Notes:

Chapter Two: Humidity Is Rising

Cause' tonight for the first time

Just about half past ten

For the first time in history

It's gonna start rainin' men.

The Weather Girls - 'It's Raining Men' Lyrics

"Oh um, this is the student that's been very ill." Ayumi spoke up for them, which Kagome was happy for regardless, she was still fighting to find her breath. "I'm sorry professor but I think she wanted to get some books to work on homework and I was walking with her to her locker to see how she's been."

"Ayumi sure can be smooth when she wants." Kagome thought as she flickered her brown eyes between her friend and the pale man that apparently was one of the new professors. "Sorry Professor...I didn't want to get anyone in trouble."

"Kagome Higurashi...correct?" There was a slight drawl in his voice though it seemed vaguely sarcastic though the way he eyed her with his crimson gaze was astonishingly dominating as he glanced her over. "Very lovely. Yes, I recall hearing about you. I am Professor Ghaelon. You should return to the cafeteria...I require Ayumi's presence for a time."

"Um...sure." Kagome just managed not to stammer, her cheeks were already red again. She didn't wait, instead hurrying back toward the benches where she could look over her notes. Perhaps getting there a little early wouldn't be too awful if she had time to finish her math. She glanced over her shoulder where Ayumi seemed to be hanging on every word from the strange new professor. "Doesn't anyone realize how strange he looks?" Maybe it's a medical condition.

"""I thought he was a bit odd myself when I first met him. He is a fairly well informed instructor I've been told. Though guess some people wouldn't take a mythology teacher very seriously." The comments made Kagome jump a little, she hadn't realized anyone had returned to the cafeteria when she'd walked down the hall with Ayumi. There was a boy in the regular school uniform and he looked a lot like Hojo but he had violet eyes behind his glasses and his bangs fell a little differently around boyish features. His voice was a bit deep for his age but had a slight accent she couldn't place and he spoke very softly.

"Maybe contacts are just the new thing and I missed it." Kagome thought to herself as she pulled out a seat at the same table as him but a few chairs down on the opposite side. "Mythology. What happened to Professor Minasakin?"

"I guess they traded teacher slots with his previous school with him. Somewhere in Europe according to Ayumi. I think he has some sort of medical condition other than albinism to have such strange features. I've heard there are a few rare defects that make people have similar features." He explained as he looked at her intently, as if he was slowly considering her. "I apologize, my manners are rather poor at the moment it seems. I am Lezard Valeth."

He bowed slightly from his seat and Kagome returned the gesture with a smile. "I'm Kagome Higurashi. Ayumi mentioned you, she said you were from Germany I think."

"Indeed. I was a transfer student with one of the students here replacing me. Hojo something I think." He said with a dismissive shrug. "I thought it was a good opportunity to see more of the world."

"I hope you'll have a good time." Kagome smiled at him, at least he seemed nice and fairly normal minus the contacts. "Welcome to Japan."

"Hey glasses, you gonna hurry up so we can actually get something to eat before other people start arriving?" The voice was much harsher and also with a slight accent Kagome couldn't easily place. There was a underlying irritation, as if the fellow was always angry and just keeping himself in check. She found herself staring again as the boy approached the table.

If she hadn't just met an albino elf she might have considered him the strangest person she'd ever seen. He had brunette hair that was huge, it seemed like he walked right off the stage of a eighties rock band and into the uniform of the school. The tips of his strange style slowly went from the dark brown to a reddish brown to a blonde. Two long pony tails fell to either side of his head and all the way down to where they nearly drug the ground. He had the same scarlet eyes as the professor she'd just met but somehow they seemed far more sinister. She swallowed nervously as she watched.

"That has to be the one Ayumi said was kicked out of another school."

"You'll have to forgive Albel, he's not quite as refined as well...nearly any human really." Lezard's tone had dropped into a slightly less friendly one and he glanced at the angry seeming boy with a shrug. "I'm surprised you agreed to retrieve me."

"Feh." He snorted at the boy. "I just want something to eat...though I suppose I'll regret it once I see the wretched slop they'll probably offer. What the hell are you staring at bitch?"

Kagome swallowed again, averting her eyes to her mostly still un-worked on homework. "Um, nothing."

"No idea how right you are there." Lezard quipped in amusement. "Stop scaring the student body before they kick you out of this school too."

"Gimme a reason glasses. I'll make you the next bruised up fool that gets me transferred." The boy wandered back from where he came after the threat, though Kagome could vaguely feel a sense of murderous intent left in the boy's wake.

"Some people have no sense of etiquette. Don't worry Kagome...I won't let him do anything too stupid." Lezard patted her shoulder as he headed off as well...leaving her staring at math work that thankfully distracted her before too much longer.

It wasn't until she'd nearly finished that she realized people had arrived around her and a light roar was coming from the bigger crowd of students. At least she'd had the time to finish her homework...though as she looked around she realized no one else had really sat at her table but one boy toward the end of it that looked as if he was annoyed by something. He had short brown hair and blue eyes, thankfully compared to most he looked pretty normal but she didn't recognize him so he must have been another of the new students. He was very tall and handsome and had a superior aire around him, she was coming across that a lot lately...

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't notice you sit down before." She said once he looked at her, offering a slightly sheepish smile for staring. "I'm Kagome Higurashi."

He stared at her for a long moment, she wasn't really certain if he was going to reply but finally he nodded vaguely and looked back down the hall toward where she knew one of the clocks was. "Seto Kaiba."

"The rich guy." She was trying to remember everything Ayumi said. It probably wasn't the best thing to say. "I mean um...Ayumi was telling me about things and..."

"You could describe me that way." He interrupted, as if unconcerned by any apology she was about to give. "Surprised you hadn't heard of me."

"Well...I'm out sick a lot." Kagome explained with a shrug. "Welcome to Inaho."

"Mmmm." The nonchalant noise seemed very unimpressed...though he was staring at her....

"Why does everyone keep staring at me? Is there something stuck in my hair or a booger hanging out of my nose or something?" Kagome blushed and rushed away as the bell rang before she said anything else...she needed to check herself in the mirror before she headed to her homeroom. "Nothing. I look okay today. There are some circles under my eyes cause I hardly got any sleep...but I don't look that bad. Why then?..."

She didn't have a lot of time to contemplate, she couldn't be late after getting to school so early, it would eat at her for weeks if she was. She had to fight to keep from failing as it was...she didn't need anymore issues.

Though she doubted as she headed into her homeroom class that the end of issues would happen anytime soon. Things had been apparently rearranged sense the last time she attended. Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were all there, but Hojo had been replaced by the boy called Lezard. Thankfully he'd at least been pretty polite. Though she felt the sinister controlled savageness of Albel before she laid eyes on the boy she knew was dangerous. She tore her eyes away quickly from his when she noticed him looking back at her. Who else was there?

Seto had walked off and seemed to be in another homeroom, there were some other strange students she didn't recognize but she didn't have time to sit and stare she had to head to her seat. The teacher wasn't there yet but she liked for the class to already be seated and ready by the time the bell rang - even if it didn't happen much.

"What the matter with you?" The voice was the last one of the ones there she wanted to hear...god...did he sit in front of her? "Not staring now. Have a issue with me?"

"No...I just need to look over my work." Kagome answered, surprised that she didn't stutter, he made her amazingly nervous. The feeling was almost sickening...

"Wouldn't you have to have something to look at..." He commented with a shake of his head. "Another weakling then...might as well start shivering...tch..."

He snorted and glanced away from her just before she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She wasn't unaware of the fact the whole class had gone quiet. "God, not good, what now?"

She dug at her bag to pull out the notebook she needed, maybe she could pretend to look over her English homework for first period and they'd leave her alone. More gossip she wouldn't need...

"Perhaps you should leave the girl alone if you consider her beneath you Albel." The soft spoken voice had a underlying edge that Kagome could pick out. Lezard had apparently come to her aid.

"Butt out glasses." The boy replied with a smirk. "Or lose a hand, maybe an arm."

"There a problem here? Take your seat would you Student Valeth. Turn around Nox and stop being an antagonist. Kagome only recently got over her illness, she doesn't need you threatening her." Another voice she didn't recognize. She glanced up out of natural reaction.

The gentleman was likely in his early thirties but he was handsome still, his hair was long for a professor but it was a coppertone cinnamon color that was unlike anything else she'd seen...though the surreal was quickly becoming the common today. He had red eyes like some of the other new staff and student body but unlike the other two of demon eyed individuals he had a smile on his face.

Lezard's hand left her shoulder before the teacher had even finished his statement and she heard him walking away, Albel shrugged a bit and scoffed as he turned around. "I wasn't threatening her...glasses on the other hand might lose a limb..."

"Nox. Detention." The teacher didn't stop smiling as he gave the order. "We hadn't had a chance to meet yet Kagome. Are you all right?"

"Fine." Kagome lied. She was so completely not fine. She didn't recognize so much of the world around her now...it was unsettling. She didn't even have the same teacher now? How much was everything different? She'd only been sick for a couple weeks the last time.

The teacher had returned to talking about general news which included the fact that he was replacing their old homeroom teacher for a while with a trade between another school. He was Professor Jade Curtiss. Something she'd already guessed when he interrupted the boys fighting. The news continued and it should have been a common morning activity...but she couldn't get her mind off of the frightening boy. So many months left of him sitting right in front of her... hat was a pretty sobering thought, maybe being sick wasn't too bad after all...but she couldn't afford to miss anymore class...she'd already failed some of her exams.

"Wow Kagome...that was scary..." Eri leaned over to speak to her friend when the teacher wandered off to leave them to work on the project for the day. "...that guy scares me too...I think he definitely should be at some sort of school for delinquents...before he really does hurt someone."

"I just hope he doesn't wanna mess with me anymore." Kagome answered honestly. "I'm glad the teacher came in."

"Seriously." Ayumi joined in, Yuka was still busy finishing the homework from the weekend cause she hadn't finished the last couple questions so she was missing out on the girl's gossip session. "I wonder why Lezard stood up for you. Maybe he's really replaced Hojo and he likes you...he never talks in class otherwise."

"Shhh Ayumi." Kagome hissed. "Maybe he was just being nice."

"Well, hopefully he won't end up being hurt by the guy...he seemed pretty annoyed that Lezard said anything." Eri commented with a apprehensive look on her face. "You should thank him later for helping like that. It was very nice."

"Heroic even...I don't think anyone else in class would have done it. Cept maybe Hojo if he would have still been here. I think Hojo might have taken a swing though." Ayumi commented with a frown. "Just as well he's trading with someone else I guess. I wonder how long the transfer will last."

"You know more about that stuff than most of us. If you don't know probably no one else does either." Kagome commented, which Ayumi seemed to take as a compliment as she grinned.

"We should get back to work though so maybe we won't have to worry about homework." Eri commented with a small laugh at Ayumi's reaction.

Talking to and working with her friends made Kagome able to relax a little bit and slowly she was starting to get back into the swing of things. The hour seemed to pass in no time and when the bell rang the group smiled and parted ways. They didn't have another class together until fourth period when they had gym together. She meanwhile had to head to history and math...history was the only class she was still having good marks in. Apparently she was just a natural...

There was only Seto to be strange in her history class and he was quiet enough that it wasn't a big deal. None of the other new students seemed to be in her math course so by the time fourth period rolled around she'd begun to return to a sense of normalcy.

That was until she'd dressed for the track outside and realized that most of the strange new students seemed to have the same session of track as she and the rest of her friends...to include the boy that she was starting to think might become her personal nightmare...

"Okay okay everyone calm down." The teacher was right behind them and ready to get things going. He eyed his sheet. "Okay today we need to do checks on how you are coming along. We'll be doing the run first. You have a few minutes to stretch and pair off. We'll start soon."

"Man, I feel sorry for the guy that has to pair off with Albel." Yuka commented as the group of four girls paired up as Yuka/Kagome and Ayumi/Eri. The rest of them nodding as they all started to stretch. "So sense it's gonna be too cold to go out much soon, wanna head down to the beach this weekend. We can do a girls weekend together...if you are feeling up for it Kagome."

Kagome nodded a little. "If I'm feeling okay and I don't have homework...I have so much to do to catch up."

"Yeah, we know." Eri offered with a understanding glance. "Hopefully we can, maybe just Saturday."

"I don't know if I can go anyway." Yuka commented. "Keigo asked me out..."

"What!" Ayumi jumped on that. Apparently she hadn't already known. "When?"

Yuka was blushing already and Kagome had to smile at her friends as she joined them in the boy talk. It was good to be feeling well for the first time in a while. Maybe she'd be able to go with them on Saturday. She had said she'd try to get tutoring on Sunday with Ishida so she'd rather not just leave him hanging, and she had to return his jacket.

It wasn't until they'd gotten to running that the more comfortable feeling passed, she was running pretty well for how sick she usually was, though the teacher had told her to keep things at her own pace and not worry if she didn't make the normal time she was doing better than some of the students that hadn't missed at all.

It was whenever Albel was nearby that she just felt her hairs stand on him...there was something just...malevolent about him...and she didn't know why she felt that way but it was as if she could just sense evil in him. It was almost silly of her to feel that way but she couldn't help it. He was super fast...it was frightening how quick he was...she wasn't doing poorly and he lapped her twice before the end!

Lezard hadn't run at all, so maybe he wasn't feeling well...a lot of the others did but no one ever seemed that happy about it. Thankfully Albel didn't bother her anymore and they moved onto sit-ups and push-ups. She really didn't miss gym but as she was feeling well enough to do better than a couple of her own friends so she felt bad complaining.

"Geez Kagome." Eri breathed as she finished her own sit-ups, rubbing her belly uncomfortably. "Do you work out at home when you are sick or something?"

"No." Kagome rubbed her head sheepishly. "I'm just feeling really good today...guess it's just luck for me Eri, sorry."

"Naw, I'm just messing with you. I'm glad to see that you are feeling so much better." Eri laughed as she hugged her friend. "That Albel is a fiend."
"Sure is." Yuka agreed as she finished reporting her numbers. "I don't think it's human to run that fast."

"Shhh." Eri hissed as she went to report her own numbers, Kagome was getting that sinking feeling.

"Hey shivers." Albel's voice almost made her jump. Kagome barely turning to look at him, he looked a bit silly with that hairstyle in the gym uniform...but the brutal ambience around him kept even a smile from her face. "For a weakling you run faster than most of these fools. Want to bring me as your date this weekend when you all go hanging out?"

"Uh...what?" Kagome blinked slowly. "Did he just ask me out?"

"You were talking about meeting on Saturday right? The meet for kendo was canceled cause of the school burning down...you already have a date?" He was still aggressive even in asking her out...she didn't know at all how to react to it.

"I don't know if I'll even be able to go...I'm behind in a lot of classes." She managed to say, it was at least something...

"Come on shivers...live a little." He smirked darkly at her and leaned forward, before she could react he'd kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear before wandering off toward the instructor.

She knew her cheeks had returned to the deep rose that they so often held that day. The class was already staring to whisper but she was still worried about just what the scary boy was thinking about when he'd whispered to her.

"I'll be good I promise...just for you."

End Chapter

Whew, that was a fun chapter. I enjoyed it a lot actually. To give a list of things so people know to where they belong: Ghaelon - Lunar 1 and 2 (love those games but they are older), Lezard Valeth - Valkyrie Profile 1 and 2 (those too), Albel Nox - Star Ocean: Til the End of Time (the most recent of the games), Seto Kaiba - Yugioh (anime), Ishida Ururu (or Uryuu...whichever one it is) - Bleach (anime), Jade Curtiss - Tales of the Abyss (game, more recent). There are more I'm planning to add as I go and suggestions are welcome but stuff I'm not familiar with I don't like to write cause I don't want to get things wrong.

-Aura

P.S. I was listening to the 'rainin' men' song when I finally decided to do this fiction.

To my reviewers:

Shrine Keeper - Did Genis have red eyes? I don't remember. I never played the original Tales of Symphonia, just the second one for the Wii...any characters in particular? I don't know it well so I'll have to really think about it. I haven't seen Ouran High School Club yet but I might soon. I did label the people that have come in so far though ;) I recommend all of the games for sure.

Traitor-Hero - Nice guess but I don't think he has red eyes either.

Lovelywitch - This is sorta a harem styled thing I think. It is a really comical idea for me with as often as I see (and write myself) Kagome with all sorts of crossover. I am also a Seto fangirl.

Kage Otome - Thank you. It's sorta difficult to write some of the interaction and I figure it might not last much longer before some sort of physical altercation happens.