Table of contents for Mai HiME Oneshots

1. Differences

Title: Differences
Series: Mai-HiME
Rating: G
Pairings:Takumi/Arika
Genre: Mild fluff, introspective, oneshot
Warnings: Series ending spoilers

Summary: Akira and Takumi reflect on their easy relationship, how they got there, and how it might be in the future.

Author’s Note: This was written for himitsu_santa for prpl_pen.

The space that was cleared out in the center of the dorm room was small, but there was still enough room for Akira to run through some simpler kata. She liked to go through them before she ate, giving herself time to wind down and clear her mind – and she liked to keep her muscles toned and her mind sharp. The confined space forced her to be more controlled and alert.

It had been over half a year since all the HiMEs had lost their powers, and although she wouldn’t ever admit it to anyone Akira still felt naked and defenseless without her element (though she was far from either of those things). She constantly berated herself for relying way too heavily on being able to summon her element at a whim, and now found it bothersome to conceal weapons on her person. She had put herself on a strict training schedule until she felt comfortable enough with her skills that she would no longer miss her former power.

She and Takumi returned to Fuuka Academy after Takumi’s recovery and took up residence in their old dormitory. None of the other HiMEs had brought up the subject of her gender (Mai had even winked suggestively and told Akira to take good care of her little brother, causing Akira to flush and stammer), and so she had resumed attendance as a male, just as before.

It wasn’t just that she hated skirts (though she did indeed despise them with a passion: they inhibited her mobility, especially taking modesty into account), and it definitely wasn’t that she preferred being a boy. On the contrary, she was actually jealous of other girls who could be so carefree and flirt with boys and admit their feelings. She wasn’t eloquent or pretty – well, she was pretty as a boy, but as a girl she was lacking. She was blunt, and strong – a solitary creature. She was a ninja, and was raised as such. Finding out that she could even HAVE romantic feelings for another was a shock to her, and she wished she could have a normal relationship with Takumi like any other girl would. She wasn’t positive that if she had tried to return to school as a female that she’d be outgoing enough to pursue such a relationship.

No, the fact was, she just didn’t want to be known as “that cross-dressing girl” and have to find excuses for her past behavior constantly, especially when most of it needed to be kept a secret. There were enough whisperings already about she and Takumi and people still thought they were both boys. What would happen when they found out the truth? She wouldn’t be able to be close to Takumi anymore (the revelation that she DID in fact want to be close to him caused her to flush again) and people would get the wrong idea about their relationship. Would they even want to talk to a weird pervert girl like her? Would they understand her deep desire to stand by and protect the man she loved, regardless of the consequences? No, she didn’t think they would. Before she met Takumi , she was bound by duty and honor. Using her skills to protect a single person and making that decision on her own – that was new to her. Why should anyone but a HiME understand?

Still, that day was fast approaching. She was already having to adjust her movements now that her body was maturing. Soon, she would not be able to hide her figure by binding her chest. She would have to admit her gender before anyone else found out by accident, like Takumi had. That sort of misunderstanding was something she definitely wanted to avoid. The thought of accidental discovery plagued her daily, causing her to turn to her kata as a means of stress relief.

“Akira-kun!” Takumi called from the kitchen as Akira slid into the final position of her kata. That was one of the things she liked about him – he still called her Akira-kun, even after he found out about her gender. He had never once slipped – he was completely comfortable with who she was. Before she had been defeated – before she lost him, that time, she had all but confessed her love for him, and still he treated her normally, just as before, never pushing for more from her. She didn’t know if he loved her, but he hadn’t made her leave nor had he made any mention of being displeased with her company or her personality. It didn’t matter if he loved her as long as he let her stay, she had decided a while back. As long as she was allowed to continue to protect him, she would be happy.

Takumi had poked his head out from around the corner and was looking at her expectantly. Apparently, he had just asked her a question and she had been standing there frozen in her lastkata, completely spaced out. She hastily dropped her arms and tried to look natural. “Hai?”

He grinned fondly at her, used to seeing her lost in thought by now. He was actually glad that it happened, because he felt it was important for people to be in touch with their emotions. Of course, he didn’t really want her to CHANGE, he just wanted her to be comfortable and happy. That wasn’t too much to ask, right?

“I asked if you could set the table back up?” he repeated, knowing she hadn’t heard him the first time. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Oh…uh…yeah,” she stammered, hurrying to perform the task as Takumi ducked back into the kitchen. He smoothed the front of his apron down before going back to mashing the potatoes. He had finally given in and gotten a blue one due to Akira’s insistence that pink wasn’t a “manly” color, and she had complained much less about his cooking after he had done so. He’d wanted one that matched his oven-mitts anyway – the color clash bothered him, but it’d been on sale when Mai was shopping and he’d been grateful to have one at all.

Sometimes he wondered if he embarrassed her. He knew he was sort of pretty and mild-mannered, and he enjoyed things like cooking and mending clothing and tending to plants. Men weren’t supposed to like doing what amounted to chores. Men were supposed to like whatAkira liked. At least, he thought so. The only guy he’d ever really hung around with was Akira, and Akira had turned out to not be a man after all.

After the initial shock of seeing Akira’s bound chest, he had been relieved to find out that she was a girl. He wasn’t sure when the easy companionship he’d found with his stubborn roommate had turned into something more for him, but he heard what the girls whispered about when they thought he wasn’t listening. He’d wondered for a bit if he really was gay, but he wasn’t really attracted to other men – admittedly, though, he also wasn’t attracted to girls.

Then came the revelation, and though he now knew Akira was female, it hadn’t changed his feelings at all. He liked Akira for Akira – her gender didn’t matter to him. If she had actually been a boy, it would have been a lot more difficult to have an easy relationship with her, but he would have cared for Akira nonetheless. He supposed that would have indeed made him gay, despite his lack of attraction to anyone else in general.

Now that he thought about it, he supposed that the fact that she was female had made him even more fond of her – she was brave and daring and strong. She could go undercover and play her role perfectly, and protect the school along with the task of keeping her identity a secret. Takumi had always been weak, and he admired Akira for her strengths.

With the potatoes done, he turned to stir the vegetables still cooking on the stove. He liked to try different kinds of meals every once in a while, and Akira took it in stride, bluntly telling him what was good and what needed some work. That was another thing he liked about her. She was brutally honest with him, and always was, even before her gender was revealed.

When he had found out that Mai was hiding her true feelings from him as she helped him – that she was hiding her problems, he was crushed. He couldn’t understand why Mai would allow herself to be burdened with his issues and not share her own. He couldn’t bear to see Mai that way, and he was on the cusp of giving up when Akira scolded him. He had accidentally found another girl who wanted to take care of him, but this one showed him her true self, even though she was supposed to kill him. He saw her pain and her joy, and she freely shared it with him.

He supposed he couldn’t blame Mai for who she was. After all, he did the same thing – hiding how his lack of self-worth from his sister had come naturally to him. He wanted to be more like Akira and just say what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t, not that easily. He smiled and pulled the roast out of the oven. He just couldn’t be like other guys in that way, but Akira didn’t care. She always knew what he was trying to get at anyway.

“Oi! Takumi!” called Akira from the other room as he pulled the roast from the oven. “Do you need any help?”

Takumi had already begun placing the meal on a large, circular tray so he could transport it all at once. “Ah, no, it’s okay! Just sit there and I’ll bring it out to you!” It wasn’t as difficult for him to lift things anymore, now that Akira was helping him. He emerged from the kitchen with a smug smile on his face and set the tray on the table, grinning wider at her flinch. It had been a long time since he had tripped and spilled food all over Akira, but the incident was still firm in her mind.

“What are you so happy about?” she asked, reaching for the mashed potatoes.

“Mmm…nothing, Akira-kun.” It was a lie, though, and she probably knew it, but did not press him. He was happy she was here with him – that they had this easy companionship. It wouldn’t be long before she had to move to the female dormitory, and he wanted to make the most of his time with her. After all, once the school knew her true gender, everything would change between them. That was the feeling he got, anyway, and it scared him, but it was also sort of exciting.

“Ah!” Akira exclaimed, looking at a bit of roast beef that she had just taken a bite from.

“Is it bad?”

“It’s DELICIOUS!” she replied, throwing him a dazzling smile that made his heart flutter. “I’m really going to miss your cooking, Takumi.” She said it lightly, but he knew that the subject saddened her as it did him.

“Don’t worry, Akira-kun,” he said, staring at her seriously. “I’ll always cook for you.”

She looked up from her meal and met his eyes, a tinge of red staining her cheeks. He knew his own face was red as well. “Really?”

He smiled softly at her. “I promise.”

“You…you had better! Or else!” Akira said, trying to sound indignant as she quickly looked away and started stuffing food in her mouth again. He didn’t miss her deepening blush, though. Still smiling, he finally took a bite of his own meal. Yes, things would be different between them when she moved out, but it would be a GOOD different. He was sure of it.

Table of contents for Trick Oneshots

1. You
2. Drunken Honesty

Fandom: Trick
Rating: PG13
Pairings: Ueda/Naoko
Status: Complete
Warnings: MOVIE SPOILERS. And very slight naughy language.

Summary: Ueda accidently gets Naoko drunk, and she accidently says a few things to him that she probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

Authors Notes: Ah…is this “IC” enough? I sort of would like to think it is, but I think that some of this is just awesome and some of it is…well, weak. Let me know what you think.

When Ueda made his way to Naoko’s apartment that evening, his original intention wasn’t to get her drunk. Really it wasn’t, though Naoko would accuse him of it later after vaguely recalling that she might have said something embarrassing.

No, what Ueda Jirou wanted was an answer. That was all.

It had been a few months since he’d seen the flat-breasted magician – he’d been caught up in teaching at the university and putting together his third novel: Donto Koi Chojyo Gensho Part 3. But as he was scanning his notes once more before submitting the completed text to his publisher, the envelope that Naoko’s mother had given him fell to the floor. Of course he re-read the riddle it contained, and of course he now had an uncontrollable urge to obtain its solution from the biggest pain in the ass he had ever had the misfortune to meet.

And so Ueda made his way to the run-down apartment, with great timing as always – she wasn’t home, and he could situate himself inside however he liked. Getting into her room had been simple for quite some time, because Ikeda, the landlord, had given Ueda a spare key to the apartment. Ueda figured this was partially because he had paid Naoko’s rent a few times, and partially because she knew that it annoyed her tenant to no end when she walked in and found Ueda sitting on her floor.

It was amusing to watch Yamada try to figure out how he had gotten in each time.

By the time Naoko came home, Ueda had brewed himself a cup of tea and was reading the daily newspaper. She was wearing one of her magician costumes and looked very…forlorn. It was an expression he had only seen on her two or three times, and it did not suit her at all. In fact, she seemed so down that she didn’t notice him at first.

“Hey, YOU,” he said, peering over his mug. “Don’t you know it’s rude to ignore your guests?”

“Ueda!” she shouted; damn that loud woman. At least she didn’t have that pitiful expression on her face anymore. “Don’t you know it’s rude to walk into other people’s houses while they’re gone?” She tossed her bag to the floor and took a few angry steps forward.

He ignored her. “Aren’t you going to offer me a cup of tea?”

“You’ve done it yourself.”

“That’s because I know you’re too rude a woman to offer it. I made enough for you to have some if — you’re already drinking it.”

He grimaced as Naoko gulped down her tea and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Honestly, did this woman even know the meaning of the word “manners”?

“I’m not helping you,” she said nonchalantly as she plopped down on the floor across from him.

“What?”

“You only come here when you want something, and I’m not helping you this time. Every time you ask me to go somewhere with I find out you lied about the resort or I almost I die or both! The last time you dragged me out—”

“As if I’d ever ask someone like YOU to be a Kami,” Ueda interjected, but she ignored him.

“—it was a complete disaster. Do you know how long it took me to shave my—”

“Shave your what?” he asked with interest, leaning forward on the table. He’d never had any confirmation as to where her hair had grown during that particular incident.

“N…nothing! Shut up!” she stammered. As if she’d tell him that her “happy trail” had been a complete forest! “Anyway, the point is, I’m not helping you this time, so you may as well just leave.”

He was about to make a snarky reply, but he saw that flicker of sadness in her eyes again, and it made him hold his tongue. He wasn’t sure why, but whenever she looked like that it felt like there was a lead weight in the pit of his stomach. She was supposed to be rude and greedy and sassy and full of life…

“Go out with me,” he said without much thought, and berated himself mentally when he realized what he’d said.

“EH?”

“To dinner, I mean. My treat. You don’t have any food here, you know. Tea just isn’t as good without sweets to go with it. You really are a poor host.”

“You were gonna eat my food, too? Even though you know I have no money? You jerk!” She had a thoughtful look in her eyes though, which quickly turned to one of suspicion.

“You’re trying to bribe me, aren’t you?”

He gazed at her evenly. “No.”

She peered into his eyes for a few moments, which made him uncomfortable as always, but he held his ground. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. Fine.”

And that’s how, hours later, he found himself walking down the street with Naoko clinging to his back, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder. He could tell he wasn’t quite as flat as he claimed she was – he could feel her small buds pressing into his back as she squeezed him.

Next time he’d pick a restaurant they couldn’t walk to so he could just drag her out of the car and into her apartment.

Wait a second…next time? There wouldn’t BE a next time.

In all honesty, he had only ordered sake because he thought that they could both do with a little bit of relaxing. He really only meant for them to get a little buzz, and he was watching their intake carefully. Drink for drink he matched her, and by the time he realized that his larger frame had given him a higher tolerance to alcohol, she was completely soused.

“WHEE!” Yamada squealed as Ueda bounded up the steps to her apartment. “Giddy up, Ueda!” She bounced up and down and dug her heels into his sides. Ugh, her voice was so shrill…

“Not so hard, woman,” he muttered as he unlocked her apartment. She was probably too drunk to notice he had his own key.

“Oi,” he said when they got inside shaking her a little bit. “Get off. You need sleep.”

“No,” she declared, stubbornly hanging on to his neck. “I like it here.”

“Eh?”

“I’m happy you came,” she said, squeezing him until he could barely breathe. “It gets so lonely…”

“Okay,” he managed to get out, frantically trying to pry her arms from around his neck. “You really need sleep. Come on, get off!”

She fell to the floor with a thud. “Owww,” she whined, rubbing her rump. “Ueda, you’re so mean!”

“Shut up. You’re too loud.” He made to leave, but Naoko stopped him easily.

“Aren’t you going to ask me your question?”

He stopped in his tracks. How did she know? He purposely didn’t turn around to face her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hnnn, and I thought you really wanted to know the answer to that riddle…”

This time he did turn around. She was still on the floor, looking up at him almost innocently. “How did you know?” He asked, clearly shocked. “You couldn’t see my pupils shrink or my nose twitch or –”

Hehehehehehe!” she giggled, loud and shrill like always. “You can’t lie to me, Ueda-san.” She pointed up at him roughly, her arm swaying a bit. “I can see into your heart.”

“My…heart?” he said slowly. “Don’t you mean you can read my mind?”

“Stupid,” she replied with a snort. “Of course I can’t. No one would want to see in there, anyway.”

There was a short span of silence before Naoko spoke again, flopping down on her back drunkenly. “I’ll tell you if you stay here tonight.”

“EH?”

“I mean,” she said hurriedly, “I have a stalker. He just found out where I live, and I feel a little uncomfortable, so—”

“As if I’d believe a lie like that,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair nervously.

“If you don’t believe me, look out that window,” she said, pointing to the one in question…with her foot.

“Tch.” He obliged her and looked out the window. Sure enough, there was a largish man on the street below. The moment he saw Ueda’s head at the window, he spun a little noisemaker in one hand. The other hand was holding his binoculars steady. Apparently, he couldn’t tell who was actually looking outside, just that it was the proper apartment. Ueda pulled his head back in sharply.

“See?” she drawled.

“Fine. I’ll stay. But you have to tell me what was in your envelope.”

It didn’t take long for Naoko to fall asleep, leaving Ueda wide-awake and leaning against the wall next to her. It was somewhat astonishing how quickly she could just pass out like that. He had been seriously considering putting her through a sleep study for some time now.

“Mmmmm…chocolate mousse cake….” she groaned. He hadn’t been planning on staying the night, or he’d have brought his recorder with him. “Banana split…with strawberries…and sprinkles…” He could’ve used it to annoy her later.

“ZOOOOOOONE!”

“Zooooone again?” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. She really needed to let that one go.

“Ueda…”

He glanced at her, a bit alarmed. Was she dreaming about him?

“Ueda…are you awake?” she mumbled. Stupid sleep talkers.

“Aa.”

“I’m sorry…I lied to you…” she snuggled deeper into the blanket he had draped over her earlier.

“That guy outside isn’t a stalker?”

“Nnn….he’s a fan.”

“You don’t have any fans.”

“My only fan…goes to all my shows…follows us on trips…stands outside my window…”

“…Isn’t that a stalker!?”

But she wasn’t done yet. “And I can’t see into your heart…”

“I know that…flat-breasts…” no reaction. She was definitely asleep. And weirding him out.

“I took the envelope out of your pocket when you weren’t looking….”

“OI!” He wasn’t sure why he was so surprised. He knew she sometimes could amount to nothing but a common thief. But he tried not to yell at her TOO loudly, because he wanted her to keep going.

“And I was never going to tell you what was in my envelope…”

He looked down at the floor and muttered, “I knew that, too…” So why had he stayed?

“…because I never opened it…”

Well…this was new. She hadn’t opened it? After she clearly said she would open it later? It had been months and her curiosity hadn’t kicked in?

If he didn’t know any better, he’d say he was a cad. But he’d only opened his because she said she was going to open hers, dammit! “It was all your fault!” he said aloud to make himself feel better.

“But it was all your fault…” oh, she was still rambling? He needed to remember to stuff alcohol down her throat next time he wanted the truth out of her.

“Left the treasure…because of your stupid message…”

There was that statement again. She’d never told him when she had seen the treasure, or why it just happened to be his fault that they didn’t get it.

“…bet you didn’t mean it anyway…baka Ueda…” she rolled over, and then fell silent.

“Didn’t mean what? Be more clear next time,” he muttered. Hadn’t she completely ignored his message? How was that his fault?

…Wait a minute. Maybe….what if….

He reached over and snatched Naoko’s tote-bag-like purse, digging around in it until he found a sharpie and a piece of paper to recreate the message he had carved into the log.

“Aitai ima kara. Shitsurana tehai,” he read the message horizontally, as it was meant to be read. “I want to see you now. Prepare shizurana.” She had only ran into him by accident, and she definitely hadn’t prepared the antidote like he’d told her to.

But she had been so keen to keep him from reading that same message vertically later on…

“Aishite imasu. Takara wa iranai,” he sounded out for the first time. “I love you. I don’t care about treasure.”

He slumped back against the wall, his breath rushing out of his lungs with a whoosh of air. Could it be? Had she read it vertically? His mind raced. Surely she must have realized that the odds of him accidentally phrasing his message in such a way to get two coherent thoughts were phenomenally low. She must have assumed that he had meant it, and then…and then…

He remembered her look of relief after he had escaped from the holding cell. She had run right into him, looking desperate…

She had left the treasure behind to go back for him.

Wait a second… Greedy, self-serving, loud, no-breasts Naoko had actually given up something valuable…for him?

He stared hard at the message. He was intending to tease Naoko mercilessly about her confession in the morning, but now he was thinking he should just let it go. For such a relevant message to surface like this – it couldn’t just be a coincidence, right?

He regarded Naoko’s sleeping form warmly, and tucked the message into his pocket. This message…his feelings, were they the same? It was certainly a matter that deserved contemplation.

And so he would think.

And then…and then he would tell her.

Eventually.

One-Shots

Sacrifices

Rating: PG 13
Pairings: ShinKumi
Status: On-Going
Warnings: Huge spoilers for drama episode 12!

Summary: Shinohara contemplates his relationship with Kumiko, and decides to relay some important information to her. One sacrifice leads to another…

Author’s Notes: This is mostly based on the Drama, with Kyo thrown in because he ought to have been in the drama. Assume Shin rescued Kyo as per the manga.

One-Shots

Title: The Untouchable
Rating: R
Pairings:Kag/Inu, Kik/Sess, Mir/San
Status: On Haitus
Warnings: Alternate Universe, naughty language

Summary: Kagome is a lowly untouchable. What happens when she accidentally touches a hanyou prince?

Choose a fandom below to drill down into fiction you like! The genre posts will allow you to see all the individual chapters within a category.

As a general rule, One-Shots will not have their summaries listed on the genre post.

Fandoms

Bachelor Blues

Rating: R (for language and future graphic scenes)
Pairings: Harry/Hermione, Draco/Ginny
Status: On Hiatus
Warnings: Naughty Language, Sex

Summary: It’s two years after graduation, and an old friend tumbles back into Harry’s life with news of a baffling plant that melds souls together. Though powerless, can he solve the mystery before it’s too late?

Authors Notes: I greatly enjoyed writing this, though I’m a tad stuck and have been for YEARS. Probably it won’t ever get updated again, but I still like to look back on it sometimes.

Table of contents for The Untouchable

1. The Untouchable Chapter 1
2. The Untouchable Chapter 2
3. The Untouchable Chapter 3
4. The Untouchable Chapter 4
5. The Untouchable Chapter 5

Title: The Untouchable Chapter 5: The Incomplete Priestess
Rating: R
Pairings:Kag/Inu, Kik/Sess, Mir/San
Status: On Haitus
Warnings: Alternate Universe, naughty language

Summary: Kagome is a lowly untouchable. What happens when she accidentally touches a hanyou prince?

The Incomplete Priestess

Kagome remained seated at the table, staring at her reflection that appeared clearly through the glossy wood even after her everyone had left the room and her plate was taken away. They all hated her now, and she didn’t have any idea as to what she had done wrong. Even if she did look a little bit like Lady Kikyou, it certainly was not the fault of the untouchable, or even of the servant who had pointed it out.

“What are you still doing here?” a rough voice growled, snapping Kagome out of her miserable silence. She looked up to see Lord Inuyasha standing at the entrance to the dining hall, staring at her expectantly with his arms folded over his chest. She blushed, for she knew she had been caught doing something stupid, and she was rather embarrassed. She dropped her gaze back down to the table so that she wouldn’t have to see any disapproving expression that the prince might have on his face.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I didn’t know where I was supposed to go, and everyone seemed so angry with me, so I didn’t want to irritate them more by asking…”

There was a short moment of silence before Lord Inuyasha strode angrily over to the table and cupped one hand under Kagome’s chin, jerking it roughly upwards. Kagome tensed and shut her eyes tightly, and a bit of wetness squeezed out from the corners of her eyelids as she awaited her punishment with fear.

“Stupid girl,” he said irritably, “I’m not going to hurt you. Open your damn eyes and look at me.”

She did as she was told and found her gaze locked with the hanyou’s own amber stare. His eyes glittered furiously, but as she looked into them she was assured that it was not his intention to hurt her, and she allowed herself to relax. The Lord sensed that she was now at ease and removed his hand from her face.

“Good. Let’s go.”

He turned and stepped forward a few paces, but spun around immediately when he realized that Kagome was not following him. Instead, she was staring at him in shock, not knowing want to think. He sighed and grabbed her by her wrist, pulling her up and out of her chair as if she were no lighter than a feather.

“Walk,” he stated. Kagome hastily complied and followed along behind him, her mind a whirl of thoughts. What did he want with her? Why was he touching her so casually when Sir Ookoumori all but treated her like a plague? She also wondered why he would want to have anything to do with her in the first place, especially when she had been the cause of that horrible scene during dinner.

She shook her head and tried to pay attention to where the Lord was leading her as they made their way through the winding castle halls. In the back of her mind were the nasty echoes her footsteps were making because she did not know how to walk like a lady. It wasn’t quite as unnerving as when she had made her way to the dining hall, though, because Lord Inuyasha was practically stomping, and his loud footsteps drowned out her own a great deal.

Eventually, the prince stopped in front of a large wooden door. It was not as ornate as the door to his own chambers, but it was quite similar. “This is your room,” he stated, pushing the door open and ushering Kagome into it. It was the most majestic bedroom she had ever seen, even more grand than she had even dared to dream about. It had a huge, lovely window complete with a balcony, a beautiful four post canopy bed with curtains that could be drawn around it for privacy, a large oak bureau with ceramic statues adorning it, and other various pieces of furniture that Kagome couldn’t even begin to describe. She turned to Lord Inuyasha, her eyes wide with awe.

“All this is for me?” she said, aghast. “But I couldn’t…I couldn’t possibly…”

“It’s yours,” he snapped, interrupting her, causing her to take a surprised step backwards. “It’s yours, and you’ve every right to be here, because I said so. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

She nodded, unable to voice her extreme gratitude. He didn’t seem to care that she hadn’t thanked him, for he was already on his way out of the room. He was about to pull the door shut behind him when he looked over his shoulder at his guest.

“The purification spring…it didn’t burn you did it.” It was more of a statement than a question. Kagome did not reply, but her eyes flicked away guiltily. “I thought as much,” he said simply, and then he was gone.

***

Kagome was crying when there was a loud rapping sound on her door. It had been two days since Inuyasha left her in her chambers, and she had refused to emerge to see anyone. She had woken up in the morning to see breakfast laid out for her on a cart, and at mealtimes someone would knock and leave a cart in the hall outside her room. Kagome didn’t know who it was, but she was glad to be able to stay in her room and not have to face anybody. She was afraid of what would happen to her once Lord Inuyasha told on her; she wasn’t sure what kind of punishment was given to an untouchable when they weren’t purified by the spring, but whatever it was couldn’t be good, and the people here hated her enough already.

She wished she could go back and live on the streets. At least there everyone ignored her instead of glaring at her like she was the evil incarnate.

And now someone was knocking at her door. It was most definitely not one of the set mealtimes, and Kagome knew that if she were to open her door she would find something other than a food cart outside of it. “Who is it?” Kagome called out from her seat in front of the window, her voice wavering slightly.

“It’s Sango, Lady Kagome,” was the reply from outside her door. “Are you okay? I haven’t seen you in a while…”

“C-come in,” she said through a sob, and furiously tried to wipe away her tears with the back of her hand as Sango entered. When the seamstress saw the state that Kagome was in, she gasped audibly and hurried over to the poor girl, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket.

“Lady Kagome! What’s wrong?” she asked, clearly worried, and began to dab at Kagome’s face with the hanky. “You’re such a mess…”

Kagome gently pushed Sango’s hand away and took the piece of cloth from her. “You…you don’t have to do that for me,” she choked out, blotting her eyes with the handkerchief herself.

Sango sat beside Kagome, placing one hand on Kagome’s hanky-free one. “Please, Kagome,” she said softly with a very concerned expression. “Please tell me how I can help.”

The temporary Lady could no longer hold it all in, and the story about the dinner swept out of her mouth as Sango held her tightly, stroking her hair as she wept. She had gotten as far as when the hanyou led her to her bedroom that night.

“And then…Lord Inyasha t-turned around…and he s-said—”

“Shhh, Kagome, no more,” Sango murmured before Kagome could finish her confession. She began to protest, but Sango would have none of it. “Hush now,” she interrupted. “It isn’t your fault that Lady Kikyou got upset. She used to have a sister, and Miroku must have struck a nerve.”

“A sister?” the Higurashi girl whispered, not trusting her voice at the moment.

“Yes, a twin sister, actually,” Sango replied, looking sad. “I never met the girl myself, but I know the story, and I could tell it to you if you like.”

Kagome nodded and sat back, leaning against one side of the window seat.

“Lady Kikyou’s sister was called Haruna,” Sango began. “They didn’t look anything alike – they were fraternal twins. Haruna had blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and people say that she was like the sky on a beautiful summer day.” Kagome remembered what the priestess had looked like two nights ago; black hair and stormy gray eyes…like a foggy winter night…

“The two were inseparable – they did everything together. Their mother died giving birth to them, and it was unknown who their father was. Lord Inuyasha found them when he was but a pup when he escaped from the royal carriage during an outing. They were playing in the mud, and he decided to join them. Lord Sesshoumaru was so upset when he found his brother all dirty!” Sango giggled, and Kagome managed a smile – imagine, a young Lord playing in the mud with girls!

“Lord Inuyasha begged for the girls to be brought to the castle, and because he sensed a great a great holy power from within Lady Kikyou, he gave in under the condition that Lady Kikyou begin training to be a priestess. Haruna, though, was different, and it was said Lord Sesshoumaru made sure she bathed in diluted water from the sacred lake once a week.

“After a few months, Lady Kikyou had to cleanse herself in the lake as part of her training. She had immediately went to her twin to tell her how wonderful it felt, because the water was cool and had eased most of the tension in her muscles from her training sessions. She knew Haruna had always been complaining that her baths were always a bit too hot so that her skin burned, and wanted her sister to try out the lake and see if that helped.”

Kagome held her breath. She knew where this was going.

“So Haruna went out into the lake with Lady Kikyou, who immediately started splashing around. But the Lady realized that her sister wasn’t following suit, and she turned to look behind her…” Sango sniffled slightly, her voice wavering a bit. “Haruna had swam in as far as her sister, but the full strength of the water was too much for a little girl…it caused her so much pain that she couldn’t move, and…she drowned.”

The room was silent for a moment before Sango continued.

“Lady Kikyou feels guilty for having killed her sister. That’s why untouchables are allowed in the castle now. Lord Sesshoumaru has always favored her, and has allowed untouchables here for fifty years since that incident. He feels guilty for not having told her about her sister…”

“Fifty years?” Kagome gasped. Lady Kikyou didn’t look fifty years old!

“Her holy powers grant her an extended life,” Sango explained. “She’s about Lord Inuyasha’s age…seventy or so, I’d think. They grew up together.” Sango looked out the window only to see the sun setting in the sky. “Oh no!” she breathed. “I’m sorry, Lady Kagome, but I have duties that still need to be done, and they’ll come looking for me if they find I haven’t done them.”

“That’s alright, Sango. I feel a bit better now.” She leaned over and gave Sango a brief hug before the seamstress hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts.

Lord Inuyasha had grown up with Lady Kikyou. He’d known her for fifty years. Surely he had noticed right away that Kagome greatly resembled his childhood friend. Is that why he had kept her alive? Because he couldn’t bear to kill Lady Kikyou’s untouchable look-alike?

Kagome didn’t know if this revelation should leave her feeling relieved…or resentful.

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]]> http://www.animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-5/feed 1 http://www.animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-4 http://www.animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-4#comments Wed, 26 Apr 2006 21:38:50 +0000 Calophi http://animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-4/

Table of contents for The Untouchable

1. The Untouchable Chapter 1
2. The Untouchable Chapter 2
3. The Untouchable Chapter 3
4. The Untouchable Chapter 4
5. The Untouchable Chapter 5

Title: The Untouchable Chapter 4: The Tense Dinner
Rating: R
Pairings:Kag/Inu, Kik/Sess, Mir/San
Warnings: Alternate Universe, naughty language

Summary: Kagome is a lowly untouchable. What happens when she accidentally touches a hanyou prince?

The Tense Dinner

Kagome followed Sir Ookoumori silently and briskly through the castle hallways as he led her to the dining area. Although Kagome was taller than most girls her age, the youkai guard was taller; she had to hold her gown off of the floor so that she would not trip while trying to keep up with his long strides. She felt distinctly awkward in such formal clothing, and she was glad that Sango had the foresight to give her flats instead of pumps – Kagome was most certain that she would not be able to walk at all in high heels. As it was, her footsteps echoed sporadically off of the walls as she struggled to find a constant, comfortable pace, and the she sincerely hoped that Sir Ookoumori would not chide her for being unladylike.

Not that he would be wrong in his assessment, Kagome thought dryly. After all, she was as far from being a lady as a female could get. She just did not want to be reminded of it. She was nervous enough already.

After a few minutes, the pair emerged into a grandiose room with a long, rectangular table in the center. The wood was so generously polished that it bore the reflection of everything on and over the table, including the three glass chandeliers that must have held over two dozen candles each for the room to be so brightly lit. Tapestries depicting beautiful scenery adorned the walls, each hung in between a pair of intricately carved stone columns that stretched all the way up to the ceiling. Kagome wasn’t left long to look at the ornate decorations, however, because Sir Ookoumori stepped forward and bowed to those who were already seated at the table.

“I present Lady Kagome,” he announced, and it sounded to Kagome that he had to force out the title he had used before her name. She silently agreed with him; it did not belong there.

She stood still for a moment before realizing that her hosts were looking at her expectantly. Feeling too awkward to speak, she made her way to the one empty seat at the table. She noticed briefly that she would be sitting next to Lord Inuyasha, but she thought nothing of it because she was too busy noticing the many pairs of curious eyes that followed her as she walked across the room and sat in her seat. She made sure she sat with her back straight, but her eyes were downcast and she could feel a flush creeping into her cheeks. It was fairly obvious that everyone wanted to say something, but was holding it back out of politeness. Kagome was fairly good at picking up that sort of thing, because she encountered similar situations just about every day of her life.

As a servant entered the room and began to place plates of salad in front of the diners, Kagome allowed herself to glance up and down the table and look at the others who were seated. Most seemed to be members of the royal guard, and besides Lord Inuyasha, there seemed to be only two members of the royal family. Remembering all that was said since she had entered the castle, she was able to put names to their faces: Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Kikyou.

She had not yet touched her salad, as it seemed to her that it would be impolite to start eating before all the plates had been passed out. At least, that is what she thought everyone was waiting for, because no one else had started eating, either. Then the servant left the room, and Lord Sesshoumaru picked up his fork; she let a small grin creep to her face as others followed suit. She had been correct.

Kagome looked down at her own plate. There was more than one fork there, and Kagome did not know what to make of it. With a cursory glance around the table, she noticed that none of the forks looked out of place at anyone else’s seat; however, it could not be denied that they were all eating their salads with a fork. She held her breath and reached towards her silverware, aware of the eyes that followed her actions. She tried to look confident as she picked up the outermost fork, and signed in relief when Lord Sesshoumaru gave her an approving glance before he resumed eating his salad. She began to do the same, proud that she had figured out how she was supposed to be eating. She would be sure to watch more carefully when the next part of the meal came out so she could copy the actions of the others more fluidly.

Soon the plates were collected, and small bowls of soup were given to each of the diners. Again, Kagome mimed what the others were doing, and was able to find the proper piece of silverware. Before she began to eat her soup, the newcomer observed the woman across the table take a few spoonfuls, not only to see how it was to be eaten, but to get a better impression of what she looked like. If she was going to spend a month in the castle with Lady Kikyou, it would be important to know as much about her as possible.

The priestess was elegant, with long, ebony tresses tied back with a ribbon and flowing down in a long stream that almost reached her backside. A lock of hair on each side of her head hung down in front of each ear briefly before being tucked behind them, forming hoops that nicely framed her dainty, pale face. As if suddenly aware of being under the scrutiny of the untouchable, Lady Kikyou lifted her head, her gaze meeting Kagome’s own. Her eyes were gray – the color of thunderclouds – and seemed as if they were icy cold. Kagome caught a hint of surprise in those eyes as Lady Kikyou looked at Lord Inuyasha’s guest closely for the first time. Kagome almost decided to speak to her, but then thought better of herself, realizing that no one else at the dinner table had spoken at all.

And then the main course was served.

It looked simply scrumptious, and Kagome was certain she had never seen anything as delectable as the plate of food that was set before her. Her mouth watered as she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the tender steak, sizzling vegetable medley, and creamy mashed potatoes. She could feel eyes on her again, and she thought wryly that she must be able to sense them simply because no one ever bothered to look at her before. She opened her eyes and caught the gaze of a young man who was standing behind Lady Kikyou with a serving dish in his hand. His pupils widened in surprise, much the same way Lady Kikyou’s eyes had when she first thought to examine Kagome more closely. The lowly girl shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she fell under his scrutiny.

“Hey, you and Lady Kikyou look a lot alike!” the man said with a jovial grin. “You could be sisters, or something!” Kagome was aghast; there was no way that she looked anything like the graceful, elegant queen that sat before her.

A ringing sound filled the air as Lady Kikyou dropped her fork onto her plate. “Please excuse me,” she said softly, her head lowered so her expression could not be read. Lord Sesshoumaru gave a slight nod, and the priestess pushed away from the table, stood, and swiftly left the dining area. Kagome noticed that many of the guard were glaring quite nastily at the servant, while others were shooting her a similar stare. She hadn’t time to contemplate why, however, for Lord Sesshoumaru spoke.

“Miroku, you had best remove yourself from the presence of this Sesshoumaru,” the Lord said coldly. Kagome could not help but notice how his long, silvery hair shimmered down his back in a way that was so like (and yet so unlike) Lord Inuyasha’s hair. His face and figure were slender, and though his irises were as filled with gold as those of his half-brother, they were also filled with the same cold, calm expression that Kagome had seen in Lady Kikyou’s eyes. Simply put: Lord Sesshoumaru was the most beautiful, frightening man that Kagome had ever laid eyes on.

“Yes, my Lord,” the young man replied, and obediently exited the chamber. Lord Sesshoumaru calmly picked up his fork and resumed his meal. Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Lord Inuyasha peer at her with a worried countenance before he followed suit. Those who were glaring at Miroku returned to their meals, and the others…continued to glower at Kagome. No one spoke for the rest of the meal, and the young woman was left to her thoughts.

And so, in the silence that was heavier than silence, the meal continued, and eventually ended.

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]]> http://www.animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-4/feed 0 http://www.animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-3 http://www.animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-3#comments Wed, 26 Apr 2006 21:37:43 +0000 Calophi http://animejb.net/2006/04/26/the-untouchable-chapter-3/

Table of contents for The Untouchable

1. The Untouchable Chapter 1
2. The Untouchable Chapter 2
3. The Untouchable Chapter 3
4. The Untouchable Chapter 4
5. The Untouchable Chapter 5

Title: The Untouchable Chapter 3: The New Life
Rating: R
Pairings:Kag/Inu, Kik/Sess, Mir/San
Warnings: Alternate Universe, naughty language

Summary: Kagome is a lowly untouchable. What happens when she accidentally touches a hanyou prince?

The New Life

“What the hell is this?” The prince’s booming voice echoed throughout the corridor and bounced from the ceiling so that Kagome had to go through the pain of hearing him reject over and over again. Is this what the land’s beloved royalty was like? They just picked people off the street,gave them hope, and then crushed their dreams? And here she thought that she might be free from the disgusting life of an untouchable. She thought she would be spared the punishment of being executed for touching the prince when she was ordered to swim in that pond. Was she really brought here to be a toy? To provide the prince with amusement for a short while, to let him play with her life until he felt like ending it?

Evidently the guard thought so. He smirked wickedly. “Forgive me, Lord,” he said as he bowed to the angry prince before him. “I should have known you were joking when you said to bring her to you; I will have her disposed of immedi–”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” the young hanyou spat. “Look at this wench! How dare you bring her to me like this?”

Kagome’s head sunk lower in shame while the guard hurried to answer. “I understand, my Lord,” he rushed, “which is why I will–”

“Shit, man!” the prince continued, slamming the door frame with his fist and not even acknowledging the guard’s response, “She’s wearing nothing but a bathrobe! Her hair is sopping wet and she’s dripping all over the floors! She looks like a wet rat! For Kami’s sake, what if word gets out that a guest of a castle was brought before me as such!” he ranted loudly, oblivious to the shocked look he was receiving from both Kagome and the guard. “What would the people think of me, accepting the fact that some wench was running around her almost naked! Hell, my brother would kill me himself!” He snarled and pointed down the hallway to the left of his door. “Take her to Sango for measuring and a temporary wardrobe.”

“B…but Lord Inuyasha…” Like lightning, the youkai was lifted into the air. His eyes were wide and frightened as he stared down at the hanyou who was holding him up by his chain mail – with one hand, no less.

“CLOTHE HER,” the prince growled, and dropped the guard on the floor with a clatter. As he strode back into his chambers, his amber eyes flicked back to Kagome and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod before he slammed his door on the confused untouchable and the embarrassed castle guard. The pair were bathed in silence for a few moments, dumbfounded by the order that had just been given.

Finally, the guard forced himself to rise to his feet and strode past Kagome in the direction that the prince had indicated. “Come,” he mumbled grudgingly, “You shall be clothed.”

“Y…yes,” she breathed, and hurried down the hall after him. Just what was going on here? It was obvious that this guard was just as confused as she was about the situation – he couldn’t understand why the prince wanted to keep her in the castle, especially when he knew that she was an untouchable. It would have served her right to die for touching someone as noble as he, and the fact that he was allowing her to stay – not just that, but bathing her and now clothing her – only served to strengthen her conclusion that she did not even deserve to sleep in his dungeon, let alone tread the very halls upon which he walks daily! Not that she was complaining, because she had a feeling that being executed wouldn’t be very pleasant.

Kagome was brought before another door that was not quite as elegant as the first, but still quite impressive. Instead of knocking, the guard pushed it open and pulled Kagome inside. She gasped in awe; there were racks and shelves and closets full of clothing for all occasions – daily wear, fancy balls, masquerades…Kagome felt like she was visiting with the Gods, to be privy to such a fabulous room! And there, in the center, was a fairly pretty young girl, toiling away in a chair with a needle and thread to hem a pair of pants. Her hair was dark and silk, swept back in a high ponytail that did little to keep the hair from her back since it was extremely long. Her eyes were lightly tinted pink and her lips were full and pouting as she tried to push her needle into the thick canvas of the pants but succeeding only in pricking her finger. Sticking her wounded digit into her mouth, she glanced up at her visitors. When she spotted Kagome the girl’s eyes twinkled happily and she tossed her work aside to greet the robed untouchable.

“Thank you for bringing her to me, Sir Ookoumori. I will take care of her.” The girl bowed to the youkai guard, who curtly did the same and left the room without so much as a word. The girl turned to Kagome and bowed. “Greetings. I am Sango, the seamstress of this castle.”

“I am Kagome. Pleased to meet you,” Kagome replied with a lilt in her voice as she bowed, happy that someone was addressing her in a polite fashion though she knew she didn’t deserve it. Sango looked surprised that Kagome would have such manners (considering her background, that is) and she threw the still-wet girl a sweet smile.

“The same, Lady Kagome,” and giggled when Kagome stared wide-eyed at her. “I thought you’d like being called that, and you had better get used to it. Formality abounds here, even though it’s only for show.” She took Kagome by the hand and pulled her over to one of the wardrobes. “Something in here ought to fit you,” she said as she threw open the doors and started shuffling through the dresses which hung inside. “It’s great to have another female around here to talk to. You have no idea how lonely I get, what with the Lords Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha being so arrogant and Lady Kikyou up to her elbows in work. No one else pays me any mind, since I’m an untouchable and all, though sometimes I manage to have meaningful conversations with those who come to give me work to do.” She pulled out a frilly pink gown and held it up to Kagome, who was still in shock. “No…no. This is too childish for you.” She deftly hung the gown back up and started rummaging again when Kagome finally found her voice.

“What’s going on?” Kagome asked meekly, not afraid to speak before spoken to now that she knew Sango’s social status. Sango paused for a moment, leaving one hand on the closet to keep her place, and peered back at Kagome.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

All of Kagome’s thoughts came out in a rush as she babbled out her concerns to Sango. “Why did I not get executed? Why are people touching me? What’s with that lake outside? And,” she added as an afterthought, “how did YOU get to stay here?”

“Woah, woah! Take it easy, Kagome. I can’t believe that hard-headed idiot didn’t bother to tell you anything.” Sango went back to her search in the closet, considered a purple gown for a moment, and then pushed it aside. “The lake outside the castle is a sacred purification spring, bless by a powerful priestess centuries ago – Lady Kikyou is rumored to be her direct descendant, actually. Even an untouchable that bathes within it is purified completely for a least a week. As for Sir Ookoumori touching you before you entered the spring, his armor contains grains of melted sand taken from the bottom of the lake, protecting him from impureness. All of the guards here wear holy armor. It doesn’t harm a youkai, so long as that youkai does not have evil intentions.”

Kagome slumped to the floor, trying to take everything in. “Purified? Is that why I felt that way?” she said quietly, holding her hand to the back of her head where the injury was as a reminder that it was there and that it had disappeared when the water touched it.

“Yeah, it burns, doesn’t it?” Sango replied from inside the closet. “The untouchables in the castle hate bathing in the spring, because it burns our impureness away in a rather painful manner. But, if we don’t go every week, we won’t be allowed to stay here.”

Burn? Kagome certainly didn’t remember being burnt in the spring. She remembered a lovely tingling sensation coursing through her body. She decided not to bring it up; God only knows what would happen to her if someone found out the spring didn’t work.

“I see,” she said, as Sango tossed an elegant green gown at her. It landed in her lap, and she fingered the velvety fabric for a moment, not believing her eyes. She looked up aghast at the seamstress standing before her. “I…I’m to wear this? But I’m –”

Sango shushed her immediately. “I’ve been given strict orders for you, Lady Kagome,” she scolded. “You are staying here as Lord Inuyasha’s personal guest. As such, you are to be clothed as a Lady of this palace. You will also be given your own servants during your stay.” She pulled Kagome up to her feet and began to remove her robe. Kagome was too shocked to even notice.

“But…why?”

“No one is quite sure why, actually,” Sango replied as she pulled the gown from Kagome’s grasp and slid it over her head. “Lord Inuyasha requested that he travel through the town on foot yesterday, rather than ride in a carriage. His guards threw quite a fuss, but the Lord would have none of their objections and almost left without them before they finally gave in. We were quite surprised when he returned with you in tow, especially when he requested that you stay alive and live in the palace for a month.”

Sango finished smoothing out the gown and set to work on Kagome’s hair, which was now nearly dry. She pulled a comb from a leather pouch that hung from her waist and ran it through the girl’s hair, noting how nicely it sparkled as it fell neatly down her back. She left Kagome’s side for a brief moment and wandered over to a vanity table on which an ornate wooden chest was placed. She rummaged through it for a moment, then pulled out an emerald hair clip with a smile. “Lady Kagome, please come over here.”

Kagome did as she was told, and upon turning around found herself face to face with her reflection in the mirror. She could barely believe her eyes. Her hair was shimmering and her eyes sparkled; her entire body seemed to glow with…pureness. Pureness was the only word the girl could think of. Could that beautiful girl in the mirror be herself? Dull, boring Kagome? She couldn’t help but let out a little gasp of surprise as she took in her image, and how perfectly the dress fit, and…

“Hold still, Lady Kagome,” Sango said as she stepped behind the girl. She swept the sides of Kagome’s hair up and back behind her head, fastening it there with the hair clip she had just found. “There, all done,” she smiled. Kagome could only stare at herself in wonder. At that moment, the two girls were startled by the sudden opening of the door. Kagome spun around to see the youkai guard from before. He seemed to look as surprised at Kagome’s transformation as she herself was. He managed to regain his composure quickly, and addressed the seamstress.

“Sango, are you almost through? Lord Inuyasha is requiring the Lady’s presence at the dinner table.”

“Yes, Sir Ookoumori. Will you be kind enough to wait for Lady Kagome while I find her some shoes? She will need to be escorted to the dining area.”

“I shall wait,” he said with a stern expression as he studied the girl in the green gown, causing her to blush slightly. Shortly afterwards, Sango returned to Kagome with a pair of emerald green flats and slid them gently onto Kagome’s feet.

“The Lady is ready to be presented,” Sango said as she bowed to Sir Ookoumori, who nodded and bowed back.

“She shall be taken to the dining area immediately.”

Kagome turned to leave, but hesitated at the door before exiting with the guard. “Sango,” she says, turning to face her new friend and servant. “You never told me why you got to stay here.”

Sango smiled knowingly. “Let’s just say I can do something that no one else can do,” she says with a wink. A sharp glare from Sir Ookoumori caught Kagome’s attention, and she nodded at Sango before hurrying out of the room, wondering just what was in store for her next.

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