Note: Nope! I still don't own Inuyasha and co!!!
The Last Day of School
Kagome tossed and turned restlessly. Her breath was quick and erratic. Sweat coated her skin like a second layer. Beneath her eyelids, her eyes swiveled about as if she was witnessing something terrifying.
A light blue light shimmered from the bottle containing the Shikon no Tama. Tenderly, it reached a tendril and caressed Kagome's head. In a sudden movement, the light tore completely away from the Shikon to wash over Kagome's body, effectively calming her body. Pink tendrils rose from Kagome's body to entwine with the blue, dulling the light to a dim glow.
Dream Sequence
"...Kagome..."
Kagome stirred, vaguely recognize the voice and raised her eyes blurrily.
"...Kagome..."
As her vision cleared, she saw that this wasn't the feudal era. It was an unidentifiable place. Only blank space stared at her.
"...Kagome..."
In her mind, Kagome registered that the voice was feminine, light and airy, and demanding authority, but also disturbingly familiar. Kagome spun around, glaring at blank space around her trying to pinpoint the origin of the callings. Suddenly, she froze. Blinking, she watched as grass slowly fanned outwards, filling up the blankness. Flowers, trees and faraway mountains sprung forth, painting a picture of silent beauty of ethereal properties. It was a place of light and peace, undisturbed by hate or evil.
"...Kagome..."
Kagome spun around to meet the owner of the voice, coming face to face with a woman that she was familiar with in her mind. She wore an ancient style of armor. Kagome's eyes widened in shock. In her earlier travels, Kagome had met this woman, but she wasn't alive and walking, she was dead with a gapping hole in her chest, a petrified statue.
"Midoriko?"
"Hai, aka. I have come to warn you."
"About what? Naraku?"
"Lie. There is a greater evil surfacing, one more powerful that Naraku by ten fold. This entity created Naraku as an experiment. Now, he is slowly breaking free from my bonds that I had placed long ago."
"You mean the creature that was frozen with you?"
"Hai. His essence is slowly escaping from within the frozen flesh that I locked him in."
"How..."Midoriko abruptly cut in. The sides of her vision rippled.
"I can't answer your questions now, I have to go now. My soul cannot stray long from the Shikon no Tama."
Midoriko slowly faded from view. As if someone pressed the rewind button, trees, flowers and grass also faded from view, leaving Kagome alone in the blankness. Whirling around, she was met with a pool, radiating power, bubbling slightly and rising with increasing power. Kagome recognized it from her training with Kaede. It was her source of miko power, the center where she drew stored strength from. It was already an incredible amount of purifying energy, but it was growing. Soon, it was already lapping around her feet, caressing her gently and sizzling into her skin. The ever-rising pool of power didn't only contain miko powers though, but many other foreign energies. The distinct colors of each power bubbled from within to swirl gently, entwining with each other. Kagome watched, mesmerized.
"Kagome, remember...when time comes, use this energy to defeat Naraku! I'll be back..."
Midoriko's voice echoed away and a spring of power jolted Kagome awake.
Kagome jerked out of bed, feeling strangely energized. She didn't notice that the Shikon shards on her table shone with a blue light that slowly disappeared. She glanced at her alarm clock. She still had time to spare before school started. Starting forward to get dress, Kagome paused.
"Did Midoriko really visit my dreams?"
She sighed. Things were getting stranger by the minute. Now that she thought about that, her wrists and ankles were really, really REALLY itchy. Scratching at it furiously, she glanced down only to stare in shock.
Two distinct bands encircled both her wrists and ankles. From far away, they seemed like bracelets and anklets. Upon closer inspection though, they seemed much like rashes. Kagome growled. They were itchy rashes too.
Grapping a brush, Kagome slipped in front of the mirror to try to untangle her unruly hair. She lost her brush as her jaw almost hit the floor.
It was herself, she was sure of it, but different somewhat. Her youkai side trying to emerge perhaps? Yes...that was it. She stepped closer to investigate.
Her hair had lengthened, growing past her shoulder blades to rest short of her butt. It had darkened in color, looking to the entire world, a color to match the midnight blue sky. Golden streaks ran through occasionally, giving a good impression of falling stars. Her bangs had taken a tinge of red, like the embers of a dying fire. The tips were gold, to match the streaks in the back.
Her eyes had also changed. No longer did she possess human-looking ones. They were narrower and had a dark impression at the ends. Her Irises had changed from being blue-grey to a dark blue in the middle, widening to forest green at the edges and her pupils had narrowed into slits. Now that she had noticed it, her eyes were really feline in appearance.
Kagome also noticed that her eyeteeth had sharpened considerably, but hadn't lengthened so much as to attract attention when she smiled. Running her tongue across them, she winced as her canines cut into it. She made a note to watch out for them when they lengthened.
Satisfied with her appearance, she glanced about as a forbidden thought entered her mind.
"Heh, since my school uniform is in the wash....I'll wear this!"
Kagome chuckled gleefully. It was her favorite outfit, but she was never courageous enough to wear it during school. Now that it was her last day and she was feeling a bit bold...might as well wear it! She donned it on and stepped in front of the mirror to inspect. Her smile widened. She liked this look.
What Kagome had donned on, was a dark blue skin-tight tank top that scooped low to reveal more than enough flesh and hugged her well-toned body. Over it, she had thrown on a beige-colored leather jacket that contrasted sharply with her hair. To fit with her top, she wore a pair of blue slim jeans that flared outward at her ankles. Chains looped from her belt to dangle against her thigh. Kagome had tied up her hair in a high ponytail, letting a few strands of hair loose. With her hair done up like that, it revealed a collar around her neck that had crisscrossing chains. Overall, her appearance seemed...rather predatory like. She could learn to live with this look.
At breakfast, he mother just raised an eyebrow at her while her brother sat at the dining table, gawking like a fish. Throughout breakfast, all Souta could manage was to drool all over the table, as he sat frozen with a look of surprise on his face. It was priceless. Giggling, Kagome excused herself and started off towards school.
She'd run into a lot of trouble today, that's for sure.
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Rounding the corner of school, she stepped into the courtyard at the entrance of school. All the students milling about waiting for school to start froze at the sight of her.
"Kagome?!?!?!"
Three girls streaked towards her, nearly bowling her over. After a group hug, they stepped away to stare at Kagome's attire.
"Where did your uniform go?!" Eri questioned.
"What in Kami's name possessed you to wear this?!" Yuka shrieked.
"Crap Kagome, you're gonna have the whole male population after you!" Ayumi reprimanded her clothing choice.
She was right. She felt the auras of the males brighten with lust. Even without sensing the auras, she could practically feel their stares directed at her. The female population too, only with anger and jealousy.
Sighing, Kagome gathered them around her. Might as well break it now.
"Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, I'm gunna miss you girls...."
They started at her blankly.
"Today's my last day at school. From tomorrow on, I'll be home-school by a private tutor that is able to teach me when I'm sick. My mother thinks it's for the best."
Now, they stared at her in shock and sorrow. Kagome could feel their auras waver in sadness. Eri was the first to speak.
"Last...day? Well, we'll make it a memorable one. Right girls?"
"Most definite. You won't forget this day ever Kagome."
They smiled and led her to the first class of the day as the bell jolt the rest of the school population awake from their staring.
Today was a memorable day, if not the most eventful day of her life.
It started during gym class, her second period of the day. This week was fitness testing. It consisted of the mile run, weightlifting, and flexiblity. Her class was milling about the track, waiting for the teacher to arrive. Kagome groaned. This was her least favorite teacher. Bunzo always reprimanded people for being late and absent or weak and sickly, staring at Kagome quite frequently when she was able to attend school. It bugged her to no end.
"I'll show you today! Just you wait..." She growled to herself.
Meanwhile, the teacher was blabbering on how he expected people to run, not walk and said he wouldn't take 'I'm sick' for an excuse. To Kagome, it sounded like he was taunting her.
"Now, after running 3 laps around, go to Yuri to get your time. Then run to the fitness room for weightlifting." He directed. "Class, line up at the start line!"
Kagome melded into the class, following everybody as they placed their foot on the start line.
"Ready...set...GO!" Bunzo screeched while both he and Yuri started up their timer.
Kagome was jogging next to Eri. After a lap, they had still managed to retain 4th and 5th. Eri had started to wheeze and was slowing down. Kagome however, was getting frustrated. She knew she could go faster than this and she couldn't want for Eri anymore.
"I'm going ahead. See ya later Eri!"
Eri looked at Kagome in disbelief. Here she was, going at her fastest pace and Kagome, who was supposedly sick, wasn't even tired?! Eri shrugged.
"K, see ya lat..."
Before she finished, Kagome had bent her head low and sprinted forward. Eri sputtered in shock. She watched as Kagome hunched over, flashed a smile before promptly disappearing. Staring ahead, she watched a blur pass 3rd, 2nd and flash past 1st. Before she even took a step, Kagome had lapped her and was zipping toward the finish line. Needless to say, the class had frozen in shock.
Meanwhile, Bunzo had walked stiffly to Yuri to check to the time. 3 minutes and 7 seconds flashed on his watch. No, he couldn't and wouldn't believe it. Not until he checked Yuri's watch anyways... Walking, he noticed Yuri's eyes threatening to pop out from her head. When he checked, Bunzo almost fainted in disbelief. No one could possible run a mile in 3 minutes, could they? He wasn't so sure now. Yuri raised her eyes to meet his.
"She beat the world record by a minute!!" (AN: I don't know the world record!)
"That can't be... she's sick!"
Kagome strolled leisurely to the two teachers and bowed.
"Sensei Bunzo, sensei Yuri"
The two merely blinked at her dumbfounded. Kagome giggled. Her youkai traits must be surfacing. Kagome couldn't care the least, it meant more fun for her.
"I'll be off now. I believe weightlifting is next?"
Without even waiting for their reply, Kagome shot off towards the weights room, leaving the two coughing from the dust she rose up.
"I wonder who her physical trainer is..." Yuri mused.
Meanwhile, on the way to the weights room, Kagome finally came to a conclusion. She grinned mischievously, it was the perfect opportunity to test out the limits of her youkai traits. She couldn't wait to see the reactions from her peers either. One thing was for sure, Kagome wasn't feeling like normal shy and reserved self.
Smiling to herself, she walked up to Toson, the fitness-training teacher. He sat with a bored look at a scrawny boy struggled to lift the 30lb weights with one hand. With a flick of his pen, he scrawled down the weight the boy had lift up and dismissed the boy to the next room for flexibility. Look up, he smirked at Kagome.
"Look who decided to go to school." He sneered. "Start with the lightest and work your way up, 3 curl ups each."
Toson looked at Kagome with contempt. He doubted she could even lift up the 20lb weights, much less the 10 lb weights at that. Considering the last 3 years, she was a sickly girl who was so weak that she attracted almost all the severe diseases to date. He laughed silently to himself about weak woman.
With a glance at Toson's aura, Kagome frowned. She never did like Toson. He was too arrogant for his own good and always looked down at one who looked weak. Well, she'll show him, just like she did Bunzo. Matching smirk for smirk, she worked her way up the weights.
In the beginning, Toson looked at Kagome indifferently. 3lbs wasn't a big deal. He was sure that she would begin to struggle at the 20lb weights. As Kagome progressed onto the 50lb weights, she was sure Toson's eyes were gonna pop out. She had never seen anyone so appalled or awed. Well, with the exception of her classmates that was still making their way through the mile run. Kagome mused silently in her head. She hadn't even broken a sweat yet. These weights were like feathers... Meanwhile, classmates who finished the mile run and other people, were forming a crowd. Was Kagome doing curl ups with 70lb weights?!?!
Before Toson could stop her, Kagome dropped the weights back in its proper place and proceeded to pick up the heaviest weights.
"Are you NUTS?!?!!" Eri shrieked. She had just arrived from her mile run and was staring in shock as Kagome found the heaviest weights from the rack. Of course, she hadn't seen when she was doing curl ups with the 70lb weights... The rest of the class had erupted in chaotic chatter.
"You're going to hurt yourself!!" Ayami tried to coax Kagome.
Kagome shot her a bored expression. Nonchalantly, she picked up the 200lb weights and did 3 curls. Once again, she shocked the class into silence. Toson of course, had keeled with sheer disbelief. Once she was done, she moved to the adjoining room. The one for flexibility. Kagome gave Toson an amused glance before strolling silently away. Yuri and Bunzo found him there, still staring at the clipboard which marked 200lbs next to the name Kagome.
As she entered the room, she looked and saw the flexibility instructor, Norris. She was a short lady, and was very lithe for her age. Kagome sat on a mat and started stretching to loosen her muscles. She started with the hurdle stretch, and then the straddle sit stretch, followed by the butterfly sit, then the quad stretch, and finally the lunge stretch.
Once absolutely sure that she wasn't tense, she started over to Miss Norris. She was okay, but that was only because Kagome had always been flexible. She started doing the exercises instructed. She lifted her leg above her head, then her other one, and did the splits both sideways and long ways.
She did the pretzel sit and bent backwards until her hands touched the ground. Once her hands were on the ground, she straitened back up without falling (which is harder than it looks), and, once dismissed, went to the locker room. She changed from her P.E. clothes, and back into her original outfit, just before the crowds of girls came in. She went out of the locker room and sat on a bench until the bell rang.
During the course of the day, Kagome also discovered that her sense of smell, hearing and eyesight had also improved, drastically. She embraced it with relish. It was like she had gained something lost long ago. Oh, she couldn't wait to see the looks of her friends in the Sengoku Jidai.
When school ended, Kagome spent some time with Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka, saying her goodbyes and promising to visit them once in a while. She had some trouble shaking off Hojo though. The dense boy could only bring up the subject of going out to the movies on Saturday. Naturally, Kagome tossed the idea away and escaped him with an excuse of family matter.
On her way home, she dropped by her favorite store in the mall, where Souta had gotten her the gift card for. This time, Kagome bought 3 times the amount of supplies she normally would have brought along with some other items that she couldn't normally afford, straining her poor book bag to the limits. She got a good laugh at the look the clerk gave her when she shouldered her supplies.
Dropping at her house one last time for what would be more than a few months, Kagome said her goodbyes. Hugging her mother, she gave them a wavering smile.
"Don't worry guys, I'll be back. You can count on it." Kagome promised them.
"I'm counting on it." Kagome's mother whispered back.
Gramps and Souta agreed. Gramps handed her the bow and arrows, along with the dagger he got for her birthday. Kagome shouldered the bow next to her large book bag and inserted the dagger into the sheath that she strapped onto her jeans. Hugging them one last time, she turned and jumped into the well, disappearing in a flash of light.
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Beta Note: Okay, so all of you know, the author and I both have school to worry about, and homework, and I have marching band almost every other Saturday, as well as practice after school 3 times a week I also have drum-line the other two days, and have close to 7 siblings. And I'm sure that IcyBetrayal has her own problems, so please be patient! Also...
REVIEW, REVIEW &REVIEW PLEASE! It keeps us authors and betas going, knowing our work is appreciated. Ja!