Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. The anime, characters and plot all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Author's Note: Thank you very much to all of you who had reviewed! For those of you who didn't like the prologue, I'm sorry. I tried my best to make it interesting. I'm still trying to work on making my chapters longer so that my readers won't be so pissed off at me ^_^' So, I'm sorry if this chapter's unbearably short. But, other than that, R&R! :)
Chapter One
"Who is she?"
"Is she an immigrant?"
"Was she shipwrecked?"
"Where did she come from?"
Those were the hushed interrogations she overheard as she was escorted through the police station.
Just a few hours ago, she was laying in a hard hospital bed with a thin white sheet draped over her body. The doctor standing at her bedside had informed her that she'd remained in an unconscious state for the past two days. He had also filled her in based on what he was told--she was found unconscious, washed up on the shore around midnight and soaked in her own blood.
Horrible memories poured into her mind, plaguing her thoughts. She thrust the disturbing images away, shoving them into the very back of her mind. Damned memories...
A policewoman with blonde hair in a tight bun cautiously sipped from a cup of steaming coffee, piercing green eyes glued to her, the mysterious girl from the ocean. The woman whispered to a coworker behind a hand, but she could hear the hushed sentence:
"Kagura told me that that girl is mute."
Sure, she was mute, but she had a right to remain silent. After all she had went through...
The two male officers guiding her through the maze-like station paused before a thick metal door.
She stared at the door in wonder. Was she going to be arrested for some unspecified crime? She glanced to her right--a large window. Through the clear glass, she could see a long table with chairs at the ends. Guards stood tall and mighty, lined up against the walls. An interrogation room.
The pair of men turned at the same time--creepy--and positioned themselves on each side of the door. One man opened it and the other firmly instructed, "Step inside, Miss."
She complied. After hearing the metal door somewhat slam shut, she forced herself to look around the room. Everywhere she looked, though, her brown eyes met a guard's stern stare. All the men were watching her as if they thought she'd go berserk any second. Did they honestly think a human girl like her could be so violent and reckless? Apparently, they did. She felt self-conscious and vulnerable, so she timidly clasped her hands in front of her, bowed her head, and waited for the interrogator.
Seconds later, a heavy door opened followed by light footsteps. "Please have a seat," a rather enthusiastic male voice politely said followed by the resonating sound of the door being shut.
Clutching the edge of the table, she sank into the nearest vacant seat. Her thighs were pressed together nervously, sweaty hands gripping each other in her lap, shoulders hunched feebly. She forced herself to look up at the man who was going to ask her many questions.
He was a lean fellow who looked to be in his late twenties. His clean black hair was combed and pulled back into a ponytail. He had a large nose and chin, but kind blue eyes. He slipped into the chair at the opposite end and smiled at her. Her tense shoulders loosened up a bit. Then, she glanced at the notepad laying innocently on the table, and she automatically tensed up again.
The policeman leafed through a few sheets of paper that were most likely notes taken by other officers at the scene of the "incident." He let out a short breath and put the papers down. He folded his hands in a business-like manner on the tabletop, his kind blue gaze almost piercing through her.
"Hi there, I'm Officer Kuranosuke," he greeted compassionately. "And I'm just going to ask you a few questions, all right?"
She nodded.
Kuranosuke picked up a piece of paper. "Now, a young girl by the name of Rin Hoshiko reported seeing you being washed up on the seashore at exactly midnight on July fifteenth, bleeding and unconscious, and holding onto a crate. She suspected that you were shipwrecked, but she has no proof. After being taken to the hospital and having your wounds treated, you remained unconscious for two more days." An eyebrow twitched slightly on the man's face before he looked up at her questioningly. "Can you explain to me what happened before you had passed out?"
She shook her head fiercely; she had tucked those bad memories away in the back of her mind and they were definitely not coming back out.
Kuranosuke sighed. He rubbed one of his eyes tiredly. "All right," he exhaled. The officer briefly read through his list of written questions in his notepad, selecting which inquiry he should ask next. "Where did you come from?"
She thought about that. Where did she come from? Wherever she was for the past several years, the name of the place was never mentioned. Before she went to that place, she'd lived in Tokyo. After that…she didn't know. She shrugged.
Kuranosuke stared. "You don't know where you came from?" he asked in a monotone.
She sadly shook her head. She felt humiliated, embarrassed that she didn't even know the name of the awful place she came from. The girl lowered her head shamefully, allowing her thick black bangs to shadow the hot blush coloring her pale face.
The interrogator raised his eyebrows, then scribbled a notation onto his pad of paper. "Uh…" He awkwardly scratched his head. This interview certainly wasn't getting any results. It didn't seem like the girl was going to say anything, but he might as well give it a shot and ask her one more question that could receive more answers about the girl's background. "What's your name?"
She looked up from the smooth surface of the sturdy table into Officer Kuranosuke's azure eyes. It had been so long since anybody even cared about her name. And now, this kind stranger who was trying to help her wanted to know her name. She was unsure of whether or not to force herself to speak and answer his question, or remain silent. Still, something in the back of her mind encouraged her to speak, for her sake.
"M-My name is…Kagome Higurashi…"
-
"I wish I were a full-fledged demon," muttered Inuyasha Takahashi as he folded back the cuffs of his pure white button-up shirt.
"What's wrong with being a half demon?" asked a tiny flea demon perched on Inuyasha's shoulder.
The hanyou rolled his eyes in an irritated manner. "What's not wrong with being a half demon, Myouga?" he shouted to the flea. Inuyasha plopped down on his bed to pull on his stupid socks and shoes. He hated socks and shoes with a passion. "For one thing," he explained without waiting for Myouga's response. "Demons are much stronger than half demons. Also, demons age less quicker."
Myouga had to force himself to suppress a chuckle. "What does age have to do with anything?"
"Well, people will find it kind of hard to believe that I'm Sesshoumaru's younger brother if I look like I'm thirty while he still looks twenty!"
The flea couldn't help but snort just as Inuyasha finished tying the laces of his shoes. The half demon spared a glance at the digital alarm clock sitting on his nightstand.
"Shit! I'm going to be late for the Exam!"
In just a few seconds, Inuyasha was out of his father's massive mansion and in his newest car. He started it up, hopped inside, and sped out of the driveway into the nearly empty streets.
The reason Inuyasha was a particularly anxious mood was because he was scheduled to take the fateful Academy Entrance Exam. The test was designed to challenge a student's intricate mind and physical condition, and determine which academy was best for the student.
Inuyasha desired to be placed into Shikon Academy. However, there was a limit to how many students were accepted. A very strict maximum. How much did Myouga say? Only like fifty students were accepted? And in order to get into Shikon Academy, you had to be physically in shape and had to get a very high score on the Exam. Inuyasha had studied hard for this test, wanting to have a good future ahead of him. However, all of those endless years of studying would be worthless if he wasn't punctual to taking the Academy Entrance Exam!
He only had five more minutes until it was time for the Exam. His foot slammed down on the gas pedal, and the vehicle almost flew down the highway. Luck was on his side; nearly every light was green and there weren't any cars on the streets at this hour.
Once he'd parked his car sloppily in the parking lot, he found that he'd made it on time with a just a couple of minutes left to spare. Inuyasha marched through the double doors of the designated testing area, confident that he'd pass the Academy Entrance Exam with flying colors and satisfied that he was actually on time.
-
Inuyasha stepped out of the brick building, relief replacing the tension in his body. The Exam was indeed difficult, but it felt good to finally finish taking it. Sure, his hand was all cramped up from writing essays and bubbling in hundreds of ovals, but it still felt fantastic getting that nerve-racking test over with. But then, his muscles were stiff with apprehension once again. Now he had another thing to be concerned about: Will he be accepted into Shikon Academy or not?
Suddenly, large shadows blocked the sunshine and darkened Inuyasha's path. Before he could even turn his head, the half demon was brutally shoved up against a brick wall.
"Inuyasha Takahashi?" asked a harsh voice.
The hanyou winced as pain throbbed in his body. "Y-yes."
Cold steel closed around his wrists. "You're under arrest."
