Even if it was the feudal era of Japan, many youkai children still attended studies. It was never so much for the pride, or diplomas, or that school would really help anyone get into a good college. More ever, it was a school to teach reading and writing, and the many different fighting styles, helping young youkai to grow into their powers. School really isn't different when it comes to the students themselves. Of course, there's going to be the populars, the preps, the jocks, the nerds that hide in the corner between classes. That wouldn't ever change, even in the future, or even farther back into the past ages.

And when all else fails, there's always that one person that couldn't fall under any category, or have any friends, just basically one of those floaters that skim along the fringes of cliques. Kaida Suki had always been one of those. She wasn't one of the girlies that would scream at the sight of a bug, or a tree hugger that would coax the bug onto a claw/finger to drop it safely outside; or even one that would just squash the bug without another thought of it.

If she was feeling especially merciless, Kaida might consider squashing it, grinning savagely at how much its little bug companions would dearly miss it, but then would feel otherwise when she thought of the different ways to kill it, as she would be late to a class. She wasn't particularly fond of choir, even if she was one of the best singers in the class. It wasn't that she wasn't bright; but Kaida didn't like to write the assigned assignments, like how the Sengoku Jidai had launched, or a project on the clothing styles of rich youkai families. Her characters weren't very neat at times, and doodles were all over her assignments.

For Kaida, the only good part of the day was art. She had a wonderful talent for drawing and painting. She could sculpt wonderfully, having learned quite a bit about anatomy. She always enjoyed physical education, as it gave her an opportunity to take out her pent up wrath against unsuspecting students. When the break came, and people went into their cliques, Kaida walked alone, sometimes unsheathing her youkai sword, Isamu, and slashing at random trees. She didn't cry though, Kaida had promised herself never to cry again. Loneliness came and went, sometimes lasting longing than the adolescent would have liked.

Perhaps school wasn't the most pleasant part of the dragon youkai's day, but it suffices, barely. Going "home" wasn't great either, as home wasn't anywhere anymore. Love may've have been a faint memory, but the cold shell Kaida had fastened around herself may have sent that piece of the past away.

A/N: Heh, short summary. The next one will be the actual story chapter one.