Tangy's Tournament Oneshots by Kirai

A Shikon Academy Production

Hey guys! This is Kirai once again. Ok here is my second entry for Tangy's Tournament Oneshots! (I had a by in the last round)

This time I am paired up with Creature of Shadow. Please remember that to vote for either of our stories you will need to send a PM to Tangy (AKA TangerineDream)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters created by Rumiko Takashi. I do not own anything penned by William Shakespeare. Sadly I own just the plot of the fic.

THEME/PROMPT:“What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties!  In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals—” Act 2 Scene 2 of Hamlet

WORD COUNT: 4129 (Not including my ramblings!)

And here is the fic!

~*~

The Shikon Academy was the toughest art school for anyone to be accepted to. It required enormous talent, hard work and steely perseverance.

For Kagome Higurashi it was a dream come true.  She delighted in the daily challenges that tested her skills and forced her to grow in ways she had never expected. As an aspiring actress being accepted into this prestige school was a lifelong goal. Getting accepted on a scholarship for a full ride had been everything that she had ever dreamed of since she was little.

“Auditions for the school’s spring Shakespeare play will be held tonight in the auditorium at five sharp.”

The announcements were called out over the speakers throughout the school as Kagome and the rest of the student population scurried to their next class. Just as the final bell rang, Kagome managed to make it inside of her classroom. This was the time of the day that she disliked most, when she had to run from one end of the school, down two flights of stairs to the other end of the school. She was always terrified that she would be late for class and ruin her perfect attendance. She wanted more than anything to be perfect; punctuality was only one aspect of how she was determined to achieve that.

“Thank you for joining us Miss Higurashi. Please take your seat.” said Ms Kaede Houdashi. She was a small hunched over old woman with a black eye patch over one eye. She was dressed as always as a shrine maiden, her costume of choice. Though she was their teacher she pretty much had everyone call her Lady Kaede rather than by her last name.

Kagome blushed as she quickly walked to her empty seat. The class was noisy as the people all chattered waiting for Lady Kaede to begin the class. Kagome took out her notebook and a pen.

“Let us begin. As you are all aware the auditions for the spring Shakespeare play are tonight. Good luck for those who are going to the auditions.  Now for this class we are going to discuss soliloquies.”

Kagome kept notes as Kaede spoke. She wasn’t really paying attention to the murmurs going on around her. Her brain was actually more occupied thinking of the auditions that would be taking place later. She wanted badly to land a role in the production. She loved Shakespeare. It took true talent to take the flowery words of the self-proclaimed wordsmith and make those of this generation understand the emotion and meaning behind them.

She wondered what play was going to be chosen. More she also wondered who was directing the play this year. Rumours had been going around that there was a new director this year. She was so excited that for once she couldn’t fully concentrate on the class she was in.

~*~

The auditorium seats were packed with students all eager to audition. They chattered in a loud din that echoed through the empty room. The stage before them was empty and black. Kagome smiled as she waited for the director to make his entrance. Though she was normally a social and outgoing person, Kagome sat by herself and watched the people who milled around her.

“Welcome!” boomed a voice from the back of the auditorium.  Every eye turned as one to look at the back doors. Jaws dropped as they got a good look at the spry old man. He was seated crossed legged on the back of a...bull? What the hell?

“I am so proud there are many young talents here!” continued the man as he and his bull walked slowly into the auditorium.

Kagome knew instantly who he was. Totosai, the eccentric yet brilliant director that was a name unto himself. Kagome had been in a play under the direction of Totosai before, he could be intense and strict but mostly he sounded crazy. It was that crazy that hid the brilliance he possessed.

“I am sure that most of you do not know who I am.” He said as the bull lumbered up with stairs to the stage. Totosai remained on the back of it as he addressed the crowd of students before him. “I am Totosai. I will be directing the spring play this year. As you are all aware these are the auditions for the play. As this is a highly anticipated event I shall only accept the most talented to play the roles. If you do not get a part it means that there was someone better than you.

“One by one when your name is called I want you to come up. You will pick a piece of paper from a bag. On the paper you choose there will be an Act, scene, line and character from one of Shakespeare’s plays. You will read as it is written from that character. I want emotion.”

A woman stepped from the wings of the stage and took a place beside the resting bull. It was Lady Kaede. She had a clipboard in one hand and a blue velvet bag in the other. She was looking at the clipboard.

“Lupin, Koga.” called Lady Kaede loudly.

Koga Lupin was a macho man. He was an actor with considerable ability Kagome knew but he had a quick temper and one track mind. He had gotten it into his mind last year that Kagome was destined for him and had pestered her ever since. She had been avoiding him lately though. Still she had to admit that he definitely was talented.

Koga stood up and swaggered onto the stage. Lade Kaede motioned for him to come and pick his line. He reached into that blue velvet bag and pulled out a piece of white paper.

“Remember whatever line you are given, whatever character you are given there are no exceptions, you must act it out to the best of your abilities.”

Koga pulled his paper out with a cocky, confident look on his face. He opened the folded piece of paper and quickly read the contents. Immediately, his face went pale and his grin dropped off his face.

“You can’t be serious!” he exclaimed looking at Lady Kaede and Totosai with a pained expression.

“No exceptions, Mr. Lupin.”

Koga groaned loudly. His faced was stained red with an uncharacteristic blush. He muttered something under his breath and looked once more at the lines written on the paper. He turned his back to the audience before he reached up to his head and released his long hair from its confinement to fall around him.  When he turned back around to the audience of students waiting he had relaxed his face and somehow made the hard lines of his face softer. With his hair down and blue eyes he passed just barely as a female.

“Oh Romeo, Romeo. Where for art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love and I’ll no longer be a Capulet. Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.”

Kagome straightened up as she listened to Koga recite his lines. He had not only slightly altered his appearance to suit Juliet but he had also changed his voice and made it breathy and feminine.  Sporadic giggles erupted from some of those around Kagome as they took in Koga. As he finished his lines Totosai was clapping.

“Well done! Good. Good. A convincing Juliet.”

“Yes. That is enough Mr. Lupin.” Lady Kaede cut him off.

Koga took a bow and as manly as he could manage he walked off the stage and back to his seat.

“Next on the list is...Taisho, Inuyasha.” called Kaede.

Inuyasha had taken a place close to Koga. Kagome knew him too. He was a loudmouth. His acting skills were limited from what Kagome remembered, but there were some roles that he excelled at. He went to Lady Kaede and pulled a paper. He looked at it and a frown creased his forehead. A moment later he seemed to have figured out something complicated and smiled.

He bent over and mimicked the act of hauling something heavy with his hands. He contorted his body to make it seem like he was deformed, like an igor.

“All the infections that he sun sucks up from bog, fens, flats on Prosper fall and make him by inch meal a disease! His spirits hear me! And yet I needs must curse. But they’ll nor pinch fright me with urchin-shows, pitch I’ the mire, more lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark out of my way unless he bid ‘em.”

As Inuyasha spoke his words were slowed and slightly slurred. The right side of his face was lax and his mouth was slightly upturned on one side. He projected an aura of anger and repression. Kagome was surprised she had never seen Inuyasha act as he was. She was actually quite good.

Once more Totosai clapped and Lady Kaede escorted Inuyasha off the stage before calling the next name. Several more passed with different ranges of Shakespeare plays, some she recognized and some she didn’t. Some people were greatly talented and others were not so greatly talented. Still Kagome waited for her turn to go up.

Her name was called and Kagome stood up. She had her face as straight and confident as she could make it. She didn’t want to belie to those watching that her heart was pounding or that her palms were sweating.  

“Come on now Miss Higurashi, pick your paper.” urged Lady Kaede.

Kagome smiled briefly before she put her hand into the blue velvet bag. She rooted around for a moment before she latched onto one and pulled it out. She pulled it open and looked at the paper.

Twelfth Night

 Act II Scene II

 Viola/Cesario

Below that were the lines expected of her. After reading it for a moment she looked out over the stage on her face she put a look of puzzlement as she began to speak. Her voice was soft as she spoke.

“None of my lord’s ring! Why, he sent her none. I am the man: if it be so, as ‘tis, poor lady she were better love a dream. Disguise, I see, art a wickedness, wherein the pregnant enemy does much. How easy is it for the proper-false in women’s waxen hearts to set their forms! Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we! For such as we are made of, such we be. How will this fadge?”

Kagome ended her lines softly in wonder. A woman unsure of what was to become of herself. She didn’t wait for anything simply left the stage after her performance to take her seat once again. 

~*~

She had never doubted for one moment that she would be given a role in the production. She had worked too hard and too long not to. She was talented and most of all she loved Shakespeare’s plays. The page with those who were qualified had been plastered all over the school. It was just a list of names. No one knew yet what the play was going to be. Just those who had been chosen to participate.

Kagome gathered with those on the list after school. Both Koga and Inuyasha had been chosen too. She hadn’t doubted that they would, both were talented. But there was one name on the list that Kagome had not recognized. Sesshomaru. There had been no last name and Kagome didn’t remember anyone by that name auditioning.

“Let us begin!” called the familiar voice of Totosai suddenly. Kagome looked and there he was perched on the stage. “I am sure that you all are interested to hear what play we shall be performing. One by one I want you to come up and find the script on the stage with your name on it. Your part will be highlighted. Rehearsals begin immediately.”

One by one Kagome and the others went up and got their scripts. The title of the play was emblazoned on the cover in capitals. HAMLET. Flipping open the cover she saw that she had been given the part of Ophelia.

“I GET TO PLAY HAMLET!” yelled Inuyasha jumping up and down in excitement. He had gotten the lead role.

Shortly afterwards she heard Koga say to Inuyasha. “Looks like I am going to have to be your best friend, mutt.”

Inuyasha looked at the script Koga was waving in front of his face. “I can’t believe I have to pretend to be your friend.” He threw the script back at Koga in disgust.

“No more than me.”

Kagome stifled a giggle.

“Hey Kagome! What part did you get?” asked Inuyasha as he dismissed the wolf from his thinking.

“Ophelia.”

“Awesome. That means that you are my girlfriend!” grinned the dog, throwing his arm around Kagome’s shoulder.

Kagome let him. They were friends after all and she was used to him acting all possessive and jealous thought there was nothing going on. She noticed out of the corner of her eye Totosai was by the door greeting a newcomer that had been late and handing over a script. This must be the infamous Sesshomaru she had never met before. She couldn’t quite see what he looked like though.

“Inuyasha...do you see who Totosai is talking to?” she asked looking up.

Inuyasha took a half hearted look around then shook his head. “No.”

“I think it’s that Sesshomaru who was on the list but I have no idea what he looks like.”

Inuyasha froze. “Sesshomaru?”

“Yeah. Do you know him?”asked Kagome

“Well.”  hesitated Inuyasha. He nodded his head.

“Who is he?”

“My older brother.” Inuyasha looked distinctly uncomfortable. “I knew he was transferring her but I didn’t know he had auditioned for the play and made it.”

“Didn’t you see the name on the list?” Kagome wanted to know.

“No. Miroku looked at the list for me and told me that I had made it. I was too nervous.” He admitted.

Totosai called his cast to order shortly after and Kagome got her first look at Inuyasha’s older brother. T resemblance was stunning. They had the same hair and eyes. But Sesshomaru’s features were smoother and more controlled. He projected an aura of utter control and ice. Kagome was shocked. How could she had not known that Inuyasha had a brother? Or more importantly that his brother was so damn HOT??!

“We will start at the beginning please take your positions.” ordered Totosai

“Kagome...” whispered Inuyasha softly. “Stay away from Sesshomaru. He is bad news.” He warned her.

Kagome was sure that he was just exaggerating. She couldn’t wait to get to know him. He couldn’t’ be as bad as Inuyasha was clearly implying.

~*~

One month into rehearsals Kagome knew why Inuyasha and Sesshomaru hated each other. Truth be told she hated Sesshomaru too. He was such a jerk. He was ice cold to everyone and made everyone feel like a servant beneath his feet.

 When it came to acting he was amazing, Kagome wasn’t about to let her personal feelings colour how she saw his acting. He was truly great. And a perfectionist. He didn’t let anyone do less than he wanted especially when they were in a scene with him. The worst thing about that was that Totosai always agreed with him and never curtailed the way he directed people.

After one scene with the man she wanted to kill him. He was just too much. He had been given the part of Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle turned stepfather. Rehearsals were going on around them. Kagome had a slight break before they got to her scene and she was sitting beside none other than the man of difficulty, Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha was on the stage talking with two of his friend and they had just admitted that they were spying on him for his mother and uncle.

“What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties!  In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals—”

“Stop!” yelled Totosai. “You are not making any sense. Think of how it would actually sound you dolt!” The old man ordered. “Now do it right!”

“My brother’s acting could use some work.” said Sesshomaru suddenly.

“Are you talking to me?” asked Kagome. She was shocked Sesshomaru didn’t talk to anyone freely. He was really quiet when he wasn’t on stage.

He merely raised an eyebrow at her question as if to say who else would I be talking to?

Curious, Kagome went along with it. “True. But he is still doing a good job.”

“Hn.”

“Why are you so nasty to everyone?” asked Kagome suddenly. Immediately she was mortified that she had said anything. Especially when his eyes narrowed at her in irritation.

Sesshomaru didn’t answer her however. He just sat stiffly beside her. “You are not like the others.” He said after awhile.

Now it was Kagome’s turn to raise an eyebrow at him. A compliment?  Kagome wasn’t sure how to take that.

“Now where is my Claudius?” called Totosai from the stage. Sesshomaru stood and left Kagome without as much as another word.

~*~

Kagome’s sweet voice echoed on the stage and around in the empty auditorium as she acted her part. This was the part near the end of the play where Ophelia has gone almost insane after her father’s death. She was singing her song while answering King Claudius’s questions in a nonsensical manner.  Her voice was slightly haunting as she added a touch of the innocent insanity to the way she spoke.

“Cut!” ordered Totosai.

Sesshomaru immediately let go of his character and addressed the actress that was playing his wife, the Queen. “You are not emoting as you should. Do better.” He told her. His voice as cold as it always was when he addressed anyone. The girl erupted into tears a moment later and ran off the stage.

Totosai gave Sesshomaru a look, but didn’t say anything as he went to go and find his actress and calm her down.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief that he didn’t bother to say anything to her. She was used to him berating her between Totosai’s orders about performing better. She did feel bad for the girl however. She had been trying and Kagome knew that she had been having a hard time conveying the emotion that both Totosai and Sesshomaru demanded. Sesshomaru moved to stand closer to Kagome. For some reason she was the only person that he seemed to be able to stand and who could stand him without wanting to throw a punch or crying.

“Kagome!” yelled Inuyasha from the other side of the stage. He motioned for her to come closer to him.

Kagome walked the few steps closer and smiled at her friend.

“I never knew you could sing like that!” grinned Inuyasha. He had never heard her sing before and was surprised that she had a decent singing voice.

Kagome blushed slightly at the praise and smiled. “There are a lot of things that you don’t know about me.”

Inuyasha was about to reply when Koga came over and put his arm around Kagome. “What are you doing around my girl mutt?” he asked just to get a rise out of Inuyasha.

“She isn’t your wolf!”

“Sure she is.” returned Koga easily. He leaned in and attempted to kiss Kagome. She moved her face away and pulled his arm off of her.

As soon as she stepped clear Inuyasha and Koga started one of the many verbal spats that had begun since the beginning of the play and Koga had started to take an interest in her, which for some reason had greatly annoyed Inuyasha. For the life of her, Kagome had no idea why.

She silently moved away from the two who were arguing at the top of their lungs and walked right into something hard. She was saved from falling as Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her and kept her upright.

“Wha--.” she began looked up in confusion at him. Though he had let go of her they were still standing really close together. She couldn’t help but notice how beautiful his yellow eyes were as they looked into her own.

“Kagome! Sesshomaru! You both did splendidly.” Announced Totosai as he suddenly reappeared on the stage with the upset actress in tow.

Kagome blushed. If it was from his praise or from how near she was to Sesshomaru she had no idea but she quickly took a step back from the male. He was seriously too tempting for his own good. If only that sharp icy tongue would say something to her then she could forget this foolishness.

“Ok and we begin again at the beginning of the scene. Now!”

Everyone hurried to move to their places.

~*~

Kagome felt her heart beat fast in her chest. It was opening night. They had worked so hard on the play. Everyone was reciting their lines as best as they could and so far so good. The era dress she was wearing was tight and constraining but that was inconsequential. Her lines had been delivered and she had heard the audience gasp as she relayed the information to her father Polonius that she was afraid of Hamlet because she thought him insane and that in that insanity he loved her still.

She finished her lines and followed Polonius off the stage and into the wings where Sesshomaru and the others were waiting for their entrance in the next scene. She let out a harsh breath when she was fully off stage and smiled at the waiting actors. As she passed Sesshomaru, she found herself suddenly brought in close as his lips descended to hers in a quick, brief yet thoroughly disorienting kiss.

She was spun away delicately as the next scene began. She watched frozenly as a completely composed Sesshomaru sauntered out onto the stage to deliver his lines. Kagome was shocked. What was that? She walked farther into the wings and remembered that she had to enter again from the other side of the stage and hurried to run silently through hidden walkway behind the stage to get ready for her next entrance.

~*~

Thunderous applause rang out as the final curtain fell. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. It was over. The first of many performances and in all their opinions one of the most important. The cast hurried out in order to join hands before the curtain call.

Kagome joined hands with Koga and the actor who had played her brother Laertes.  The curtain raise to their audience and the applause began once more as they stepped forward and took a bow together, they moved back and Polonius, Gertrude and Sesshomaru stepped forward to take their bow. They back up, Sesshomaru manoeuvred his way to stand beside Kagome as they parted and Inuyasha stepped forward to take his bow. They joined hands once more.

His palm was so soft. Kagome thought to herself as she joined her hand with Sesshomaru and took her final bow. The curtain dropped again and the cast smiled at each other. They let go of the hands they had been holding and filed one by one off the stage and to go remove their make-up and change their clothes. Kagome smiled as everyone filed off before her. She let go of Koga’s hand and tried to free her hand from Sesshomaru’s grip. He held on.

“Kagome are you coming?” asked Koga before he left the stage.

“I will be right there.” She told him.

Nodding and eyeing Sesshomaru oddly, Koga left the stage. Now Kagome was alone with Sesshomaru.

“Let go of my hand will you?” snapped Kagome.

Surprisingly Sesshomaru did. Though he still hadn’t said anything to her. Kagome was itching to demand that he tell her what that kiss had been about earlier. She waited to see if he was going to say anything.

“What the heck was that all about?” she asked impatiently. Though she had made up her mind to wait and let him do all the talking she just had to ask.

“What was what?”

“You know.”

“I know what?”

“The kiss.”

Sesshomaru gave her another blank look. And Kagome felt herself blush. This shouldn’t be so hard. All she wanted was a simple answer.

“Can you just—“

Kagome never got a chance to finish that question. Sesshomaru had pulled her close and kissed her again.