Schoolwork is something NO ONE can avoid when they're a teenager. Tests, studying, homework... It's something that every junior high and high schooler have in common. There's no getting out of it, not even under the ODDEST of circumstances.

Math is one of the hardest subjects anyone can ever go through, unless the person has a talent for it. Learning something that you never knew existed before and comprehending it...sucks. Especially when one leads a busy life.

So trying to pull something that you tried to comprehend from a human brain in a math test is about as bad as trying to study for one. The pressure of failing, the worry if you're putting down the right answer... It's a wonder half the people in here are so calm.

There is not one part of me that is as calm as the others, not internally anyway. My face is one of concentration, but I'm a jumble of nerves. After school is over, I have to go back to the feudal time and hunt for more shards. It's exhausting as well as exciting. Leading a double life like this with someone like Inuyasha...yet it's putting MY life on edge right now. With everything that's happened with Naraku, Kikyo, and the rest of the Shikon no kakera, it's a wonder I'm still alive half the time. I'm a sure shot with my arrows anymore, but I can still miss and that's what scares me.

I blink and realize I spaced off and chide myself on it. Though Inuyasha often crosses times and spends it with me, which is very much welcome, I shouldn't do the same. His world isn't like mine at all and he doesn't have NEAR the amount of responsibilities I do. So, with a deep breath, I close my eyes and quietly exhale. It helps to put me back on focus, even if I look at the problem and cringe a little bit. Only twenty more problems to go... Sigh.

School is one thing that I DO like though, math aside. It's one place I can spend time with my friends when I'm home. Though it IS rather embarrassing to hear what illness ji-chan cooked up THIS time. Sigh again.

I shake my head and fight not to smile in discomfiture of their questions about my 'health'. Part of me wishes to just TELL them what's going on so they don't think I'm on my death bed half the time. But then I realize that none would ever believe me, so I have no choice.

By the time I finish the test, I feel both relieved and anxiety. A little bit of me doesn't WANT to go back to the feudal age just yet. I barely got here, and I know if I spend more time than 'normal', Inuyasha will come after me and all but drag me BACK. Sigh AGAIN.

I'm thankful that the class does end though, being outside so much in the feudal era with the others makes me appreciate in nature. I almost start to know exactly what Inuyasha feels when he dislikes the indoors.

"Kagome-chan?"

I look up from putting my books away and smile at my friends.

"Would you like to walk home with us?" Another asked.

I decide that spending just a LITTLE time with them is worth arguing with the hanyou, which I'm sure will happen. I give a nod and the three of my good friends start out of the classroom. I'm glad we don't have to clean today because I don't feel like dealing with an irate Inuyasha. Though I like spending time with him and being by his side, his short fuse is not one thing I particularly like about him. But for now, let him suffer. I intend on having fun.

The sun starts to set as we leave our favorite hangout Wacdonalds. The gossip over the latest test and my 'love life', as if there WERE any, gets discussed once again...like it always does. A little bit wants me to show them Inuyasha, but only during the night he goes human.I think showing them his hanyou would be a little over the top. But at least they could see that he's not as bad as they're making him to be.

I have to smile at that...seeing my friends staring at his ears, ears that I like to play with from time to time to get a rise out of him.

The four of us chat about nothing in particular as we take the somewhat long way home through the city. Walking was always such good exercise I knew. And spending this time with my friends was cherished, for who knew when I'd be able to see them again...most likely with looks of pity at my newest illness till I assured them I was FINE.

"Chotto. Sore...kiku?"

I blinked in confusion at my friend, but stopped walking and tilted my head to listen.

"Hai...kiku." Another piped up.

"Sore ga nani??"

I had to close my eyes and tune out their hushed talk to hear what they were wondering about. Then I caught it...the faint, high-pitched sound of a flute. My brow furrowed as my eyes opened and I looked around, as if I could actually SEE the person playing. "It's nice." I commented, a faint smile tugging my lips. Something inside me felt compelled to find that music and see who played it. Though I didn't know where it was, I knew the music would guide me. "Let's go find it!" I excitedly proclaimed.

"Demo...Kagome-chan..." I looked over and found averted brown eyes on the sky. "It's getting rather late. We should be getting home."

"Aw come on...I'm with Kagome-chan. Let's go find out who is playing such nice music."

"Hai! Ikou!"

I smiled as we out-numbered three to one. In my sudden exuberance, I grabbed hold of her arm and crossed the street, feeling as if I knew where I was going. Though I had NO clue, my feet seemed to know. It was a rather silly notion, trailing the sound of a flute at nightfall, just because I wanted to compliment the player. Who knew how much longer the sound would last?

~*~*~

The world is an extremely interesting place in this country. The different smells and culture are intriguing as they are confusing. Much of it comes out when the sun starts going down, just as all night creatures come out to play. The city of Tokyo doesn't seem as evil as some, not in this day and age anyway.

There was another night waiting as the sun halfway set, casting extremely long shadows on the ground. There was a new land to explore in this important travel. There was not only business to be done here, but there was much to play in. The smell of different blood roamed as people exerted themselves by walking rather than driving.

The air was a lot cleaner here than most other countries. It was amazing how a single continent could be so diverse than the others. It was an interesting notion, even if the same blood lived here.

There is not much someone like me can do with the sun still up, but there is plenty of cover to take until it's set a little more to observe the city. The park I walk through reminds me of my last meal only a few days ago. This one is similar to the one I was in last, but then, all parks are alike.

As the streetlights come on, I figure it's okay to show myself to the dying sun and head around the alley of a building before taking flight to the top a few stories up. The air blows a little fiercer up here and brings smells from the city more intense. I have to give a small, predatory smile as I place a boot over the small rise and lean on my knee...looking down at my new playground. If I weren't here for strict business, I'd have fun in such a populated place. The blood of the youth here smells good.

I look down below and around as far as my excellent sight shows. I sniff the air, hoping to find that one person I'm looking for. The one who made me. I KNOW he's still here. All I know who to ask for is kyuketsuki. I was never able to pronounce his real name...but he HAS to be here. I've questions I want answered, even after these few hundred years of getting answers on my own.

I take a solemn breath and step back to look at the horizon. The sun has nearly set, showing me I've strayed longer than I should've. The first thing I need to do is locate all the hangouts and start asking questions. I don't know if my presence is wanted in this city by my maker, but I honestly don't care right now. He took and gave me life at the same time without my permission, he can grant me some more of his time.

My lips have to purse in slight amusement. I feel my weapons prick against my lower lip in the process. How impetuous am I to be mentally threatening a six hundred year old vampire, when I am a mere two hundred years old. I am no match for him, since he is twice my age. Yet my youth and aggression makes me brash, and I know it does. My 'old age' also gives me the boldness to come here, knowing that my old friendship with him from so long ago could still be resurrected.

We always walk alone. We ARE solitary creatures, unless we occasionally bump into another of us. I didn't mind for most of my life, too absorbed in my powers and perfecting my hunting skills to really notice. I also had him by my side to teach me for nearly a hundred years. Then...one day, he just up and disserted me. I didn't know why, and had no way to find him. Out of everything my maker could teach me, forcing me into a vampire's solitary life was not one he prepared me for.

Of course I knew the most basic rules we needed to live by. Discretion, anonymity, silence...solitude. It all got boring after a while, and I locked myself away hoping it could somehow bring me peace. After nearly two decades of sleep, I decided to do something about it all. So here I am.

I was startled from my thoughts when a distinctive, most powerful smell of blood hit my sensitive nose. In a mask of wonder and surprise, I leaned over the roof and didn't think of who might see me. My sharp nails grasped the brick as I inhaled deeply, feeling slightly odd. Almost like I was awake for the first time.

I knew I had to find out what this smell was. This was NOT like human blood, but it was also definitely not vampire. Sure it was human, but the smell was sweeter, yet it smelled old...somehow. My curiosity DEMANDED to be answered and I flew over rooftops, my nose working like a bloodhound's.

With my inhuman speed and senses, it didn't take long to spot the object I was hunting. Even four stories up, my ears picked up the sweet sound of laughter and I leaned in closer, intrigued at this person. It was definitely female, and the smell was coming from the one with the longest, pitch hair. Black as midnight.

My lips had to curl into a smile.

I inhaled another deep breath and focused on her. Excitement made my black heart beat a little faster and I knew I had to get closer. I knew I could probably fly through the alley and trail behind them as if I was always walking behind them, but something told me that this one person was incredibly different from the three walking around her. There was power in this one, of what I wasn't sure, but I would find out what it was.

Perhaps even TASTE it...tonight if I was lucky.

In a blur, I turned back for my hideout, a large home at the edge of the city. Being so old doesn't allow for many luxuries, but I am able to take control of anyone's house whenever I want. The original owners helped me by their blood, and a place to stay out from the sun during the day.

I flew through an open window on the second floor and quickly zip down a hallway and through a bedroom. There was only one possession I ever kept with me throughout my entire horrid existence...a silver flute that was given to me when I became a man. It was given to me by the father as a dowry gift, as I was musically inclined when I was alive. I still played, when I felt melancholy about my loneliness.

I swiftly opened the case and grabbed the flute, idly blowing into it as I went out the way I came. A sweet sound came and I started to play a few notes, letting them float over the air as I sniffed my way back to the city. I let the music call to her, to tempt her to come to me. I would have this blood by the end of the night...and I felt giddy at this new way of hunting.

I stopped maybe half a mile from where I last saw her and slowly trailed to where she was. I continued to play and inhaled her scent as a guide while I played, ignoring the looks of people, most of them I smelled appreciative.

During my time in my host's house, I made sure to take stock of their dress to figure out how this city dressed. There was a small family that once lived in the house, so I was given the looks of both genders of adult and child. The husband was pretty thin, and I helped myself to his clothes. It was an interesting change from what I was used to wearing in my homeland, but not that uncomfortable. And blending in was the main priority.

When the smell of that tempting blood came closer, I could pick up certain things. Excitement and eagerness. She was looking for me. I changed the melody from a low, dramatic sound, to a little more lighthearted. It would make the song more mysterious, and she wouldn't be able to help herself. I had to fight the smile on my mouth and break the 'spell'.

The sun was practically down when they finally found me. It wasn't easy to spot me with my black pants, dark brown shirt, and shaggy brown hair. I blended in with the night, and that's what I always did. It also gave me a second to look at the girl from the ground before she spotted me.

Her form was nice, but I was more attracted by what lay inside. That pitch black hair loosely swung behind her as she jogged over to me. Even in the near black of encroaching night, I could tell her eyes were as dark brown as mine were. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. But there was something about her that almost compelled me to stop playing before she reached me. It was probably the smile she threw to me. It almost disarmed my desire to sink my fangs into her slender neck and drink.

"Konban wa." She softly greeted, looking up to my eyes.

She was shorter than me by a few inches, and the nearby streetlamp made her pale skin look even paler. I knew that these people were acceptable with pale skin, and that helped me blend in all that more.

Dark brown blinked in confusion as she blankly stared at me, almost wonderingly. "Ano...nihongo wa hanasu desu ka?" She musically continued.

I just stood there and blinked at her, wondering how she was able to hold my gaze. It was highly unnerving to most people, yet she was unaffected. She was either a dense idiot, or extremely bold.

Her lips pursed when I didn't answer, and an almost bashful smile popped up. "Ano...maa...eigo wa hanasu desu ka?"

When I didn't answer again, her gaze swung back to the three nearly a dozen feet behind her. Her neck lay exposed and it was tempting to grab her and take her into the forest nearby. The others wouldn't see my departure... Still, I held myself back.

Finally, she looked back with another smile, scratched her head, and actually made sense. "Eigo? English? You speak English?"

"I speak English." I evenly murmured, sticking a hand in the pocket of my black pants. The hand holding the flute rest next to my side. I could hear the soft accent from my ancestry in my ears.

A brighter smile pasted itself on her face. "Oh. Well...I heard you playing... I just wanted to compliment you on your ability. You're very good."

I gave her a charming, alluring smile, one I reserved for my prey. I held her eyes, watching them crease through a bashful smile before they averted. "Who are you?" I asked, unable to stop myself. The flush in her face brought on another powerful wave of that smell. Now that I was so close, I was given prime opportunity to examine it. It smelled almost as old as I did, maybe older. But that was impossible. She didn't look to be older than a mid teenager.

She blinked in confusion and met my eyes again. "What do you mean?" She innocently asked, head tilting to one side.

"Kagome-chan!"

Her head twirled behind again and she gave me a quick grin. "Ah, chotto matte." She muttered before turning back to her friends, not realizing I didn't understand her native language.

Though they were talking in hushed voices, my hearing picked up everything, even every uncertain emotion of the other three. It made me smile.

"Kagome-chan, do you think talking to this guy is wise?"

"Hai, hai. He looks creepy to me."

"Daijoubu, daijoubu. I've seen worse, it's probably just the night that's got you worried."

"Hai! Didn't I say we should've gone home a long time ago??"

"WHO was the one who backed me up on this excursion??"

"Whatever! Just go tell him goodbye so we can get home! My parents aren't going to be happy with me being out so late!"

"Hai."

She walked back to me and as she did, my heart thumped. I thoughtfully narrowed my eyes as they looked into hers and searched the depths of that doe-like brown. She wasn't like other humans, yet she was. She was a paradox, just as I am. She was special...and I knew from that moment on, that I was going to make her mine. I'd never had the privilege to do what my maker did, even though I knew the techniques. But seeing this girl, with that disarming smile and warm, fearless eyes, I knew she would be mine. It was just a matter of how to go about it.

"I'm sorry, but I must go now."

I gave a slow nod and leisurely raised the beautiful flute. "I'll see you around Kagome-chan." I charmingly murmured, using the name I heard from her friends. Without allowing her to say anything else, I played again and slowly walked away, as if I had all the time in the world.

I could feel her hesitation and wonder at not only my words but my departure. That was the first step. She was already entranced by my mystery. Soon, she would want to seek me out, as I would make it that way. This girl was the type that wanted to help; she had that look in her eyes.

As the darkness swallowed up my form and I smelled the four walk away, I allowed a predatory smile to grace my face. This time I hunted prey, but for an entirely different purpose. The beauty was my target. She would help sway some of my loneliness and I would make her after I found my maker.

Let the hunt begin.

**I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.**

Translations: Chotto-One second Sore...kiku?-You...hear that? Hai...kiku-Yeah...I hear it Sore ga nani??-What is that?? Kyuketsuki-Vampire

Ano...nihongo wa hanasu desu ka?-Um...(do) you speak Japanese? Ano...maa...eigo wa hanasu desu ka?-Um...well...(do) you speak English?