"I'll see you when I get home mom!" A young girl cried with a smile on her face as she hurried out the front door of their modern Japanese style home. Her dark hair was pulled up into a neat ponytail and trailed behind her as she ran in her green and white sailor school uniform. She crossed the street and hurried towards the next crossing before the lights changed otherwise she was definitely going to be late for school. She really hoped her history project partner was going to actually show up to school today and do her share of the work because honestly enough was enough already. She hated how her teacher always seemed to pair her up with little miss I'm-always-sick-and-can't-ever-come-to-school-so-everyone-else-has-to-pick-up-my-slack. Also known as Kagome Higarashi and the biggest pain in her ass at the moment. She sighed and shook her head before crossing the last street that led to her school where hundreds of other students were already waiting on the multitude of steps. "Hey! Over here Kagome!" A girl shrieked and at once her nerves were slightly put at ease. Good, so she finally decided to show up after all. "Oh good morning Umi-chan! What's up with that face? You look like you smelled someone cut the cheese." Her friend asked her as she walked to her usual waiting spot, her friend in tow. "It's nothing Sanka. I see Kagome finally got over her acid reflux." She jerked her head in the direction of the whiny black haired girl. Umi's friend rolled her eyes knowingly and smiled. "Yeah I guess so. Didn't know it would last a whole two weeks. I swear I just want to punch her so bad with all her fake smiles and stupid high pitched squeal of a voice. Ugh." Umi smiled and hid the giggle behind her long fingers. "Tell me about it!" They laughed as the bell rang and they walked together to their first class. As the class filed in, Kagome included, the noise level seemed to elevate so she and Sanka resorted to texting one another in order to be heard over the noise.
"Take your seats." A sultry whisper of a female voice said from behind the desk suddenly. At once students were sitting and facing towards this new stranger who hadn't been seen walking into the room at all. The door hadn't even been opened it seemed. Umi stared at the woman who was leaning against the chalkboard with arms crossed over her decently endowed bust wearing a blood red dress suit that showed off her perfect curves wonderfully. Her crimson red hair was pulled into a high ponytail but even pulled up it trailed down to the backs of her knees; two pieces on either side of her face framed the pale heart shape perfectly. How anyone couldn't have seen her was a total mystery. There was no way she couldn't have been seen at all by anyone. "Your usual teacher is out with the flu. I am his replacement. Please refer to me as Miss Scarlet. Now let us begin with today's lesson." The woman turned gracefully on her heel and started writing in beautiful cursive kanji on the chalkboard, without even turning around she called on a girl who had raised her hand quietly. "Uhm…Miss Scarlet aren't you going to do roll call?" Miss Scarlet didn't stop writing on the board at all. "I have already memorized your names and faces and as far as I see you are all here. Even Miss Higuashi." Kagome flinched and blushed a beet red, knowing she had been called out. The girl lowered her hand and shrank visibly into her seat. Umi watched the woman as she went about the history lesson and attempted to figure out just exactly where she had met this sultry and slightly sad looking woman. It wasn't obvious for many but for someone who really looked at her eyes they could see the inner pain and hurt that were harboring there. "Now break up into your project teams for the rest of the time and discuss your projects." Scarlet returned to the desk and watched over the class as they quickly went about their business. Kagome found her way to Umi's desk and smiled a hello. "Alright so what do you have finished so far?" Kagome grinned. "More than you. Look by the looks of it you and I have a lot of work to do and a few more classes worth of work is not gonna cut it. Today after school I am going to your house and we are going to get this thing done." Kagome nearly took a step back at Umi's ferocity, Miss Scarlet simply smirked as though she could hear everything that was going on between the two of them. "Well alright but there is no reason to get all snippy about it you know? Haven't you realized I have health problems?" Kagome placed her hands on her hips angrily. Soon after that the bell rang and everyone filed out in an orderly wave. Umi was the last one to leave, Miss Scarlet's gorgeous golden eyes watched her every single move all the way until Umi was well out of sight. It was so weird. Umi quickly shook it off and went about the rest of her day without further incident. Finally she and Kagome were walking towards the shrine where Kagome lived with her family. The whole time she was talking about their history project and attempting to make Umi smile but failing miserably. At long last they were sitting at her table putting everything together when Kagome suddenly stood up and hurried outside without an explanation.
"Oh no she doesn't! Where the hell is she going at a time like this?" She hissed under her breath and following the girl outside. A flash of red caught her eye and she stopped as she opened the front door. "Miss Scarlet?" She whispered in surprise as she saw the strangely beautiful substitute standing in front of her with her hair waving slightly in the breeze. "Call me Yuri. Kagome went into the well house. You should follow. Otherwise you will certainly end up with a blemish on your records." Umi stared at the woman totally shocked. What the hell was she doing here of all places? Miss Scarlet sighed and rolled her eyes, in a blur of crimson Umi was dragging behind the woman towards the well house around the back of the house. "Hey! Let me GO! This is harassment!" Umi yelled and fought against the incredibly strong grip. Miss Scarlet sighed and let Umi go, her golden eyes slightly brighter in the darkness much like an animal's would. "Listen Umi you really need to go down that well there. I can't tell you why exactly but you would be doing a lot of good for the both of us if you just not argue with me and do what I say alright?" Umi glared and placed her hands on her hips defensively, trying to intimidate the strangely intimidating woman. "No you listen! There is no way in hell I am jumping down there just because you say so! All I want is to finish my stupid project!" Umi growled and Miss Scarlet simply rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath that Umi couldn't quite hear. In another second she was being held over the edge of the well with one hand Miss Scarlet's face close to hers, making that strange sense of familiarity return tenfold. "Umi. Please forgive me for this. You really need to do this. I promise it will work out in the end. I made some really stupid mistakes….one in particular that was beyond stupid and because of that I need you to help me fix it. Help me before it's too late for us…" Miss Scarlet's eyes were so sorrowful and agonizing that it rendered Umi speechless until she felt a sharp pain in the side of her neck where one of the woman's claw like nails punctured the fragile skin, sending a wave of pain through her bloodstream before Miss Scarlet let go of her. She stared up at the woman in confusion as she plummeted towards her ultimate demise considering the fact that the well was totally dried up at the bottom. "Please help me get back my soul and make it complete again Umi…you're the only one who can…"
All of a sudden Umi was surrounded by a beautiful blue and purple swirling light that somehow brought her a sense of peace which must have meant she was certainly a goner for good. But just as she was getting used to the idea she felt ground underneath of her again, the sound of trees rustling in the wind above her and general forest sounds assaulted her senses. "What the hell?"
