Author's Notes: I'd like to take this chance to tell you about the dress of the characters. All the students (Kagome, Sango, Miroku) are in school uniform. Kagome would be wearing the same as she does in the show, and Sango would have the same uniform. Miroku would be in black pants, black shirt, and a green jacket, which he usually keeps unbuttoned. I'll mention the clothing in the story, but I wanted to clarify what the school uniforms look like. Sorry if that's kinda silly.

Chapter Two – The Watcher

Kagome went to school the next morning feeling oddly cheery. She felt as if her life had just begun, she was starting over. The Slayer she would no longer be – God, how good the idea was. She felt chipper. She could now make friends and have fun, and she'd forget all about the fanged enemies she'd once battled.

The high school liked almost warm and welcoming as she stepped through the front doors, her eyes wide with excitement. She was going to live as a normal girl. Why hadn't she thought of this – of quitting – so much sooner?

"Higurashi!"

Kagome turned to see MIroku, the boy from the day before, hurring towards her. She smiled warmly. Maybe she could start making friends, now. Ones that may actually last. "Hi," she said.

He fell into step with her and they walked on towards World History. "We didn't get a chance to talk much yesterday," he said, with a casual charming voice that Kagome was all too familiar with. She'd heard many boys use that voice, but none so practiced as Miroku Kazaana.

It took a lot not to laugh at him. It wasn't that he was unattractive – not that at all – but he just wasn't her type. She tended to like the more dark, dangerous boys – the ones her mother hated. Miroku was far from that. He may try to put on this playboy persona, but she could see that, when it came down to it, he was a sweet guy – and sweet wasn't what she generally liked in a boy.

"Did you finish your essay?" she asked, casually.

"Guh?" He stopped, suddenly. "Essay? I thought…. Oh, damn."

"Don't tell me," came a voice from behind them. Kagome and Miroku turned to see Sango walking towards them, a stern look on her face. "You didn't do your homework again, did you?"

"Sango," Miroku said, pleadingly. "Please help me. I started it, I really did, but I thought it wasn't due until next week."

"So then what were you doing last night?" Sango asked, cocking her head to the side, her hands on her hips. "If you weren't doing your homework, then what were you doing?"

Kagome looked from Sango to Miroku. She could see that Sango was a nice girl, but probably one not to cross.

"I… I…" Miroku stammered.

"You were at the Shrine flirting with the college girls, weren't you?" Sango stated, her eyes narrowing darkly.

"The Shrine?" Kagome said, confused.

Sango looked at Kagome for the first time since she'd joined them. "Oh," she said, her expression softening. "The Shrine. It's a place where people go and hang out, listen to music. It's mostly full of college students from Tokyo East University, but some of the high school students go." Her eyes flashed angrily as she turned towards Miroku. "Miroku, here, is a regular."

"Ha… ha…" It was clear that Miroku was a bit afraid of his friend.

Sango sighed defeatedly. "We have five minutes before class. I'll try and help you – but you have to promise this won't happen again. Okay?"

In an instant Miroku had bridged the distance between himself and Sango and had taken the girl into his arms in a tight hug. "Sango," he said.

"Huh?" the young woman said, in surprise and shock. "Miroku, what are you…?"

"Sango, you are the most wonderful friend I could ever ask for," he said. He held her close, his chin resting on the top of her head. "You're smart and kind and beautiful."

Kagome watched, with uncertainty as the scene unfolded.

"Miroku," Sango began, her face softening. Then it suddenly stiffened again as Miroku's hand slipped a bit below its appropriate position, caressing her butt. With a sudden slap Miroku had released her and was left with a large red hand print on his cheek. "You have no shame," Sango hissed, marching passed him.

Kagome glanced at Miroku before hurrying along side Sango. "Oh my Gosh," she said. "I'm so sorry. That was aweful."

"Huh?" Sango said. "What was aweful?"

Kagome was surprised. "That… what he just did… he just…" She glanced over her shoulder again at Miroku, who was still far enough away not to hear. "He just groped you," Kagome whispered.

"Oh, that?" Sango said. "It's not a big deal."

"It's not?"

"No," Sango said, shaking her head. "It's just part of the routine."

"Routine?"

"Come on," Sango said. "Lets get to class. Miroku will be there in a minute to get help on that stupid essay."

Kagome was unsure how to react. Sango was still going to help him? This was a routine? And she thought her life was a strange one.

About half way through Professor Kagura's lecture on the French Revolution, the classroom door opened and a young girl poked her head in. She was about the same age as Kagome, she was shorter and with curves in all the place Kagome wished she had them. Her dark brown hair was streaked with hot pink, and Kagome knew instantly that this girl would be an interesting person to know.

"What do you want, Miss Tsunashi?" Professor Kagura asked, not hiding her tone of irritation.

"Do you have a Kagumi Higorushe in here?"

Kagome wrinkled her nose. Surely that wasn't supposed to be her name.

"No, Miss Tsunashi, I don't," Professor Kagura said. "I have a Kagome Higurashi."

"That's it," the girl said. "Sorry."

Kagome began to stand, slowly, but Professor Kagura glared at her. "Sit down, Miss Higurashi. I haven't told you to go anywhere yet." She looked back at the short girl. "What do you want with her?"

"The new librarian requested to see her," the girl explained.

"And what would Kaede want with her," Professor Kagura mused quietly.

"I don't know, Professor," Miss Tsunashi said.

Professor Kagura looked surprised, as if she had not meant that to be heard. She shook her head. "Fine," she said. "Miss Higurashi, go to the library, but get back here quickly. No one should be missing my class."

Kagome stood.

"I'll take notes for you," Sango muttered.

"Hey, Sango, will you take them for me, too?" Miroku asked, hopefully.

"Shhh."

Kagome walked out of the classroom with the short girl, who instantly began to talk once the classroom door had closed. "Sorry I mispronounced your name. Miss Kaede was talking so fast I could barely understand her. I'm the librarian's assistant, you see. My name's Aiko Tsunashi."

Kagome only partly heard what Aiko was saying. Her brain fluttered off into the land of wonder. Kaede had requested to see her. Yes, she'd been expecting it. The Watcher wanted to meet her. Well, that was too bad. Kagome wouldn't be their Slayer anymore. She was done.

"And the library here isn't that great, but its better than nothing," Aiko chattered on. "Oh, okay. Here we are."

They had stopped in front of a set of double doors, upon which was pasted on old, graffiti-stained sign reading "Library".

"Just go on in," Aiko instructed. "She's in there somewhere. I have to go hunt down all the students with overdue books from last year. It's sad that people think they can steal from the library." Aiko sighed and, with a smile, added, "If you ever need anything, just ask me, okay?" And with that, she hurried off, leaving Kagome alone.

Kagome sighed and pushed open one of the doors. The library was small and round, and, to be honest, rather pathetic looking. The selection was very slim, it was clear. There were two round tables in the center, where people could sit and read or talk, but they were currently empty. It didn't seem that there was anyone in the library at all.

"Hello…" Kagome called, uncertainly. "Hello? Is there anyone in here?" There was no response. She hesitated, then walked a little deeper into the library. It was not long before she spotted something that caught her attention.

On the bottom shelf of one of the isles of books, was a stack of dusty old volumes Kagome knew didn't belong in a high school library. "The Law of the Slayer", "Misdeeds of Slayers Past", "Cursed Legacy of the Slayer", "Vampires Not to Cross." Kagome looked at the titles knowingly. These were Watcher's books. She'd seen them before. Her old Watcher, Mezuko, had been the owner of many such collections before his…. His accident.

Accident. Okay, that was far from being the correct term, really. Kagome had killed a strong vampire leader, Naraku, and many of his followers, out of anger, sought to hurt her. They had kidnapped and tortured the Watcher, who Kagome had been close with. Now, so emotionally and physically scarred, Mezuko lived in a mental institution – not able to think clearly at all.

Kagome had visited him often as she could, but she stopped. He could even remember her, and seeing him like that – blaming herself – was far too painful for the girl to handle.

The bell for the next class rang in the silence. So much for getting back to Professor Kagura's class..

"I see you found the books, then."

Kagome stood quickly and spun around, tugging on the skirt of her uniform to prevent it from flying up. There stood an elderly woman, an eye patch over one eye. She had gray hair and was short and stout. Kagome registered that her face, despite the intimidating eye patch, was friendly. She was a bit surprised, after all the rumors she'd heard of this infamous Kaede.

The woman looked her up and down, then crossed her arms and nodded. "So you are the famous Kagome Higurashi I have heard so much about."

Kagome was certain that not all of what Kaede heard was positive. "I … I guess I am." She tensed and glanced around as she thought she heard the library door open, but Kaede spoke again.

"Well, I am sure you know my name, do you not?"

"I do, Kaede."

The elderly woman nodded again. "Right, then," she said. "Sit, child. Sit down." She gestured Kagome to a seat at one of the tables. "We have much to discuss."

Kagome looked at the chair where Kaede was asking her to sit, then she looked back at the old Watcher. "We don't have much to discuss, actually," she said. "I'm done. I quit."

Kaede narrowed the one eye Kagome could see. "Excuse me?"

"I said I quit," Kagome repeated. "I'm not the Slayer anymore. I'm done. I've dropped the post. Let some other girl do it. I can't anymore."

"You must be joking, girl."

"I'm not," Kagome said.

"But there is no other Slayer. You are the only one, don't you understand?" Kaede said, almost in a pleading tone. "No other will appear until you die. You can't just quit."

"Funny," Kagome said, crossing her arms. "Because I just did." She turned and walked to the library door.

"But who will kill the vampires?" Kaede yelled after her. "Who will stop these demons that are coming? They are coming sure and fast, and-"

"Did you hear me?" Kagome called over her shoulder. "I quit! Someone else can handle it." With that, she marched out the door.

Kaede watched the girl go and sighed. "I wish it were only that easy for you, Miss Higurashi," the old woman sighed, before walking back into her office, saying, "but You will see. The duty will call back to you when the demons show up."

But when Kaede entered her office, the library was still not quite empty. A shocked Miroku sat behind a towering shelf of books, still uncertain about all that he had just heard. "Demons," he whispered.

END OF CHAPTER TWO