I own nothing, not the characters, plot, or anything. Only the idea!
Kagome's POV
I was sitting on the bench waiting for my turn, I was getting really nervous. I was sitting on the edge of the practice field in the soul society. So dying hadn't really been my exact plan, by it wasn't all bad. Thinking back I had been walking back from school with Sota when I saw a little girl walking by the edge of the river. It had just gotten done raining and the grass was still wet and slick. Suddenly I saw the little girl slip and start falling into the river. I ran away from Sota and jumped into the river after the little girl. I had heard Sota right behind me, but he stayed on the bank. The current was really strong, it had been raining a lot and it had started flooding. I reached the little girl, grabbed her, and then started swimming against the current to where Sota was waiting. I handed the girl to Sota and he pulled her up onto the bank next to him. I was about to get out when the soil I had a hold on gave way. I fell back into the river and must have hit my head or something because I blacked out. When I woke up next I was laying on the bank of the river, but it was morning and I had no memory about how I got there. Slowly I got up, somehow not noticing the long chain on my chest I started walking home.
After a while I got home. I opened the door to see my entire family crying. I ran up to my mom about to ask her what was wrong when my hand went right through her shoulder. I quickly pulled my hand back and looked at it. Slowly I looked down and for the first time I noticed the chain from my chest. That was when I really started panicking. I slowly came to realization that I was dead, I had died and that is why my family was all crying. I looked around the room and for the first time I saw the little girl I had given my life to sitting on the couch next to Sota crying even harder than my family. I guess she felt guilty. Her hands were fisted and rubbing her eyes, I walked over to her and knelt down in front of her.
"Hey it's not your fault. I'm glad I saved you, honestly. Please don't feel bad." I told her. I didn't think that she would hear me but it felt better just to say it out loud. To my surprise he head shot up and she looked right at me. Her eyes got wide and I could tell she was about to start screaming, but I quickly put a finger to my lip to tell her to be quite. She listened to me and I motioned for her to follow me, which she did. Nobody noticed or nobody cared that she left the room. I wondered two things at that point. First why could she see me when my family couldn't, my family was the one that was spiritually aware. Maybe it was that they were blinded with grief. The second thing I was wondering about was why the girl that I rescued from drowning was in my house. I took her to my room and we sat down on my bed together.
"First thing first, why are you here?" I asked her. "Not that I mind or anything." I added quickly, to reassure her.
"Oh well, I didn't really have anywhere else to go. My family died in a fire a couple of weeks ago. I have been living on the streets, ever since then I have been staying at a park. I sleep a tube which is actually quite warm. After Sota called your mom, she tried to take me home. When I told her my story I guess she didn't want the child that her daughter had saved to live on the streets. She took me in and is in the process of getting the rights to adopt me. You really don't mind?" She asked me shyly.
"Not at all. Like I said I really am glad that I got to save you. I would have felt way worse if I wouldn't have been able to save you, honest. I'm just that type of person. Inuyasha would tell me that I was stupid, but I can't just change who I am. Plus I will never see him again, not even if I was still alive. Ever since we defeated Naraku the well closed up. It's been a couple months already. It's funny really, I lived through the feudal era, demons, Naraku and his incarnations. I complete my quest only to die by hitting my head in a flooded river." I looked down at the girl and saw the blank expression on her face and laughed. "Well not that you would understand any of that. Maybe someday my family will tell you my story."
I got up and stretched then spun and grinned at the girl. "Well I guess I should get going. You will be an excellent addition to the family. By the way what is your name?"
She looked up at me with wide eyes "My name is Mika, Mika Ishikawa."
"Well it is very nice to officially meet you Mika Ishikawa, my name is Kagome. How old are you Mika?"
"Oh I'm nine years old." She gave me a small sad smile. "Do you really have to leave?"
"I guess I should. I don't think that I am meant to stick around here. I might visit the well one last time, then say goodbye to my family. After that I guess I'll go to the afterlife, whatever that might be.
"Will you say goodbye to me before you leave for good?" Mika looked up at me, she was obviously already extremely attached to me.
"Why don't you make my goodbye rounds with me? That way you get to spend a little more time with me before I leave."
"Really! You will let me do that!"
"Sure come on, I'll show you my favorite two spots in the world." We walked down the stairs and outside. First I showed her the tree I had found Inuyasha pinned to. "This is the first spot, I met a very good friend here. I will never forget this place." I went into the well shed and she followed behind me like I was her hero. Well to be honestly I probably was, I had saved her life. I put my hand on the edge of the well, now that I was in spirit form I could feel that the well was slowly building up energy. In a couple years it probably would have opened up to me again. That made me really sad, if I would have lived I could have seen Inuyasha and everyone again. I gave my own small sad smile then started walking out of the well shed. Suddenly I felt a weird presence outside. I rushed outside to see a man standing there.
He was pretty tall, with bright spiky red hair. He had a black Shihakushō, which was really old fashioned for these times. He also had a sword at his waist. He was looking around searching for something. When he saw me the announced "There you are, I was told there was a spirit here. When I got here there wasn't anybody around though. Let me perform a Konso on you, like a good little spirit."
He started walking toward me, but I glared at me when he called me a little spirit. "What is a Konso?" I asked him.
"A Konso is a when I press the hilt of my sword into your forehead and it will send you to the soul society." He explained.
"What is the soul society?"
"Pretty much the afterlife. What most people would say is heaven, but it's not like anyone expects it to be."
"Alright, I just need to do one thing then I will go with you." I started walking toward the house to say goodbye to my family when the man grabbed my arm.
"Oh no you don't. There are no exceptions, you are not getting away. Now behave and let me perform the Konso. The hilt of his sword was quickly coming towards my head, so to avoid it I kicked him in the stomach and when his grip lessened I dove away from him. I rolled and started sprinting to the house while yelling at him. "This will take like one minute, I just have to say goodbye!"
Now that I had made him irritated he was coming after me with a vengeance, I could see Mika hiding in the well house terrified of the red haired man. To be honest he wasn't my favorite person either. All I wanted to do was say goodbye to my family then he could do the stupid Konso thing. He wouldn't give me a break, the entire way to my house he was after me constantly. Why didn't he just let me say goodbye in peace? Just as I was about to go through the door he tackled me to the ground. That made me furious, I glared up at him. Struggling to get away, but he was way strong. "Enjoy the soul society." He told me then his sword hilt tapped my forehead. I made sure the last thing he saw before I disappeared was my pissed off face. The next time I saw him I was punching him in the face!
The world lite up around me then I blacked out. When I woke up next I was in the middle of a forest. I slowly got up, where was I and how did I get here? Then it came back to me, that red haired freak had performed that Konso thing on me and I was now in the, what did he call it?, oh yeah soul society. Groaning and muttering to myself about stupid red haired Shinigami's I walked out of the forest. I came out into a village that appeared to be a mix between the feudal era and my era. Only there didn't seem to be much if any technology. I walked down the street looking at everything, suddenly I realized I was hungry. Sighing to myself knowing I didn't have any money I kept walking past all of the shops and houses. Unknowingly I had been following an aura that I recognized. Once I left the village and started walking through the forest again, that was when I really recognized the aura. It was Kaede's! I started running as fast as I could towards the aura signature. Suddenly I came up to a small hut that looked a lot like Kaede's old house. Hesitantly I knocked on the door. After a couple of tense seconds the door opened and I saw Kaede.
"Yes, what does thee want?" Kaede asked.
"Kaede do you remember me?" I asked slowly.
Kaede looked at me very closely then she got a shocked look on her face "Oh my, Kagome. I am surprised to see ye here. What happened to you child?"
I looked sheepishly at her, "Well I hit my head on a rock in a river while saving a child and drowned."
"Oh child I am sorry to hear that, how long after ye's task did ye pass?"
"Only a couple months actually, Oh Kaede I'm so happy to see you!" I went and gave her the biggest hug I could give her.
It was in that moment that we were interrupted by two voices. "Grandma?" a woman's voice asked "Who is she?" a male voice asked.
I stopped hugging Kaede and turned to see the two people who had spoken. The girl was taller than the boy. She had black hair, I don't know how long it was because he had it up in a cloth bun. She had dark green eyes and the same clothes that the red haired man had been wearing. The boy looked like he was only fourteen or fifteen. He had spiky white hair, and I mean white. It wasn't silver like Inuyasha's or Sesshomaru's. His eyes were the color of ice. He had the same outfit that the other's had, but he also had a white thing over the top of it. He was also wearing a teal green scarf. He was glaring at me, while the girl was just looking at me curiously. It was then that I noticed they both had swords on their hips as well, I noticed because the white haired boy had his hand on his sword ready to draw it at any given moment.
My eyes grew wide and I started backing away slowly, but Kaede stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm "Do not fear dear Kagome, this here is my two 'grandkids' Momo and Toshiro. Obviously not my blood related grandkids, for this old woman had no kids as you know, but they are my real grandkids no less. I guess you could say that I took them in."
"Oh I understand Kaede." I turned to the two people "It is very nice to people Kaede thinks of family, my name is Kagome Higurashi."
"Toshiro no need for the dramatics, Kagome is no threat I guarantee you. Come Kagome let us get caught up." Kaede said while walking into her home. I smiled at the two then followed her in.
"How do you know her Grandma?" Momo asked Kaede.
"I knew Kagome from when I was alive, she was like my first taken in grandchild. To be honest she is the reincarnation of my dead sister Kikyou."
"How is she your sister's reincarnation and know her? For a soul to be reincarnated takes many years, a hundred at the least."
I looked at Kaede for help and she simply said "Tell them you story Kagome."
"Well alright Kaede, if you think it's a good idea." I turned to the two of them "Well it started on my fifteenth birthday, and the well on my shrine…" it took a couple of hours and when I was done I don't think either of them believed me.
"That is impossible!" Toshiro yelled at me.
"No it is not Toshiro, I understand you have no reason to trust Kagome. But do you not trust your own Grandmother? I tell you that everything she has said is the truth." Kaede smiled at me then we all talked for a while, Momo treated me like part of the family already. It took some time, but by the end of the night, even if he wouldn't admit it, Toshiro had warmed up to me as well. The next morning Toshiro and Mom had to leave.
The months passed by peacefully, until one day. There was a knock on our door and Kaede asked me get it. She was busy with our newest batch of healing herbs. I figured it might be Toshiro, or as I called him now just to annoy him Shiro, or Momo. They come to visit every once in a while. I walked up to the door only to see an annoying red head standing there. He was obviously about to knock again when I answered the door because his hand was raised and coming down towards me. He had too much momentum and couldn't stop in time, his fist came in contact with me forehead. If I hadn't like him before, now I absolutely hated him. "YOU!" I growled at him. I punched him right in the nose then slammed the door in his face. I reveled at the brief look of complete shock on his face before I shut the door.
"Oi! You're that annoying shrine girl I Konsoed a couple months back. You're the high reishi that old man Yama felt. Hey girl open the door!"
"No. Go away. I never want to see you again. You didn't let me say goodbye to my family before you sent me here. I absolutely hate you." I yelled at him. Kaede was looking at me in slight shock. She had obviously seen me punch the red head in the nose. She gave me a smile, shook her head then walked back to finish the herbs. I was leaning against the door so he couldn't get in. And he wanted to get in very badly. He was banging on the door and trying to break into the house. I shut my eyes and focused on his aura and because I didn't want him breaking down Kaede's door I decided to let him in. I felt him come attack the door again and as soon as he was about to hit the door I opened it. With him having horrible control of his momentum couldn't stop and he fell flat on his face. That was when his irritated aura turned angry.
He jumped up and started yelling at me, he had a fast recovery. I honesty wasn't paying much attention to what he was saying until I heard him say "Oi girly are you stupid or something?"
Now it was time for my aura to flare in anger, from Kaede's aura I could tell that she knew what was coming. "I'm not the stupid one. I'm not the one who took away a girl's last goodbye to her family, I'm not the one who knocked on said girl's forehead, and I wasn't the one who couldn't even beat a door and fell flat on his face! I'm not the stupid one here that would be you. You should just, just… UGH! Just SIT!" it was almost comical to see the reaction on the red haired's face, Kaede couldn't hold in her laughter anymore and she let out a laugh.
"Oh Kagome dear you would need a set of subjugation beads to make that command work." Kaede laughed at me.
I smiled as sweetly as I could at Kaede "Well then could you possible make a set for me? This guy needed more obedience lessons then Inuyasha ever did."
Kaede gave a thoughtful look, then said "I actually have a set here, I'm not sure you really want to go through with it though Kagome. You don't know the full story here."
I thought for a moment, then decided that I really didn't want to spend that much time with this man said "I guess not, maybe another time though." I turned to the red haired man and glared at him "What do you want?!"
He still looked like he was in shock at me telling him to sit, and I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing, I laughed so hard I fell to the floor in a laughing fit. That is what broke the man out of his shock. "Oi, what the hell you laughing at girl?" he growled at me, obviously not liking being laughed at.
Honestly that made me laugh even harder if that was even possible I managed to spit out between laughing fits "Your… your face…. It looked…. Like… like it… was… broken!"
"That is it!" The man yelled at me, he turned to Kaede and said "Head Captain Yamamoto wants to have a word with her, please excuse my next actions." Then he came over to me, and with me still laughing so hard I couldn't stop him from what he did next. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.
That made me stop laughing immediately and I got mad again "Hey put me down you red haired pineapple freak!" I kept yelling at him and pounded on his back while kicking whatever I could to get him to put me down. Then before I could accomplish my mission he started running faster than possible away from Kaede's house and towards the Seireitei. He was running even faster than Inuyasha ever did. In no time we were outside a door that was very large and looked like an important person was behind it. Oh only if I knew at the time. He knocked on the door and someone said "Enter." From the other side. He went through the doors, which had opened by themselves, and dropped me on the floor. As soon as I got up I kicked him in the shin as hard as I could. He yelped and started hopping on one foot, I took the opportunity and kicked his other leg from underneath him. He fell to the floor even harder than I had. "JERK!" I yelled at him.
Then I finally turned to see who else was in the room. That was the first time that I ever met Head Captain Yamamoto, to be honest not the best first impression. But it ended up working in my favor, Yamamoto ended up liking me. I looked at the old man with a long beard tied up with a purple ribbon. We had a long conversation and after the talk I ended up joining the academy to become a soul reaper. With my Miko training I was excellent at Kido, and with my sword training with Sesshomaru in the feudal era I was also way above most people at the academy. Instead of the six years it takes a normal person to go through all the academy training it took me only two years. To be honest it would've taken even less time, but it took me a while to learn all of the history, rules, and guidelines of the soul society. Apparently every couple hundred years the Head Captain finds a certain individual very interesting and I was one of them, because when I had been in the academy for a year and a half, Old Man Yama adopted me as his daughter. So he really was my Old Man. I had finally found out who that red haired headache was. He was lieutenant of the 6th Division under Byakuya Kuchiki. Throughout the two years I have been at the academy every time I saw Renji I made it my life goal to make his life a living hell. I enjoyed every moment of it, but somewhere along the way we had gone from enemies to best friends. I was still sorta mad at him for not letting me say goodbye to my family, but I had gotten past it, mostly. We now more like a game to make the other's life hell when we saw each other.
I had gotten my zanpakuto in first year at the academy, and I had very recently started talking to my zanpakuto. All I have gotten is a male voice that sounds sort of familiar. When I go to my inner world, not a surprise, it was the well and the great tree. I could see his shadow every once in a while, but I have yet to see him and he hasn't told me his name. He loves to insult me, almost more than Renji but not quite as much.
I had gotten picked for early graduation and was waiting for my turn to show each Captain what I was capable of. Which is where I started before I got started thinking about the past. The thing that got me to stop thinking was the teacher yelling my name "Kagome Higurashi, you're up."
I took a deep breath and walked into the middle of the training grounds. I gave the audience, which was all of the Captains and the Lieutenants of the 13 court squads, a bow and introduced myself as I was supposed to. I bit more for me because of Old Man Yama. "Hello my name is Kagome Higurashi, adopted daughter of Head Captain Yamamoto." Most people just had to state their names, but if they were related to anyone fifth seat or higher they had to state their relationship as well.
Everyone already knew who I was, I had gotten to talking to as many people as I could after Old Man adopted me. He told me it was best to get to know each Captain before my graduation. I was now friends with every captain and lieutenant, and some people from some of the squads as well.
"Alright Kagome, let us see your most powerful Kido to start out with." I nodded at the teacher then faced the target at the opposite side of the field.
I decided to show then my most powerful Shakkaho Hado "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march to the south! Hado number 31 Shakkaho!" I large blast of energy completely destroyed the barrier I was pointing at. I can do almost all of my Kido without the incantation, but for this show I decided against just shooting one off. I turned to the Captains "I can do many other Hado spells along with different Bakudo spells and Kaido spells. I am well versed in all of them. I am a rare case as I can remember every detail of my last life, in my life I was a Miko and that helped me with learning Kido." I told everyone. Only three people present knew of ALL of my life, everyone else knew the shortened and covered version. The only ones that knew were Old Man Yama, Toshiro, and Renji.
"Alright Kagome, next is sword skills." He turned to the people present as they always chose one person to test the graduates "Who would like to go up again Ms. Higurashi?"
Instantly I knew who I was going to go up against and I wasn't disappointed before anyone could talk it over Renji stood up "I will be the one to test Kagome, if nobody has any objections." He added the last part as a show of manners, and I had to hold back a laugh.
"Alright Lieutenant of squad six, Renji Abarai please enter the training ground." The teacher announced.
We bowed to each other, but both of us held the other's eye contact. We both had smirks on our faces. I made the first move before Renji could. I pulled my Zanpakuto and attacked going for a graze to the shoulder. The rules were first blood won. Renji didn't disappoint me though, he blocked then launched his own attack. I easily blocked his move, sliding my sword down the length of his trying to get into his personal space. My sword was a bit shorter than his so in close range I had the advantage. Renji realized what I was doing though, and broke contact with my sword and jumped back. He gave me a devil-may-care smile and I instantly knew what was going to happen, it was Renji's turn to make my life hell. He barked out "Roar Zabimaru!" Zabimaru woke up and extended to reach me. I knew I was really at a disadvantage now, before Renji had a small length advantage over me, now he has much more than that. I was going to lose this match I knew it, but I was going to have fun before I did lose. Right before Zabimaru was about to reach me I shunpoed straight up. When I came back down I landed on Zabimaru, I could feel Zabimaru's aura flare in annoyance. He hated it when I was on him, but I laughed. I started running the length of Zabimaru towards Renji. Renji finally understanding what I was doing made Zabimaru go slack. I hadn't expected him to do it so suddenly so I lost my balance and fell off. I rolled once I hit the ground, but Renji was faster than usual today, and Zabimaru wanted to get me back for running on him. Renji called Zabimaru into action and Zabimaru came at me faster than it ever had before.
I tried to Shunpo out of the way, I had been having Byakuya teach me Shunpo because he was the fastest at it. Well Yoruichi was technically the fastest, but she wasn't around enough to teach me. She always told me she was hanging out with Urahara in the mortal world, I have never gotten to meet him though because I haven't gotten a chance to go to the mortal world since I died. I had only been here for a little over two years, so I guess it makes sense. Anyway Zabimaru was slightly faster than my rushed Shunpo. I brought my sword up to block but Zabimaru, who was still no happy with me, wrapped around my own Zanpakuto and scraped my forearm. Renji looked at his sword in surprise because he hadn't given that last wrap around order. Zabimaru who decided that he had avenged himself went to sleep and Renji's sword shrunk back to its regular form.
"I don't feel like I really one." Renji admitted. "I didn't tell Zabimaru to make that last move." He looked at me sheepishly.
"Oh I know," I told him, Renji looked at me shocked "Zabimaru was angry at me for running on him. He doesn't like being stepped on." I gave him a look "Zabimaru went to sleep without you telling him to right?" Renji nodded at me only noticing that now "Well he felt that he had avenged himself by making you win the fight and then went back to his world to sulk about being stepped on." I told him with a laugh.
"How do you know that child?" I turned to see who had talked and called me child, but when I saw Jushiro asking the question I couldn't be upset with him. And yes I am on first name basis with all of the captains.
"Well Captain Ukitake," but I still know when to be formal with them and now counts "I am able to sense auras and Zabimaru's was not happy when I stepped on him." I told everybody.
I was the last one that was on the graduation list today so the teacher said "Alright Captains out of the group today decide who you think would benefit your squad and hand them into Head Captain Yamamoto. Tomorrow official announcements will be made to see who goes where. Everyone is dismissed."
I stayed to talk to the Lieutenants for a bit before going to my house for the night, Old Man had given me a house when he adopted me. Getting adopted by one of the most powerful men in the soul society definitely had its benefits. It took a while to fall asleep with how nervous I was, but I finally fell asleep wondering what squad I would be assigned to.
This got a lot longer than I thought it would, Sorry I am not very good at writing fight scenes so I hope this fight scene was okay. PLEASE REVIEW! What squad do you think Kagome will get assigned to?