Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Go figure!
AN: Yeah! It's Friday and I'll be free from school… for two days. Ok so yeah, on with chapter one!
Chapter 1
An Unexpected Guest
The full moon shone bright and big in the flawless night sky. Kagome sat down mesmerized by it's beauty. Pulling her legs close to her chest, she placed her chin over her knees. Everything looked perfect even though Kagome's mind was over come with emotions. A breeze passed by and brushed her face in a smooth motion as if reassuring her. She smiled despite herself. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she tilted her head to continue to gaze at the heavenly sky letting out a long suppressed sigh.
No matter how much Kagome didn't want to admit it, going back and forth from the feudal area was draining. It wasn't just the shard hunting and destroying demons but all the mental battles she had to deal with. The constant confrontations with Inuyasha were what set her over the edge.
He just doesn't get it. Inuyasha doesn't see why I have to go to school. I have to take my tests! I'm barley passing as it is! Why can't he understand? Kagome's thoughts drifted. A single tear slid down Kagome's cheek; it wasn't just the fact that Inuyasha started a fight every time she needed to go home but so much more. Kagome loved Inuyasha, but there was always someone that would be there to keep Inuyasha from completely returning her love. Kikyo
Kagome wiped away the tears that were starting to fall freely now. Standing up on shaky legs, Kagome made her way into her house. Every part of her was sore from running and fighting all day. She couldn't say she hated all her adventures with Inuyasha and her friends, but today proved to be overwhelming. She was looking forward to sleeping in her own bed tonight. The whole house was quiet as she stepped through the door. Trudging up the stairs, she tried to be a silent as she could manage, but she tripped on the last step.
"Ouch," she let out just above a whisper. She heard the door to her brother Sota's room open with a slow creek.
"Who's there?" Sota asked half a sleep and half startled.
"It just me," Kagome reassured. "Go back to bed."
"All right," her brother yawned and disappeared as he retreated into his room again. Kagome straightened herself out and gratefully reached her bedroom. She removed her pretty much empty backpack and laid it next to her desk. Then taking off her socks and shoes, she crawled into bed, clothes and all; she didn't care. All Kagome wanted to do was sleep and sleep over took her the second she closed her eyes.
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"Kagome!" woke her from her peaceful sleep the next morning. Snuggling deeper into her blankets, she tried to ignore Sota who was calling her. Seconds later, she heard feet run up the stairs and reach her door. Kagome put her pillow over her head as Sota stepped into her room.
"Five more minutes!" Kagome cried from under her pillow. To Sota, her cry was just a muffle of words.
"What?" he asked coming over to jump on his sister in an attempt of fully waking her. Kagome groaned at his weight on her sore muscles.
"Get off me!" she yelled sitting up and pushing him off her bed.
"Don't kill the messenger! Mom says you have to get up," Sota defended himself. Kagome glanced over to her alarm clock; it was 7:00am.
"Why?" Kagome asked.
"Because there's someone here for you," Sota answered as he stood up and walked to her door.
"But who would come see me this early?" Kagome wondered out loud. She looked up to see Sota, but he had left. Pondering on whom it might be, she concluded that it was probably Inuyasha come to take her back to the feudal era.
Well he'll just have to wait for a while, because I have a very important math test to make up tomorrow. Kagome thought hotly. In much need of a shower, Kagome stomped to the bathroom. She took her time as she let the hot water run over her for a good five minutes. If there were two things Kagome was thankful for at that moment, it would have to be hot, running water and shampoo. Stepping out of the shower, she dried off quickly and got changed into a plain, blue skirt and a t-shirt with a flower pattern on it. It was warm enough so she didn't need a sweater.
After being completely finished with her morning routine, Kagome ventured out of her room to the kitchen. She heard her mother talking to someone, and she expected it was Inuyasha. As she stepped through the doorway, she saw someone she didn't expect. In fact, she wasn't even sure if she knew the person.
The girl in front of Kagome was very familiar, but she couldn't put a name to the face. The girl's bleach, blonde hair was pulled back into two French braid's at the top of each side of her head, but the braid wasn't finished all the way back so the rest of the loose hair was put into two sloppy buns. Her eyes were an eerily, dark, electric green that Kagome was sure she should remember. Her heart-shaped face was womanly with high cheekbones and a small proud nose. The girl had a very plain figure with hardly any curves, which clashed, with her pretty face. She was a few inches taller Kagome. A crisp, white T-shirt hung loosely on her, and she wore form fitting, denim shorts. The girl's white socks went all the way above her knees and untied, beat-up, Adidas sneakers covered her feet. That's when Kagome noticed the charm bracelet on the girl's left wrist. Kagome had given her friend a bracelet just like it. That's when the girl smiled. That smile…
"Kagome, this is Ariana. You remember Ariana don't you?" Kagome's mom asked noticing the confused look on her daughter's face. Kagome's face instantly lit up at the realization of who the girl was.
"Ariana? Oh my gosh! I didn't even recognize you," Kagome gasped.
"I was a little worried for a second. I thought you forgot about me completely," Ariana teased and stepped to Kagome to give her a friendly hug. Kagome looked up at her good friend. Ariana had been Kagome's foreign exchange student from America. Kagome's mom had set it up, because she thought an exchange student would be a great experience. It had been an experience Kagome would never that was for sure. It had been a few years sense she last saw Ariana. Ariana had been thirteen when she came to Japan, and Kagome was only twelve at the time.
"Wow, what brings you here to Japan?" Kagome asked stepping back. "Aren't you still in school?"
"Well, I graduated early," Ariana answered with a huge smile on her face. It wasn't surprising that she graduated early. Ariana was very smart; it would have surprised her if she hadn't graduated early.
"That's fantastic! Congratulations," Kagome said excited for her friend.
"Thanks, it's the greatest feeling in the world when you know you're finally done with school," Ariana sighed as she took a seat at the kitchen table. Kagome took a seat as well, and her mom left so the girls could chat.
"I can only imagine," Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "You're how old now?"
"I turned 17 three months ago," Ariana stated very proudly.
"I thought so. I couldn't remember when your birth day was," Kagome said more to herself than Ariana.
"So, you just started 11th grade?" Ariana asked.
"No, 10th," Kagome corrected. "I just turned sixteen this year."
"You got a long way to go kid," Ariana chuckled. Kagome smiled as she looked up at her friend. She could help but envy Ariana's freedom of high school. Ariana was barely a year older than her, and she was already done with school. It would certainly make things easier with Inuyasha if she were done with school too.
"Wait, aren't you going to college?" Kagome asked almost forgetting that possibility. Ariana's knowledge wasn't a question at why she wasn't in college.
"Um… yeah, but I just want to travel before I bog myself down with school again," Ariana answered truthfully.
"Hey, you're only 17!" Kagome suddenly blurted out.
"I think we already established that fact dear," Ariana giggled. Kagome shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"No, that's not what I meant," Kagome laughed too. "I just meant that you're a miner. What about your parents and everything?"
"I was emancipated. Let's just leave it at that." Kagome nodded in understanding. Ariana never talked about her parents when she was here. Now that she learned Ariana was emancipated, she could safely assume that Ariana didn't have a good relationship with her parents. It made Kagome sad, because she didn't know what she'd do if her mom weren't around. Kagome was just thankful that her mom and her got alone so well.
"Where have you been then? Your so tan, and your hair is so light now," Kagome pointed out because those were some of the reasons she didn't recognize Ariana. The Ariana she remembered was pale with dark blonde hair. Her face wasn't as filled out as it was now either, but Ariana's figure was still just as plain and skinny.
"The only place I've been so far is California. You know were that is right?" Ariana waited for Kagome to nod before she continued. "Ok, well I've been there working to make up enough money to come here," Ariana shrugged.
"California must have been fun?" she asked imagining Hollywood and famous movie stars.
"It was, but it was always hot!" Ariana laughed pulling Kagome into her infectious laughter.
"I remember, you lived some place cold most of the time," Kagome added.
"Montana," Ariana reminded her. Kagome noticed Ariana's eyes grow dark, and her express become almost sad. Kagome concluded it was another one of those bad relationship things, so she didn't ask. "But enough about me, how have you been?" Ariana's mood quickly changed. Kagome nervously giggled unsure of what to say. She couldn't tell Ariana that she's been hopping back and forth from this time era to the feudal era through a time transporting well.
"I, I, I've been sick a lot," Kagome said innocently enough, maybe too innocently.
"That's too bad," Ariana sympathized not noticing the hesitation in Kagome's voice. Kagome gave an invisible sigh of relief.
"Oh don't worry. I'm pretty much better now," Kagome added with a wave of her hand and another nervous laugh at the end.
"That's good. Have there been any 'special' guy friends yet?" Ariana asked leaning forward. Kagome instantly blushed a bright shade of pink.
"No," Kagome said quickly.
"Yeah right, you've had to of had a boyfriend by now" Ariana laughed as she sat back in her chair. "Or at least a guy you got your eye on then," Ariana crossed her arms over her chest.
"There isn't," Kagome cursed herself silently as she continued to blush. Not in this era anyway, Kagome thought. "What about you?" Kagome asked turning the question around before it got out of her control. Ariana sat with a half smirk on her face deep in thought. Kagome waited patiently at least Ariana wasn't asking her any more questions.
"I have given up on boys and men for that matter," Ariana finally answered quite seriously. Kagome knitted her brows together for a second.
"Sooooo," Kagome started not really wanting to ask but wanting an answer.
"No, I haven't turned lesbian or anything," Ariana snorted. Again Kagome could feel herself turn red again, and all Kagome could do was laugh with Ariana.
"It wouldn't have made a difference. I was just curious," Kagome explained.
"It's all good," Ariana smiled warmly, "basically I've given up on the whole love thing."
"But you're so young," Kagome sighed. She wondered what could have happened to her to make such a vibrant girl give up on love.
"It's a long story."
"I don't have to be anywhere," Kagome said.
The two girls talked long into the afternoon till Kagome forced herself to study for her make-up math test she had the next day. Ariana even helped Kagome with her studies. That night Kagome fell asleep happy. She was glad she got to chat with her friend; it was almost refreshing. It seemed nothing could go wrong.
AN: Hello to everyone! Hope I didn't bore anyone too much. That chapter was just to sort of to introduce Ariana. It turned out to be more dialogue than I had planed, but I think it worked. I know a lot of people don't like when authors add new characters because most of them turn out well… Mary Sueish. But have no fear because Ariana is not perfect! So give my character a chance! If she seems perfect, then make sure to tell me and point out things that I could change, but I'm not saying I will. I plan to stay true to all the original characters personalities and all that good stuff. The plot will develop a few chapters in, because I still need to do some character building with Ariana.
Ok, I'll shut up. *shakes head* I tend to talk too much in these author notes. I think I need to get out more. *shrugs* Enjoy my fic and review, review, review! I love thoughts, comments and suggestions!