InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Half-Way Home Cafe ❯ Part I ( Chapter 1 )

Half-Way Home Café

By Kamalakali

Kamalakali@yahoo.com

You never really know if someone is going to read an authors note. It all depends on opinion. Some people like them, some don’t. Personally, I do, so it’s no surprise that I’m writing one.

This fan-fic was inspired by a song on a gospel track my grandmother gave me (yes, I said gospel), though in no way is it a song-fic. Does it bother anyone but me when you read a fic only to find out that two-thirds of it is song lyrics?

Anyway, it deals with three different times in a person’s life (ahem, Inuyasha) told by another, who doesn’t really know him (ahem, Sango, and sometimes Miroku).

Although I’m a big fan of lemons I’m afraid this will not have one. I’m using this fic as a sort of springboard to see how my writing skills are, considering how long it’s been since I’ve written.

If you like it, I’m glad. If you can read to the end without falling asleep I’ll be most gracious. If you hate it and turn back at the first paragraph, that’s fine. As I said, it’s all about opinion.

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Part I

It was a small café, halfway between a sprawling smoky metropolis and a rural country community. The only stop for weary travelers and burly truckers on the endless dirt tracked road. When the sun glinted at noon you needed to shield your eyes from the glare on aluminum siding, the inside became steamed from the ovens and insulation.

Miroku’s father had jokingly named it The Half-Way Home Café for his mother, who had grown up at the outskirts of the village. His father had been a priest from the city. They meet the fateful summer when his father was called down from the city as a temporary replacement for the last preacher. It was love at first sight. They bought this little run down house, fixed it up as a café, and lived in blissfully matrimony until their deaths when he was fourteen. After that the café passed on to his uncle Mushin who raised him until Miroku was eighteen. Now, at twenty-four Miroku ran the place himself, living in the bungalow above the kitchen.

Grinning, he looked over at his newly hired waitress, Sango, who was working her way through college. A beautiful girl, she was black haired and curvaceous, which could account for why he had hired her. A loud smack vibrated through out the café, and he snickered. Of course, he also hired her because he knew she could handle the truckers. He gently rubbed his swollen cheek, that girl had a mean right-hook.

Miroku beckoned her over with his two fingers, watching her pink and white striped uniform sway seductively. Only she could make such an outfit enticing. Noticing his gaze she frowned and rolled her eyes. “Yes?”

He looked her over before speaking. “Are you okay?”

Placing her hands on her hips, she gazed at the black haired man suspiciously. “Yeah. That asshole over there tried to feel me up as I filled up his coffee cup. Don’t worry, he won’t do it again.”

He laughed. “ I suppose not. I knew you were the girl for this job, Sango.”

Before she could reply the bells on the door rang, signaling an entrance. All heads turned to stare and a hush penetrated the room as Sheriff Myouga and his deputies Houjou and Kouga walked in, leading a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties. He wore a pair of old Levi jeans, scuffed up dress shoes, and a nice collared red shirt. His head was bent down, the bushel of white hair hiding his face from view, but there was no mistaking who he was to the occupants.

Sheriff Myouga rubbed his beer belly before grinning around. “No need to stare people. Get back to doin’ what’s you were doin’ now.”

Slowly the noise level escalated back to its previous level, if not higher. However, covert glances were spared as the sheriff and his company slid into the booths at table one.

Sango, slightly confused, raised her eyebrow. “What was that all about?”

Miroku laughed, running smooth hands through his hair. “I forgot that you’re not from around these parts.” There was an awkward silence, and then mocking her look, he raised his own eyebrow. “Isn’t that your table?”

Slightly miffed she muttered “ass” under her breath before stomping away. Pulling out her notepad she flipped her hair and forced a smile. “Hello gentlemen. My name is Sango and I’ll be your waitress today. What can I get for you?”

The Sheriff looked her over and grinned toothily. “Well, I’ve never seen you before. New to our humble establishment?”

She laughed tightly, and then answered with an edge of annoyance to her voice. “I get that a lot. Now what can I get for you?”

Sheriff Myouga’s eyes twinkled. “A round of burgers with fries for me and my boys. The birthday boy over here,” he pointed to his white haired companion, “will have a steak.”

The young man’s head snapped up, and Sango could finally tell that he had a pleasing angular face and molten amber eyes. “That’s really not necessary. Seriously, I’m broke as it is.”

“Nonsense!” Sheriff Myouga slapped him heartily on the back. “It’s on me, you deserve it. Today’s a special day for you.” He faced her again. “A steak for our boy, rare.”

Sango shook her head, laughing. “Coffee?”

“Yes Ma’m.”

“Alright boys. I’ll be ready in a few.” She walked away, listening to Kouga, the pony tailed deputy across from the Sheriff mutter about how he would have liked a steak, and something along the lines of “dirty, mangy, mutt.”

Kaede, the cook, was staring suspiciously at the white haired customer when Sango walked up with their order. “Kaede? What’s up?”

The old woman shook her head, muttering. “Nothing that concerns ye. What’ll it be?”

“Three cows on buns with grease and a bloody slab.”

“Give it a half.”

“Will do.”

While waiting Sango hauled over to the coffee pot and poured four cups. Placing them on tray with sugar and creamer she greeted the Sheriff again. “Here you go sir. Food should be ready in fifteen.”

The four gentlemen nodded their heads. “Thank you ma’m.”

Sango had finished serving table six by the time the sheriff’s food was ready. Walking up she could hear them speak, Sheriff Myouga asking the white haired man how he was going to get a job and make money now that he was ‘out.’

The boy flushed and looked woefully down at the table. His voice was gruff when he spoke, “I was thinking about asking my brother if he knew somebody who needed a hand. I could probably do real good at manual labor, that is, if they give me a shot.”

Before the sheriff could reply Sango interrupted, placing the food on the table. “Here you go gentlemen. Burgers with fries for you three and a steak, rare done, for you.” She placed the dished at their consecutive spots, and then ripped off a sheet of paper from her notepad. “Here’s your bill. Just pay by going up to the front counter. If you need anything just ask me.”

“Thanks.”

Sango pocketed her notepad and walked away to tidy up some tables. About twenty minutes later she heard one of the deputies from table one calling her over. Smiling sweetly, she asked what she could do for him.

Houjou, the short haired deputy looked up shyly at her. “Ma’m, I could use some more coffee, if you don’t mind.”

“No problem.” Sango straightened out her uniform before going to get the coffee pot. By the time she returned they were once again engrossed in conversation. Pouring them all a new cup she couldn’t help but hear what was going on, the young white haired man’s voice catching her.

“Sheriff, I really appreciated the notion and all, but I’d really like to be going now, if it’s all right with you boys. Those years I spent in prison stole too much time from me, I won’t waste another minute, if I’m really free.”

Sheriff Myouga laughed. “Don’t blame you at all my boy. Come on, let me go pay that check and we’ll get you out of here. How do you feel by the way?”

The young man laughed for the first time, and a hush came over on the café once again. It didn’t seem to faze the ex-convict and he answered so that the entire building could hear. “How do you think I feel? I’m going home. My family’s waitin’ for me. Going home. I’m amazed that they still love me. They forgive me for the bitter seeds I’ve sown. Heaven knows I’ve been away too long. Now I’m going home.”

Suddenly overwhelmed by tears Sango made her way to the storage room, leaning against the wooden doorway. She breathed heavily, in and out, hearing the distant sounds of the cash register, the bell on the door, the start of a car, and the loud rush of chatter as customers gossiped about what just transpired with a fury.

Miroku had just entered the room when she lifted her head. Giving him a dirty look she straightened up. “Now, will you tell me what that was? Or are you going to ignore me again?”

He gave her a sheepish look before nodding his head towards the parking lot. “That was Inuyasha Taisho.“

The name sounded familiar but Sango couldn’t place it. “As in Sesshoumaru Taisho? He’s the guy who owns those oil wells, right?”

“Yeah. Inuyasha is his half brother. His mother was Sesshoumaru’s father’s mistress. As a result, Inuyasha was raised in the poorer section of town. He was a two years behind me in grade school. Great kid, star football player, lead us all the way to states. He had a bit of a temper problem though.” Miroku laughed bitterly.

“So? What’s the big deal?”

“He murdered this kid Naraku.” Miroku raised his hand at her astonished expression. “Apparently he fell into a real ruthless crowd. He had it bad for this girl Kikyou.”

“Wait, the lady that came in here last week? The kindergarten teacher? Kaede‘s sister?”

Miroku grinned. “Yeah, that’s her. Real pretty, nicest girl you’d ever meet. She was head cheerleader back in the day. Anyway, Naraku was a real bad sort of guy. He rode into the city and was affiliated with a few gangs, dealing drugs to us town kids. Well, he started messing around with some of the girls, thought he was the big man on campus, if you get my drift. He convinced Kikyou that Inuyasha was cheating on her and she broke up with him and started to go steady with Naraku. Yeah, well, remember that temper I mentioned? Let’s just say that when Inuyasha found out he went ballistic. They ended up getting into this huge fight at some party. Inuyasha walked away, Naraku didn’t.

Sango gaped, still a little confused. “So…wait, why is he out of jail?”

He boss just shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe it had something to do with him being a juvenile when being tried, or maybe he just got parole. I don’t ask too many questions.”

Miroku began to walk away before Sango remembered something she had wanted to ask. “Hey, is that how Kikyou got that scar on the back of her head? She seemed pretty bitter to me, and Kaede was giving Inuyasha these looks, like, you know.” She copied the face, making Miroku laugh.

“Yeah. Kikyou was at the party, you see. Well, I was too. But Kikyou, she started screaming bloody murder and tried to separate the boys. Luck wasn’t on her side and she got right in the middle of a punch on both sides, fell and hit her head real hard. They had to take her to the hospital, her brain was swelling, and they had to operate to drain some blood. It was hard on her. She ended up missing so many days that she fell back a year in school. She’s never been the same. Like I said, she use to be a the sweetest girl you’d ever meet.” Miroku sighed and shook his head. “ That’s just life, you know? It’s never fair.” Unexpectantly, he broke a grin. “Enough gossip Miss Sango. If I’m not mistaken you have a job to do.”

Sango gave him the middle finger as he walked out, ruffling her hair. She wouldn’t admit it but she liked her new boss, he wasn’t so formal and stiff as to not have some fun. Smiling, she heard the twinkle of the bell of the door and went out to serve her newest customer, never knowing what story she might stumble onto next. In her mind she could still her Inuyasha’s innocent words ringing in her ears…

Sheriff I’ll be going now if it’s all right with you boys. Those years I spent in prison stole too much time from me. I won’t waste another minute, if I’m really free.

I’m going home. My family’s waitin’ for me. Going home. I’m amazed that they still love me. They forgive me for the bitter seeds I’ve sown. Heaven knows I’ve been away too long. Now I’m going home.

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Part II will arrive next Sunday…

P.S. If anyone is willing to beta Part II and III I would enjoy that. It will be a relatively short job, as there is only two more sections. On the other hand, if anyone needs a beta, I would be willing to help out. Just drop me a line. ^_^