Live for Tomorrow
Kagome got off the bus and looked up at the giant gray building in front of her. This was the orphanage she and the rest of the club would be coming to once a week for the rest of the school year.Kagome shivered, pulling Inuyasha's coat closer to her. The hanyou had been right. It was cold out today.
Kagome followed the group into the building. They stopped at the reception desk where a woman was working. "This is Tokyo Academics High School." Alanna told the receptionist. "We're here to visit our class."
The woman typed a few things into her computer. "You'll be helping class 1-A." she said.
"First grade?" Andy said frowning, "I thought we were working with second graders!"
"There was a bit of a mix up when we were informing your school of what class they would be hosting." The receptionist explained, "You'll be working with the first graders now. I assure you that they're very sweet, better than the second graders if I do say so myself. Little brats." The last part had been said under her breath while she rubbed some bright red scratches on her arm.
"Of course." Alanna agreed, "And where is the class?"
"Take the stairs up to the second floor and it should bee the first room on your right."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. I hope you have a nice time. You don't know how much the children love visits from older students."
The school group walked up the stairs, finding the classroom, which was well marked,easily.Kagome and the rest of her school matesall peaked through the window, trying to get a peak at the children they would be playing with. Currently the first graders were sitting in a circle on the floor, singing a song and clapping their hands.
Alanna knocked. The teacher, who had been leading the song, turned and smiled, motioning them to come in. The song immediately ended, its singers intent on meeting the new people.
"Alright class." The teacher said turning back to them, "These are olderchildren from one of our sister schools that have come to play with you!" The children cheered. "Now there are the same amount of you as there are high schoolers so we'll be pairing you off." The teacher looked back at Kagome and the others, "I have a list of your names somewhere." She went over to her desk, pulling out a paper after a bit of shuffling other papers around. "Here we are! These will be the pairings for the rest of the year. Alanna, you'll be with Pania, Andy, you'll be with Jin, Kagome, you can hang out with Shippo."
The list continued, but Kagome wasn't listening any more. The little boy who came to running over was such a cutie! He had somewhat long, red hair pulled back in a bluish bow. Somewher in the back of her head, the style was familiar, yet something was missing. Kagome blinked, clearing her head.
"Are you nice?" the boy asked.
Kagome giggled. "Well I think I am." she replied smiling, "Are you nice?"
"Yes I am." Shippo replied proudly, "I like to help my classmates out with their school work when I can and I always stand up for the girls when the other boys are teasing them."
This boy was getting cuter and cuter by the second! "Well that's very nice of you." Kagome told him, "You should be very proud of yourself."
Shippo beamed, liking the praise he got. "And I always say please, you're welcome,and thank you, so thank you for the compliment."
Kagome grinned. "You're quite welcome Shippo."
"Could you take me to the bathroom please?" Shippo asked, "Mrs. Murphy says that we're not allowed to go by ourselves and you're so nice Iknow you'llbring me."
She assumed Mrs. Murphy was the teacher. "Of course I will."Kagome replied, "But you've got to show me where it is.I've never been here before. I don'tknow where the bathroomsare."
Thelittle boy nodded and took her hand in his own tiny fist.He lead her over to the teacher. "Mrs. Murphy? Kagome's going to take me to the bathroom, okay?"
"Alright Shippo." the teacher replied nodding, "Just don'tget lost andtake Kagome all over the orphanage with you,okay? If you do she might not want to come back and play with you next week or ever again."
"Yes Mrs. Murphy." Shippo nodded,pulling Kagomethrough the door. She found herself once again in the hallway of the school.The boy led her downhall after hall.Kagome started to wonder whether or not Shippo had gotten them lost in the end. Even if he hadn't, there was something else on his little mind. They had already passed at least two bathrooms.
Out of no where, Kagome found herself being pulled into what looked like ajanitor's closet.Even though that was suprising, what surprised her even more was thatShippo's tug on her hand had been much stronger than what an average first grader could have managed. She wondered if he had fallen over. Glancing over at him, she saw that the answer was no. The little boy was seating himself on an over turned bucket quite calmly.
"Whyare you here?"Kagome asked nervously.
Shippo shrugged. "I had a question to ask you and I guessed that you probably wouldn't want me to ask where everyoneelsecould hear you." he explained, "The workers here in the orphanage are very nosy, and thisis one of the only places people won't find us."
"What's your question?"she asked. What could Shippo possibly ask her that could be so private that he didn't want anyone else hearing?
"Are you a demon?"
Kagome blinked in suprised. "A-a what!" she gasped.
Shippo gazed at her calmly. "A demon. Are you one?"
"No!"Kagome replied. She had not been expecting that question. What a strange thing toask! "Why?"
"Because you smell like one..." Shippo answered patiently. "Or at leasta half demon. That's the main scent. A half dog demon. But I can smellsome full demon and a little human on you too."
"I'm not a demon." Kagome told him, "Are-are you one?"
Shippo nodded. "I am." he replied, "I'm a full blooded fox demon. So if you're not a demon, why do you smell like one?"
She took of Inuyasha's coat, offering it to him. "I'm borrowing the coat from a friend." Kagome explained, wondering why she was telling the kids this, "He's a half demon."
He sniffed the coatand handed it backto her. "Yeah." he agreed, "That makes sense. Now that you took thecoat off you smell more human. But your friend's scent's still all over you. Are you his girlfriend?"
Kagome blushed deeply. "No." she said quickly, "Just his neighbor. We spend a lot of time together. That's probably why I smell like him."
Shippojumped offhis seat on the bucket and back over to thedoor that had closed. He opened it. "Come on." the boy requested, "We've got to get back to the classroom or else Mrs. Murphy will think Igot lost."
Kagome laughed, following him out of thecloset. "Do you get lost often?" she asked.
"No." Shippotold her, "I just pretend to. It gives me time to just be by myself. You don't get much time alone in an orphanage."
"I bet." she agreed. They walked back towards the classroom, silent formost of the trip. Finally Kagome broke the quiet. "So, what's it like living in an orphanage?"
"Sometimes it's fun." Shippo admitted, "But most of the time it's hard.People tell me that I'm lucky to be here, that the other kids that aqre stuck here with me are my family, but I'd much rather live in a real house with a real family. You're lucky to have one you know."
Kagome couldn't help it anymore. She leaned over and hugged the little boy tightly, picking him up in the process. "You poor thing." she said, a tear of her own dripping out of one of her eyes, "Do you miss your parents?"
"All the time." he replied, playing into Kagome's sympathy. He liked her hug. But but he didn't like was that she was crying for him. It almost made him feel guilty, so he continued. "But you get used to it after a while. Please don't cry for me."
Kagome looked at him. "I guess you could smell my tears, couldn't you?" she asked smiling slightly. It was an easy guess. Inuyasha could and he was only a half demon so why couldn't Shippo if he was a full demon?
"Yeah." Shippo said nodding.
She put him down, letting him continue to lead her back towards the classroom.
Will Kagome adopt Shippo when she's older?
Actually that's my back up plan. I've got an idea when it comes to Kagome and Shippo. I'm just working it out right now. Even if I can work it out, don't expect the idea for a few more chapters at least.
Why aren't you answering any more questions this time around?
No one asked me any other questions! I only answer what I'm asked or what I think needs a bit of clarification.
