.

I had seen her walking towards the stop from half a block away. The closer she got, the harder the rain seemed to fall. Finally she looked up and I was immediately shocked by the intensity of the brown eyes staring back at me. They were kinda...mesmerizing...

I was a little confused at first, since she didn't look away. I got kinda paranoid and looked around me, making sure she wasn't starting at someone behind me with a knife or something. Nope...the only other person around was the old Japanese woman with the black umbrella and bright yellow galoshes. She was definitely looking at me. So why?

She suddenly turned away, turning a cute shade of pink doing all she could to avoid my eyes. But I couldn't seem to stop looking at her.

She had long black, hair, that being wet, took on a bluish hue. It contrasted greatly with her ivory skin, apart from her cheeks that is. She flushed a darker shade of red and she gave up and met my gaze with a little smile. I watched her glance at my hair and over my face. I chose that moment to speak to her.

Her voice was light and musical, even as flustered as she was at first. That shyness didn't seem to last for very long as she had the gall to insult me when she was the one soaking wet! But mouthy or not, I did my best to keep us both sheltered from the massive downpour.

The thought of her running around that huge campus in the rain for the rest of the day didn't sit well with me. Why I cared? Not a fucking clue, but I gave her the umbrella anyway.

Either way, she had definitely made a very gloomy day much ,much brighter. I smirked inwardly when

I realized I would be able to see her again tomorrow.

My stop finally came and I hopped off. I dashed inside trying to avoid getting any more wet.

"Well well if it isn't Mr. Shingetsu finally deciding to grace us all with his presence." A voice called out as I closed the door behind me. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"You know you say that even when I'm not thirty seconds late, Miroku."

"Well you're starting early...." He muttered. I usually never responded with more than a single finger.

"I had a little warm up."

"What'd you do, yell at a puddle for being lazy?"

"No, I just talked to some girl at my bus stop." I said casually.

I heard a loud crash and rapid footsteps approaching. Suddenly three new sets of comically wide eyes stared at me intensely. I would have laughed...if I wasn't so offended.

"Is it really that big of a deal?"

All four heads nodded in unison.

"I hate you...all of you...." I pushed passed them towards the break room to my left.

"Hey wait! You can't just walk away after making Hell freeze over!" Miroku yelled after me.

"I knew I forgot to do something today..." I said under my breath. Without even turning around, I flipped him off. I slammed the door behind me and stepped into the bathroom. I took a deep breath. I looked up and gazed into the mirror.

I know I'm not a bad looking guy. I mean if anything, I'm uniquely handsome. Of course my mother was the one who told me that, but hey, her opinion has to count. Otherwise I got nothing...

Ok honestly, I'm not much of a ladies man. And by not much I mean not at all.

You see, I don't look like other guys that's for sure. I was born with a head full of bright white hair-it runs in my family. My father had the same look. I've also inherited his abnormally colored eyes. They're amber. No not really light brown. They're unmistakably golden yellow.

I'm something of a freak. At least that what I was told every day of my life when I was a kid. It was hard not to agree. I can honestly admit that it did bother me, just like any other outcast. It hardened me quite a bit, and if you happen to ask anyone who works here, they'll all tell you pretty much the same thing-I can be a real asshole sometimes.

Honestly though, can you blame me? Try going through school looking like I do and not let it have a negative effect on your personality. Not to mention a huge blow to your self-confidence. So what I lack in that, I seem to make up for in anger and cynicism.

My thoughts flickered back again to this morning. This girl, this Kagome. She was something, that I was sure of. She didn't seem to think I was a freak. In fact she seemed rather interested in the way I looked.

And, she hadn't seemed to take too much offense to the whole drowned rat comment. At least she could take a joke.

In fact, Kagome was actually....well shit she was gorgeous! `there I said it...'

That coupled with the thought that I would see her tomorrow-well that makes for one very happy Inuyasha.

And that was a very rare side of me, I have to admit.

Smiling at my reflection, I ran my fingers through my bangs and then reached up to tie my long hair back.

I walked back out into the fray and I could feel them staring at me again. I refused to make any eye contact.

"So is Sango on today, too?" I asked breaking the tense silence.

"What's her name?"

"Did you get a number?"

"What does she look like?"

"Are you sure it was a girl?"

They all spoke at once. My eyebrow twitched in annoyance, but I was not about to give in.

"It's really raining out there, I got soaked. Don't think we'll get much of a crowd in here today, do you Faye?"

Silence.

I sighed and finally looked up. Faye stared at me unwaveringly.

"What?" I said, my voice cracking some. That look always scared me.

"Inuyasha, I believe I asked you a question first." I sighed and replied.

"Yes I'm positive it was a girl..."

"I asked her name." I waited for lightning to flash and thunder to boom as if on cue. It didn't happen, but it would have gone nicely with the threatening tone of her voice. I swallowed hard and squeaked out

"Kagome."

I heard each person take a deep breath as they prepared to bombard me with more questions. I didn't give them a chance.

"What the hell!? I just met her ok?! It was raining, I shared my umbrella with her at the bus stop, we had a little banter back and forth and then we split ways! Is this really such a big deal? Is my life that pathetic that the moment I casually mention meeting someone, anyone new, you all flock around like vultures on a fucking carcass?!!"

More silence. Guilty Silence. Just what I was aiming for.

Just then the front door swung open. Sango stood in the doorway, shaking out her umbrella and cursing like a madwoman. She froze suddenly and looked up the eyes focused on her.

"What? What'd I do?"

"Oh Good Sango's here. Why don't we torture her too?" I muttered walking away into the back kitchen.

I heard voices finally starting to break the silence as they greeted Sango.

I was more than a little hurt. These people were supposed to support me and love me. Just now I felt like I was just entertainment. Even for Faye.

I've known Miroku before we were even born. Faye, his mother, and my mother, Shiori, had been best friends since before THEY were born. And so on a couple more generations back. Long story short, Miroku is my best friend. The guy knows everything about me, mainly because he makes a point to know everything. Sometimes he has a way of just knowing, so why bother trying to keep secrets from him?

He's the only one I ever told about Kikyo.

I turned on the faucet and let the water run till it heated up a little

Miroku's family was my family. His mother, mine, His father, Mushin Houshi, mine. Even Shippo, his pain in the ass younger brother, mine. I began working in their family restaurant, The Fukai Mori, long before I'd even realized I was actually working. It was just natural for me to help out. Then I started getting paid. Yes life was good.

My mother used to come in too to help. That was before my father died. Since then, it was a miracle just getting her to leave the apartment. I won't say she went insane. I will say she definitely gave up on life though...

I support the both of us, I've done so since I graduated high school when I was legally able to hold two jobs. College was never an option for me. Sure I would've liked to go. But it was more money than it was worth to be told my opinions on everything were wrong.

So I worked. I work here and I work for the devil. Yes, the devil.

I work for Naraku Warui, the man who "built" this city. He's a real estate whiz who pretty much runs things around here. He even owns the building we live in.

Why is he the devil?

First of all, I'm pretty sure he killed my father.

Second, He's in obsessively love with my mother.

No I can't prove the first, but I know number two for sure. In fact everyone but my mother knows it.

My father, Shoji Shingetsu, was quite the property genius when he was alive. Naraku was his partner back in the day. They were life long friends and they built up quite a nice business between the two. That's when my father met my mother.

From what I've heard through Faye, Naraku and my mother also became very close, but only as friends.

My parents married soon after they met, and had two kids-my older brother Sesshomaru and me, Inuyasha.

Business began to boom and Naraku and my father made quite a bit of money for themselves. Naraku eventually married and had his own son. Their marriage wasn't as nearly as happy as my parents was, though. And he still spent quite a bit of time with my mother. But life was good then, and everything was perfect for my family. We lived comfortably, and my parents were loving, not just to me and Sess, but to each other. It used to embarrass me sometimes, they were so cuddly and such. What I wouldn't give for those days again...

When I was ten years old and Sesshie was fifteen, Dad disappeared. Just plain vanished, Jimmy Hoffa style.

Coincidentally, Naraku's wife, Kagura also disappeared right around the same time. He jumped straight to the conclusion that they had run off together in some kind of love affair. I didn't buy that shit for a minute.

Well I think it's pretty obvious what happened. He must've killed them both just to get my mother. It would be romantic if it wasn't so fucking sadistic.

Mom took control of Dad's side of the company, doing her best to stay strong while a search for Dad was underway. After a while though, she couldn't seem to even stand on her own anymore.

He did his best to court Mom afterwards, trying to bank on the whole "affair" theory, but unfortunately for Naraku and for all of us, his "plan" backfired. My mother become depressed at the mere idea of him leaving her for another woman, and forfeited my fathers share of the company to him. She didn't want to have anything to do with my fathers business. So not only did she turn down Naraku, she took away any chance of an easy life for me and Sesshie. She gave away our birthright, as my brother had put it. They argued about it constantly.

Needless to say, Sesshie left the minute he was old enough to. That didn't help matters, because Mom only got worse after he took off. She became even more withdrawn, depressed by the fact that yet another man had left her life.

I stayed. I'm all she has left. I'm can't say I'm angry at Sess, but I am jealous. I mean, he left me to deal with her on my own, to pick up the responsibilities he left behind.

It's hard having to grow up when you're only thirteen.

But here I am. Working in my second family's restaurant as a busser and a waiter. The rest of the day, I work as a mail clerk in one of Naraku's many offices around the city. It's a good paying job. He said it was the least he could do for me.

"Fuck that..." I muttered as I began to scrub the pots and pans that had been left to soak overnight.


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