Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or its characters, that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi; nor do I own Tokyo Ghoul or its characters, that right belongs to Sui Ishida.

Kagome's body was sore. She had forgotten just how much went into training and practicing with a human body. Though, she was grateful right now for her sparring partner. It had taken her some cajoling to get them to capitulate and give in to being on the receiving end of the sword. Especially after they had felt what it did when her powers were pushed into it. But that wasn't the purpose of this training. No, it was re-teaching her tiny little body to have the muscle memory to be able to use the sword adeptly.

She was panting as she put the shoved the point of the blade into the ground and stared up at Yomo. Who had his Kagune retracting back into his body. He was a slave driver, but that was what she needed right now. It was summer vacation right now in her second year of elementary school. And as long as she maintained her grades (not hard) and didn't talk back to her teacher, or correct her, Yomo had agreed to train her. This was seemingly easy to do with her teacher being smart and understanding. Hell, the woman had the hots for Yomo. Something Kagome found hilarious.

"What is so amusing?"

Blinking and having the decency to blush, Kagome dropped her head. She knew he was an introvert. That he didn't like to socialize with other people much. His group of trusted people was indeed small, and that was how he wanted it.

"Oh... Uh... thinking how my teacher Miss Saiyaka likes you," she mumbled.

There was silence for a few very long seconds before she heard him sigh. That single sound told her more than his words ever could. Yomo didn't appreciate it when that topic was brought up. Kagome peeked at his aura and saw the swirl of colors indicating his shyness, embarrassment, and a secret. The last part had come more prominent in his aura in the previous month or so. But being the smart girl she was, Kagome didn't ask him. Because whatever it was, it was very important. And knew that when he was ready, he would share with everyone.

"Ready?" Yomo asked.

Giving a small nod of her head, Kagome relaxed and lifted her sword. Sliding her feet shoulder-width apart, Kagome focused her attention on him and watching him for even the smallest movement, while never taking her eyes from his. That was a lesson she learned quickly when she got knocked halfway across the walkway in the underground sewers beneath Anteiku. The fact he wasn't pulling out his Kagune right away was indicative he was most likely going to come in close to fight. And his hand to hand skills were deadly if he didn't hold back as much as he did.

Irimi sat there, patting at the scrapes and bruises on Kagome's arms and legs. It scared her that the girl was pushing herself so hard. And her not saying why she wanted to learn to use her sword didn't help matters at all. But she knew the girl after almost three years had more depth and reasoning than anyone would ever guess. Sweet-tempered (most times), strange and funny, helpful, and accepting, Irimi knew that she and Koma would fight to the death to protect this girl.

Thinking back on it, how they had both felt when Kuzen had brought her to Anteiku and announced that she would be living with them from now on had horrified and significantly angered them both. A human child. That was a bomb just waiting to go off. And Irimi still held to that, but in a different context now. Kagome had proven herself time and again that she wanted equality between them all.

So much so that she had done something that Irimi had never thought possible. Gave those here at Antieku a haven if they ever needed it. A place where no one could touch them but those that had been granted a similar privilege. A home. A sanctuary.

"Miss Irimi, are you alright?"

At Kagome's question, Irimi blinked and gave the girl a wide smile. She had the feeling that Kagome knew more or less where her train of thought had gone. It was downright scary at times how the girl just blurted out things that pertained to ones' thoughts that had not been voiced. Then again, anything about the girl was strange, even mysterious.

"Yes, just worried about you, girlie. And happy at the same time for all you have given," Irimi replied.

The stern look in Kagome's fathomless blue eyes as she smiled warmly back at her was all that Irimi needed to see to know that Kagome understood and would not push the subject anymore. The girl was an enigma.

Several sets of eyes watched the petite raven-haired child warily. The said child was staring, with eyes narrowed to thin slits of blue, at the calendar. The day after next was the first day back to school for the child. She was not looking forward to it. Her summer vacation was spent honing skills, extra supplement classes, and helping where she could in the Cafe. And for some reason, the ordinarily happy-go-lucky girl was upset about going back to school.

In a sense, all six adults understood a little of why she didn't want to go back. Her Aunt Ryouko had been rather happy that Kagome was going to stay through second grade before being bumped up to ninth grade after she completed her third-grade year. Even if they all knew that Kagome honestly didn't want to wait, they knew it was a slight insult to her intellect to be kept back to be socialized with kids her age. Though they all understood, it was vital for her to do that as well.

When Kagome huffed, fisting her hands and placing them on her hips. They wondered if she was trying to make the calendar burst into real flames as she continued to glare at it. She was making it seem like the calendar was the most offensive thing in the world. Which was rather amusing to the six adults as they watched her lift a tiny foot and slam it down and huff again. For them, it was just another day in the world of Kagome Higurashi, a strange child that brightened up their lives.

He stood there watching as Kagome, dressed in warm fall clothes, went about her duties on the shrine. Her prayers were done first, then the sweeping of the pathways to the shrine. Before going to the back of the house and cleaning up the make-shift graves, she had dug and marked for her deceased family, which was a point of contention for him. Leaving him slightly uncomfortable at knowing he was a part of the reason they had died.

"Uta, you can stop that right now. I forgave you. Everything in life happens for a reason. Whether driven by the Kami or not."

Uta started and stared wide-eyed at the tiny girl who shifted from one grave to the next in her cleansing of them. Shaking his head, still mystified at how she always did something like that. Halloween was coming up; he knew she enjoyed the holiday. He had been plotting with Itori and Irimi about making a costume for her.

When a sharp tug on his coat brought Uta from his thoughts, he looked down to see a curious Kagome looking at him. Giving a small shake of his head as he offered her his hand, which she took as he started to walk back around the house — hearing her hum softly a children's song. Reminding him for all the wisdom she seemed to have, she was a little kid. Strange and fascinating, but still a little kid.

After a few seconds more when she began to hum the second chorus, he joined in humming the song with her. Feeling her tiny hand squeezes his own. As if to give him comfort.

They all sat there, staring at the very red-faced Kagome. Who was staring blankly ahead, unseeing? What had caused her to be this spaced out had to be dangerous. She hadn't said a word when she walked into the Cafe — not waving in passing as she went straight upstairs. And with it being so busy due to the special they had going on for Valentine's Day, they couldn't go after her and see what was wrong.

Now, though, the Cafe was closed, and none of them wanted to speak up. Because before Kagome on the small coffee table, in one of the spare rooms set up as a meeting area, was her school books and paper. All unopened and untouched. Meaning that she had been sitting there for hours spaced out. They all were conversing silently with their eyes, trying to figure out who would be the one to poke the proverbial beast and find out what was wrong.

The moment the sound of the door leading from the Cafe to its upstairs opened, they all turned and looked to the entrance to the small room. Only to see Itori peek around the door frame and looked on curiously. They are causing the four in the room to smile widely and darkly at once and making the red-haired woman drawback before they shifted and pointed to the vacant Kagome.

Seeing concern instantly appear on Itoris' face, Yoshimura moved to the side and allowed her to come to stand by Kagome. Who didn't even register the woman's presence? Something that had the woman narrowing her eyes at the usually overly friendly, exuberant girl. When Itori's eyes widened, and she smiled widely before laughing, had them all wondering what they missed.

They watched as Itori reached out and poked Kagome's nose, something the girl hated, getting her attention. Itori lifted a hand and pointed at her lips then to Kagome's cheeks. This caused them to see Kagome's cheeks go a deep scarlet, and her head drops. A clear indicator of her being embarrassed, not that they couldn't suddenly smell it rolling off her.

Then like a time bomb finally going off as it registered in the four's mind what Itori had just silently asked Kagome and told them with her actions. Chaos ensued. With Irimi laughing happily that Kagome had gotten her first kiss, even if it was on the cheek. While the three men, Yoshimura, Koma, and Yomo, got defensive and protective of Kagome, growls and death threats muttered under their breaths, reminding all that Kagome was a very much loved and cherished child.

The day had finally come as Kagome stood there with her class and listened to the monotonous speech being given. This was the end of her second year in Elementary school. Only one more year of being stuck in elementary before she would be bumped up to the last year in middle school at age nine. From there, she could work at a more deliberate pace though she knew that with her being in 9th grade at 9 yrs of age, there was going to be a different set of problems.

Sighing as her name was called, Kagome walked across the stage, her Aunt Ryouko in the front row recording her graduation for those at Anteiku who couldn't come though she felt the presence of several other Ghouls in the gymnasium. That at least ten children in the whole school were Ghouls. She had sought them out and tried to befriend them. When they refused, she had backed off — not wanting to draw unwanted attention to herself.

Once she had her little placard with the paper that said she had officially completed Second Grade in hand, she turned, smiled happily for her Aunt and the camera — giving a thumbs up with her other hand. Later tonight, after the Cafe closed, there would be a party for her in celebration. Which she was pretty sure was due to her not having any commentary about being rude to her teacher. Personally, she liked Miss Saiyaka.

But the real prize for her was the knowledge she only had to make it through one more year before she could be in a place that might challenge her a little more. And start feeding her information about the happenings in the world around her via the gossip of her peers. That way, she could begin to figure out exactly what her purpose in this world was since she didn't trust the Kami's not to have a reason. Then again, she knew the Kami's were well aware of her bad habit of doing things her way; she served her will, not theirs.

TBC!