InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow In Her Midst ❯ Forced Forward ( Chapter 3 )

SHADOW IN HER MIDST

By L.O. a.k.a. azn_otaku

InuYasha Fanfiction

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A/N: Hey guys, it's been several days since I last updated. But I'm doing good, I'm not waiting several WEEKS at least. I hope everyone's having a fun time during the holidays, I have the day off so I'm relaxing right now even though I'm supposed to be finishing up "One Hundred Years of Solitude". I mean, it's a good book and all that...I just don't like the idea of required reading. It makes things so dull!

Hey, everyone should review! Because...me being the way I am...I love to read people's thoughts on my writing!

Reader Responses:

Tenshi-Hotaru: I always like your reviews, they have so much to say! And now there's another familiar reviewer, Anubis-sama! But anyways, it's really cool that you're getting into InuYasha. Are you watching the anime or reading the manga? Personally, I like the manga better but the anime is neat-o too. And it is sort of true, how a lot of InuYasha fics seem to have sadness. I have no idea why, but I think it's because of the fact that InuYasha has more sad parts in it than a lot of series do. I mean, there's the whole thing about Kagome being `real' or just a reincarnation and the fact that InuYasha is trying to tell the difference between them. To me, it's sad!

Anubis-sama: I get to reply to you personally! I really enjoy your reviews for `Sunshine', all reviews make me happy. And don't worry, I have a slightly sadistic mind as well. I'm making Kikyou wake up eventually. I predict around chapter nine Kikyou will wake up and in chapter ten she'll make her appearance. That sound good?

Laura-chan: I suppose sad is my forte, all my stories seem to be sad! Why is that? Maybe I'm messed up in the head. But InuYasha and Kagome will have a heart to heart in the next chapter. So don't worry, there will be happy stuff eventually!

Kym: I love original! Heh heh. It's so great to know that people think I'm creating something they haven't read before. With fanfiction readers, it's hard to write something that they haven't seen or heard of because there's just so much fanfiction out there! Thanks for the compliments.

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"......" Dialogue

[......] Thoughts

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Chapter Three: Forced Forward

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"I can't believe it. Only three weeks into the school year and you're already the top of your class. With a reputation to boot!" Miroku grinned, reaching over to ruffle Kagome's hair. She had been adopted as sort of the little sister to him and Kouga, they loved to tease her whenever they had the chance. In truth, Kouga had a crush on her for a few days at the very beginning of the semester but they ended up being good friends nonetheless.

"Mou...stop that! It's not that big of a deal..."

"Not a big deal? You have had nothing less than a perfect score in everything you've done, not even the tiny pieces of homework that you don't need to do but the teachers give you anyways have less than perfect 100s on them! They say the only thing you're not perfect in is Math and Science, and even in those classes you've still maintained A's. How do you do it?"

Kagome smiled up at him from where she sat under their usual tree. She wouldn't tell them this, but they were her only friends in this school. She always looked forward to meeting Miroku, Kouga, and InuYasha for lunch and after school sometimes. (Well, maybe not InuYasha) That was where they were right now, sitting under the shady leaves and picking their way through the day's meal.

"I am only a Freshman after all. I heard Junior year is a lot tougher."

Kouga snorted, his back against the thick bark, "With the work you're doing right now, it'd be a piece of cake for you."

"Honto?"

"Don't be too sure about that Kouga. People like her tend to crack when they take too much on their shoulders. She's just another overachiever."

Kagome's shoulders stiffened before she glanced up at InuYasha. He was leaning back on one of the bigger branches not too high above their heads. It was his usual spot whenever they hung about here. Ever since she had joined their group, he had been less than cheerful around her.

"Well, I can always try my best...ne, InuYasha?"

"Feh!"

She supposed he had a reason to be cold, he was never very nice to anyone other than Miroku and Kouga. And that was only sometimes. Kouga had told her that the three of them were childhood buddies, grew up together much like she and Sango had done. Apparently there were some issues with his family, things that his friends wouldn't go into much detail about. She tried to be understanding while around him, even though all she wanted to do was lecture him about the necessity of social skills.

Miroku gave her an apologetic smile and she shrugged InuYasha's comments off, she shouldn't let his words get under her skin. She smiled back to let him know she was okay with it. The violet-eyed boy went back to his praise of her talent.

"I even heard you whooped the teacher's ass in archery."

"Um...I guess you could say that..."

Kouga sat up, "Well_I_heard that you beat that Peacecraft girl in Debate. How is that possible? I mean, she's the daughter of a politician and everything..."

Kagome blushed to the tips of her ears. She fumbled with the sleeves of her shirt before nodding her head slightly.

"You mean it's true?!"

"...Hai..."

"Jesus..."

The two stared at her before looking to the tree and seeing InuYasha hop down with ease. He glared down at her for a moment, with her cheeks still red from embarrassment. His voice was gruff as he walked away.

"She's just some stupid wench."

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The hallways were still empty as Kagome and Miroku made their way to their lockers before the bell rang. Class would start in another ten minutes, and the group had left the tree after the disruption from InuYasha. Miroku was still slightly irritated about that.

"He could do with some manners, couldn't he?" The young man's tone was ruffled as he leaned against the locker doors, watching Kagome stuff her Geometry textbook into her bag.

"Well, I'm sure he has his reasons..."

"His family life isn't all that great."

"Right."

"But that still doesn't give him a right to put you down so harshly in front of your face."

Kagome sighed before slamming the metal door shut and slinging the straps of her backpack over her slim shoulder, "It's not that big of a deal. I'll just avoid talking to him, that's all."

"If there's anything I can do to help..."

The students were starting to file in through the doors as Miroku stopped by his locker several feet down the hall. The two could see Kouga and InuYasha talking to some other guys in front of a doorway before going inside to their next class.

"If you want to help, why not just tell me why he acts the way he does? I try to understand so I don't get mad, but it's difficult when I don't see a reason behind his behavior. All I know is that there are issues."

This time it was Miroku who sighed. He gave her a sidelong glance with those deep violet eyes of his and smiled slightly, "Sorry Kagome, it's private. Unless InuYasha trusts you enough to tell you, I don't have a right to talk about it."

"I guess..."

"Anyways, I gotta go to my Japanese Literature class. Talk to you later, okay?"

"Sure."

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InuYasha frowned while listening to the teacher drone on and on about some dead guy he had no interest in. He didn't like classic novels, the style of writing didn't suit him and it was unfortunate that all Literature classes were required by some law of nature to teach only stuff that was written by dead people from some unknown century. He slumped over in his seat, doodling in the margins of his notebook while Kouga slept beside him. The guy's head was nestled in his arms as his back rose and fell with each breath. InuYasha's gaze flickered over to his desk before going back to his notes.

[It's not like there aren't others out there like her.]

When Kouga had caught up to him before class started, he had given him that look that said You-Did-Something-Stupid-But-Let's-Just-Let-It-Slide. He didn't understand why Miroku and Kouga liked her so much, she really was no different from any other girl. Sure, she had those big eyes of hers and that slim figure, but then again there were thousands where she had come from.

[What makes her so special?]

His friends never really got close to any girl in particular. Even though they were perverted, there was never a long-term relationship or even just a friendship. But on the very first day of school she had somehow wormed her way into the heart of their little group like she was some sort of important person.

[She not...right?]

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"Wait, wait...that's it? That's ALL you gotta do?"

"Yeah, why? What were you doing before?"

"I can't believe my own stupidity..."

Kagome giggled as Sango glared at her textbook. Her hair was ruffled after pulling out clumps of black locks in frustration. She was good at sports, but horrible in academics. She picked up her pencil to begin tackling the next problem, muttering curses under her breath the entire time.

This was why Kagome liked hanging out with Sango. Her mother took her to the other girl's house every Wednesday to work on homework and hang out together. It was fun being with her again, she was always so straightforward and strong. Kagome wished she were like her friend sometimes. She was always comforted by the familiar presence of her friend that was almost like a sister.

"...Hey...Sango?"

"Hmm?"

Kagome looked out the window to where the sun was setting. She smiled softly at the brilliant oranges and purples dotting the sky before leaning her elbows on the table to cock her head slightly. Sango looked up at her curiously.

"Do you remember when we did this in elementary school? I would come over to your house, one of the older kids would drive me from Sunset. Our legs didn't even reach the ground and we sat on these very same chairs and did all our homework together. Your mom would always be ready with two glasses of chocolate milk and a plate of goodies."

"Yeah..." Sango's smile was wistful as she too leaned her chin on the palms of her hands, "Kaasan still thinks of you as her child, you know. She's always asking me if you're getting enough to eat."

The two laughed in that cozy kitchen. The clock ticked behind them, the same sounds she had been hearing since she was a child were filling Kagome's ears with a feeling of security. It was like going back in Time again when she was still innocent and protected from the evils of the outside. She tried to bring back more memories.

"And do you remember your sixth birthday? Naraku had spilled juice all over Kagura's hair and she punched him in the jaw..."

"My God, was it that long ago? I still remember it as if it was yesterday!" Sango chuckled, "...Or that time when Ayame tried teaching you how to roller skate in the park when we were ten and you both ended up crashing into that street vendor's cart..."

"That wasn't funny at all!"

"Me `n' Kagura were laughing hard enough."

"I couldn't sit down for a week, Naraku had brought me a pillow so that I wouldn't complain so much!"

"And then there's the time when we were five and Hojo managed to convince Ayame and Kagura that it was a good idea to try and catch the peacocks at the zoo. I couldn't tell which was worse when they got back from that trip, the punishment they got from their parents or the amount of scratches they all had on their bodies."

"Oh yeah! Wasn't that the time you were sick with the flu and then you gave it to all of us?"

"I_said_I was sorry."

They were silent after that, remembering the fun times their group had. Kagome knew that the only thing changed was the fact that she went to a different school, on the opposite side of town. She was sure that their little gang still hung out when she wasn't around. To know that she could have been a part of this, still making new happy memories...

[Stop this. You have a family now, isn't that what you wanted?]

"...Kagome?"

"Hai?" Kagome snapped out of her reverie to notice Sango staring at her, "What is it?"

"Ano...do you ever miss it?"

It would soon be dark, the sunset was almost over. Soon the blackness would take over, the only light being the soft glow of the moon. The only comfort in the sad, sad, sky.

Kagome looked down at her hands, "I don't mean to say that I don't like my Kaasan. I do..."

"But don't you miss us? We all miss you..."

"I can't go back to Sunset. It's not right."

[I can't go back in Time. Because...now I know that I'm not a good person. If I were a good person, people would want me because I'm me. I can't go back to being innocent and free.]

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September 13, 2000

Nothing to say today.

Just remembering times when I wasn't sad.

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A/N: So did you like? I think I'm getting better at editing my chapters, I used to leave so many grammatical errors in and spelling mistakes!

With that aside, who can tell me what character from another series I placed in this chapter? It's just a cameo, it's not like this character is supposed to mean that I'm turning `Shadow' into a crossover. Just wanted to know if people could tell me which name is familiar and what series they came from.

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JAPANESE DICTIONARY

Mou - An expression for exasperation.

Honto - Really?

Ne - Right?

Hai - Yes. Right.

Ano - Well. Um.

Kaasan - Mother

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