IV. SIBLINGS
The Night Class were once again discussing the new student.
Kaname and Seiren had told them of her little display of power.
"She's very powerful," Ichijou said. "To be able to erase the memories of a human..." Ichijou was becoming more and more interested in the new prefect.
"What's so great about her?" Aidou demanded, nursing his slightly burned wrist.
"You're just mad that she refused to let you drink her blood and also knocked you down," Kain said.
"I am not!" Aidou shouted.
"Just admit you like her, because she isn't the type that would willingly allow you to bite her just because she liked you for your looks."
"As if!"
"I wonder if she will be able to hold her own against one of us," Rima thought aloud.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she could," Kaname said. "If anything, her powers appear to be on par with mine, and add to the fact that she is a miko."
The other vampires seemingly contemplated this.
Higurashi Kagome was not a person they would want as their enemy, given the scope of her powers.
It was early afternoon. Class had been let out early and Kagome was getting ready to go into town.
Sesshoumaru had called her on her mobile phone to arrange a meeting with her. Kagome had suggested that they meet in a café that she had seen during the drive to Cross Academy, which Sesshoumaru had agreed to.
Kagome was just locking her room door, when Yuuki came running up to her.
"Kagome-chan, can you help me with my homework, please?" Yuuki begged. "It's due in tomorrow."
"Sorry, I can't." Kagome replied as she smiled apologetically. "You'll have to ask Zero to help you with it, as I have an appointment in town."
"With whom?" Yuuki asked, noticing the clothes that Kagome was wearing.
Kagome had dressed in a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved burgundy button-up shirt. Brown leather ankle boots, silver hoop earrings and a silver locket completed her outfit. She wore almost no make, only a little coloured lipgloss and two shades of grey eyeshadow, blended together to create a smoky effect.
Yuuki guessed she must be meeting s Someone fairly important for Kagome to dress up.
"Aniue."
"Oh, where are you going?"
"To that café off the main street of town. The one around the corner from the bakery."
"Oh, that one," Yuuki said, knowing which café Kagome meant. "But isn't it going to be a crowded at this time of day?"
"Oh, don't worry about that, aniue reserved a table," Kagome replied.
She glanced at her watch.
"I'm going to have to go now if I don't want to be late," she said. "Aniue absolutely hates it when people are late."
She dashed out of the building towards the school gate, managing not to collide with a few students who were hanging about.
The café was a popular one, especially with the students from Cross Academy. It was packed full of students and also people from around the town as well as some day visitors. On days like this, it was best to have a reservation or they wouldn't be able to get a table.
The bell above the door jingled as she entered the café.
"May I help you, Miss?" a waitress asked.
"Ah hai, I'm meeting with a Taishou Sesshoumaru," Kagome replied. "There should be a reservation under his name."
The waitress opened a portfolio at the stand and scanned the list of reservations. After finding Sesshoumaru's name, she led Kagome to a table near to the window before leaving her with a knowing smile.
Kagome rolled her eyes. The waitress probably assumed that she was meeting a boyfriend.
Kagome was scanning through the menu when the bell jingled again. Looking up, she saw Sesshoumaru walk through the door.
She smiled as she waved him over.
"Konnichiwa, aniue," Kagome greeted as he approached.
"Imouto," Sesshoumaru replied, nodding his head as he sat down. He picked up the menu and started perusing through it.
Kagome noticed that they were getting a lot of people looking at them. Some with an envious look in their eyes. They most likely thought they were on a date. Not really that surprising, considering the considerable differences in looks. Though, after the adoption, Kagome had gained a little of Sesshoumaru's looks. She did not have his silver hair or his golden eyes, but her face had become a bit more angular and her skin paler than what they had been. It wasn't a major change, but it was enough for people to see that they were brother and sister, if one looked close enough.
One of the waitresses walked up to their table and asked if they were ready to order.
Kagome decided on a chocolate sundae, whilst Sesshoumaru opted for a cup of coffee and a slice of autumn fruit cheesecake.
Whilst they were waiting for their order, they asked each other about the things they had been doing since they last saw each other. Little things that a bother and sister would talk about.
"How are you enjoying school, Kagome?" Sessoumaru asked.
"I like it, it's good to see my cousins again, and I enjoy the classes and I'm finding Math a lot easier," Kagome replied. "And I've been made a prefect."
"That was quick," Sesshoumaru commented.
"Well, there were reasons," Kagome said, cryptically.
"What kind of reasons?" Sesshoumaru asked, sipping his coffee.
Kagome made no reply, only smiled mysteriously.
Sesshoumaru knew that smile. His sister only smiled like that during their conversations when it involved the supernatural.
Deciding to drop the subject for now, Sesshoumaru reached into a pocket on the inside of his jacket.
"I know this is a little early, but..." he said as he pulled out a small black box, tied with a white ribbon. He set on the table and pushed it towards her. "A little White Day present for my imouto," he said .
Curious, Kagome untied the white ribbon and lifted the lid from the box to reveal a silver charm bracelet, with three charms dangling from the chain. The first charm was a cresent moon, the Taishou clan symbol; the second, a little tablet with four petal shaped pieces of amethyst embedded on one side in so that it formed the same symbol that Midoriko bore on her forehead, and the character meaning purity, proclaiming her status as a miko equal in power to Midoriko; and the last charm was a round bead of rose quartz to represent the Shikon no Tama.
"Aniue, you shouldn't have!" she cried.
"It's nothing, really," Sesshoumaru said, casually. "Do you like it?"
"Like it? I love it!"
Sesshoumaru smiled as he helped her put it on.
She could sense Sesshoumaru's youki in the crescent moon charm, perhaps to indentify her as a member of the Taishou clan.
Kagome was interrupted by a familiar voice called out to her.
"Ya, Kagome-chan!"
Kagome looked up in surprise to see Aidou with a big smile on his face.
"Aidou-senpai, what are you doing here?" Kagome exclaimed. "I would have thought that you didn't come out during the day."
"This cafe's my favourite," Aidou replied. "And it's not open during night hours."
Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru, knowing that he could sense Aidou's dark but un-demonic aura.
Sesshoumaru's expression was completely neutral, but Kagome could tell that he was curious about the newcomer that knew his adopted sister.
"And who is this?" Aidou asked, turning to Sesshoumaru as though noticing him for the first time. "Mousukashite , Kageome-chan he's your boyfriend?"
"Eh?" Kagome was a little surprised at Aidou's conclusion.
She and Sesshoumaru glanced at each other before she burst into giggles, whilst Sesshoumaru merely smiled, amusement dancing in his eyes.
Aidou just stood there, confused as to what was so funny.
Once Kagome had calmed down enough to speak, she asked, "Why would I be dating my own brother?" before dissolving into giggles again.
Aidou stared in disbelief. "He's your brother?!"
"Ma, adopted brother," Kagome replied. Then she immediately sobered. "Oh, where are my manners? Aniue, this one of the Night Class students, Aidou Hanabasa. Aidou-senpai, my older brother, Taishou Sesshoumaru."
"Taishou Seshoumaru?!"
Aidou had heard of the renowned world businessman, not to mention he was one of Cross Academy's most prominent sponsors. Aidou found it hard to believe that sweet and innocent looking Kagome had such a close connection to such a ruthless businessman.
He bowed in apology. "Sumimasen, Taishou-sama, I did not know you were Kagome's brother."
"You're forgiven," Sesshoumaru said, curtly.
"Be glad he's more mellow than when I first knew him," Kagome mock whispered to Aidou, knowing full well that Sesshoumaru could hear her clearly with his superior sense of hearing.
Sesshoumaru mock glared at Kagome before turning his gazed to Aidou, mentally assessing him.
Aidou shifted nervously under Sesshoumaru's piercing gaze.
"Ma...I will leave you to enjoy your meeting," Aidou said, a little uncomfortably.
He walked walked away to sit at an empty table.
"Interesting company you keep at school, imouto," Sesshoumaru commented, turning back to Kagome.
"I'm afraid I don't know him very well," Kagome replied. "He's one of the elite students from the Night Class, and I've only seen him when I'm on duty in between his classes."
"Night Class, ka?"
Sesshoumaru glanced over at Aidou, the cogs in his brain churning.
Later, Kagome and Sesshoumaru where walking around town. They stopped at the edge of the town, where it was mostly surrounded by trees.
With no-one around, Sesshoumaru decided that now was a good time to ask Kagome why she accept the position of prefect so soon after she transferred in.
"Would you care to tell me why you accepted the position of a school prefect?" he asked, turning to his adopted sister.
"Well, first you should know something," Kagome began a little uneasily. She had asked for her elder cousin's permission to tell him the school's secret.
Chairman Cross had agreed that Sesshoumaru had a right to know, since Sesshoumaru was her bother and head of the Taishou family, as well as one of the academy's sponsors. Kagome had not told the chairman that her adopted brother was not human, but an inu taiyoukai, and she wanted to ask for Sesshoumaru's permission before informing her cousins of his actual race.
"I suppose you are aware of the rumours that vampires also attend the school along with human."
It was more of a statement than a question, as Kagome was fairly certain that Sesshoumaru was aware of the rumours that circulated the underground network.
Sesshoumaru nodded as an affirmitive.
"I am," he said. "Although no-one has verified that rumour."
"Well, what if I told you that that rumour was true?"
Sesshoumaru raised on elegant eyebrow.
"Is it?" he asked.
"Hai," Kagome replied.
There a pause before she continued.
"The true purpose of Cross Academy is to encourage humans and vampires to coexist peacefully. Oji-san and Kuran Kaname, a pureblood vampire built the school with this goal in mind."
"A very noble dream," Sesshoumaru commented. "Although, I would think that, like humans and demons, there would be many who do not share this view of two opposing races living together peacefully."
"I would think so, but everyone seems to be happy with their lives at the academy," Kagome said. "Some are there only because Kaname-senpai is there. He is last of the Kuran line, a family of pureblood vampires, he is considered to be their king."
"You didn't answe my earlier question - why did you accept the position of prefect?" Sesshoumaru reminded her.
"Like demons, I do not believe that all vampires are monsters," Kagome replied. "The Night Class are not bad people and do not kill indiscriminately. It's like there are some youkai who are good, and some who are bad."
Sesshoumaru smiled warmly at his adopted sister. "Only you out of all the people I know would give an answer like that, imouto. It's because of people like you, we have hope for the future."
Kagome looked up at the slowly darkening sky. The sun would be setting in about an hour. Past time that she should be heading back to the Academy.
"It's getting late, I should be getting back," Kagome said. "I have to make sure the Day Class students are back in the dormitaries."
"Kyouskete," Sesshoumaru called.
Kagome smiled as she waved back to him.
It was now late in the evening. Chairman Cross had called Kaname for a meeting in his office to discuss any new developments within the Night Class.
Beacuse of the vampire's preference to darkness, the chairman had lit a few candles around the room, so that the light wasn't too strong for his eyes and still allowed a human to be able to see.
"Ja...what did you think of my little cousin?" the chairman asked lightheartedly.
"She is certainly very powerful," Kaname replied, as she sipped a glass of blood as he lounged in a nearby chair, though it was not real blood, only a blood tablet dissolved in water. "She will protect Yuuki very well while I am unable to."
"Well, she is a miko, after all. But I would like to know where and from whom she learned how to fully control her powers and to fight." Chairman Cross said, thoughtfully. "I think she would a great benefit to this school, both for the Day Class and the Night Class."
"I think so, too," Kaname said, giving a small, almost unnoticeable smile. But that was quickly replaced by a serious expression. "There is one other thing I wish to discuss. I'm afraid I can no longer allow Zero to remain in the Day Class."
The chairman looked up in surprise. Zero had been allowed to remain the Day Class, as Kaname had relented when Yuuki had vehemently protested against his transfer to the Night Class.
"He is steadily losing control of his impulses, and with the way things areprogressing, it will not be long before he descends into level E, and he could very well endanger-"
"Yuuki-chan?"
Kaname and Chairman Cross looked up at the sound of Kagome's voice. The sound of someone running down the hallway followed.
Kaname opened the door to see Kagome standing in front of the doors, facing down the corridor. She turned her heard to look at him. She had a worried expression on her face. She looked up at Kaname.
"Was Yuuki just here?" Kaname asked.
"Hai, but she just ran off," Kagome replied. "She looked upset about something."
Kaname's expression was completely neutral, but Kagome was able to tell how worried he was.
"Don't worry, whatever it is, she'll calm down evetually," Kagome said.
"We will further discuss this tomorrow night."
As Kaname started down the corridor back to class, Kagome finally realised something that had been bothering her. Yuuki's repressed aura and her similarity to Kaname's own aura of darkness; it all made sense to her now.
"She's your sister, isn't she?" Kagome asked aloud.
Kaname froze.
"How did you know?" he asked, keeping his voice completely calm and even.He was shocked that Kagome had managed to discover his secret and so soon after she had just transferred.
"I have always sensed something different about Yuuki, but I could never pinpoint what it was, at least not until I met you," Kagome explained. "You do realise that many would see it as perverted and incestuous that you are in love with your own sister."
"In vampire society it is not uncommon for pureblood siblings to marry, whether for love or to ensure the purity of the line," Kaname said. "Our parents were also brother and sister. When we were children, before she lost her memory, Yuuki and I planned to marry when we came to be of age, just like our parents."
Since Kagome also lived by youkai laws as well human laws as part of the Taishou clan, Kagome understood the varying views on certain subjects; love and marriage being one those subjects. It was clear that vampires also had customs that differed from humans.
"I am not judging you, since your laws and customs are different to the those that I follow," she said. "I will keep your secret, but a word of advice, Kaname-senpai." Kagome paused as she turned her head to face him. "Don't keep her waiting. A girl can only take so long before she moves on. Trust me, I know."
With that she strode down the hall to find Yuuki.
Kagome smelt the salt of Yuuki's tears. She followed the scent to the end of the hallway, to the top of a flight of stairs. Yuuki was sitting at its foot with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees. If it hadn't been for Kagome's keen eyesight, she would have missed her.
"Yuuki-chan," Kagome called softly.
Yuuki lifted her head and turned towards Kagome.
Kagome saw that Yuuki's eyes were red and puffy from crying.
Kagome slowly descended the stairs.
"Daijoubu, Yuuki-chan?" she asked as she knelt by her cousin.
Yuuki made no reply.
"Yuuki."
Then, Yuuki burst into tears and threw herself into Kagome's arms.
"Zero is being transferred to the Night Class!" Yuuki sobbed. "Kaname-senpai said his control slipping and he'll fall into Level E very soon."
Kagome understood what Level E meant, as her elder cousin had explained to to her how vampire society organised their society based on the purity of their blood; Kuran Kaname at the highest level of pureblood, level A. The other vampires in the Night Class being either of the noble class at level B or ordinary vampires, which occupied level C. Level D and E vampires were those who had been once human, though it was illegal according to vampire law. Level E was the lowest level, and was reserved only for those made-vampires who had descended into insanity, and were no better than rabid animals.
"Maybe it's for the best, Yuuki-chan," Kagome said.
At this, Yuuki sobbed even harder.
"Kaname-senpai is doing it all for you. He cares about you, more than you know," Kagome pressed on. "He's just thinking about your safety."
"I know," Yuuki sniffed again, as she wiped away her tears. " But why? Why must he be put in the Night Class?"
"Think of a vampire's bloodlust as the same things when an animal goes into an uncontrollable rage," Kagome explained. "When that happens they will kill indiscriminately for they have no concept of friend or foe. Do you understand how dangerous that is?"
Yuuki made no reply for a moment.
"Isn't there another way we can control his bloodlust?" she asked.
"I only know of one way, I'm not sure that it will work," Kagome replied. "I shall have to talk with oji-san, aniue and Kaname-senpai before I can be fairly certain of its' success."
Kagome's ears picked up the sound of light footsteps. She and Yuuki turned to see Chairman Cross and Kaname.
"Why are you so willing to help him, even though he is no longer human?" Kaname asked.
"Because it is my duty as a miko to help those who need it," Kagome replied as she stood up, pulling Yuuki with her. "And more than that, I once knew someone very much like Kiryuu-kun."
Japanese words, suffixes and phrase meanings
Imouto - Younger sister
Taiyoukai - literally translated as "greater demon"
Konnichiwa - Hello/good afternoon
Mousukashite - Could it be?/I think
Ma - Well (not sure on the spelling)
Ka - Usually used as the end of a question
Ja - then/so (depending on the context)
Kyouskete - Take care (I'm not sure on the spelling)
Daijoubu - Are you all right?/I'm all right/It's all right (depending on the context it is used in)
Thanks for the great reviews everyone. I'm happy that some of my favourite author's have added this story as a favourite. I finally managed to finish the fourth chapter, not long after posting the preview. I've made a few changes to the section I used, as a few readers were kind enough to point out a few mistakes that I made.
Also I've been asked about the story with Naraku, and if I've decided what the pairing is going to be. All I can say is that what happened with Naraku will be revealed in a later chapter, and I will not disclose the pairing just yet.