My Brother's Keeper

It seemed as though it had all been a really bad dream. All she could remember now was the whispers behind her back, the snickering when she lifted her fork to her mouth, and the stares as she walked from her classes.

When she arrived at her aunt's home, Aunt Kaede's eyes narrowed and she quickly told her that she would not be eating the junk here as she did at home. Thus began her slow journey to a healthier life.

At first, her new diet was hard. Aunt Kaede fed her fish, fresh fruits and veggies, chicken, and a lot of beans. There were many nights that she went to bed hungry, and angry. Angry at Aunt Kaede for forcing this hellish diet on her, and angry at herself for putting herself in this situation.

The weight didn't leave as quickly as she hoped. In fact, there were many days that she would step on the scale and burst into tears because she hadn't lost anything. Aunt Kaede patiently explained that while she was losing fat, she was gaining muscle and that muscle weighted more than fat. She explained that it was not about the numbers, but about how her clothing fit.

Her aunt started her on an intense exercise program and hired a personal trainer for Kagome. At first, she thought her aunt had lost her mind. Her trainer, an old man named Totosai, began teaching her different exercises that would not only help her loose mass, but help her tone and strengthen her body.

After the first month, she noticed that her pants fit better and were loose in the legs. Stunned, she showed her aunt and grinned when her aunt told her that she had also lost some of her double chin.

As the time neared for her to return to college, Aunt Kaede asked Kagome if she would consider staying through the semester. It would give her time to think about things and strengthen her mind as well as her body. After thinking on it for a day, Kagome called Inu Yasha and told him that she would not be coming back for the semester; that she needed some time off and would appreciate it if he would hold her room.

He, of course, agreed. He didn't say it, but she could tell that he was relieved. His brothers were probably nagging him about getting rid of her and this bought him more time. So, with her housing taken care of, Kagome happily told her aunt that she would stay.

As she lost her weight, Kagome met two young women and quickly became friends with them. Amazingly, she found that she had more in common with them than she did with Sango and Kikyo, her own cousin.

Keiko was a very quiet and nice girl who had a temper when provoked. She sheepishly admitted to Kagome that she liked bad boys. With her pretty light brown hair and large eyes, Kagome was shocked that she didn't have a boyfriend, but Keiko simply said that she was picky and that when she met the right guy, she would know it.

Miaka, on the other hand, was the exact opposite of Keiko. She was loud, friendly, outgoing, and loved to eat. Kagome quickly found out that taking Miaka out to a restaurant that did not have a buffet would be deadly to one's wallet, so she and Keiko would often convince Miaka to go to the local buffet restaurant whenever they went out to eat.

Both girls joined her on her exercises and they could often be seen huffing and puffing together as they jogged or did pilates. Both girls told her that they, too, needed to lose weight and were excited when they reached their own goals.

Fate, however, decided that it was about to reward her for all of her hard work. She finally lost all of the weight and was stunned to find that underneath the excess weight was a very attractive woman. So attractive that on a trip to the mall with her friends, she was approached by a young man who worked for a very prestigious modeling firm.

Miaka and Keiko forced her to go with the young man and watched gleefully as she had photos taken of her. Once done, the young man explained that he wanted the owner of the firm to look them over, and that he would be in touch soon.

Soon came two days later. As she was finishing up with her chores, the phone rang and it turned out to be the young man. He laughed as he explained that the owner of Koenma's Models loved her photos and wanted her to model for him.

Within a day, she found herself in front of a camera and posing in different positions. He continued to tell her that she had to be one of the most beautiful women he had ever worked with, and she had to stop herself from glaring at Keiko and Miaka when they burst into laughter at the man's antics.

But, not everything was fun. She made herself examine events in her life and realized that she had been lying to herself for a very long time. If they were her true friends, Inu Yasha, Kouga, and Sango, would never have allowed people to talk badly about her, but instead, they sat by and let their friends drag her through the mud and laugh at her behind her back. None of them had ever been fat. In fact, all three of them were athletes.

Kouga was a runner. His lean, lithe body had no visible fat anywhere and he was often seen with girls who sported the same look. Inu Yasha lifted weights and played football. He was nicely built and she often heard Kikyo talk about how it felt to run her hands over his defined stomach as they kissed. Sango was a runner, like Kouga. She kept her body fit and trim by lifting weights and watching what she ate.

These people had no idea just how hard her life as a heavy woman was. They never walked in her shoes, nor did they understand that she felt as though she were a prisoner in her own skin, doomed to spend her life watching all the fun, but never being invited to join in.

The sad fact of the matter is that people simply do not stop and consider that others are heavy for different reasons. They never considered that perhaps something happened in the person's life to cause them to eat, or perhaps it had nothing to do with food, but body chemistry or emotions.

It took a while, but she finally realized that these people were not her friends. They tolerated her. They used her to help them with their studies. They smiled at her face, but laughed behind her back.

But, out of all of them, it was Sango who pissed her off the most. She knew what all had happened in Kagome's life, but simply ignored her until she needed something. Whenever she would call, it would take nearly a week for Sango to return her call, and then Sango would often cut the conversation short, as if even talking to her took a great effort on her part. As if she were doing her a favor by talking to her.

There were times when Sango and Kikyo would go out to lunch with her and they would harp on what she ate, telling her that she was only going to get fatter, then they would eat the exact same things and smile. Now she knew why Sango and Kikyo would always insist on a corner booth. They simply didn't wish to be seen in public with her.

Well, who the hell needed that? Now that her body and mind were healthy, she understood that she didn't need those people. Now, she was beautiful. Now, her body was just as strong and desired. Now, she was getting the same looks and compliments as Sango and Kikyo. And, to top it all off, she now had a contract with the largest modeling firm in Japan.

But, the time for returning to college was getting closer, and though she was thrilled to find that Keiko and Miaka would be joining her, she could not help but feel a bit apprehensive about returning to the apartment. In fact, she began to feel sick. She didn't want to face them.

Aunt Kaede understood. She knew what it was like to be made fun of. She lost her eye when she was just a little girl, and was made fun of during her youth. It was her Uncle Myoga who protected her. Coward in many things, in the protection of his wife, he was quite fierce. It was her uncle who suggested that he and his wife pay for an apartment for her and her friends.

At first, she declined. But, with some urging from her aunt, she finally relented and told Keiko and Miaka that they didn't have to room in the dorms; they had their very own bachelorette pad. Soon, they registered with the college and picked out their classes online. All that was left was to buy their books and they would do that the day after they moved into the apartment. The time flew by and between hanging out with her friends and working, she found herself stunned when the day she had to return arrived.

It was hard to leave them. Her aunt and uncle gave her a new life and now, she was leaving and had to learn how to fly with her own wings. But, at least she knew what to do and how to do it so that the weight would stay off. As they drove to the airport, Kagome looked down at the paper in her hand and smiled. Within a week, Keiko and Miaka would join her and they would move into their new apartment. The only down side was that the new apartment was in the same complex as her old one. It was the only complex that had three bedrooms.

After saying her goodbyes and giving a promise to call often, she found herself in the terminal and waiting to be checked in. A large commotion claimed her attention and when she turned her head, she noticed that a cameraman was pointing his camera at her, and another man was talking into his microphone.

Giving the man with the camera a smile, she turned and walked up to the desk. Once she was checked in, she walked to her gate and waited patiently for the time to board. She was well aware of the looks that she was receiving from both men and women, and she did her best not to blush. All of this attention was still very new to her and she was still getting used to her new and attractive body.

She could not wait to get home. She needed a hot shower and a great night's sleep. Tomorrow was a new day and she was ready to pounce on whatever came her way.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Bankotsu snorted and placed the picture frame face down on the end table. He made a face and snapped, “Why in the hell haven't you gotten rid of her fucking pictures? She isn't here and looking at her fat ass makes me sick.”

Inu Yasha let out a harsh sigh. “This is her apartment, too. She has every right to display her pictures. Now, can we get on with the meeting? Please?” He begged, his golden eyes pleading with Hotohori.

The tall, elegant man nodded. “Yes. Bankotsu, if the photos bother you, don't look at them. Your jokes about Kagome's weight are growing old. We all know that she is a young lady who is slightly heavy, so there is no need for you to keep commenting on it. Now, I believe that Sesshomaru has something he would like to say.” Hotohori said as he settled back into his chair.

Sesshomaru stood up. He looked around and narrowed his eyes. “As we all know that we are the most powerful and popular fraternity on campus, but we still do not have our own house. I have remedied that. Mine and Inu Yasha's father has agreed to pay for new fraternity house, but under the condition that we will revert to the old ways of selecting our members.”

The men in the room glanced at each other and grinned. In the old days, selecting members included a harsh screening process and included a very harsh “hell week”. This was going to be fun.

Hotohori stood up and called for a vote. Nodding once everyone had voted, he announced, “Very well. We will return to the old ways and heaven help those who want to join us.”

The men laughed, but were quickly silenced when Hiten shouted for everyone to be quiet. He grabbed the remote and hit the button that would unmute the television. He muted it when the meeting started, but kept his eyes glued on the set, watching eagerly for the scores for his favorite sports teams.

The news reporter was clearly an entertainment reporter, and was speaking about a model who was quickly being recognized as possibly the most beautiful woman in the world.

“This young woman, who is being called Kags by Koenma Models, has been labeled as this century's “Helen Of Troy”. For our viewers who are not familiar with the legends, it was said that in the times of the Greek gods, Helen of Troy was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world and that it was because of her that a great battle was fought. Now, this young woman behind me has claimed the title and I must say, she deserves it.” The reporter said, his tone dripping with lust.

The camera focused in on the woman named Kags, and when she turned and smiled at the camera, Hiten slumped in his seat and whistled.

“Damn. What I wouldn't give to be her man. Did you see her eyes? Fuck, that woman is the kind a guy would kill for.” He said, his red eyes trained upon her form.

Inu Yasha felt a blush spread across his cheeks. Thankfully, Kikyo wasn't there, or else she would probably smack him due to the fact that another woman made him hard. The girl was sexy as hell and would probably be a tiger in the sack.

When the television went to commercial, the young men started to make comments and agreed that the girl was beautiful. Well, most everyone made comments. Sesshomaru simply didn't partake in such things. Yes, he would admit the girl was beautiful, but he was not one to go crazy over another person. Especially some girl he did not know.

When Hotohori announced that it was time to get on the road, that the girls were waiting on them, the young men stood up and eagerly moved towards the door. Inu Yasha quickly wrote a note to Kagome and welcomed her home. He explained that he and Kouga were going camping with their brothers and that they would be home in a couple of days.

It was nearly midnight when Kagome returned to the apartment. The taxi driver offered to carry up her luggage, but after politely declining, she grabbed her bags and walked up the stairs, let herself into the apartment, and smiled.

It was quiet and everything seemed to be in order. When she saw the note on the table, she quickly scanned it and grinned. Two whole days of nothing but peace and quiet. What a treat! Humming to herself, she propped her suitcase up by the front door, and decided to unpack in the morning. Right now, the shower was calling her and who was she to deny it?

It was early in the morning when the front door opened and Inu Yasha walked in, grumbling. Behind him, his brothers, along with their girlfriends, filed in, all angry and muttering. Even the unflappable Sesshomaru seemed put off by the sudden change in the weather.

It was Bankotsu who noticed the suitcase first. Pointing, he grumbled, “Looks like Humpty Dumpty is home. Why don't you drag her fat ass out of bed and have her cook for us. At least she would be useful.”

Kouga glared over at the man, and was about to snap at him, but when he heard a door open and heard Kagome's voice, he quickly shut his mouth.

Footsteps were heard coming down the hall, and Bankotsu could be heard oinking softly. When she appeared, the oinking suddenly stopped. Suddenly, the game had changed and the young men realized that the beauty they had seen the prior day was now standing before them in a pair of very small boy-shorts and a tight tank top.

Her large, dark eyes traveled over the men and her perfectly manicured hands came to rest upon her hips, which were peeking slightly over the edge of her shorts. A scowl darkened her features and she snapped, “I thought your note said that you were going to be camping?”

At first, he was too stunned to reply, but when the scowl deepened and she huffed angrily, he was able to stand up and stutter, “K-Kagome?”

First of all, her first night home had been shot to hell when she realized that there was no hot water, and would have to forgo her shower. Then, she simply could not sleep and it was only in the wee hours of the morning did she finally drift off, but was awakened by Bankotsu's annoying voice.

Now, as she stood before the gaping people, she shook her head and snapped, “Who were you expecting, Inu Yasha? The toothfairy?”

Miroku coughed and said, “Wow, Kagome. You have changed.” A goofy grin lit up his features, earning himself a glare from Sango.

Kagome's eyes cut over to the violet-eyed young man and she leaned forward, unknowingly giving Hiten, Yusuke, and Kuwabara a great view of her ass, and studied his face. Then, she straightened and sneered, “From the looks of your cheek, you have not.”

Hotohori cleared his throat and stood up. He gave her a smile and said, “Welcome home, Kagome. I trust your flight went well.”

Kagome's eyebrow lifted. Ok, this is the very first time that Hotohori spoke more than three words to her. Though his voice was sexy as hell, she was not going to be fooled. Never again.

Nodding and then turning her back on him, she glared over at Sango when the girl stood up and tried to give her a hug. Stepping back quickly, she nearly lost her balance, and yelped when she felt a pair of strong hands upon her hips, stopping her from falling. She quickly righted herself and walked over to the nearest wall, giving Tamahome a glare when he smiled at her.

The other occupants of the room glanced at each other before looking over at Kagome. Sango held up her hands and softly said, “I just wanted to give you a hug. Maybe we can go out tonight to celebrate your homecoming.”

For a moment, Kagome stared at Sango before a slow smile crossed her lips. Sango's face brightened but then dimmed at Kagome's words.

“Well, as nice as that offer is, I can't. See, just as you didn't want to be seen in public with me when I was heavy, I don't want to be seen in public with you now.” She snapped, her dark eyes narrowing in contempt. “And, don't worry about asking me to move out, Inu Yasha. I have rented another apartment and will be moving out later this week.”

Her words stunned him. Never before had he heard anything but a kind word come from Kagome's lips. Now, it was as though he were staring at a stranger. It was clear that she was angry and he knew that he and his friends were deserving of her attitude. He started towards her to try and explain his behavior, but the phone stopped him.

Kouga slowly reached out and picked up the ringing phone. He listened for a moment, but then held the receiver out and said, “Kagome, it's for you.”

Moving around her former friend, Kagome took the receiver from Kouga and calmly said, “Hello?” She listened for a moment and then nodded.

“Yes, I have heard of Tsubaki. She is the designer of “Wicked Miko Lingerie”. She only accepts certain kinds of models and is very choosy about whom wears her designs.” Kagome replied. She could feel everyone looking at her and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Yes, Miaka and Keiko will be flying out sometime tomorrow and we will be moving into the apartment the following day.”

As she listened, a large grin spread across her lips and she nodded. “I'll be there. Thank you so much, Koenma. I really appreciate this. Goodbye.” She said, before hanging up the phone. Turning, she noticed that everyone was staring at her, and she huffed before scuttling around Inu Yasha and heading for her room.

When she was gone, Kouga shook his head and stood up. “I can't believe it. Was that really Kagome?” He demanded, his shocked tone matching his expression.

“Aunt Kaede said that Kagome changed. Apparently, she changed more than I expected. I think that maybe we took the fat jokes a bit too far.” Kikyo said quietly.

Inu Yasha turned to glance at Kagome's room before letting his shoulders droop. He'd never felt so badly and now, he could probably guess that in Kagome's eyes, they were no longer friends. His suspicions were confirmed when Kagome finally emerged from her room and didn't even acknowledge him when he told her goodbye. The old Kagome ignored the whispers and snickers, this Kagome fought back and didn't hesitate to use her claws. This was going to be one hell of a semester.