"Aiya!?" I screamed jolting up from a dead sleep, punching my alarm clock off my side table in my rush to silence it. Why was my alarm going off? It's four in the morning! Scrambling up out of bed, I shot to the kitchen where I could smell breakfast was just beginning. Mother was up far too early this morning. I could tell that she was likely cooking my favorite breakfast today- already beginning to smell the scent of bacon sizzling and coffee brewing. Mmmm. I missed coffee while I was in the feudal era. Boy, I could have used that stuff more than a few times. Okay, okay... every damn day. I'm a caffeine addict; I probably belong in some sort of meeting. I get headaches and everything when I don't have it. "Momma, why did my alarm go off so early? Did I do something wrong?" I asked flinching at the memories of a particular two in the morning wake up after she found out that I had failed my exams in June.
Mother looked at me puzzled for a minute. "Oh, sweetie, you don't remember do you? You're switching schools today. You must not be fully awake yet. You never were a morning person... Well, that is, until we introduced you to coffee. Here." She said pouring me a steaming hot cup of black gold. I proceeded to pour the perfect amount of whole milk and raw sugar before stirring as I took my seat at the table. I relaxed, nursing the mug just below my nose so that I could let the fumes begin to let the neurons fire. "Better?" She asked after I took a few tentative sips.
"Yes." I sighed into the cup.
She sat down in front of me for a moment while the bacon sizzled lightly in the background. I can hear it, it's not imaginary, or just in my head. After a school year in the feudal era, the comforts of home would never be taken for granted again. "You remember where you're going today, right? Or do I have to explain?"
I huffed a bit- I'm not an idiot (despite my test scores) just not a morning person. "Sarayashiki Junior High. Why did I have to go so far away again?"
She stood and put her hands on her hips. "Because no decent school would take you after the way you failed your exams young lady. Now, I know that you said you and that young man saved the world- that's all well and good, but, you've got to take some ownership for the mistakes you've made! You wasted away your last year of junior high in the feudal era, missed three quarters of your school year, and failed all of your exams. Sarayashiki Junior High was the only school willing to take you so you can complete your senior year, Kagome. They are a school for delinquents and poor families to boot."
It seemed liked I was sighing a lot lately. "Stop insulting the lives of people you don't know. It's not that bad, mother. It's only one year, and this one will be a piece of cake since I know what to expect academically."
"Well, if I don't see a marked improvement in your attendance and grades within the first month, so be it, I'll put you into cram school for three hours a day. You won't have time to get into trouble then." She flipped the bacon angrily, making it hiss just like the snake demon I imagined her to be at that moment.
"Mother," I paused measuring my words. "I swear to you that you won't have to do that. Besides, the place has a pass/fail policy that you can't beat. Everything will be fine."
Her nose was almost in the air- like a predator testing the air for the smell of fear. "I'll believe it when I see it, young lady. Now, finish that up and get dressed. Breakfast will be ready when you come down."
"Thank you, mother." I groaned my resentment quietly and rushed out of there after one huge gulp of liquid energy, leaving my empty mug behind. I dressed in my blue sailor suit uniform in record time. Damn. Where was this thing while I was in the feudal era? "It's so much more modest." I thought while briefly allowing myself to imagine all of the times the change of outfit could have been to my benefit. The longer skirt and higher neckline... Then, I thought better of it. A year in the feudal era finding out that I'm the doppelganger of a priestess with all sorts of spiritual powers that I'm still learning about to this day, chasing demons, and hunting jewel shards with Inuyasha and our friends couldn't possibly be changed that much by a simple outfit change. Oh well. It's in the past now. I'll never be able to go back there again.
An hour later found me on a bullet train that would still only drop me 5 city blocks away from the school. I could see already that I was in for a lot of walking, something I did way too much of in the feudal era. Walking had been the only mode of transportation and I hadn't gotten to recoup. Well, that is with the exception of the summer, but, really, what is eight weeks' time? It was like I didn't get any rest, trying to catch up on all of the damn chores I had missed. Grandfather was getting older, and, since I was expected to take over the shrine as the first miko in our family in generations, I had to pick up the slack from months of near-neglect.
When I started to see other girls in sailor suit uniforms and boys in jumpsuits, I knew that I must be getting close. I followed the crowd and soon found myself at the front gate of my new prison. I walked to the entrance of the big, blocky building and followed the signs to the front office where I received my schedule and books. The woman was kind enough, but not at all nice to look at. In fact, not a single adult figure I saw here was at all easy on the eyes. It was the polar opposite of the feudal era... like some lazy artist didn't care what the adults would look like because they would be passed over as minor characters anyway. Aiya, this is going to be a long year.
I was walking along the hallway looking for my locker number when I bumped into a girl with straight brown hair, brown eyes that shone with happiness, and a very sweet smile. "Oh, I'm sorry. You must be new. My name is Keiko. I'm president of the student council. How can I help you?"
She seemed way too perky and helpful. It kind of worried me. I laughed awkwardly- an annoying habit of mine that needed breaking. "Well, you have me pegged, I am new. Could you help me find this locker number? I'm a bit turned around to be honest." She took the paper from me and started walking. How in the world she would know the location of my locker is amazing to me. There are literally hundreds lining the walls. I guess she must have gone here for freshman and sophomore year. I listened to her as she pointed out where my classes would be on the way and gave me some tips based on the teachers. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.
She stopped at my locker and pointed to a door on the other side of the halfway. "That's your homeroom. They try to get your locker as close to it as possible. I'm in the other 9th grade class. We're... accelerated. Anyway, a bunch of my friends are in this class, so I'll see you around Kagome."
My head turned around in shock. "How did you know my name? I never told you." I asked, eyes wide.
She pointed at the top of my schedule. There was my name. Now I felt stupid, like the 'idiot' Inuyasha insisted I was when we first met. "Oh. Well, thank you. I'll see you around Keiko."
I walked into class just before the bell rang and gave my schedule to the teacher to sign. I had to introduce myself to the class, and, then was told to sit in the empty seat in the back of the room. I wound up behind an abnormally tall red head and next to an angry looking boy with black, slicked-back hair who was wearing a green jumpsuit instead of blue. The teacher pretty much ignored us all in the back and, despite trying to listen, I was distracted by the redheaded boy passing me a note. 'What did you do to be in the bad student section already?' I read.
I responded between writing the notes that were written on the board. 'Missed a lot of school last year. I was really sick. Failed all of my exams. This is the only school that would take me.' I explained my cover story for what seemed like the millionth time.
He was quick to respond- clearly not interested in writing any of the notes down. He must be one of the delinquents mother was talking about. He must cram all night before tests and manage to pass, somehow. 'Figures that Mr. Iwamoto would hold that against you. Don't worry. His class is pretty easy being history and all. He's just a jerk, so steer clear. You're better off going to a tutoring session with the other 9th grade class than going to him for help if you need it, of course. Name's Kazuma by the way. Kazuma Kuwabara at your service Kagome. I'm the baddest guy here at Sarayashiki junior high.'
I had barely finished reading the last note before another message was passed to me from the guy out of uniform in the green jumpsuit. 'Hey, been readin' over your shoulder. Don't let that idiot fool you. He couldn't beat me in a fight if I had both hands tied behind my back. You really rock the sailor suit by the way. Wanna cut class and go smoke on the roof?' For my benefit, he signed his name, Yusuke Urameshi.
My eyes got wide as I read. The answer should be no, but something told me yes. After a moment of deliberating, I responded. 'Not today. I have to get all of my new teachers to sign a form. Soon. I promise.' If my mother ever found out, she would be pissed, but somehow, it felt right being friends with this guy. I closed my eyes and expanded my senses. There was no flicker of energy coming from either of them, but I just knew that there was something special about both of them. This could clearly be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The rest of the day was uneventful, and I spent the hour long train ride home with a smile on my face, having made some new comrades in Yusuke and Kazuma.
By the time September began, a tentative friendship had already formed between Yusuke and me. We cut class a couple of times a week, but we were sneaky about it in ways that I never thought possible. We would ask to go to the nurse and then not come back or just walk out while certain teacher's backs were turned. Yusuke had such a badass reputation among the student body that nobody bothered to rat him out and, since I was quickly becoming one of his closest friends, everybody turned a blind eye my way as well. It was a miracle that we never got caught, but it was also very cool that my attendance never took a hit. Otherwise, my mother would be beyond pissed.
I did notice certain significant changes in Keiko in the few months of friendship with Yusuke. She used to drag him downstairs to class every day after lunch. Then, towards the beginning of October it became less and less ending all together just before late October when tragedy struck. I suppose she was angry that Yusuke had managed to find another friend, let alone a female one. She had been his only outlet for so long that she didn't seem to know how to handle it. We ended up coming together through the sorrow and passion of our loss, though.
Contrary to popular belief, Yusuke really is a nice guy, just misunderstood. He saved a little boy's life by pushing him out of the way of a car and taking the hit himself. Yusuke was a hero for a brief moment in the eyes of the city, but then he was gone. That day, I called my mother begging to stay the night with Keiko. She didn't want to be alone, and, although I was sure she resented me, I wanted to be there for her. He was as close a friend with me too. I understood her feelings better than anybody.
The night I spent with Keiko after Yusuke's death was the first night since I came back from the feudal era that my Miko senses noticed a presence. I looked at Keiko's form briefly after noticing. Thank goodness she was asleep. I looked towards the presence and focused on it. "Yusuke, if that's you, this isn't funny." I whispered, still feeling the slight tickle on the back of my neck. It didn't feel menacing or evil. "Keiko and I need to get some rest before your wake tomorrow." I groaned after some time of sitting and waiting for something to happen. Finally, I moved to lay down. "If you have something to tell me, you should be able to contact me in my dreams. Goodnight, you bastard."
My dream that night was unlike any I had ever had before. Yusuke and I simply sat on Keiko's bed and spoke long into the night. Apparently, the underworld wasn't prepared to take Yusuke today. Apparently, there was almost zero chance that he would have rescued that kid, and they didn't create a spot for him- whatever that means. How could you predict that kind of stuff anyway? Yusuke told me that he had to decide if he wanted to go through a trial and live or choose to die. I begged him to face the trials. He made this whole school, the whole town, bearable. It had only been a few months, but I could tell that we were in the beginning of something that would be a lifelong friendship. Besides, it was obvious that Keiko needed him still.
I woke the next morning feeling like I hadn't actually slept all night. I could still sense Yusuke in the room, so I smiled in his direction after checking that Keiko was still asleep. "Do what you want, Yusuke, but know that we at least, still want you here... except for while we get dressed. You need to leave now." I stated before proceeding to ignore him and wake Keiko up. Before we got changed, I made sure that I sensed no nearby presence briefly pondering if a ghost would feel a sacred arrow or if it would pass right through him.
I wouldn't know it until years later, but I changed the course of Yusuke's life that day, if only just a bit.