Chapter 1 - Welcome to Shikon High

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Authors Note: This is my first fic that actually work, so please don't be too harsh. Flames are accepted, but try and keep them creative.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters.

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Her outer appearance was a loner. She'd been teased about everything. Her hair, her eyes, everything about her seemed to be fucked up somehow.

She sat, looking out the window as the moon set, slowly giving way to the reign of the night. She sighed, another sleepless night.

She was in a new school in a world completely foreign to her. She thought of her past and sighed again. Her father was the source of her misery, shifting her between relatives over and over. By the time social services found her a real home, it was nearly too late. She did her best to shut everyone out. Now she had an ocean separating her from the hell she had once called home.

She heard a noise in the kitchen and smiled. "Tala-san, I know you're up. Let me make you some breakfast." Tala smiled to herself, her adoptive father didn't sleep much either. She stretched a bit and crawls inside to the kitchen.

"On the roof again? I may be a rich fuck, but the roof isn't safe all the time."

"This is Kyoto, not Manhattan. I'm able to fend for myself, Shigure-kun."

Shigure tousled her hair with a grin. "I know, I just worry about you. I've never had a kid before."

Tala growled at him. "I'm not a kid, and you make it sound like I'm a pet."

"So? Don't want to be pampered and treated like royalty?"

Tala growled again, this time smiling. "Nah. I'm just a stray hound, not like a poodle."

Shigure looked at Tala, a stern look on his face. "Hound you may be, stray you are not. Are all inu-okami youkai like this? Anyway, you've got a home now."

"Tell me about this new school you've got me going to."

"It's co-ed. Both humans and demons can go there without fear of discrimination. It's been around for quite a while and most of the students get along well, from what I've been told. Eggs?"

Tala smirked at the tiger youkai who offered her a plate and sat next to her on the counter. "You ain't that bad, Shigure-kun." She quickly wolfed down the eggs and dumped her plate in the sink.

"Now what? It's like five thirty in the morning, so you've got a few hours before school starts."

"I dunno. I'll go get a shower and see what happens from there."

Shigure nodded and went into his room.

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When Tala got out of her shower, she pulled on a tight fitting black shirt and baggy black jeans. Making sure Shigure was in his room, she walked into the living room and turned on the plasma screen TV.

Not five minutes later, Tala heard Shigure's voice next to her ear. "Still watching cartoons at your age?"

"I have yesterday's Mets game on TiVo and I don't think you'd want to know that the final score was Mets 23, Braves 7."

"Dammit! They won the day before!" Shigure stuck his tongue out at Tala, who only laughed at his childish behavior. He took a step back. "That's the first time you've done that, Tala-san."

"Huh?"

"That's the first time I've heard you laugh since I met you."

Tala blushed and looked away.

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Tala ran to the car behind Shigure, who had just gotten a call from his agent about an emergency. "It's nearly seven in the fucking morning," he growled as he started his lime green Porsche. Tala shrugged as she watched him pull his shoulder length hair into a low ponytail and straightened his pants.

"No shirt?"

"I can't go back and get one, she'll bitch enough as it is. If you couldn't tell, she's pissy when I'm late. It doesn't really help that she's pregnant either. I'll drop you off at school, but there's no telling what time I'll be back. You got a cell phone?" Tala shook her head. "Take this one. It's old but it works. Call me if anything comes up."

The ride to school was quiet. Tala didn't know what to say, she was absently playing with the cell phone. Shigure wasn't sure what to say, but the silence wasn't too awkward.

At school, Shigure pointed Tala toward the main office, but had to go, as his agent was calling him on a different cell phone. "Have a nice day, Tala-san," he said before speeding off.

Across campus, another senior saw the famous lime green Porsche stop and drop somebody off before speeding away. He walked over a bit and saw a girl. She looked vaguely like an inuyoukai by the markings on her cheek, but her wasn't sure. She had waist length black hair in a loose braid, and eyes the color of liquid silver. It was then that he realized she was glaring at him. He looked away, cursing himself.

Tala glared at the boy who was walking towards her and staring. She looked to the sky once before walking in the direction Shigure had pointed out to her.

The boy recognized one more thing about the girl and yelled "Bugs Bunny!" When the girl turned around and stared at him like he was crazy, he cursed aloud. Deciding it couldn't hurt, he walked over to Tala.

"You're Shigure-san's adopted daughter, aren't you?"

Tala looked the boy over. He was wearing baggy jeans and a button down shirt. He had a boyish face with black hair held back in a short ponytail. "What's it to you?" He seemed friendly enough, but Tala didn't want to trust anyone here. Lose him. Quick, she thought.

"He's my cousin."

"So?"

"Ehehe…I dunno. Are you going to the main office?"

"Yeah."

""I'll walk you there. My friends don't get here for quite a while."

Tala shrugged and walked with the boy. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Houshi Miroku. And you are…?"

"Tala."

They walked in silence to the office and, once there, Miroku stood by the door. "You're here and I'm not the most favorite student in there. I'll see you around sometime."

Tala nodded to the boy before walking into the office.

An old, wrinkled lady sat behind a large oak desk. "Ye must be Shigure-san's new ward. An inu-okami youkai?"

Tala nodded, shuffling uncomfortably.

"Do ye know anyone here?"

Tala stared at the old lady. "I met Miroku-san, if that's what you mean."

"Calm yourself, child. I will not harm ye. Here's your schedule, welcome to Shikon High."

Tala took her schedule and silently walked out the door.