Wind Dancer

Chapter 1: A Little Credit


Kagura Onigumo sat in her old VW bug. She was in the parking lot of the Hakurei School of the Performing Arts. She was checking her dance bag for all her supplies.

"Let's see. I've got the leotard, pointe shoes, tights, legwarmers, and regular slippers. I'm all good. Wait; where is my shrug?" Kagura searched her car. Then she had a flashback of her younger sister Kanna playing around in it the night before. "I'm going to wring her tiny little neck. Now I have to dance with bare arms."

Kagura zipped the black bag up and opened her car door. She closed it and locked it with her key. She stepped back and looked at the old bug. It was on its last legs, but Kagura still loved it. She patted it on the hood and straightened her uniform skirt.

Before Kagura could start walking towards the school, she was almost run over by a blue Hummer. It came to a screeching halt and Kagura put her hand on her chest in fright. She stared up into the windshield through her glasses.

"Jerk!" she yelled. She started walking again. "Stupid Hummers and SUVs," she mumbled angrily.

As Kagura neared the front of the school, she stopped by a table n the front yard to get her school schedule. An old man was sitting at the senior table, handing them out. When he saw Kagura, he smiled.

"Ah, Kagura Onigumo. I expect to see you in my class," he said. He handed her a small slip of paper from a box. Kagura smiled and took it. She looked down.

"Sure thing, Mr. Myoga. Why would I want to miss calculus?" she asked. She turned away and began walking towards the large doors. She paused when she heard a voice calling out for her.

"Kagura!"

Kagura turned and saw Kagome Higurashi and Sango Taijiya walking up to her. Kagome was carrying a violin case and Sango was carrying a large folder filled with sheet music. When they caught up with her, they turned and started walking in the school together.

"Welcome back, Kagura. What's with the scowl?" Sango asked.

"What? I'm not scowling," Kagura said. Kagome looked in her face.

"Yes, you are. You look like someone spit in your coffee. What's wrong? Something not go your way this morning? Got a bad schedule?" Kagome asked. Kagura shook her head.

"I almost got hit by a car. Some stupid jerk almost hit me. Then had the nerve to look at me like it was my fault he was speeding in a parking lot. Anyway, my schedule is just fine. It's my final year, so I only have three classes. What about you two?" Kagura asked.

"Full loads over here. We're only juniors, remember?" Kagome looked slyly at Sango. "Hey, Sango. Didn't you have that workshop this past summer?" she asked. Sango stiffened. Kagura looked at her friend.

"Oh yeah. That's right. You were at the Hakurei Symphony Orchestra's workshop this past summer. So, what did they think of those magic fingers?" Kagura asked. Sango shrugged as they maneuvered through the halls. They stopped at Sango's locker. Sango quietly opened her locker. Kagura and Kagome looked at each other and exchanged concerned looks. Kagura glanced back at Sango. "Well?"

Sango Taijiya was a phenomenon when it came to the piano. It was her passion. She put everything she had into playing it. It was almost like a drug. The concertmaster of the Hakurei Symphony Orchestra had come to see the Sango play the year before and praised her personally. He even delivered the invitation to the workshop by hand after her recital because he was so impressed.

"They want to see me play at the end of the school year. I received high marks on all of our trials," Sango said quickly. Kagome clasped her hands together.

"That's great, Sango! You'll get in for sure now!"

"You'll get that spot, Sango. You're the best," Kagura said, straightening her glasses. Sango looked forlorn as she closed her locker.

"I don't know, you two. I wasn't the best this time. This guy named Miroku Arakawa kept..."

"Oh, hush! You are the best damn pianist in this school. No guy named Miroku is better than our Sango! Am I right or am I right, Kagura?" Kagome looked pointedly at Kagura. Kagura nodded. Sango smiled as they began walking again. They came to Kagome's locker a few steps away.

"Thanks, Kagome. So, what about you? Why didn't you come to the workshop with me? I know you got an invitation," Sango asked, cutting her eyes at her. Kagome swallowed and unlocked her locker.

"To what? Show everyone how much I suck at the violin? No thanks," Kagome said while tossing her hair in her mirror on the locker door. Kagura rolled her eyes.

"Kagome, I don't think fourth seat means you suck. Besides, I don't believe you apply yourself. Knowing you, you play while chewing bubble gum and with a hand full of nails," Kagura said. Sango giggled as Kagome closed her locker. Kagome glared at the both of them.

"Oh you two can shut up," she said, sticking her nose in the air. They began walking to Kagura's locker.

"I think what Kagura says is true though, Kagome. I hear Juilliard is having auditions next February," Sango said. Kagome's face lightened up. Sango and Kagura looked at each other. "I know you've always wanted to go."

"San, that's halfway around the world. Besides, I'd never get into Juilliard," Kagome said. They stopped at Kagura's locker.

"I'm not having THAT attitude, Kagome Higurashi! You just told me that I could make it into HSO with all the gusto in the world. So, you can make into Juilliard. You WILL audition whether you like it or not," Sango said. Kagura and Kagome stared blankly at her.

"Yes, ma'am," Kagome whispered. Sango turned to Kagura, who instantly stuck her head in her locker.

"And what about you, Miss Kagura? Got anything special going on in dance?" Sango asked. Kagura shook her head.

"Same old, same old. I don't really want any attention drawn to me. I've got enough on my plate already with Kanna and Hakudoshi," she said as she stuffed her dance bag in her locker. Sango and Kagome shook their heads simultaneously.

"What is up with our self-esteem today, ladies?" Kagome asked, throwing her hands up. Sango laughed.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Kagura. You're a much better dancer than you give yourself credit for. Probably better than snooty Kikyo Shikon," Sango said. Kagura shook her head in dismay.

"San, NO ONE is better than Kikyo Shikon," Kagura said.

"I've seen her dance, Kagura. You forget that I sometimes play the piano for you guys in your classes. She makes it look like work. There's no feeling even if she is doing everything perfectly," Sango said. She looked slyly at Kagome. "You know, I think Inuyasha Taiyo might be looking for a new violinist in his little quartet since Mukotsu graduated."

"You mean..." Kagome's eyes lit up for a moment. "He's second chair, and now since Mukotsu's gone, that makes him first."

"Stop whining and just show him you can play! We will be the best this year, girls!" Sango said loudly, drawing attention to them. Kagura and Kagome tried to sink down around her.

"Sango, you don't have that problem. You're already the best," Kagura mumbled. Sango sighed to herself.

"You're right. I am, aren't I?"


Sesshomaru Taiyo maneuvered his way through the crowded hallway to his locker. His friend Bankotsu Magora was already there waiting for him. They regarded each other silently and Sesshomaru opened his locker quickly.

"Why are you so late?"

"I almost hit some girl," Sesshomaru mumbled quietly. Bankotsu tried not to laugh.

"Seriously? In your Hummer? I knew that car was too big for you," Bankotsu said. Sesshomaru glared at him through his peripheral vision. Bankotsu held his hands up and leaned off of the wall. "What class do you have first?"

"Calculus," Sesshomaru mumbled.

"I don't understand what it is with you and those hard ass classes. I have to take some stupid music class first. I don't understand why, though. I'm a dancer. I hear music all the time," Bankotsu moaned.

"Maybe if you hadn't failed it the first time, you wouldn't have to take it now," Sesshomaru stated as he closed his locker. Bankotsu rolled his eyes. He knew he that was as much of a reprimanding speech as he was going to get from his childhood friend. He looked down the hall and saw his mortal enemy.

"Don't look now, but here comes the Ice Maiden," he said. Sesshomaru followed his gaze. He looked to his left and saw his calculus classroom. Bankotsu immediately understood. "Catch you at lunch."


Kagura sat alone in her calculus classroom. The halls were still very noisy. She looked up at the clock. She still had ten minutes before the bell rang and class began. Sighing, she sat back. She looked towards the door just as a handsome guy walked in and shut the door. Raising an eyebrow, Kagura examined him.

Never had anyone looked so good in the school uniform before. He was wearing the entire uniform, too: khaki pants with a white shirt and blue sweater vest. Kagura smiled and just straightened her glasses. She immediately looked away when he looked into her face. She started playing with her pencil.

Sesshomaru noticed that he was not alone in the classroom. The girl sitting in the room looked oddly familiar. He had a flashback to the parking lot. He had almost hit her with his Hummer. She seemed to be finding her pencil rather interesting. Sesshomaru was used to being the center of attention. This was the first time someone was not blatantly staring at him. It was almost intriguing. He turned around and looked out the window to see Bankotsu talking to an angry raven-haired girl.

I'll still have to face her later on, he thought dismally. Sesshomaru turned back around and headed to the desks.

Kagura saw Sesshomaru walk around her in her blurry peripheral vision. He sat behind her almost silently. Kagura could feel him staring at the back of her head. She tried to ignore him. It was not like she did not know who he was; it was just that he probably had no idea who she was.

Even though I've been in every one of his classes since birth practically, she thought.

Kagura sighed as ten minutes drifted by silently and slowly. During those ten minutes, gradually the room filled with students. The bell finally rang at 8:30 and Mr. Myoga came in, shuffling as always.

"Good morning, good morning. Welcome to Calculus. I'm Mr. Myoga. This course earns you college credit, for those of you who will be going. I have right here your sylla..." Mr. Myoga continued on and on.

Somewhere in the middle of his speech, Kagura tuned him out. She began thinking of what her school year would be like. Then she began thinking of what it would be like not to be part of the corps.

Like THAT would ever happen, she thought while chuckling.

"Something funny, Miss Onigumo?" Mr. Myoga asked. Kagura blinked and straightened her glasses.

"No," she said quickly.

"Good. Well, since I was blessed with having an even amount of students, I want you all to find a study partner. Believe me, you'll definitely need it. So, I'm giving you five minutes. Pair up quickly so I can begin teaching," Mr. Myoga said.

Kagura sank down in her seat. She hated being social. She had two friends: Kagome and Sango. That's all she ever needed. She never had a reason to socialize with anyone else. Besides, she was smart enough on her own. She did not wear glasses because she sat too close to the television; it was from reading in the dark.

Five minutes passed and Mr. Myoga turned back around.

"So, does everyone have a partner?" he asked. He looked around the room. Everyone appeared to be partnered up except for two people. "Miss Onigumo, do you have a partner?"

"Um, no," Kagura said. Mr. Myoga raised an eyebrow. He looked around.

"Mr. Taiyo, you are the last man standing, I assume?" he asked. Sesshomaru nodded. "Good. You will be Miss Onigumo's partner. I'm sure you two will get along just fine. Don't look so horrified, Miss Onigumo."

Kagura had no idea what her face looked like at the moment. All she knew is that she wanted to disappear.