"She took her off the table as she spoke, and shook her backwards and forwards with all her might."

"Kagome! Kagome wake up. You're going to be late for school." Kagome blinked against the sunlight that leaked through her window and saw her mom's face swimming above her. She turned her head a bit and looked at the clock on her bedside table, shrieked, and jumped out of bed.

"Ah! I'm late!" She rushed over to her dresser tearing through it, flinging away her pajamas as she went.

Her mother smiled gently. "I have your uniform here." She laid it on the bed. "Breakfast is downstairs waiting for you Kagome."

"No time mom!" Kagome said trying to stuff herself into her skirt and blouse at the same time. "I have a test and I still haven't studied yet!"

Her mother sighed. "Oh Kagome. Why didn't you study earlier?"

Kagome frowned thoughtfully. Why hadn't she studied already? She shook her head. What did it matter, the point was that she needed to now. She kicked on her shoes quickly then dashed down the stairs, pausing only to peck her mother's cheek with a quick kiss.

"By mom! See you later." She nearly ran into Souta on her way through the kitchen.

"Ow! Where you going sis?"

"To school." She said shrugging on her backpack. "Where else would I be going?"

Souta screwed up his thought as if trying to remember where he left something then finally shook it and shrugged. "Dunno. School just sounds weird."

She cuffed him lightly. "You're what's weird. Bye grandpa!" And was out the door. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were waiting for her outside. "Sorry guys."

"Geez Kagome. Did you over sleep again?" Eri questioned.

Kagome laughed sheepishly. "I guess I did." She fell into step with them, smiling as they chattered.

"So." Ayumi asked slyly. "Where are you going with Hojo today?"

Kagome smiled mysteriously. "Who knows? He hasn't asked me yet. Just as long as it's not the movies again I don't really mind."

"I wouldn't care where he took me. Hojo is such a babe." Yuka said dreamily.

"He's Kagome's babe, so watch it Yuka." Ayumi said.

Yuka threw her a look. "I know that! I was just stating a fact."

Kagome laughed. "It's okay."

Eri slipped closer to her as Yuka and Ayumi went on arguing. "Hey. Kagome." She looked at her. "So what happened with the violent boyfriend?"

Kagome blinked curiously. "What violent boyfriend?"

"Duh. The one you told me about. It…was only once I think. Oh! I know I remember something. Anyway you said he was really loud and vicious."

Kagome frowned and something stirred in her mind but then settled and was gone like smoke. "I don't remember saying anything like that." She laughed. "I was probably telling you about a TV show or something."

Eri wrinkled her nose a moment then smiled and nodded. "I think that was it! Okay then." And they turned the corner towards the school.

"So Kagome." She looked up from the cup of tea she held to her friends and tilted her head curiously. "How do you think you did on the test?"

Kagome smiled. "Aced it for sure! I crammed in so much studying during lunch. Maybe note Ace, a B probably."

"Well that's good." Ayumi said, sipping the smoothie she held. "Because your other test scores are awful."

Kagome blinked. "They are?"

Eri nodded. "Yes. D's and stuff. Don't know what happened. You must have been having a bad semester or something." Something beeped and Eri looked down at her watch. "Oh no! The movie's starting soon." She, Ayumi, and Yuka rose.

"Are you coming Kagome?" Yuka asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No. I'm waiting for Hojo. He said he'd meet me here." Kagome said glancing around the tiny café.

Ayumi smiled. "See you tomorrow then." And the trio walked out.

Kagome waved, watching them go then turned to look down into the inky black depths of the tea she held and sighed. Hojo was late. That was strange. Hojo was never late.

"A bowl of Ramen, please." Kagome turned her head as a man walked in and ordered, blinking slowly as a bowl of the dark gold soup was brought and set before him. Ramen… She stared for some reason she couldn't comprehend then turned away.

"This is stupid. I'll just go home and see Hojo later."

"Miss." She looked up at the waitress walked over to her. "Would you like more tea?"

Kagome shook her head and picked up the teacup to hand it back to the woman. "No. I'll just pay." Digging into her pocket for her money. Her fingers brushed something rough and she frowned and pulled it out of her pocket. A strip of red cloth lay in her palm, faintly stained with blood.

Blood?

She blinked slowly, the world slowly as if she were looking at everyone from somewhere deep inside herself. Blood. Blood and arrows. She yelped suddenly as plain shot of her arm and lifted her hand to see deep wounds at the base of 3 fingers as if something had tried to tear them off. A cool wetness rolled down the side of her face and Kagome lifted her suddenly wounded hand to her cheek, her fingertips coming away bloody.

Blood.

Blood. Arrows. Silver hair.

Something broke inside her and she gasped. The teacup slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor, the china shattering into peaces and the remaining dark tea spreading out across the floor in a dark puddle. Her eyes filled with tears and her hands curled into fists and she screamed.

"Inuyasha!"

"backwards and forwards with all her might."