Disclaimer: on Inuyasha. I don't own him.
I'm super-cali-fragilistic-expi-alic-dociously sorry for not updating in, like, forever, but here's the new (actually it's the same) and improved (hopefully) Feudal Era High, modern times fanfic! Enjoy!
On our last chapters we got to see how the school sort of works, and now that the popular Inuyasha gang is complete, we'll see how their lives will change through the course of the story…
-------------------------
Chapter 7: Legend of the Shikon Jewel
"Alright, class. Does anyone know what time of the year this is?" asked Prof Heds, the girl's favorite tall, pointy eared, very long, light- green haired history teacher. Some of them would sigh dreamily whenever he was around, wishing he were just a few years younger—or didn't mind dating teens. And the blue diamond sign on his forehead could hypnotize any one who stared at it while he walked. Yes, this was the one teach' to get hooked on.
The guys in the room all complained. They knew what time of the year it was.
A demon student from the back of the classroom spoke up first. "Oh, come on, teach'! We've been hearing the same thing ever since we got into the school! I say, if the story hasn't changed—which I really doubt it has—then we should just skip this whole stupid lecture for once and for all!" his comrades cheered on enthusiastically, agreeing with him.
Prof. Heds shook his head. "No, we can't. Its part of the material we must cover for the semester. Besides, there's one student here who I doubt has heard the story—I mean, legend, before—so we must cover it."
All angry eyes turned towards Kagome who wished she wasn't sitting in the front row for once. I hate my life, she thought. Why was it she could piss off everyone here by not even doing anything!
"Quit looking at Kagome like that!" shouted Koga, who sat next to her ever since the first day of school when he took Shippo's seat from him. He turned around 180 degrees as soon as he stood up from his seat and glared menacingly at the students. "No one treats my Kagome like that! If she hasn't heard the legend yet, than all of you should be more than happy to let her have a chance to! I swear, sometimes you guys can be so selfish!" He finished with a snarl and showed his fangs, making the human students cower in their seats.
Prof Heds told Koga to calm down and sit properly in his seat. "Thank you, mister wolf. Now, as I was saying, although Miss Kagome here has yet to hear the legend, we still needed to cover this material; school's rules. I suggest that if no one wants to hear it, for once, then they can leave my class right now."
At this more than half of the brave spirits in the room grabbed their bags and headed for the door, mumbling complaints and curses under their breath. When the door started to open, the professor added plainly, "And if you choose not to hear this, then you'll have to drop my class and leave the school grounds for one year." When the guys turned their eyes to meet the teacher's, they found that he was serious. His emotionless face and monotone voice put him up there with the very few you never wanted to piss off, one of them being Sesshomaru.
The teacher crossed his arms. "It's you're funeral."
Quickly the students ran back to their desks. If their parents found out they ditched class and got kicked out of school, they'd be having it 'till next year.
Kagome looked on, trying to look board. If anyone thought that this was all her fault, then she'd be a target for lunch time. The only ones here who could have her back would be Shippo and Koga who, for some mysterious reason, had taken a liking to her. It was a few weeks after school had started and she had already had had enough of him always going after her. Even worse, she thought he even liked her liked her. As sweet as that sounded, Kagome didn't want a demon stalker! Who knows what he would do to her if she told him strait on that he should go and stalk someone else!
"Kagome, don't you worry. I'll make sure no one bothers you like that again. You know I'd never let anything happen to you!" Koga leaned in on her and held her hands in his. He looked into her eyes deeply and Kagome had to hold back from taking her delicate skin away from his own rough, clawed fingers. She knew (because she'd seen him in action) that those nails of his could rip apart one body in a single swipe. He was just like Inuyasha, the only difference that Kagome was more comfortable around the dog than the wolf and trusted him more.
"Kagome," he continued, full heartedly, "that's why you should be my woman. No one would take care of you as much as I would. So forget about that stupid mutt and come with me, to my pack. I promise you won't regret it."
Kagome's breath caught up in her throat. She hated being in these awkward situations, especially if she didn't have Inuyasha around. He'd always take Koga off her hands for him.
The classroom looked on to what Kagome would say, seeing that if she valued her life, she wouldn't let down one of the strongest, popular guys in school. Prof. Heds almost rolled his eyes and sat down in his chair. Koga was now inching closer and closer to Kagome while she was desperately trying to find the right words to make him stop, all the while inching farther and farther away from him, sweating. Her miracle came once the classroom door jolted open, almost breaking.
The class's attention was now on Inuyasha who was at the doorway, his left hand still holding the door open, while his right hand was closed into a fist. He growled. "Koga! Get away from Kagome, now!" He caught the wolf right-handed, still clasping Kagome in his hands.
"What do you want now, mutt face!" he screamed back, but not letting go of Kagome who was now caught right in the middle of an inevitable dog fight. Literally.
Inuyasha growled again. "I told you to never touch Kagome, so take your filthy paws off her, now!" His left pointer finger practically drilled a hole in the air as it threatened Koga.
It was then that Koga stood up, but he took Kagome with him. "You're not getting close to my Kagome, you half breed!"
"That's it!" Inuyasha pounced on the wolf and in milliseconds an ironic dusk loud covered the two. Thankfully Kagome was let go before any of that happened.
"No! Inuyasha!" she whined. "Sit boy!"
The students started cheering, "fight, fight, fight!" while every once and a while you could see one of the boys biting the other's arm or punching him in the face.
Kagome was glad that Inuyasha had come to her rescue, though if he was the one stalking her because of his impeccable timing and arrival at the class, she couldn't figure out. Still, she always had to do something when her boys would get into a fight because of her.
Shippo ran from across the room and jumped on her shoulder. "You know, most girls would die to have those two fight for them 24-7." Kagome laughed nervously.
Not if they were me, they wouldn't, she thought to herself.
Prof. Heds stood up from his chair, his eyes closed. He held his right palm open, showing his shiny claws in the air. He sounded a little pissed, too. "Listen. If both of you don't stop this right now I'll have to do it myself!" The boys couldn't hear him over their hollering and bickering, so Kagome knew she had to cut in before this got bloody.
She cupped her mouth and yelled, "Guy, guys! Wait a second!" Both canines stopped mid-fight, miraculously unscratched. They blinked at her, wondering what she would say. "Listen. Koga was just trying to help out, Inuyasha. So you didn't have to go through all this trouble." Koga stuck his tongue out at the dog, who feh'd and crossed his arms.
Kagome turned her direction towards Koga now. "And Koga. You know how over-protective Inuyasha gets. You should know better than to tease him." This time it was Inuyasha's turn to taunt the wolf who crossed his arms, annoyed.
After a while Inuyasha fully understood what she had meant and shot back hurt, "Hey!"
"Alright! That's enough! Inuyasha, go back to your own class and Koga, I suggest you sit down before I throw you out!" Mr. Heds rarely got annoyed, but when he did, he stopped using the terms 'Mr.' and 'Miss', which never meant a good thing. "Both of you have interrupted my class long enough!"
Inuyasha left the class mumbling with the help of Kagome who pushed him out and told him she'd be okay and that she'd make up for it later. Whispering thank you's and how she didn't want him to get into trouble because of her helped. Koga sat in his seat and looked angry at the two, though inside he was grinning since he knew he would be the only one of the two to say as close to Kagome as he was for the next hour or so in the class. He had won after all.
Inuyasha glared at him before closing the door after him, pointing his right pointer finger and middle finger at his eyes and then throwing them at Koga's direction, motioning "I'm watching you," as a threat. Kagome laughed nervously and sat in her own seat to the relief of the professor.
"Now for the task at hand." The professor's voice was normal now and he seemed calm. "The Legend of the Sacred Jewel." He looked at Kagome and asked, "Have you heard about it before, Kagome?" she shook her head no and he continued, "Well, our school is one of the very few places that still keeps that legend alive. In fact, this very school and its practices were raised upon that legend alone; the belief that it was real, and that there are many mysteries still left unsolved because of it."
He sat on top of his desk and dangled a leg in the air while supporting himself with the other. The students prepared themselves for the famous re-telling of a classic. "It began five hundred years ago…"
Shippo sunk his face onto his desk. "Oh boy. Here comes a flashback…"
"In the time where lords ruled the lands…sorcerers and priestesses worked their magic…battles would rise and fall every day…and roads were nothing but dust, as is our history's past…the Feudal Era was alive. Humans were considered no more than food and demons lived up to thousands of years old…Those times seem long gone today, but many say that it is still far from over…
"Thus was the time when the Shikon Jewel pulsed and breathed.
"No one remembers just how it came to be, when it was given birth to, nor where it came from-- but it is said that an ancient miko, the most powerful one of them all, used her abilities of good to seal her powers and that of demons inside it, creating a balanced life energy within a crystal sphere. Now; no one is sure why she did this, but after all, it is only one of the stories behind the jewel. Nevertheless, we do know where the jewel ended after that…
"Some time later-- who knows, it may be tens, hundreds, or even thousands of years later-- there was a village where a priestess who (as time has forgotten, shall remain unnamed) looked after the powerful jewel. Day and night she spent her life guarding the jewel, to her heart's sorrow, for she had no freedom. Both men and demons sought the jewel for their own fiendish desires, but all ended in a bloody, horrific death at the hands of her bow and arrow."
The teacher paused for a moment and looked at Kagome. "And you know why, Miss Kagome?" she shook her head no and looked on with interest. "It is because it held an intense amount of power, one that no thing on this earth has equaled or even came into comparison to. It had no rivals, and it had the power to bring forth years of prosperity, or the destruction of us all.
"Also known as the Jewel of Four Souls and the Shikon no Tama, it was said to be able to grant any one wish, and for that it is considered extremely dangerous. If one of purity used the jewel, its energy balance would tip to one side, engulfing the other, therefore becoming fully purified and ceasing to exist. But, if one of an evil heart would use the jewel, it would become tainted and thus, the jewel would unleash a terrible wrath upon all those who opposed him. This is why it was coveted so.
"The legend gets a little fuzzy after the last miko's guardianship over it, but it is known that love, lost, betrayal and death all had their part in the jewel's history, so this is one possibility. That this last miko did not possess sufficient purifying powers to keep safe the jewel, or that she was tricked by one evil enough to confront her, could be the answer to the question of the sudden disappearance of the jewel. No one knows if the miko died on that same day, or if she remained hidden with the jewel; all we do know is that it reappeared less than a century later with her, but this time, in pieces.
"The Shikon no Tama had been shattered, probably to secure that no one would be able to find all the pieces to complete the jewel in one lifetime, and bring with it the demise of all life as we know it. But let this be called fate or cruel luck that a very dangerous demon began to hunt for these lost shards and had gathered them all in one place, ready to make his wish. Uncountable humans and demons lost their lives in the blood spill, and our future was a dark one as we knew it. But to our relief, he did not achieve his goal.
"A group of heroes of all proportions ad races had joined together to save our world, against all odds-- for humans and demons still hated each other—and were able to vanquish the evil within the villain's heart and restore the jewel's balanced state. But even they were deceived. Still unable to fully purify the jewel and to prevent any more misery to befall the earth, a fragment of the jewel was separated from the Shikon no Tama and hidden in a far corner of the earth, the only feat that could be done in time before our heroes were no more.
"Since the jewel was not complete and the last shard was never found, the evil that returned could never ask for his wish and soon no one knew of him as well. For centuries we have searched for both the jewel and shard, but to no avail. No one knows what happened to them or if they exist at all anymore, if they even existed once upon a time. Almost all have given up the search—that is, except the founders of our school.
"They still believed that the legend was still alive, somewhere, and that our past cannot be forgotten. Therefore they raised these walls in order to train their students into the arts of battle in case another war would emerge, and the world would be prepared to confront this menace that, just like the legend of the Jewel of Four Souls lives on, so does the evil that seeks it."
After the professor took a breather from his history lesson, the classroom remained quiet. Some demon students had fallen asleep, knowing the legend by heart, and others were bored to death or mouthing what they knew the teacher was going to say next. Fewer humans did the sleeping and more of them did the mimicking.
But Kagome was intrigued. Now she knew the famous legend everyone talked about. She always liked legends, and this one was no exception. And to think this could all be real!
"And now for the twist and most demon's dreadful part of the story," continued the teacher, "the part where us demons lost our immortal ability." At this all students were wide awake, the humans because they needed to watch their backs and the demons because whenever they were reminded of that part of their history their need to kill raised a couple of notches. Kagome had a double look. She never knew that demons were once immortal. They were scary and powerful as it was now, so she couldn't imagine how they could have been when they couldn't even die!
Mr. Heds cleared his throat and kept an eye open for any possible massacres. He could loose his job if a student died in his classroom.
"Since the beginning of time as we know it, demons and humans shared distinct pasts and history. But that all changed once the Shikon Jewel was separated for the second time.
"You see, before the last battle regarding the Shikon no Tama and before the jewel's lone shard was taken away, one of the human heroes had made a wish that, if they could not vanquish this fiend, the fate of the jewel and it's shard would remain in timeless space until ones who could defeat the evil inside it were to rise and be able to purify the jewel's heart, or the 'Heart of the Jewel', as we historians like to call it.
"Though they did not know at the time, their wish was granted, but with unforeseeable costs. The wish did tip the balance of ying and yang inside the jewel because of their honored wishes, but not enough to purify it. Instead, it engulfed immortality itself to give the jewel its ability to remain in space less time, like the wish had said and thus, with a blinding light that lasted for hours, inflicted its power onto all life, preventing all immortality onto those who enjoyed it and those who knew nothing of it. But just as good lives on in our hearts and beliefs, evil does incarnate. That is why their struggle is yet to end.
"And that is why to this day everything must die, even earth itself. Now, if the jewel's impact on the wish is changed, however, our history could go back to the way it was before that fateful date, five hundred years ago." To this all the demons cheered and the human students swallowed hard in their throats, obviously fearing the worst that could happen from that.
The teacher interrupted them and told them to quiet down. "Now, even if someone were to gain control over the incomplete jewel and were to gain immense power over it, they still could not make their wish because of the last shard. That is why we are here for; to be ready when that day comes. But the question still remains about what will be wished? Since that day humans have struggled to stay alive and demons were forced to realize that they were no longer in control of their destiny. It took us almost two hundred years to fully come to 'peaceful' terms and finally live alongside one another as one clan.
"Still, there are those who despise this way of life, and there are rumors of wars ahead to make things the way they were. Some of us take to turn towards our legends for guidance, and if the Shikon Jewel is out there somewhere, it could be the solution we've been looking for."
By now the class was silent again, and Kagome thought to herself. No wonder these guys take the legend seriously, some more serious than others. It's like the flag of their own country.
"The reason for your popularity, Kagome, is the fact that you're a miko." Kagome almost jumped up, startled by the teacher's comment. He was now looking directly at her. "You see, the only ones known to have purification powers strong enough to confront that of the Jewel's are priestesses. There are very few of them these days, and seeing you use your powers like that when you did way with one of Naraku's puppets was amazing. Some even say you and Kikyo are the strongest here out of all the other priestesses.
"One other thing I forgot to mention was that priestesses, unlike monks, can actually see the light emitting from the Shikon Jewel. That is why they too are coveted, for their ability to find with their eyes and mind the jewel, according to the legend. You're one lucky girl, Kagome. Millions would give anything to have what you have."
Kagome was left in shock. Great. Now not only the whole school thought she was all-that, but she was now supposed to be sought out by perverts who wanted the jewel for themselves, if it even existed. Now she wished it wasn't even real. How could she achieve the greatness people thought they saw in her when in fact, she was nothing—just a regular girl trying to keep her grades up. Or at least, that's what she always said to herself. And being compared to Kikyo, nonetheless!
It was then that Koga inched closer to her and whispered into her ear, "See? That's why I want you to be my woman, Kagome. Not only because you risked your life to save a friend and proved how loyal you are," referring to Len on the first day of school, "but I just know you and I could work together and find the Jewel of legends ourselves. Your eyes with my strength are no match for anyone who opposes us!" He got up from his desk and knelt on one knee in front of her, clasping her hands in his.
"Kagome, I'm gonna make you my woman." The whole room went dead silent and Kagome forgot how to breathe. Where was Inuyasha when she needed him! He was practically proposing to her!
Another wolf demon spoke up. "Koga, I thought you preferred to eat humans, not marry one." Kagome's heart now stopped, too.
Koga turned to look at his comrade and said angrily, not letting go of Kagome, "You idiot! She can see the jewel! And with her power, we can search for it and take hold of it ourselves!" He turned to look at his captive once again. "And wolves mate for life, so your mine, now. Got that?"
Kagome, for once, was at a lost for worse, ironically. But her womanly instincts got the best of her and she let out in one breath, "I'm not just some sort of trophy you can use! And I don't belong to anybody! Get your hands off me!" She slapped Koga on the cheek and the sound seemed to echo in the room. Koga remained surprised and didn't move.
"That chick just slapped Koga!" cried out a demon, in shock.
"Honey moon's over. She's dead now." Said another and you could see the students slightly moving away their desks from the two.
Kagome gasped. Se really hadn't meant to do that, but he didn't have to treat her that way, either. She tried to sound as apologetic as she could. "Listen, Koga, as nice as that might sound I'm just not up for it. Besides, I kind of…don't want to see anybody right now. That's all."
Koga rubbed his cheek and was now concerned someone else had taken his place. "What? You're saying that you're with that dog freak now!"
Kagome did a double take. Where did that come from! "No, no! That's not what I meant." She then thought about it for a second. She could use this to her benefit. "What if I am, huh?"
Koga smirked and got up from the floor. "Humph. You think he actually likes you? He's still hung over that girl, Kikyo. If you ask me, he's just using you." Kagome almost blushed at this, embarrassed. She never thought about Inuyasha in that way, but now, she noticed she did have some feelings for him, but it wouldn't be right. They could never be together.
What am I thinking! she chided herself. Where did these thoughts come from! I never wanted to be anything with Inuyasha! And what Koga said made sense; Inuyasha was still hung over Kikyo. And he hated her. He could never…
"But not me, Kagome," continued Koga, "I'm not like that. I'll treat you like the queen you are, and together, we'll rule my pack!"
Prof. Heds got up from his desk and sighed. "Listen, Romeo, I'm flattered. But could you wait until after my class to get married? This is history, not a chapel."
Thankfully the author decided it was about time to rap up this chapter and she made the bell ring, and as usual, all the students rushed out the door in a frenzy, letting Kagome escape unnoticed by Koga in between the pack. Shippo followed close behind.
--------------------
"Wow. I don't know what to say, Kagome," replied Sango. She sat beside Kagome at a lunchroom table at lunch. "You know, if you think about it, Koga was just being nice. I know I would've liked for a boy to treat me that way." She sipped her milk from a straw and looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "Hmm. A queen…"
Kagome managed to swallow down her sloppy animal guts down with one big gulp. She shivered as it went down her throat. She stuck her tongue out a little nauseous, but noticed she only had a little more left on her plate. "Well, Miroku sort of treats you that way, Sango. Don't you like him?"
Sango almost spit out the rest of the milk she was dinking. "Are you kidding? He's a real jerk, and a first-class pervert! Besides, he'd go out with just about anybody who had a butt."
Kagome laughed. "Oh, come on. I know you like him."
Sango blushed. "I do not!"
"Oh yes you do. I see it in your eyes whenever he walks in a room we're in." she teased.
"Kagome!"
Kagome laughed. "Alright, alright. So you don't like him. Whatever makes you happy."
Sango pouted but remembered something. "Well then, what about Inuyasha?"
Kagome looked at her, blushing. "What about him!"
Sango nudged her on the shoulder, teasing. "Come on….spill it…you like him, don't you?" Kagome again denied this and Sango gave in, looking at her sheepishly. "Ok, then. Whatever you say…" Kagome looked at her angrily but soon the friends started laughing at each other.
-----------------------
At a far corner of the school Kagura opened a door and entered, unnoticed by the rest of the students. "Naraku. What are you doing?" she walked over to her cousin who was hiding in the usual spot, his 'secret' hideout.
Naraku looked up from a book he was reading, looked surprised at her coming in, and closed the book fast and threw it somewhere in a dark corner. "Uh, nothing, Kagura. I was just…planning on Inuyasha's demise, that's all."
Kagura rolled her eyes. "Something new, I see…" She lifted an eyebrow and eyed the corner he threw the book at. "What was that?" she asked, interested.
Naraku cleared his throat. "Nothing, nothing. Just…why did you come here, anyways?"
"I knocked on the door, if that's what you mean." She lifted two brown bags and showed them to Naraku. "I brought lunch, cousin," she added disgustedly "just like always. Hurry up and eat your raw meat before it gets wasted." She threw him a bag and sat down herself on the floor and took out a pair of chopsticks from her own bag. "By the way, where's Kanna?"
"Miss her already?" teased Naraku. "I put her on a little assignment. It's my Plan A for this school year."
Kagura slurped down some noodles. "What do you have planned this time?"
Naraku smirked. "Oh, you'll see. You'll just have to wait untill Inuyasha and his group practice training in the Training Facility." Kagura looked at him uninterested and slurped down the rest of her noodles.
"Oh goody…"
--------------------
Back in a hallway of the school, where not even a tumble weed dared pass by, Kanna walked silently across the hall towards a corner where Sesshomaru was always known to go and catch up on his reading.
Sesshomaru sensed her come by even before she showed herself and he asked her, "what do you want?" If she was foolish enough to bother him when everyone knew he read there to be as far away from everyone else as possible, undisturbed, than she should have a good reason to come to him.
Kanna made it to the corner where he sat on the floor and faced him eye to eye. She had her school uniform on, but kept her mirror in front of her chest. Normally students weren't allowed to carry around their weapons in school unless they were training, but others would do it if they were to use them for their own purposes, without permission, if you know what I mean.
"Naraku wants to give you a message," she said, her monotone voice as creepy as always.
Sesshomaru scrunched his eyebrows and inquired frustrated, "What does he want now?"
Even Naraku knew not to piss the lord off when he was in his 'alone time', so he made a very short and precise message. Kanna's mirror started to glow and it showed a picture of Inuyasha. Naraku's voice came through as if he were right there with them.
"I have a proposition for you, Lord Sesshomaru…"
-----------------------
Disclaimer: Some of the lines regarding Koga's proposal to Kagome were taken from the anime series. They were just too funny to leave out.
Alright! I've finally posted chap 7. I've been trying to improve my writing style and didn't want to continue this fic until I did, and hopefully it shows…some. I've gone back to a few chapters and corrected their structure, but still have lots to do.
Still, this won't happen again! I'm back for real this time, and I'll be posting the chaps as I regularly do now, so expect the next one in two weeks maybe? (That's my average posting dates on all fics) Sorry if that's a long time, but I'm still slow typing-wise. --;
Well, review and if you want to flame me, well then, be my guest! ; Hopefully my health plan will cover it…