To Pay the Piper
Chapter 1:
The incessant pitter-pat of the rain drops seemed to resound through her little bedroom as she desperately pulled the covers over her head. However, the more she tried to ignore it, the faster and harder they seemed to collide with her tiny window. Groaning, she slowly sat up, only to become aware of two smaller bodies huddled close to her. Smiling softly, she expertly rose from the bed, watching as the two boys merely snuggled into her still-warm pillow.
She'd become a master at moving around without drawing attention to herself, or disturbing anyone else. That was the way she lived, especially out in public. Thus, she'd become very talented at slipping out of bed unnoticed when the two boys had taken to sharing one with her.
Stretching, she glanced at the clock on the small bedside table.
Only 5 A.M, 2 hours before we have to leave for school.
Padding softly into the kitchen, she turned on the light and looked around. The apartment she shared with her brother, Souta, and her soon-to-be-adopted son, Shippo, wasn't all that extravagant, but it still had all the essentials: 1 kitchen, 2 bedrooms (although the boys mostly spent the night in hers), 1 bathroom, and a small living room-like space.
Sighing again, she dished out the necessary materials before beginning her daily routine: making breakfast, eating, getting the boys ready, getting herself ready as they ate, and taking off to school and day-care.
Hearing the alarm-clock sound from her bedroom, Higurashi Kagome slowly rose from her fold-up table, and cleared her area, before making her way to awaken her boys. She gently shook them as she called their names, watching with caring eyes and an indulgent smile as they slowly blinked at her.
"Okaa-san?"
"Nee-chan?"
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Souta, Shippo." She picked both of them up as she headed for the bathroom.
"Is it time to get up already?"
She nodded. "Hai. You still have to eat and shower before we leave."
Setting them down, she instructed them to remove their pajamas as she fetched their outfits for the day. For Souta, it was the typical uniform: black pants, a white shirt and black jacket with matching shoes, but Shippo wore anything she chose for him. She grabbed her own green and white uniform before returning to the bathroom.
She quickly bathed Shippo as Souta finished undressing and brushing his teeth, before letting him take the shower for himself with a reminder to be quick. But by the time she had finished brushing the young kitsune's hair, tying his shoelaces, and ushering him to the kitchen, Souta was already eating.
Staring at herself in the mirror in her sailor fuku, Kagome couldn't help but sigh. She toyed with the thought of doing something different with her hair, or maybe even exchanging her glasses for contacts, before laughing at her own radical ideas, pulling her hair into a ponytail, donning the thick frames and exiting the bathroom.
Stepping out into the hallway, she grabbed three light jackets as Souta and Shippo came stumbling toward her.
"We're ready, Okaa-san!"
Smiling softly at the young fox-demon's enthusiasm, she decided to play along.
"You sure?" Two simultaneous nods were her reply. "Got your bags?" Again, two nods. "Your lunches?" The response was the same. She put her finger to her mouth, pretending to think deeply. "How about… your homework?"
She watched as Souta dashed back to the room he shared with Shippo, and came back clutching a folder.
"Got it Nee-chan!"
"Okay then, let's go. Now remember, Shippo, what do you call me when we're outside?"
"Kagome nee-chan!"
She smiled brightly at him. "And how come?"
The five year-old kitsune furrowed his brow in contemplation. "Because we don't want the bad people to take us away!"
Kagome's smile widened as she took the boys' hands and began walking towards the entrance to the building. She'd wanted to live on the first floor so that no one would notice and report all the noise that they made in her apartment, but she'd only been able to get an apartment on the fourth.
Walking leisurely, the three-some began the five-block trek to Souta's school. Fortunately, Kagome had had great luck in getting both her brother and son a place to stay during the day. Souta's school was a very good one, and she worked very hard to make sure that he stayed in it. The grade levels went up to the 9th and it would be easy to get accepted into a college preparatory school if the seven-year old did well. Not to mention that Shippo would be allowed free admission if Souta was deemed a good student.
The tugs on her hand brought Kagome back from her musings. Looking down, she noticed Souta's anxious expression and quickly bent down in front of him.
"Souta-chan? What's the matter?"
"I don't think this is a good idea. I could help you more if I weren't in school! They might find me and take me away, and you'd never know! Onegai, don't leave me here nee-chan!"
With that he flung his small arms around her neck, hugging her as tightly as he could. Gathering her brother's small frame into her arms, Kagome gently shushed him.
"I could never forget about you, Souta. Don't worry, alright? No one'll get suspicious as long as you keep going to school and doing your best. Okay? Wakarimasu ka?"
"Hai, nee-chan, wakarimasu."
She gently wiped the tears from his eyes. "Good. I'll see you at lunch, and Souta? Try to have fun. I'm sure you'll make lots of friends."
Giving him one last peck on the cheek, she watched as he walked off into the schoolyard, before taking Shippo's hand again and continuing on to his school and daycare center. Because he was so young, Shippo only really had morning classes. However, after his Kindergarten 2 class, the building also offered day care until the afternoon, so he stayed all day. She was hoping that he'd be able to start Grade 1 at Souta's school the following year.
A few minutes later, Kagome found herself wrapped tightly in the embrace of her adoptive-son as he promised to behave and follow directions.
"Good, Shippo. Don't forget that I'll come by to pick you up for lunch with Souta."
"Hai! I won't Oka- um… nee-chan."
She smiled softly as she watched him run off before turning her attention to her own personal prison, Tokyo High.
She sighed deeply, taking one last glance at the small building and walked away.
Standing at an intersection, Kagome looked wistfully around her. There were parents scattered here and there, some chasing down their children with jackets as they ran down the street, while others were kissing them on the forehead and promising to come back at the end of the day.
Smiling softly to herself, she crossed the street as the light turned green, slowly but steadily making her way to her own "institute of education".
Here goes nothing…
Just before she walked through the gates that led towards her schoolyard, Kagome took several deep breaths, willing her anxiety and nervousness to disappear.
I can do this. I can do this… Taking another deep breath, she turned into the courtyard, keeping her head down as she walked along the familiar path towards her school and the whispers erupted around her.
"Oh look, Higurashi's back."
"I can't believe she even has the nerve to show up anymore."
"Wonder if she'll talk to anyone this year!"
"Yeah, right! Who'd want to talk to such a freak?"
"Kikyou's gonna love this!"
Closing her eyes, she hurried her steps, feeling short of breath as hundreds of eyes bore into her back. She squeezed her own shut as she ran the last few feet into the school building, feeling her panic rise as the heavy thudding of her heart threatened to drown out her senses.
Quickly pressing herself against the back wall of a small alcove beneath a staircase, Kagome took out her inhaler, and pushed it to her mouth as she breathed deeply. Using it twice more before putting the small device back in her bag, she lifted her glasses, closed her eyes again and slumped against the wall.
This was how it always was for her. Higurashi Kagome, the last of her family aside from her brother, the soon-to-be-18-years-old, and Tokyo High's local laughing-stock. She didn't speak much, she most definitely didn't have friends, but somehow she had made an enemy of the most popular girl in her class, Sakitama Kikyou.
It was a general rule that the losers and so-called cool kids didn't get along, and as far as geeks went, Kagome was the cream of the crop. Her glasses alone screamed bookworm, but her quiet, polite nature only seemed to confirm it. So, she merely did her best to avoid Kikyou at all costs. She moved quickly enough to get to her classes with time to spare, but not overly so that she would be noticed when she walked down the corridors.
Sighing, she stood from the wall. Feeling the weight of her bag, she removed several books and her prescriptions, rearranging her glasses as she did so, heading towards the nurse's office to fill out all the necessary forms for the extra inhaler she'd have to keep there along side her other medication.
Hastening so that she'd have time to get to her homeroom before the hallways became too crowded, Kagome glanced down at the small watch adorning her right wrist. She only had about forty-five minutes to spare, and she clenched the small bag tighter.
Turning the corner, she began rush even more, dreading the fact that her destination was on the other side of the school building. Glimpsing at her watch again, Kagome took off at a dead run through the halls, feeling her dyspnea act up again as she became short of breath. Rounding another corner, she slammed into what seemed to be a brick wall, falling to the floor as her medication clattered down around her and her glasses flew from her face.
Immediately, mocking laughter floated to her ears as she cast her hand about in search of her fallen spectacles. Flushing with embarrassment, the proximity of the group that she could feel surrounding her alongside her own frustration made her hands tremble as they glided over the cold corridor floor.
"So, Higurashi, come back again, have ya?" She froze as the voice registered in her mind.
Snapping her mouth shut with an audible 'click', Kagome bit her tongue and willed Kikyou and her little groupies to go away.
"What's the matter, KA-GO-ME? Can I call you that? I guess I can call you anything I want since you never talk anyway." Looking around disdainfully, Kikyou scowled. "What are you looking for? Could it be… your glasses?"
Quickly raising her head, Kagome squinted at the blurry form she made out to be Kikyou. Still trembling with barely contained fear, she stood and squared her shoulders, painfully aware of the weak image she made, but holding out her hand anyway.
"Oh! What you want them back? Well, why don't you beg me for them?"
Kagome immediately felt someone push her from behind, resulting in the undignified 'thump' that resounded from her hitting the ground.
"Hey, Kikyou! Look at all these meds!" Kagome recognized her as another of her bullies, Himura Kagura. Feeling her throat constrict as her panic shot to extreme levels, Kagome tried to swallow her fear.
"Please give them back." Her voice was barely there, a whisper through the otherwise silent hall, and for a minute Kikyou and her cronies thought they'd misheard.
"Well, what do you know? She speaks!"
At that, they all began to laugh, while Kagome felt the pressure in her lungs escalate into the makings of hyperventilation. Just as her choked wheezes and gasps increased the laughter around her, a new voice broke in.
"HEY! Leave her alone!"
Quickly looking around, Kikyou threw Kagome's glasses at her, leaning over and walking away as she did so. "We'll be seeing you, Kags!" Again, the laughter echoed through her ears as Kagome fumbled to right her glasses upon her face.
Just then, she became aware of the presence of another person, as their harsh breathing fanned out against her ear.
"Calm down. Take a deep breath. Just… lemme find your inhaler."
Still taking shallow, shuddering breaths, Kagome dropped her glasses once more as she began frantically searching for the inhaler as well. Her harsh breathing patterns were making her chest hurt and she knew that she'd faint soon enough.
Just then, the hand of whoever was helping her pressed the inhaler into her own. Holding it with her as her fingers shook uncomfortably and helping to raise it to her lips. After taking 5 deep puffs, she felt her body begin to relax.
Turning her head slowly to see her rescuer, she could only make out the blurry figure of a squatting boy.
"Here."
Squinting as she slipped the wire spectacles over her ears, Kagome gasped when she saw piercing gold eyes staring back at her. Still staring, she quickly backed away from him, feeling her scattered medication roll around the floor as she did so.
Ignoring his presence as his curious gaze studied her; she busied herself with collecting her strewn items. Standing as she prepared to flee, Kagome almost let out a groan when she noticed her books weren't anywhere on the floor.
"I assume you're looking for these."
Taking another deep breath, Kagome looked up at her savior, nervously noting how tall he was in comparison to her 5'4. His hair was a shocking silver as were his bangs, providing a distinct contrast to his black uniform, dark eyebrows and healthy tan complexion. But to complete his uniqueness, there were two small, furry, triangular dog ears perched atop his head.
Averting her eyes, she reached out to take her books, muttering a small "thanks" as he gave them to her.
"Hey, um, I'm new here. Do you know how I can get to the Administrations Office?"
Inwardly, Kagome cursed her luck. He just had to be going to see the registrar, who was located directly across from the nurse's office.
Nodding, she turned and began to walk; only stopping once to look back at him when he didn't follow.
Noticing what she wanted him to do, he grabbed his own materials and began to trail after her.
The taciturnity was stifling to both. Although she'd regulated her breathing, Kagome was still attempting to deal with the shock that had come with Kikyou's attack. It had been such a close call. She could have been hurt, or even worse, a teacher could have come across her and tried to dig deeper into the situation by contacting her guardians. Just the thought was enough to disrupt her thoughts once again.
He watched her through his peripheral vision, noting her discomfort and the awkward tension. Casting around for something to say, he threw out what he deemed to be a reasonable question.
"So, what's your name?"
Silence was his response. She didn't even turn to acknowledge him.
Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "Have you been going to school here for a long time?"
Nothing. Looking over at her, he noticed that her eyes were clenched shut and that she was still trembling and breathing heavily through her nose.
Placing a hand on her soldier, he rapidly removed it when she tensed. "Sorry".
Feeling him withdraw his hand almost as fast as he placed it there, Kagome immediately felt guilty. However, his mumbled apology only served to make her feel worse. She wanted to ask for his forgiveness for her awkward tendencies, but wasn't sure how to go about it.
The rest of their journey was continued in silence, until she pointed out the Administrations Office with a small hand and he again thanked her as she turned to enter the Nurse's Room.
Running a hand through his hair, he walked up to the secretary.
"Excuse me, but do you know who that is?"
She followed his finger to see Kagome's retreating figure enter the room across from them. "Oh, that's Higurashi Kagome. She's a real sweetheart, isn't she?"
He turned to face the elderly woman. "Yeah, she's great." He ignored her frown at his obvious sarcasm. "I'm new here. It's my senior year and I really need my schedule."
"Name?"
A few minutes later, as she printed off his transcripts and his schedule, the secretary smiled. "Looks like you and Higurashi will be seeing a lot of each other. Welcome to Tokyo High. In fact …hold on for just one second."
Rushing out of the room, she quickly went over to the nurse's office only to come out leading a flushed Kagome by the arm.
"Well, since you two are already acquainted and your schedules are almost exactly the same, I figured you could show Inuyasha around, hmm, Kagome?"
If possible, the girl paled even more. She wanted to protest, to tell the secretary that hanging out with him would be social suicide on both parts. Well, it would be the usual for her - intensified, and social suicide for him. She wanted to storm out of the office and never look back, but the need to keep from disappointing and the fear of the consequences of her actions kept Kagome from expressing her thoughts.
Instead, she forced a weak smile, and an even weaker reply. "Sure."
Dictionary:
Okaa-san - Mother
Onee-chan - Sister
Ohayo gozaimasu – (formal) Good morning
Sailor fuku – Kagome's uniform
Hai - Yes
Kitsune - Fox
Onegai - Please
Wakarimasu ka? – Do you understand?
Wakarimasu – I understand
Honorifics:
-chan: Informal, it can be used by either gender although when referring to males it's typically only used on children.
-san: A bit more formal, this is used with either gender. It's generally used with adults, familiar or otherwise, but it can also indicate that the person being addressed is more or less a stranger.
A lack of an honorific usually indicates disrespect or great dislike. It's very rude to drop it or to use an inappropriate one. If anyone speaks/takes French, this idea is similar to how the French take great affront to be given incorrect titles, like calling a 50 yr. old woman "Mademoiselle".