Several hours later it had grown dark and I still hadn't left my room. I was just sitting on my bed as if in a trance with a pair of headphones perchedon top of my head. Kurri jumped up in fright from hisspot snuggling into my sidewhen Hiei popped in out of nowhere. "So how long are you going to mourn?" He asked, smirking.
"Shut up." I muttered, totally out of it.
Without hesitation he drew his sword and swung at my head. I stuck out a hand and caught the blade in my claws, eyes still staring straight ahead. "I'm not in the mood." I growled. The movement caused the headphones to fall off but I didn't replace them.
Hiei put away the blade and sat down beside me. "You can't stay here forever. Tons of people can't pass on their first try. Did you even study?" I shook my head and he went on. "Then study tomorrow and go again in the afternoon."
Slowly I looked over at him and smiled. "You're right. Thanks… I'm going to sleep now." I added, pulling the covers over myself.
Hiei nodded and left the room as I settled down and quickly passed out.
The next morning I took his advice and my mom found a website with questions so she could quiz me on everything. Then we went to a different DMV this time and I passed, only missing two questions. They took my picture and I came out beaming with a brand new permit in hand.
When we got back to the house the others saw my face and immediately knew to congratulate me this time. Though if I smiled at Hiei he'd act like he didn't notice but Kurama quickly caught on and teased him lightly.
Once again my happy self, I went to the woods in my backyard with Kurama and Kuwabara to train though first we had to clear out a ring to practice in. Once done we worked on fairly basic stuff for several hours.
Later Yusuke came by and he took over while Kurama and Kuwabara took a break. More time passed as Hiei showed up just as it was getting dark. "Ready?" He asked me as Yusuke started to leave.
Slightly panting I nodded and we went straight into the sword fight. Around midnight I sat down where I stood and Hiei froze to stare at me. "Are you tired?"
I nodded. "I've gone all day with no breaks and school starts in only three days!"
"School doesn't have anything to do with it and what about that time you went straight for over a week?" Hiei pointed out.
"I had good motivation that time. When I got it down I was going to ask to visit Inuyasha." I explained.
Hiei simply nodded and held his sword out, pointed at me. "Well, get ready."
With a soft sigh I climbed to my feet and held out my sword as well and we went at each other again.
The moon was full and shining above us and I paused to stare at it, my eyes turning silver but Hiei quickly poked me in the side. I glared over at him, my eyes green again. "What was that for?" I growled.
"Last time you stared at the full moon like that you transformed into a wolf and went crazy." He explained.
"Oh, right…" I muttered as I chanced another quick glance at it before standing again with my sword in hand. Hiei saw I was ready and the training resumed.
Around two in the morning we finally made our way wearily to my house. Without a word I went inside, up the stairs and collapsed in my bed, falling asleep immediately.
I was awoken by a hard prodding in my side at about 5 in the morning. Groaning and rolling over with eyes still closed I whimpered, "Kurama, it's so early. Why are we doing this?"
Kurama laughed lightly. "You're about to start school so your training time will be considerably shortened. We have to get a lot done now and we only have today. Tomorrow you start school again."
With a soft moan I rolled over, falling on the floor and landing on my knees. Kurama pulled me to my feet, laughing, and helped me out the door. We went down the stairs and outside quietly to not disturb anyone else. Slowly I followed Kurama to the forest but was greeted by an unwanted surprise. As soon as I set foot into the edge of the forest, a bucket of ice cold water poured down over me. Still half asleep, my eyes jolted open and I screamed loudly in shock. With a growl I leapt up, landing a hard kick to the one in the tree above. Yusuke went tumbling out of it backwards, hitting the ground hard.
"Ouch…" He muttered, rubbing his head.
With blazing eyes I glared at him before changing swiftly into a wolf and walking towards him. Suddenly I froze and shook all over, flinging water from my soaked coat all over him. Once done I changed back, smirked at him, and entered the forest. Kurama laughed at Yusuke's dripping face of shock and disgust before following after me.
From then on the day followed almost the same as yesterday, though Hiei let me return at midnight instead of at two like before.
I gratefully returned and climbed into my bed, growing very nervous about how people would receive me at school the next day if I didn't try to hide anything.
I awoke the next morning to a hard prodding in my side. With a soft groan I rolled over and pulled the sheets over my head only to have them yanked back suddenly. "Hey!" I muttered, still half asleep as I rolled over.
"It's time to get up." Kurama said a soft smile on his face.
"How can you be awake…? What time is it?" I asked.
"It's six in the morning." He replied simply.
"School doesn't start until seven twenty-five!" I moaned, trying to pull the covers up again but Kurama held them firmly down. "Alright already…" I growled as I sat up slowly, slinging my legs over the side of the bed. I blew upwards as my hair hung in my face and Kurama laughed.
"You're not a morning person are you?" He teased. I replied with a sharp glare. "Well, get ready and come down." Kurama ordered gentlyas he left the room.
With a soft sigh, my feet lowered to the ground and I staggered upright, going to the mirror. I pulled on a shirt and some cargo pants before running a brush through my long hair a couple times. I stared at my reflection as the two large wolf ears twitched a few times by themselves and the tail swished back and forth behind me. "Like that's not noticeable…" I muttered to myself as I left my room, closing the door behind me.
"Boo!" Yusuke screamed, leaping from around the corner as I walked down the hall.
"Shut it, I'm tired." I yawned.
"Aw, come on. You're no fun in the mornings!" He whined.
I paused and stared at him. "Wait, what are you doing up this early?"
"Well, we're pretty much the same age so I figured I could go to school with you until it starts to make sure everything works out fine."
"Maybe you should just enroll there!" I teased.
Yusuke backed away as if in shock. "What? Me in an American school? I don't even speak English!"
I laughed as his reaction. "Well that's what the thing in your ear is for."
"But they said you couldn't see it!" Yusuke muttered, clamping a hand over his ear.
I couldn't help laughing again. "Ha, I'm just kidding. You can't see it."
"Then how'd you…?"
"I'm speaking in English right now and since you responded I know you're wearing it."
"Oh…" Yusuke said as I followed him down the stairs.
The others were all waiting around, my mom totally ignoring them. She was used to it already. "Here you go." She said as she handed me my lunch. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yeah…" I nodded as I put the paper bag in my back pack and put it on.
Are you really sure? I heard Hiei's voice in my head. You know how they might react.
Yes, I do but you never know who your true friends are until you let them know you're a demon, right? If they don't except me I won't go back. I thought back with a slight smile.
"Do you need me to drive you there?" My mom asked.
"No, we're walking." Yusuke announced.
"What? Who decided that?" I asked.
"I did, just now." Yusuke replied. "You know the way right?" I nodded. "Then there's no problem!"
"Well then let's get started…" I muttered before looking up and grinning at everyone. "Bye. I'll see ya'll around three I guess… Wait, am I walking home too?"
"One of us will come to pick you up." Kurama assured me.
"Ok…" I said as I headed towards the door, the entire group following me. "See you later!" I left through the door, pausing at the base of the steps to hear what Kurama was telling Yusuke. "If there's any sign of trouble take her out of there. There's no reason to make a huge scene, just get her back here."
"Will do." Yusuke whispered as he walked up beside me. "Let's go." He said aloud and I nodded as we started off.
Hiei walked to stand beside Kurama as we reached the road and disappeared from view. "Are you sure this is wise?" He muttered.
Kurama nodded. "She can handle herself and you heard what her brothers said. Even though she was a known half demon, she got along with both the other demons and other humans. I don't think there will be a problem."
"We'll see…" Hiei replied.
Meanwhile Yusuke and me had gotten to the end of the neighborhood. "This is boring, ready to race?" Yusuke asked.
"But you have an unfair advantage. I'm wearing a book bag!" I pointed out.
"So? We both know it doesn't weigh enough to affect you."
I laughed. "I know but it was worth a try."
"Ready…?" Yusuke started. "Go!" He took off as fast as he could with me right behind.
I pulled up beside him and laughed again. "How can you hope to win if you don't know which way to go?"
"Hmm… I guess I'll just have to let you stay slightly ahead and pass you in the final straightaway."
"Ha, go ahead and try!" I joked as I passed him.
Yusuke stayed hot on my heels as we went down one road and later turned into another, fairly easily outrunning passing cars. We darted quickly across a couple intersections before passing the Middle Creek High School sign. "Final sprint is to the overhang by the front circle!" I called and Yusuke nodded as we kept going. "No wait, to the bike rack so it doesn't look as weird when we suddenly appear in the middle of all those people." I decided and Yusuke nodded again to show he'd heard.
We were even now with the bike rack straight in front of us. Sticking my tongue out I suddenly lurched forward reaching out my hand and grabbing hold of the metal rail. "I win!" I declared, giving a playful victory sign.
"I was going easy on ya." Yusuke muttered.
"Sure…" I laughed as we started towards the doors. I was already aware of the stares I was getting but I was doing my best to ignore them. I was very self conscious about the ears and tail.
As I entered the school all noise suddenly ceased and all eyes were on me. I instinctively hid behind the only thing that wouldn't hide or stare: Yusuke. He jumped at first when I clung to his arm hiding slightly behind him but allowed it as he too noticed there was not a single person who didn't have their attention focused on me.
"Shit, trouble already…" He muttered before staring fiercely around at students and teachers alike. "Hey, if you have a problem with her why don't you take it up with me?" He screamed and everyone turned quickly away from his harsh glares. He turned cheerfully back to me and said, "Well, where to first?"
"Umm…" I started. "We're still really early so let's look for some of my friends." I released Yusuke's arm and went straight, then turning right past the cafeteria and soda machines and down another hall to the left. I continued down it past the bathrooms and followed its length until I came to a narrower hall leading to a room.
"This doesn't look like a very friendly part of the school…" Yusuke muttered.
"Well how would you know? Have you ever been to your school's band room?" I asked and he just shrugged and turned away. I smiled and shook my head, slightly cringing as I neared the doors because of the loud drum beats echoing in my ears.
Yusuke noticed. "What's wrong? Should we head back?"
"No, it's ok. Those drums are just a little loud. I haven't gotten used to them yet." I assured him before entering the room. Nobody even looked up for I entered the room without a sound and everyone was in little groups just talking and having a good time. I looked around for a moment before turning to smile at Yusuke and then walking towards a small group of three people. "Hey." I called as I tapped two of them on the shoulders.
They turned, about to respond, but froze as they saw me. Before they could cry out I placed a finger over my lips and behind me Yusuke's glaring also helped with keeping them quiet. "K-Kira?" One of them, Courtney asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, like the new look?" I teased.
"What happened to you?" The other, Chelsea cried out.
"Shh, please try not to let the others notice me. They haven't yet…" I pleaded. "You should've seen the looks I got as I walked in the building!"
"I can't imagine why." Chelsea laughed, looking me over. "But really, what did happen?"
"Well, that's a really long story if I go into detail so I'll give ya'll a simplified version. I was separated from my real family over five hundred years ago and every around ten years I'd die of some disease until my brother and these guys…" I paused to point at Yusuke. "…Found me and gave me the cure. They picked me up from the hospital and changed me back to my real form, which is this, and they gave me all the power I've accumulated over the years and now here I am!" I finished, laughing at their unbelieving faces. "It's true you know."
"Can I…?" Courtney asked reaching out.
I rolled my eyes teasingly. "Sure, why not?"
Courtney's fingers found my ears and she touched one gently, pulling sharply back as it twitched. Suddenly she grabbed hold and pulled hard, causing me to cry out. "Ow! That hurts!"
"S-sorry, I thought they'd be fake." Courtney whispered.
I shook my head, holding its side. "Can we please leave this room? It's hurting my head and if we do I'll explain more to you. Oh, and I brought pictures!" I laughed, waving the pictures from my world traveling around in a plastic bag. My dad had gotten them developed while I was gone.
"What? You'd show them first instead of me?"Yusuke cried as he snatched them from my hand.
"Hey, give those back!" I yelled but he already had them out and was looking through them.
Suddenly he paused, his eyes widening and then with a smirk spreading across his face, he turned to me. "What are these?" He asked slyly as he held out two pictures.
My face turned bright red as I saw what they were. "No, don't!" I tried to grab them from him but he waved them high over his own head as he was already taller than me. I could grow shorter, not taller so I couldn't reach. "No fair!"
He placed a hand on my head, forcing me lower as he leaned towards my friends. "Wanna see?" He smirked.
I screamed as Courtney and Chelsea quickly took the pictures and looked at them as Yusuke held me back. They both glanced at me with shocked faces and then stared back at the pictures.
I growled and jumped up, causing Yusuke to topple backwards as I snatched back the pictures with a crimson face but the damage was already done. These were the two pictures that I had meant to take out of the bunch but had forgotten. The first was off Dark, planting his surprise kiss and the second was of me and Gojyo when we had fallen asleep leaning on each other. There were some others but they weren't as bad.I clamped a hand over my face and stared at the ground as the other three watched me.
Chelsea snatched the pictures back and examined them further. "Is this the shy Kira I thought I knew?" Courtney asked.
"They look older than you, especially the red haired guy!" Chelsea added.
"But they were accidents!" I cried. "Dark got me while we were posing for the picture and Gojyo was sitting beside me when I fell asleep!"
Courtney jumped at the names. "I knew they looked familiar! Wait… what?" She asked in shock. She had also read the books that I knew the guys from.
I sighed. "Give me them and I'll explain." Hesitantly the pictures were handed back and I slipped them carefully in my pocket before looking at the others. "I was captured and sent to another world by a guy named Akumei. I know I have a picture of him somewhere…" I muttered, sorting through the photos. "Ah! Found it." I said, holding it up and continuing as Chelsea took it. "He sent me to another world and kept transporting me until I ended back up in my own. He has no control over where I go so it was all a game of chance. I think Courtney knows most of the people I met during my world hopping." I joked. I went through the pictures one by one, showing Courtney, Chelsea and Yusuke who each person was.
As we stood staring at the pictures a bell rang out signaling that we were to head to our classes. "Well, I'm going to chance going to class like this…" I said, smiling nervously as I gathered up my pictures again. We bid each other goodbye and all went our separate ways as I studied my schedule and looked around. "This way…" I said uncertainly as Yusuke and I started off.
We reached the science room just as the one minute bell rang and I shivered lightly. "I'm suddenly scared…" I whispered.
"Of what?" Yusuke asked.
"Their reactions…"
"If anyone messes with you know that I'm here to watch your back." Yusuke grinned, clenching his fist.
I laughed lightly. "Thanks." I turned and took a deep breath, slowly walking into my classroom. I flinched under the sudden stares I got and walked along the small tables, looking for one with my name. I stopped when I found it and looked at who I was next to. Great, I sighed. It's someone I know. It was a boy who I had two classes with last year, Allan. I smiled lightly as I sat down and then laid my head on my desk.
"I know you… Don't I?" I heard him ask and Ilooked up, nodding.
"Yeah, we had printing graphics and art together…"
"You look a lot different." He joked nervously.
"I underwent a surprise transformation." I said simply before hiding my face in my arms again.
The class went by quickly with almost no more interruptions though I kept my head down, ears drooping slightly, as I felt eyes constantly on me. When the bell rang, signaling us to leave for our next class, three of my good friends who all had science with me caught up with me before I could leave. They showered me with questions but I only told them as much as I had told Allan which wasn't a lot. "I'm going to write everything out eventually so I won't have to keep telling it over and over. Instead I'll just email you the story." I promised as we split ways in the hall.
I went to my right and then turned right again to the classroom hidden in the slight extension of the hall. The teacher was standing outside his room and stopped to stare at me as I approached. He knew me from his class last year, printing graphics one. Now I was starting yearbook with him. He cracked an uneasy joke and I told him the same thing I had just told my three friends, about writing it all down, and proceeded into the classroom.
I sat down on the half of the room where less people were and waited to see if someone I knew would come in. Finally a girl I've known for forever, Jackie, entered and stopped short, staring at me. I laughed uneasily and beckoned her to come closer.
She sat down in the seat beside me and blinked a few times. Just as she opened her mouth to speak another friend of mine, Jordan, came over and screamed out, "Holy shit, Kira. What happened?"
I felt my face turn red as all eyes turned towards me and said in a quiet voice. "I've transformed."
"What does that mean?" Jackie asked.
"It means I'm not really a human and I never was supposed to be." I answered.
"Well what does that mean?" Jordan yelled.
"I'm going to write it all down and if you manage to read it all, you'll know all about me. Hmm… That's not really safe, is it?" I laughed lightly, trying to break the tension.
The teacher came in and stopped everything as he explained stuff to us about being in yearbook class. After that we spent the rest of the class talking and had just I gotten Jackie and Jordan to start acting normal around me when the bell rang to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow probably." I smiled as we split up in the hall.
I looked at my schedule realizing I had lunch next and went left and down the hall before turning right once I reached the front doors. I ended up in the cafeteria and stood clueless in the middle of the room, staring around. My ear twitched and I spun around to see Courtney walking towards me. I ran up to her and laughed. "Yes, we have lunch together!"
She laughed and nodded before we headed towards a partly empty table. Other friends of Courtney's joined us later and after the initial shock of seeing me, we all settled down and began to eat.
Finally another bell rang and we ceased our talking to head up the stairs to our classrooms. I crossed to the other side of the school and went down to the end of the hallway to a classroom. I found a seat quickly in the back of the room and sat slumping low. Soon another person I knew entered, Asia. He saw me and his mouth momentarily dropped before he crossed over to me and sat down beside me. I told him the same thing as everyone else that I was going to write it all down and he would know then. Another boy named Mike and a girl named Stephanie sat around me as well and we became fast friends, despite my appearance.
After that class ended I headed to my last of the day, Spanish. I walked into the classroom and sat down near the back of the class, flinching as I saw the teacher. She stared at me, eyes wide in shock and spoke. "Please, take off that costume and we'll begin class."
I heard the class snicker behind me and blushed lightly. "I can't, it's not a costume." I replied quietly.
"Then…?" She started in surprise.
I paused and then spoke. "I'll tell you about it but I don't want this whole class to know all about me. Mind if we speak in Spanish?" I asked. She looked shocked but nodded and I proceeded in explaining everything in perfect Spanish, not messing up once. I did have the gift of language after all!
As I finished I asked her, "Since I already know fluent Spanish, can I kind of skip out on some of the stuff? I'll take every quiz and complete every worksheet though…" I added quickly. I finally got her to agree and went to an open seat in the second to back row and laid my head down.
I had achieved my goal of blocking out the teacher's voice and was almost asleep when someone grabbed my tail and pulled hard. "Hey!" I shouted in a whisper as I whirled around, pausing when I saw who it was.
"I thought it would be fake." The boy, Josh, laughed at me.
"No, it's not so please don't pull on it." Instead of listening Josh reached up and lightly pulled on an ear, watching it twitch.
"I guess that's not either." He said.
I blushed lightly and nodded as I stared at the boy beside him. He just stared back with wide eyes. "Umm… hi." I smiled. "I'm Kira.
"I'm Austin." He replied slowly.
I grinned slightly before turning back around and laying my head down again but I was soon interrupted. My ear twitched and I looked up in time to see a paper airplane fly smoothly over my head. I watched the teacher but she didn't notice. Another one swiftly followed and then another after that. I jumped as something hard hit the board and the teacher finally turned around from her writing. Everyone in the class quieted down as she scanned everyone before turning back around. As soon as she did another airplane soared through the air accompanied by a few spit balls. I suppressed a giggle as I turned to Josh. He was shaking with silent laughter.
After many more disturbances the class finally ended and we all filed quickly out. I wondered down the stairs and headed slowly towards outside, meeting up with random people I knew along the way.
I stood outside for a while waiting for someone to come get me and noticing all the others gradually leaving. I turned as someone approached me and smiled at him slightly. "Hey, I know you." He said.
It was a boy who was in my art class last year. "I think I know you too." I laughed.
"I'm Ryan." He said and I replied with, "I'm Kira." We began talking and quickly warmed up to each other. I was grateful that the only thing he did was touch my ear once and then forget about them.
Someone touched my shoulder lightly and I whirled around to see Yusuke staring at me slowly. "Sorry I'm late." He smirked. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah." I said happily before turning to Ryan. "I'll see you here tomorrow, ok?" He nodded and I turned and started walking away with Yusuke. "How could you be late?" I asked.
He just shrugged. "I forgot about you."
I froze and stared at him. "How could you just forget about me?" I asked feeling crushed.
He laughed at my reaction. "Ha, I didn't really. I just wanted to let you have some time to meet up with old friends and stuff."
I recovered and smiled. "Oh, thanks then." We continued walking, soon growing bored and sprinting in a race to get back first.
This time we ended in a dead even tie and as we burst through the door everyone stared at us. I looked up uneasily. "Hi everyone." I said, flinching under their stares.
"How was your first day?" My mom asked hesitantly.
"It went ok. Not too many people questioned it and my friends all took it well." I said with a satisfied smile.
"Alright." Kurama said, getting to his feet. "Time for training."
I stared at him for a moment. "What?"
"Your training is the most important above everything, even school. You're lucky we're allowing you to go. If you were training under Gen Kai there's no way you would have so much freedom." Kurama explained.
"You got that right." Yusuke mumbled in agreement.
I couldn't find an argument against this and agreed to go outside with Kurama. It was about three in the afternoon when we started.
Yusuke arrived on the scene at around ten. He smirked as he leaned against a tree to watch. Kurama lashed the rose whip at me and I leapt to the side. It followed me and I flipped around in midair and waved my hand, leaving a neon green shield in its wake. The whip hit and fell back and I quickly made a shield just around my hand and grabbed the end. Kurama was caught off guard and I held my hand, palm flat towards him. A blast the size of my hand exploded out and Kurama dived to the ground to avoid it. Meanwhile I snatched up the whip and held it wound about my shielded hand. I advanced slowly until I was standing over him yet out of reach. Kurama sat up slowly and raised his hands. "Alright, you win." He laughed. "Good work."
"Thank you." I said proudly before turning to Yusuke who was coming up behind me. "It's not nice to sneak up on people." I said, sticking my tongue out.
He froze and scratched the back of his head. "You're no fun." He laughed. "But I was sent to tell you that your mom's getting worried. You've been out here for seven hours now."
I shook my head as I handed Kurama his rose whip. "Really? Time sure does fly…" I said with a grin.
The three of us headed back to the house where I accepted a small meal and did the little bit of homework I had received on my first day. Next I headed up to my room and collapsed into my bed. I sighed and willed myself to stand. "Why is the pain always a delayed reaction?" I muttered to myself as I began to slip out of my training clothes. I jumped as someone knocked on my door and quickly threw my shirt back on. "Come in…" I sighed.
I was surprised to see Hiei slip in, shutting the door behind him. "What are you doing?" He asked.
I shrugged. "I was getting ready for bed."
"You don't have time to sleep, the tournament's this July." Hiei said.
"But if I'm going to school then I'll need rest first!" I complained.
Hiei shook his head. "No, if you can't handle the night and day training you shouldn't go at all. As Kurama said, training is important above all else." Hiei smirked.
I bowed my head and agreed, trudging slowly behind him and grabbing my sword on the way out of my room. We exited the house quietly to not disturb others who were asleep as it was nearing midnight.
We slipped silently through the trees until Hiei stopped suddenly. "Let's practice here today."
I paused and looked around. "But there's no clearing, just trees everywhere!" I exclaimed.
He nodded. "I know. That will make it harder." With that he drew his sword and lunged at me. Used to his sudden attacks, I slipped mine out as well, jumping back at the clanking of metal. He disappeared and drifted around the trees, circling me until he was able to charge my back. I caught his scent and blocked him once more, catching his coat with my claws. I ripped the strips of cloth from my claws with my teeth and leapt from tree to tree after him. We continued fighting in this way until the sun peeked slowly down on us. I froze, crying out as Hiei's sword almost got me. "You let your guard down." He smirked.
"But the sun's up! That means I have to go to school with no sleep!" I cried.
"Or you could quit." Hiei suggested.
I shot him a cold look before limping slowly towards my house with Hiei following close behind. The sun was just going up so I snuck past my mom who was busy making people get ready, and headed to my room. I urged myself to change into baggy black pants with a fairly tight black t-shirt and washed my face. I entered my room again and went straight to my bed, falling instantly face first into sleep.
I was awoken just a few minutes later as someone shook my shoulder. I winced and lifted my head. "You're going to be late." Hiei smirked.
"Yeah, yeah…" I groaned, forcing myself to my feet. My ears drooped low as I staggered down the stairs with Hiei close behind. I grabbed my lunch from my mom and grabbed my book bag, saying goodbye on the way out. Pausing, I turned to Hiei who was still behind me. "What are you doing?" I asked with a yawn.
He glared and looked away. "Since I kept you up all night it's my turn to take you to school and back." He muttered.
I just nodded and kept wobbling forward, stumbling every now and then. The two of us made it all the way to the road just across the street from our school's sign before I collapsed, holding my head with closed eyes.
Hiei quickly ran over to me, crouching at my side. "Are you ok?" He asked.
I blinked a few times and released my head. "Yeah, I just got dizzy…" I whispered.
His smirk returned as he replied. "Not a morning person?"
"What do you think?" I said with a glare before standing and darting across the street. We made it to the school with no mishaps and we parted at the front doors. I headed to class and he headed back to the house I wished I was sleeping in.
We ended up not doing much in biology so I slept a lot in there and managed to stay partly awake in yearbook. Lunch passed by as usual and so did civics and then I slept through Spanish, making small, personal shields every time a flying object almost hit me.
The one thing people kept bugging me about was my arms. I hadn't taken the time to wash them before I had left home and they were caked with dried blood from the sword training. I got permission to go to the bathroom and clean up in between naps during biology but the cuts were still very obvious. It freaked a lot of people out as they thought I was cutting myself but I reassured them with a laugh however I was still too tired to heal myself. I decided to let them heal naturally which would happen by tomorrow at the latest.
Again I was outside talking to Ryan when Hiei appeared to walk me back. We went slowly in silence and as soon as I entered the house Yusuke steered me back out and into the woods. I bit back the tears of frustration as we began our training.
Yusuke ran at me and I leapt to the side, swiping at him with tensed claws. He jumped back, landing a kick in my side as he did so. I braced myself, sliding across the ground but staying on my feet. I ran quickly towards him and saw him preparing to throw a punch. As he let it go I leapt to his side, slamming my own fist hard into his stomach. He fell to one knee clutching it but quickly recovered and looked up at me. "What are you so worked up about?" He asked with a laugh.
"Nothing!" I growled.
"Ok then…" Yusuke muttered as he struck at me again and our training resumed.
As night fell I was allowed to return to the house and have a quick snack before quickly doing my homework. Tonight I had time to update my site with another picture and then get on Gaia for a moment. I managed to enter a submission to join a role playing guild before I was marched back outside again.
The days followed pretty much like that for the next nine weeks. I would go to school with maybe an hour of sleep at most and end up getting another hour and a half during Spanish. I'd come home only to be brought back outside to train and then allowed back in at nightfall to do homework and get a snack and a bit of computer time. Then I'd go back outside with someone different and work more. I'd get about an hour or less of sleep and then be up again for school. And that is how the pattern went.
One Saturday night I could be found sitting on the computer. I had been there since they had allowed me in for training which was a few hours ago. Hiei came up behind me and looked over my shoulder at what I was doing but I ignored him, knowing he couldn't read it. I did blush slightly though since I was currently in the guild I had applied to. I had been accepted and had paired with another character there. I was playing as myself yet not telling that it's how I really was. Currently his character and mine were on the beach together enjoying some quiet time. Hiei soon grew bored of watching me type and demanded that I go out and practice. I told the person online that I had to go and left without protest, hoping that if I listened well I'd be able to enjoy more free time on the computer.
After a few months of following this strict schedule it was already December 23rd, the last day before Christmas break. The day passed quickly as all we did was take two exams and then headed out the door. I talked excitedly with friends about winter break before Kurama showed up to take me back. He laughed as I shivered and offered me the coat he had brought. I smiled and gratefully took it, wrapping it tightly around myself as we hurried home.
"So…" I started hesitantly. "I get Christmas Eve and Christmas day off right?"
Kurama just smiled and answered with, "we'll see."
I entered the house to drop off my book bag and headed straight back outside to Kurama where he led us to the woods for training. After a while I was able to strip off the jacket and still feel fine.
As night fell Yusuke came and took over and we proceeded without stopping. Around one AM I was growing tired and blinked constantly to keep the sleep from my eyes. Yusuke noted this and laughed. "What's wrong, getting tired?"
I looked over at him sleepily. "Well what would you do if you were kept up until at least five AM every night and still had to get up for school?" I yawned as I took the jacket back and wrapped it about myself again.
Yusuke shook his head and smiled, helping me back to the house. I staggered up the stairs, stripped down, put on new clothes, washed up, and then fell face first into my bed. I shivered slightly, muttering about the cold as I slipped under the covers.
I awoke the next morning, jumping as I saw my alarm clock. It was after ten! Jolting from my bed I ran downstairs still in my pajamas, freezing as I saw everyone feasting on pancakes and waffles. Kurama looked up at me and smiled. "Merry Christmas Eve." He said.
I stared for a second before recovering and giving a smile and a nod in return. I sat down at an empty seat and ate one waffle before heading to the computer. Once there I updated my site and then went to Gaia so I could raid the art freebies thread. I scored a ton of free art of my avatar and of my real self. I was finally able to take the time to play with Gaia fishing, the first game ever added to the site. I was a beginner and it was fairly obvious but I enjoyed it anyway. Next I figured out the wonders of caroling on Gaia. At the fifth non player character you visited you would get a gift that you couldn't open until Christmas day. I managed to gather a full set and then explored Gaia kissing. The rules were you click a player's avatar and then you could kiss them but it only lasted until New Years.
Finally caught up with all things Gaia, I headed back to otaku to mess with my website. I visited all the people who had signed my guestbook and put up all the drawings I had sketched out in my littlebit of spare time onto the fan art section of the site. I also made it to every person who was on my friend's list and managed to leave comments at each of their sites. I then wasted even more time checking out other people's fan art.
Finally beginning to grow bored of those places, I headed over to quizilla and made a few more parts of my story quiz I had slowly been working on. I requested drawings to use as result images for future quizzes as well.
Then my mom called us and we all packed and got ready to head to my aunt's house. Once there we had a Christmas lunch and then opened a few presents. I got the CD Chuck by Sum 41 which made me really happy. I put my headphones perched precariously on my head and sat on the couch listening to it.
Eventually I got bored of that too and started wondering around the house. I found Hiei who had followed to keep an eye on me, and begged until he agreed to go out and train with me. I let my mom know where I was going and we headed out to the fields surrounding my aunt's house. I was freezing but soon warmed up as our training commenced.
Towards nightfall, my cousins stumbled upon us and watched amazed as our swords clashed. Hiei noticed and stopped so I headed back inside with them. Soon afterwards we headed back home and after a couple more hours spent talking to people online I headed to bed early.
The next morning I was awoken fairly early to the noise of excited siblings. It was Christmas morning. I stumbled out of my warm bed and shivered slightly as I went downstairs. We opened our presents and I got a few more CDs and a game for the Nintendo DS we had just gotten as well.
Very quickly I grew bored of this and went to play with the dogs and wish them a merry Christmas too. Then I got on Gaia once more to open the presents I had been collecting to find several Christmas items. I put them on and proceeded in talking to people there.
Finally I rose and we packed up to leave for Hickory to visit my dad's side of the family. The whole three hour drive was spent looking out the window with the headphones crooked on top of my head. We got there and had Christmas lunch and then hung out around the house. I talked Yusuke, who had been chosen to accompany me this time, into taking me into the woods to train and we did that until my mom began calling for us after nightfall.
I went into the family room with Nick and my cousin Andrew and we watched Adult Swim until late when I went downstairs and scooted onto an air mattress beside Jack and quickly fell asleep.
The next morning I got Yusuke to train with me again all day until it was time to leave and we piled into the car for another miserable three hour ride home.
After that things went back to normal with my training all day and night except for a few hours but I was allowed another break for New Years. School started soon after and things fell once again back into routine. The one new thing was that instead of biology, civics and Spanish, I started up English, geometry, and creative writing so I had to get all those new people used to me. Josh was once again in my class, this time beside me in math. Courtney was finally in English with me and Jackie was now in yearbook and math. I quickly met people in writing so I wasn't alone in there for long either.
The semester passed by quickly until May finally came and school was released for summer break. I bid everyone goodbye, knowing that the deadly tournament was drawing ever closer.
