Author's Note: Hey hey everyone. Been a little while since I've put anything up, so here we go, something new. Shooting for something much longer than I've ever done before, and I can promise that updates will be relatively frequent. I'd like to thank my super fantastic beta for all of her invaluable help. This fic wouldn't even exist if wasn't for her suggestion to expand on my favorite pair. Hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 1: The Beginning
"Kagura... Kagura it's time to wake up."
"Five more minutes," Kagura groaned, as she pulled her pillow over her head.
"C'mon kid, time to get up'."
Again, Kagura groaned in reply, rolling as far away from the pestering voice as she could. All she wanted was a few more minutes of sleep.
"Alright," the voice said with a heavy sigh. "Looks like we're doin' this the hard way."
Kagura was once again about groan back, when she felt her covers forcefully yanked off of her. Before she could yelp in protest, her world was turned upside down as her mattress flipped out from underneath we her. With a heavy thud, she hit the ground. "What the hell dad!" she cried out while crawling out from under her mattress.
Kagura's father looked down at her, a large triumphant smile spreading across his face. "Ain't no daughter of mine gonna be late for her first day of school. Now get movin'! I'll have breakfast ready for you by the time you get downstairs."
Without reply, Kagura dragged herself off the ground and began to groggily stumble around her room as she started to get ready for the day. If there was one thing she hated, it was getting up early in the morning. Why couldn't the break be just a little longer, she thought to herself.
Walking over to her door, she stared at the uniform that was hanging from the back. A small smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth. Today was a big day; her first day of high school. Even though school was never her strong suit, she loved sports, and she was more than excited to see what clubs she could join.
After quickly throwing on her uniform, Kagura made her way down stairs towards the smell of breakfast, where her father was placing several plates full of food on the table. Kagura plopped herself down at the table and quickly began inhaling her food.
"Whoa there. You wanna slow down a bit, and wait for you old man take his seat too?" Kagura's father asked with light chuckle.
Kagura looked up, her mouth full of food, and took a big swallow. "My bad," she said, and instantly resumed consuming her meal with a vengeance.
Rolling his eyes, her father began working at his breakfast as well. "I'm gonna laugh when you choke," he said mockingly, earning humorless glare from his daughter. "Anyways, are you excited? New school, new people, new clubs. Are you gonna go for track and field again, or are you goin' for somethin' new. Oh! Oh! What about Judo or Kendo?" he asked excitedly, nearly bouncing in his seat.
After shoving the last bit of food into her mouth, Kagura gave her father a wide grin. "I dunno yet. I really like track, but I'll look into Judo and Kendo for sure."
"Haha! That's my girl," he said while excitedly pumping a fist into the air. "Lookin' forward to hearin' all about it. Now, you gotta get goin'. Don't wanna be late."
"Alright, alright, I'm going. Geez."
Getting up from the table, Kagura grabbed her book bag and made her way for the door, but was stopped by hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see her father smiling at her. Without a word, he began straightening her uniform, tugging on corners, and working the collar. Kagura fidgeted under the scrutiny. Once satisfied with his work, he ruffled her short, shaggy hair. A small tear started to work it's a way out of the corner of his eye.
"C'mon dad, don't get all mushy on me," Kagura whined.
With a shake of his head, and a quick wipe of the eye, he straightened his posture and tried to look as stoic as possible. "Hey I can't help it. My little girl is growin' up."
Kagura couldn't help but smile. "Love ya pops. I'll tell you all about it when I get home."
Waving goodbye, she took off out the door at a brisk pace. It was a nice and sunny morning, a light breeze hitting her face. Kagura clasped her hands behind her head, her bag hanging from her fingers, and watched the crowds of people walking along the sidewalk. Soon there were more and more students in uniform filling the walkway, and before she knew it, Kagura found herself standing before the main gate of the school. She stopped for a moment, taking in the sight before her, and couldn't help but notice the feeling of butterflies which had invaded her stomach. She didn't know anyone at this school, and the idea of having to make new friends, and meet new teachers was slightly unnerving.
A loud screech, followed by an outburst of profanity, yanked Kagura from her thoughts. Over to her left she saw a girl with short black hair clinging to the back of a taller bespectacled girl. The shorter one was shouting 'giddy up' while jamming a heal into the other girl's thigh. In an instant, the taller girl dropped her tormenter on the ground and quickly walked away, her face a dark shade of red. Kagura couldn't help but laugh to herself. 'Looks like this place might be kinda fun,' she thought as she made her way into the school.
It wasn't long before she found herself entering class room five. Taking a seat, she began eyeing the rest of the class, wondering which ones would be fun enough to hang out with. A few of the other students looked like good potential for friends, and before Kagura could go and introduce herself, the bell rang. An instant later the classroom door slid open, and Kagura couldn't help but give a wide smile.
There were a lot of images Kagura had of what her new teachers would be like, but the person who entered the door completely changed her previous perspectives. In came a woman in her mid twenties, with short black hair and a pair of long bangs in the front. Her posture was crisp, and she was clearly physically fit, giving her a tomboyish masculine edge. Combined with the simple outfit of a pair of light blue slacks and a matching sports jacket, Kagura couldn't help but admire the woman's confidence. When the teacher regarded the class with a warm welcoming smile, Kagura felt her own smile broaden.
"Good morning class! My name is Minamo Kurosawa, and I will be your homeroom teacher," she said merrily.
A low murmur rolled through the class, as many of the students exchanged hushed comments with one another. Most of the students seemed pleased with the first impression of their new teacher. When one of the boys in front of her made a comment to his friend on how lucky they were to have scored a cute young teacher, Kagura couldn't help but laugh to herself and shake her head.
Taking her place behind the podium, and neatly stacking several papers, Kurosawa cleared her throat, effectively silencing the class. "Now I know some of you might be nervous since this is your first year of high school, but I want to start by saying you shouldn't be! I'll do my very best to make your time here as fun as possible, and don't ever hesitate to come to me for help." She took a small pause, letting her statement soak in with her class, and gave them a wide smile. Noting that several of the nervous stares were going away, she continued on. "Why don't we go around and introduce ourselves. Tell everyone your name and at least one hobby. I'd like to get to know you all as best I can."
One by one, the class began to introduce themselves. Kagura wasn't sure why, but she felt instantly drawn to the woman standing before the class. Everything from her style of clothing, and haircut, to the aura of warmth and kindness, was captivating. And when she began asking the other students questions, Kagura became lost in thought. She began racking her brain, trying to come up with something interesting to say. The last thing she wanted to do was look like an idiot in front of this woman, and she felt a strong need to try and impress her. 'Well, I like sports, but I gotta give more than that...'
A jab in her side with a pencil startled Kagura, making her jump in her seat. "Hey, you're up," said the boy sitting behind her.
Kagura looked around and saw that all eyes were on her. She quickly stood up, a sheepish look on her face, and said, "I'm Kagura, and, uh...I like sports!" Not quite knowing what else to say, she added a thumbs up and a cheesy smile to her statement, earning several giggles from the class. Trying hard not to wince at how lame she thought her answer was, Kagura stared at Kurosawa, praying she wouldn't think her a fool.
A large smile made its way across Kurosawa's face, and she too laughed lightly. "It's great to meet you Kagura, and what sports do you like?"
With a nervous chuckle, Kagura scratched the back of her neck. She hadn't thought of what to say for a follow up question. "Um..." C'mon, think, think, think. "Um, well, I was on the track and field team at my old school. I really liked that, and, uh, oh! I like soccer too!"
Kurosawa raised an eyebrow, her interest clearly piqued, and leaned forward onto her podium. "A soccer fan? How exciting. Who do you think's going to take the Emperor's cup this year?"
"F. C. Tokyo, of course," Kagura said matter of fact, her earlier nervousness now completely gone.
"That's right they are! Are you excited for the next game? I hear they'll be given a run for their money," Kurosawa replied excitedly.
"Nah, they've totally got this," Kagura said, waving a dismissive hand. "But I'm sure it'll be intense. I'm super stoked. My mom and pops are gonna have big party for it and everything."
Kurosawa regarded Kagura with a warm smile. "Well that sounds great. It's always nice to meet another sports fan," she began and then turned her attention to the rest of the class. "And speaking of sports, not only will I be your homeroom teacher, but I'm also the girls gym teacher, and the coach of the swim team, so I look forward to having fun out on the field with you, and hopefully in the pool, should some of you be interested in the swim team."
As the rest of the class continued on with their introductions, Kagura instead found herself focusing on her new homeroom teacher. This woman was Kagura's very definition of cool. It had only been a mater of minutes and there were already so many ways in which she thought they could relate. She was excited to meet another person she could talk to and identify with, someone who truly shared the same passion for the things she enjoyed most.
A wide smile made its across Kagura's face. Man she's awesome! And she'll be my gym teacher too? Freakin' score.
Kagura burst through the front door, quickly flinging her shoes off at the small shoe rack and dropping her bag by the door. "I'm home!" she yelled out.
To say that she was excited would be an understatement. Not only was she excited to be home, but her first day of school had been far better than she could have expected it to be. The school itself had a welcoming feeling to it, and she had easily fit in with the students in her class. Her teachers had also been a plus for the day. While some of them had been a little on the eccentric side, her English and classics teachers being good examples, Kagura felt like she had lucked out with the teachers she'd been given for her first year.
As she made her way into the kitchen, she found both her parents nursing cups of coffee. Kagura could easily tell her parents were tired, especially her mother, as she leaned against the kitchen counter, staring blankly at the floor. Her father was dressed in a clean pressed Tokyo police department uniform, and her mother in an equally pressed business suit. With the dramatic entrance of their daughter, their exhausted demeanor quickly changed as they turned to her with large smiles, quickly picking up on her excitement.
Setting down her coffee, Kagura's mother gave her tight hug. "Looks like you had a good first day. How was it?" she asked excitedly.
"Yea! It went way better than I thought it would," Kagura replied.
With a glance at his watch, Kagura's father let out a heavy sigh and quickly downed the rest of his coffee. "Ugh, I gotta take off to work. Man these night shifts are killin' me," he groaned. He walked over and gave his wife a quick kiss and pat on the butt, then turned to Kagura and ruffled her hair. "Tell me all about it in the mornin', ok? I'll make breakfast again for ya," he said while grabbing his coat and lunch box.
"Got it pops. Will do," Kagura said, giving her father a big hug.
"Have a safe shift, honey," Kagura's mother called out as he went to the door.
With a cheesy grin, he pointed to the three chevrons on the sleeve of his shirt. "Sergeant safety, right here," he said, and flexed his arm for extra emphasis.
Kagura's mother just shook her head, trying not to laugh, and looked to Kagura with an expectant smile. "Hey, wanna have some ice cream with me, and tell me about your day? I grabbed a tub of Moose tracks for you on my home today."
"My favorite!" Kagura cheered.
Within a matter of moments, the two were seated at the table, each with a large bowl of ice cream before them. "So," Kagura's mother began, after taking several large bites from her bowl, "how'd it go?"
"It was actually pretty cool," Kagura replied.
"Oh really?" her mother asked, surprised at hearing her daughter refer to school as something cool. "Well, tell me more. Did you make any friends.
"Uh huh. There's some pretty cool people in my class."
A devious smile made its way onto her mother's face. "Are any of them cute boys?" she asked.
Kagura nearly choked on her ice cream. "Awe, mom!" she whined, looking away sheepishly.
"Well, you are in high school now! I just thought that maybe at least one had caught your eye." She put her hands up in mock surrender after receiving an angry glare from Kagura. "My bad, I can't help myself. You have to get over this whole, 'boys have cooties' thing eventually. No need to choke over it," her mother said teasingly, and waving a dismissive hand.
"It's not that," Kagura protested. "I don't know, I just, haven't ever seen any that seem all that great."
"Well, I'm always here for you if you ever want to talk about boys, or need any advice. I'm sure your dad would be totally thrilled to hel-"
"Mom!" Kagura interrupted. "Can we change the subject, please?"
"Alright, alright," her mother relented, laughing at Kagura's embarrassment. "So, what about the sports programs. How are those?" she asked.
"That's the best part," Kagura began excitedly, nearly bouncing in her seat. "I joined the swim team!"
Her mother raised an eyebrow in curiosity. The past few years Kagura had been into track and field, and had done very well with it. A sudden change to something so different caught her by surprise. "Wow, that's different. What made you decide on that over track and field?"
A moment of silence passed as Kagura considered her answer. Looking back, she hadn't put that much thought behind her decision. When Ms. Kurosawa had asked her if she was interested in the swim team, saying yes seemed like the most natural thing to do. "Well, the coach for the team is totally rad, right? She's super nice, and super fun. So she's my homeroom teacher, my gym teacher, AND my new coach!"
"Well that's exciting."
"I know! It also seems like it could be pretty fun too."
"I'm sure you'll be great at it," Kagura's mother said with a wide grin.
A short burst from a whistle echoed throughout the pool grounds, followed a second later by the splashes of swimmers hitting the water. Minamo Kurosawa walked the length of the pool watching each swimmer intently. She checked her stop watch, happy with the times she was already seeing, and made her way towards the starting point. The rest of the swim team was lined up, each lane having another student with a stop watch, and Kurosawa couldn't help but smile at how serious they were. One lane in particular caught her attention, it's current occupant taking a significant lead on the rest of the group. Even though she already knew who it was, she still walked over to take a closer look.
The girl crouched by the edge of the pool looked up, an expression of excitement on her face. "Looks like she's gonna to beat her record, coach."
"That's great," Minamo said with a large smile.
Since day one, Minamo had been impressed with Kagura's skill, and had been extremely surprised to hear that the girl had never competitively swam before. She could easily see the hallmarks of great athlete and competitor, and for the past month had greatly enjoyed being a part of Kagura's progress. As Kagura made her way through her final lap, Minamo watched intently and marveled how graceful she was.
A moment later, and Kagra slapped a hand on the edge of the pool, puffing for air. With a large smile, her fellow team mate simply held her stop watch in front of Kagura's face. Kagura stared at the small watch, shook her head free of water, and did a wide eyed double take. "Wahoo!" she exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air excitedly. "Awe man that's awesome! You see that, coach? I just totally destroyed my record time!"
Minamo couldn't help but laugh at how excited Kagura was. She couldn't blame the girl either; she knew the feeling of making a new time all to well. "Great work Kagura, your form is really coming along. You've obviously made a lot of improvements."
Kagura's face lit up at receiving the compliment. "I've got you to thank for it coach. I did exactly as you said this time. I lengthened my strokes, and went for a harder kick off on my turn arounds."
A feeling of pride and joy radiated through Minamo. She truly enjoyed watching her students improve, and knowing that her advice had been applied to that success was one thing she considered to be the best part about being a coach. Of all the new athletes she had gained this year, she felt that she had really lucked out with Kagura, and knelt down to give her a congratulatory high five. The girl was always eager to try out new methods, and soaked up any tips or tricks Minamo gave her like a sponge. It was another one of her favorite qualities of Kagura's.
Noticing that the rest of the team had finished their laps, and that thankfully most seemed happy with their times, Minamo blew her whistle twice and motioned for everyone to gather around. Within a few moments, the team was standing around her, devoting their full attention. "Great work today everyone. I'm seeing a lot of progress all across the board. Keep it up!" she began, earning several cheers from the group. "And that'll do it for today. Next practice, lets see if we can beet the times we just made."
After a series of acknowledgements and goodbyes, the group quickly dispersed and made their way towards the locker rooms. Gathering up her things, Minamo began her journey towards the lockers at a leisurely pace and smiled when another person fell in step beside her.
"Hey coach!" Kagura said boisterously, and before Minamo could return the greeting, she quickly continued on. "So you saw how I did today. Is there any way I could go even faster?" she asked.
Again, laughing at how excited Kagura was, Minamo began picking apart her performance for the day. She went over what needed improvement, as well as what was being done well, and she was once again amazed at how well Kagura took it all in. Constructive criticism wasn't always easy to hear, but Kagura took it in stride. She happily asked questions and was excited to try new techniques, and Minamo was more than happy to work with her.
For the past few weeks, Kagura had come up after every practice and asked for improvements. What had originally started out as quick reviews, had now turned into something much more. Their conversations ranged from anything and everything that went on throughout the day, to the most recent sports scores and news. Normally it was Kagura carrying on the conversations, with Minamo asking occasional questions and throwing in a comment here and there. Recently, however, Minamo found herself being able to talk about her days as well, and was pleased at how intently Kagrua would listen and ask questions. It didn't take long for Minamo to realize that not only had she gained a great athlete, she had also stumbled across someone who was quickly becoming a good friend.