Yeah...so I like don't own Inu Yasha...figures huh?
Kagome looked down at the test, so simple and yet threatening. Her math teacher had warned that if she failed or was "sick" during another test then she would have to be put back a grade. The Shikon jewel was important and all, but, honestly, she did still call her era her home. Besides, she thought, it always makes Inu Yasha really mad when she's gone, and he's so cute when he's mad!
Pushing him from her mind she scanned over the test question. Shocked, she realised that something wasn't quite as it should be...
"Umm...sir...isn't this the test on radicals...?" she asked tentatively, gazing up at the teacher.
"That was last week," he said coldly. "Due to your absence you received yet another zero. I hoped you read ahead in the text book. This test is the difference between a pass and a fail," he finished his statement with heavy emphasis on "fail".
Cursing herself inwardly she chewed on her bottom lip and stared pointlessly at the test. She glanced helplessly around the class but her rabble of friends themselves were themselves already too absorbed in the test. The questions were pure gibberish to her. None of the stupid symbols made any sense. Math had never been easy, but this was impossible.
And all that wasted studying! In feudal era, there Shippou, Inu Yasha, Sango, Miroku and her are being attacked daily by demons and Kagome had wasted so much time studying.
Of course, it hadn't been a complete waste. Even studying angered Inu Yasha.
Writing down nonsense answers she was the first finished. Primly, Kagome stood up and marched to the front of the class and handed in her dismal test. Glancing at her answers the teacher shook his head slightly but accepted it without a word. After collecting her stuff from the desk she left the class quietly, only to slam the door accidentally upon leaving.
At least it was her last class, she considered. Kagome didn't know what she would do if she had to sit through another boring, mundane, ordinary class. Lunch was even worse. Her idiot friends wouldn't stop twittering about nothing. Kagome had more important matters to contemplate. Naruka's trouble mongering was a little more important than the latest celebrity couples. But then again, she told herself, a day off now and then was nice too—even if it did entail unforgivingly strict math teachers. She'd probably miss school when fighting and in danger of her life.
She decided to take a different route home.
While crossing the street Kagome's nose began to itch, foreboding a sneeze. Her immunity to pollution was down from all her time in the unindustrialised past. Slowing her pace she was overwhelmed by an assault of sneezes, merely a meter from the sidewalk, oblivious to the oncoming traffic.
"Watch out!" an oddly familiar voice said from behind her. Kagome whirled around only to be pushed roughly to the sidewalk from behind. She fell painfully on her knees, scraping the skin and bruising the bone.
Brushing the gravel from her hands, she gasped as she saw her saviour. He looked remarkably, scarily, similar to Inu Yasha on a new moon, even if his pitch hair was rather shorter. And instead of the fire rat red, he wore instead the uniform of a neighbouring school that a cousin of hers attended. He passed as another student. He even held himself normally.
"Quit staring," the boy demanded eerily in Inu Yasha's voice, thought showing no recognition . When Kagome continued to gawk he soften up and inquired as to whether she was okay.
"Uh, yeah...I'm fine...thanks..."she stuttered. Who was this kid? He looked exactly like Inu Yasha, and even acted like him. Another demon in her time?
"Just don't let it happen again," said the mysterious boy as her marched off in the opposite direction from the shrine and her home.
On the rest of the way home, Kagome went over the events in her head. If he had been a demon then he probably wouldn't have made his move then. Though it could be considered sneaky move, it was a little too obvious for Naraku. He generally went to great measures to put a little more finesse into his plots. It could still be an independent demon out to get the Shikon shards. Hastily she checked around her neck just to make sure. They were all there. The mysterious Inu Yasha-like boy hadn't taken them.
She had planned on staying the night with her family, and eating a nice home cooked meal and sleeping in her room, but quickly vetoed that idea. Kagome had to talk to Kaede as soon as possible. Maybe she would have an idea of what was happening brewing.
"Mum," she apologised, "I really I have to go back tonight...something's just come up that I'll regret if I ignore...I know you were really looking forward to dinner tonight...sorry," she finished lamely.
"That's fine honey," he mother said, but she had been seconds too slow to mask the disappointment on her face. Kagome agreed. It really was a disappointment that she couldn't stay for just one night and eat a quality meal and sleep in a real bed.
"Say hi to Souta, will you?" she asked uncomfortably.
Her mother nodded in acquiescence, false smile still plastered on her face.
Kagome rushed up the stairs to collect her stuff, making sure everything packed, from first aid to ramen. She'd long since given up with decent food. Inu Yasha's indifference to all her work infuriated her too much. Besides, she was still a little spooked from her encounter.
On the other side of the wall she was intent on locating the miko immediately. She inhaled deeply clearing her lungs of the sootiness of the city. The past really was nice. Glancing around the clearing Kagome couldn't spot any of her friends. Though slightly disappointed she knew that they weren't expecting her for another day. So she made her way down the well-known path to the village.
However, before she could make it out of the wood, she caught sight of a bright red and white cloth through the trees. Hoping to catch Kaede, Kagome ran towards her. Strangely though, Kaede ran from her in the direction away from the village. Kagome was quite surprised at just how fast that old lady could run. Quickening into a sprint she chased after the older woman, but, burdened by her cumbersome sack, she quickly lost sight of her.
Well, that was weird, Kagome thought to herself as she set forth once again on the track to the village. I'll have to speak to her about that too.
In the village she went immediately to the priestess's place and was greeted by another surprise. The woman was already there.
"Hi...I thought I saw you in woods..." Kagome's voice trailed off, "but that wasn't you was it?"
"No, I've been in the village all day," Kaede replied simply. "I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."
"Uh, I wanted to ask you something and I didn't think it should wait, and then I saw someone in a miko outfit and I thought it was you. Kikyo?"
"So it would appear," Kaede said calmly. "Sit down. Have you eaten?"
Kagome shook her and sat on the wood floor by the fire and began moodily poking the fire with a stick. Kikyo. That made far more sense than Kaede. Kikyo must have been using her temporary absence as means to get close to Inu Yasha, just like always. I sharp pang pierced her heart as Kagome remembered that Inu Yasha, who she knew she loved, and Kikyo were meant for each other, born in the same time whose relationship had been shattered by the cruel Naraku. At least that was one thing she owed him. Without the tragedy she never would have met Inu Yasha.
"Well, what else is it you wanted to ask me?" Kaede inquired as she seated herself down beside Kagome.
"Oh, yeah" Kagome said. Quickly she spilled out the incident with the creepy Inu Yasha boy in her time.
Kaede was thoughtful for several moments, staring blankly into the fire. After several minutes she opened her mouth to speak, just as the real Inu Yasha stepped through into the room. Quickly she closed her mouth and turned to Inu Yasha.
"Why are you here?" he demanded of Kagome. "I thought you had another one of your stupid tests."
"I...I..." Kagome wasn't sure whether to speak of the incident with Inu Yasha. He would probably take the impersonation as a personal offence and go rush off to the well and cause a lot of trouble in town looking for him. Kagome looked to Kaede for support, who seeing the same consequences, shook her head slightly. Instead, Kagome when on the onslaught. "What? You don't want me here? Kikyo's here now. I saw her. That's it isn't it?"
Startled by her words, Inu Yasha backed down and muttered that it was nice to see her before expected.
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