"The Pauper Who was Crowned Queen"
Written by: To Clip an Angel's Wings
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Summary: When a peasant, brought up
in poverty and taught by perseverance,
enters the world of aristocracy, will she
blend in as an elite or become ostracized
by society due to her mediocre manners?
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Author's notes: Simply an excerpt. Positive
feedback could evolve into a fanfic, however.
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After traveling the dirt roads that spat dust from the rotating wheels of her bicycle and hauling herself and her vehicle up a treacherous hill, coming forth to where the Higurashi home resided in, the teenaged girl parked her sunset pink bicycle near the side of the residency. She loitered to the front porch of her home, inhaling a sailing summer breeze that danced through her midnight locks, and took the time to observe the unwelcoming, rather eerie condition of the front door. The bamboo structured rails that anchored the shoji paper in place lost its polished gleam, tainted with chips and deep ridges in the craftsmenship, and the transparent paper itself had minor rips that weren't noticable if you looked at them from afar, but up close, made the impression that Kagome's family kept an untidy home. Heaving a sigh, making a mental note that she would have to fix the flaws the day after, she slid the door open, kicking off her shoes in the narrow hallway.
"I'm home," she announced, expecting no response, for her mother was at work, struggling to make a decent paycheck in order to take care of her two children, and her younger brother, Souta, was probably upstairs, lost in his own little dimension existing of nothing but television and junk food.
"Welcome back," greeted a sweet, familar tone, but unexpected, causing the teen to squeal and jump out of her skin.
Whipping her head around, ebony wisps of hair slapping her cheek, a faint smile grew on her lips as the silhouette of her mother emerged from the kitchen.
"Mama!" she exclaimed with surprise, but at the same time, relieved. "What are you doing home so soon?"
"I ended my shift early," was her simple reply, rhythmically mixing a bowl that was cradled under her arm, the beating of the ingredients in the container a melody that sang to her daughter's ears. "I wanted to see how you and Souta were doing, since it your last day of school and all. Souta's beginning middle school next year, and you're entering your first year of high school. Oh, how the years fly by..." she sighed, in what seemed a combination of disbelief and disappointment, continuing to mix, not daring to interrupt her song of wood against plastic.
Arching a brow, obviously befuddled, Kagome rushed towards the table. Never had she received mail, besides the occasional sweepstakes that wasn't mentioned to her, or the birthday invitation that she usually rejected because of her home, school, and work responsibilities. She shuffled through the pile of bills, eyeing an envelope at the bottom of the mess that was addressed to her. On the upper left-hand corner, a vague symbol was stamped in perfect place, a capital 'T' the shade of the reddest rose, and seeming to pass it, a white wolf-like creature, racing onward, with daring golden eyes and a stoical and dangerous expression plastered on its features. The girl figured it was simply another sweepstakes, but curiosity captured the better of her, begging her to rip open the letter and read what may lie her future inside.
Unfolding the sheet of paper, that was folded evenly into thirds, she scanned the top of the text, presented in the richest shade of charcoal, staring at the thick, bold letters that practically demanded the reader's attention:
Dear Higurashi Kagome,
CONGRATULATIONS! (This simple word seemed to be larger than the rest of the words, and Kagome had the impression it was another sweepstakes and was about to throw it away, but she continued to read.) The Takahashi Institute of the Gifted and Future of the World Mind would like to welcome you with opened arms to share your first year of high school at this wonderful school that would portray your talented and intelligent spirit eminently. TIGFWM has been searching for only the most elite minds existing in junior high schools throughout the country, choosing eligible students to enter our school as a 1st year. After receiving your records and viewing your extraordinary grades, you have been one of a handful of students to begin your future brightly and confidentially, as you would be recognized by universities throughout Japan and as well as other countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, and dozens of other locations that will be knocking at your door once you leave this institution. TIGFWM has a friendly atmosphere in which you will be making friends as soon as you walk through the entrance, that only consists of the highest technology for you to learn and study, and contains classes that will give you plenty of credits before college. Since we are so proud of your achievement and want to show you how much we long for an entity such as yourself to attend our school, we're offering you a full-year scholarship of ¥3,649,500. (At this, her chocolate hues widened in shock, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. 'This must be some school,' she thought in bewilderment, 'If they're offering me money like that!' Her hands trembled as she continued to scan the page.) Again, we hope you make the wise decision of attending our institution, Miss Higurashi, for our school will make you recognized world-wide!
At the bottom of the page was a scribbled signature, underneath it, in the same fine text read "InuTashio Takahashi, Founder of TIGFWM". She couldn't believe it. Her, of all people, was chosen for