Disclaimer: We don't own Inuyasha and this is just a work of fiction with no purposes of selling.

The Jewel Keeper

A New Keeper

Once upon a time. There was a high school. But not any high school. It was a JAPANESE high school. That had DEMONS in it. Isn't that crazy? Who in their right mind would teach a demon? Well at this high school they had a very strange tradition. It was the Shikon no Tama.

Now to explain what that is. To put it simply it's a small pearl. Usually given to one of the students. All the students were told is that with this jewel the student who possesses it can grant any wish they desire. But they have a limited amount of wishes they can grant. And the principal has the right to change the student who holds it at any time. The Shikon no Tama was capable of granting any wish, the power to make someone happy was, as good as it may seem, a great responsibility. And its powers had a restriction, the wishes should never be made for the holder. If the outcome is to favor the holder, it would never be granted.

Kikyo had been the student to possess this jewel for the first year of school. And she was sick of it. Sick of the attention. Sick of people trying to suck up to her. Brown nose their way for wishes. She wondered if it was like this for everyone who had previously had to watch over this piece of jewelry.

She walked down the hallway ignoring her name as it was called. People parted like the sea for her. She kept her nose in the air as she walked. It was lonely keeping this face on. But she couldn't trust anyone she talked to. Everyone was only out for themselves.

"Kikyo..."

Inuyasha stood at the other end of the hall. Giving her a look that she couldn't quite read. Not that that mattered anyway. He was the worst of them all. But because he was also part human she couldn't help but put the fault in his demon half. She thought he was someone she could trust. Someone she would be willing to give a wish. It wasn't like she could give them out limitlessly, and he knew that.

After what he did to her. No matter how much he denied it. She couldn't trust him. She saw it with her own eyes.

"Inuyasha, I told you not to talk to me again."

She kept walking, wondering if there was someway for her to ever believe his words, his excuses. But she was not going to ask anything from him, and he would never lower himself to explain why he did what she saw him do. He had taken the coward's way, he had denied it. And that was more that she could take. There was nothing more to be said, nothing more to listen from him.

And she she kept walking, passing him, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she went. As she had done so many times before.

Kagome practically skipped her way to school. That was a first. But after all these school transfers this would be the first time she would be going to a school with someone she knew. Her cousin Kikyo. Oh this would be so exciting. Doing homework together. Talking about classmates. Hopefully Kikyo's friends would be forgiving and let her join them.

But none of that mattered if she couldn't find the front office. Where is it!? Wouldn't it normally be in the front of the school?

She brushed her hands over her sailor dress uniform. A uniform from another school she went to, and she really liked it. Made her feel cute. And boy did she stand out in it. She could tell the other students were giving her weird looks. She wasn't sure how long she would even be staying here. So there was no reason for her to buy a new uniform. She was only a second year and she considered it her privilege to stand out in any which way she could.

"Ahh excuse me," She asked an older woman she assumed to be a teacher, "Would you happen to know where the front office is? Today is kinda my first day."

The woman laughed in an odd way. "Of course I know where it is girl."

Okay rude. She didn't have to say it like that.

The woman pointed her finger down the hall she just came from. Kagome nodded her thanks and internally sighed. She passed it? Oh that's just great.

She walked down the hall again examining the walls and doors. Looking for a sign or arrow that would lead her to her destination. This is getting to be ridiculous. She kept walking till she hit the front entrance of the school.

She walked out the doors thinking maybe it was in another building. Although why couldn't that old woman just have told her that!

She looked around the courtyard and she could tell that class had already started seeing as there were no students around. She practically stomped her way over to the adjacent building when something white caught her eye.

Looking at the large tree in the school's courtyard there was a boy in the tree. He looked like a demon from where she was. That wasn't too surprising, Kikyo told her once in one of their phone calls that this was one of the rare schools in the country that also taught to demons. But this was her first time seeing a demon her own age.

"Hey!" She called out to him.

He didn't look down at her, for a moment she thought he didn't hear her, only the movement of his fuzzy white ear on top of his head, that suddenly turned to her as she spoke, told her he was in fact listening to her.

"I'm talking to you, dog boy!"

There was that ear flicking again, but no other movement. She was pissed off. Was everyone in this school this rude? Was is something like a requirement to enroll? She put her hands on her hips and looked up smirking.

"Come here!" she called him again before whistling, with the kind of sound used to call dogs. "Come here, doggy, doggy, come here!" She was about to start clapping when golden and silver invaded her field of vision. Burning golden eyes glaring at her.

She smiled back at him. That took him aback.

"Finally! I got you to look at me." She gave him a bright smile.

"Che, what'da want anyway?"

"I was hoping you could show me where the front office is." She clasped her hands in front of her chest. Trying her best to give him the best puppy dog look she could muster.

It seemed to be working because he jumped down from the tall branch he was on and tapped her forehead. Seeing that kind of stunt left her with a breathy, "Wow…"

"Here follow me, the front office is this way-" He would have said more but she suddenly jumped forward and grabbed his ears.

"No way! These are so cute!" She squealed as she tweaked them. He stood there stunned for a moment.

"Wha- are-"

Kagome paused and took a moment to think about what she was doing. Oh gosh. How rude of her to suddenly pounce on the guy. A guy she JUST met. But his ears were so cute! No! Wait! No matter how good looking it wasn't very polite. Maybe this school just made people rude. And she was one of it's victims.

"Ah... er, ah, I'm sorry!" She exclaimed jumping away. Her face beat red. "I couldn't help it they are so cute! And they were moving around and I couldn't help myself oh I uh I'm so sorry."

He stared at her hard. She couldn't help but fidget under his gaze. Her hand moving like they were going to grab his ears again, but she held back.

"You...you wouldn't happen to know Kikyo would you?"

"Yeah, I would. She's my cousin."

Erk. Kagome flinched. Oh this was just great. This guy must be one of Kikyo's friends. She had just made herself a wonderful first impression. Not.

"My name's Kagome," She added thankful he hadn't told her off. "What's your's?"

He was looking at her with a tilted head and lowered brows, "Cousins…?"

She nodded happily. "Yes, cousins. But what's your name?"

The boy blinked a couple of times "Ah, I'm Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha..." She repeated liking the sound of his name.

"What?"

"Huh? Nothing."

She looked around "So where is this hidden office I can't find. I'm starting to feel like this is the entrance exam or something."

He snorted and turned around, walking back to the building she came from, not waiting for her to follow her but keeping one of his cute ears turned to her.

She followed and quickly caught up to him. He took her to the same place she was when she encountered the rude woman, noticing how she had pointed to the opposite direction. And soon they were in front of a door marked as the Principal Office.

He pointed to the sign in a dramatic manner, along with a 'Tada!' and she giggled.

"Thank you," She said as she grasped his hand in hers. "I was afraid I would never find it."

"Eh," Inuyasha wasn't sure how to take that. How genuine was she really being?

"Also...shouldn't you be in class?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Well-"

But Kagome interrupted him, not wanting to get on the bad side of one of Kikyo's friends. "I guess it doesn't really matter that much anyway, thanks again!"

She gave his hand a small squeeze and left him there.

Kikyou was in her classroom, not really listening to the lecture, not even sure what class this was. She knew that as the bearer of the jewel her only real job and responsibility was that, keeping the jewel safe. She despised the way the matter was dealt, she could do whatever she wanted as long as nobody else held the jewel and she came everyday to school. Everything else was not important to the school.

And slowly it also became easy for her to do that, just navigating the sea of people with her head centered on her duty, coming and going, just falling into the hated routine.

The static sound coming from the speaker in the back of the classroom took her out of her musings. She wondered what kind of announcement was this time. Was there some kind of stupid festival? A special guest coming to the school? A parent picking up their child?

"Announcement: Higurashi Kikyou to the front office. Again that's Higurashi Kikyou to the main office"

Her only outer reaction was the rising of a delicate brow before standing up and walking outside of the classroom. As she walked there, she looked outside expecting to see him sitting on his favorite tree, skipping class as usual. But he wasn't there. She mentally shrugged and kept walking, after all what he did or didn't do was not her problem.

She reached the front office and the receptionist only pointed to the principal's office without stopping her phone call. She was sure that how the soap opera ended last night was much more important than actually doing her job.

Kikyou knocked twice and the principal calm voice told her to come in.

"Kikyo!" She turned her head to see her cousin and gave her a genuine smile.

"Kagome," Kikyo closed the door behind her, and moved to take a seat, "what are you doing here?"

Kagome jumped up and hugged Kikyo before she could sit, "Oh! I haven't seen you in forever and that's the first thing you ask!"

"Ahem." The principal interrupted.

Kagome turned to the woman with a sheepish smile, "Sorry."

Both Kagome and Kikyo took their seats. Kagome couldn't stop glancing at Kikyo and smiling.

"So," Kikyo began, "what brings us in here?"

"Well your cousin here will be starting school with us." principal Midoriko said. Kikyo's brows rose and she turned to look at Kagome who just smiled at her with a goofy grin.

"Isn't that great Kikyo!" Kagome said leaning forward.

Kikyo nodded at her.

"But that's not why I called Kikyo in today."

Both girls looked at their principal in confusion.

"It's about the Shikon no Tama." Kikyo's hand snapped up to touch the jewel. The jewel? This is what it was about? They wanted to give Kagome the jewel? Her easy going, friendly, immature, and naive cousin?

"I don't think she could handle the responsibility that comes with-"

But the principal raised her hand silencing the her. Midoriko knew very well what Kikyo was feeling right now.

"I know what I am doing. Do not worry Kikyo, Kagome will be fine."

Kagome watched on confused, "The Shikon no Tama?" She turned to Kikyo for the answers.

"You mean like the one from grandpa's shrine? Like from the legend?"

Midoriko answered in Kikyo's place, "The very one. Kikyo has been it's guardian but now I think it's time it's been moved to a new guardian."

Kagome looked at Kikyo's face. Her cousin was sweating slightly and her jaw was clenched.

"If Kikyo wants to keep it then I don't really need it." Kagome waved her hands in surrender. This sounded like a big deal.

Kikyo reached behind her neck unclasping the necklace. Kagome recognised it from when they had video chats from time to time.

"Kikyo…"

"She wasn't asking." Kikyo stated and held out the jewel for Kagome to take. Kagome looked back and forth from Kikyo, the jewel, and the principal.

Kagome knew her cousin, and it was obvious Kikyou was attached to the jewel and didn't want to let it go. Slowly Kikyou offered the necklace to the principal. Instead of accepting it, she motioned in Kagome's direction.

Kagome was freaking out in her seat. She was new there, she had literally only spoken to two other people before this meeting. It was not what she wanted. Her idea of going to this school was to have fun, make friends and enjoy it. Not to arrive and receive a massive responsibility.

"Kagome?" Said the principal, making her jump and unconsciously took the necklace from Kikyou's hand. Feeling a resistance as Kikyou didn't let go of it as she pulled. Looking at her cousin's eyes she tried again, this time going easily to her hands.

The moment Kikyou's hands let go of the jewel it started to glow, a soft bright pink. Kagome thought it looked incredibly pretty.

"Looks like the jewel accepted you easily that it did Kikyou."

Kagome smiled softly still looking at the necklace.

Kikyou sat back not saying anything else.

"Kikyou, I need you to explain her the details of the Keeper's duty" She turned to Kagome "What you need to know now is that nobody but you can hold the jewel, and as long as you don't have a complete understanding of what it means to be the keeper, don't listen to people's wishes"

Kagome tilted her head to the side "Wishes?"

Kikyou turned to her cousin with a condescendant expression on her face. "The jewel grants wishes and people know this, and as soon as they know you have it. They are going to pester you with their pleas. And YOU need to tell them no to everyone... at least for now."

Kagome only nodded as she listened, holding the jewel close to her chest.

"If you don't have any other question, you can go to your respective classrooms."

Kagome clasped the necklace around her neck, and hid it underneath her uniform before standing up and following Kikyou who was waiting for her on the door.

"Kagome..." Called the principal "My assistant will give you your schedule"

"Thank you..."

They both walked out of the office. The secretary already had Kagome's papers on her desk and told her to take them.

Kikyou guided her cousin to her classroom before walking to her own.

"According to your papers this is your classroom." Kikyou signaled the classroom at the end of the hall before continuing "The last one over there, is mine, go there if you need me."

Kagome received her documents and was left alone in front of the door. She took a deep breath, placed a smile on her face and knocked.

The teacher opened the door with a boring look on his face "Need something?"

"Uh... I'm a new student and this is my classroom"

"Have your placement document with you?" The teacher extended his hand and she handed it.

He read it and told her to follow him inside.

The classroom looked lively and fun as she stepped to the front of it. When the students saw her slowly quieted down until there was absolute silence.

"This is your new classmate, she is a transfer student." The teacher turned to her "Introduced yourself"

"Hello! My name is Higurashi Kagome, I'm new in the city and I hope to be a good classmate for all of you, thank you!"

When she was talking to the class silver and gold appeared again, he was here, at the back of the classroom pretending to be bored.

"You can sit... Back there, beside the dog demon."

Kagome frowned at the way the teacher had called him.

"Teacher, you mean beside Inuyasha?"

Every eye in the classroom was focused on her. This time their attention seemed less friendly.

"Uh... Yes, beside Inuyasha."

Kagome beamed at the teacher.

"Alright!"

She walked to the back of the room and sat beside him.

"Hello again!"

Inuyasha was watching her with his serious and kind of upset expression again as she smiled at him.

"What? You're not happy to see me again?"

He kept staring without uttering a word or changing his expression.

"You're going to hurt my feelings if you say no..."

His ears flicked in every direction before turning his head to the front.

"... Sure you want to keep talking to me?" He said in something just above a whisper.

"What?"

"If you want to make friends around here, you should not talk to me..."

Kagome looked around, noticing how their classmates were trying to look at them without being obvious about it.

In a voice that was slightly louder than necessary she spoke "Excuse me! But I talk with whoever I feel like it... And right now I want to talk to you! Ok?"

Inuyasha didn't turned to her but she saw him chuckle before whispering "OK".

Kagome nodded and looked at the teacher.

She was sure this school would be the most interesting one yet.

A/N Grapefruitwannabe: I bet you can't tell who did what. XD

A/N Inunanna: This is the first chapter of our little Frankenstein baby.

Reviews are always welcome.