I do not own InuYasha (though I certainly wished I did) just the characters and the plot and, of course, the idea. Enjoy! :)

No reviews this time around but I'm okay with that. My muses demanded that I put this chapter out before any could arrive. As a matter of fact, the muses don't seem to care whether I want reviews or not. *sighs* Man, I hate them sometimes...

Anyway! Onto the chapter! xD

Chapter 9

Sara limped into her first class with Kaede hovering behind her like a mother hen watching over her chicks. She wanted to look over her shoulder and glare at the mothering girl but she didn't have the heart to. The poor girl would probably cry if she even looked at her funny right now or worse... yell at her. Yeah, she didn't want Kaede to yell at her. It would hurt her ears like no tomorrow not to mention the fact that the guilt would practically shatter her fractured heart.

"Are you okay, Kioshi-san?" Kaede whispered from behind her sensing the dark thoughts in her mind, and Sara nodded and sat down. She set her herb kit, her bow and quiver of arrows, and her backpack down at her feet as Kaede sat down behind her constantly sending her worried glances and chewing on her bottom lip. She noticed the new sensei but did her best friend?

"Good morning, class!" a very familiar voice called snapping Sara out of her thoughts and making her freeze in her seat. No. It couldn't be. Not him.

"Good morning, Shippo-sensei," the class droned back and Sara practically deflated out of her chair. Damn, guess it was.

"Kioshi-san!" Kaede shrieked in fright as she dropped own next to her friend and put her head on her lap. Shippo didn't even realize what he was doing until he was crouching down next to Kaede and Sara with his hand on her forehead. The heat he felt made him want to shake some sense into her.

"She has a fever," he explained and growled softly under his breath. Foolish girl! Didn't she know not to push herself like this?

"I'm...okay," Sara breathed once she was able to speak and glared at the red-headed kitsune before her. She couldn't believe he was even touching her after everything he put her through. "just tired is all." She cleared her throat and glared at Shippo some more. Oh yeah, she still hated him.

Shippo only rolled his eyes and got the class back in order once Sara was back in her seat. Kaede gave her a concerned look which Sara waved off. If there was one thing she could pride herself on, it was getting through school no matter what was wrong with her. Right now was no different.

~0~0~

"Kami, I hate school!" Sara whined once they were freed of Shippo and his torturous class. Even though the nurse told her not to walk around today, she knew she had to. Protecting her friends became a serious matter to her especially since her parents died. Kaede laughed and shook her head at her friend's complaining not knowing where Sara's thoughts were.

"Did you bring your violin today, Kioshi-san?" Kaede questioned, counting a one on her fingers. She nodded poitned to the case in her hand. "A sword, your bow and a quiver of arrows, and your herbal set?" she pointed out where they were on her body and shot her best friend a cocky grin.

"Yup!" she said brightly and smiled. Kaede held back a smirk.

"How about your homework from all our classes?" she said next, knowing that Sara forgot about that. Sara thought for a minute before her eyes widened and she gasped and face-palmed herself.

"Fuck! No," she growled and Kaede laughed.

"Silly," she teased and Sara shot her a dirty look, "but lucky for you I have them in my bag."

"Oh my Kami, thank you so much!" Sara cried throwing her arms around Kaede then wincing as the action pulled at her stitches and made her arm flare up in protest. "Ow," she mumbled and Kaede sighed. Sometimes, Sara was just plain stupid.

"Baka," she grumbled and Sara laughed.

"Oi! Kioshi! Need a hand?" Saya called from up ahead and Sara shook her head.

"Thanks anyway, Shinto-sempai!" she called back and the blond-headed girl smiled at her and waved as she headed off in a different direction. Sara's brown golden speckled eyes gleamed with happiness but a dark shadow loomed beneath the facade. Ever since the attack on the school, she had been alert and ready for an ambush be it from that damned kitsune, Shippo, or other enemies. Each night was now the same dream.

Her fighting on a battlefield covered in blood, her school uniform in tatters, her hair wild and long surrounded by the dead on both sides. Shippo stood off fighting in the background trying to keep those against her away from her as she stared at a youkai before her. He was a shadow youkai due to the shadows covering his entire body but beyond that she didn't know his name or features except...except for his eyes. His poison green eyes. Sara shuddered at the continuous dream and closed her eyes. Kaede had been really supportive so she knew she'd get through it..eventually.

"You okay, Kioshi-san? Need to go lay down?" Kaede called to her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Nah. I'm good. Let's head to class!" she said with a bright smile and grabbed Kaede by the hand. Kaede smiled and ran after her best friend not knowing that a prophecy was about to awaken.

~Later~

After Violin, Sara had a dreadful feeling that something bad was about to happen. She told Kaede and she grew serious instead of the playful teasing she was doing a little while ago.

"What is it?" she asked and Sara shrugged as she casted out her senses and looked around warily.

"Should I call..." Sara interrupted with a nod knowing who she was gonna call.

Kaede pulled out a cell phone from a hidden pocket in her skirt. She dialed a number and walked away with the phone pressed to her ear as Sara looked around the now empty courtyard. The air was a little cooler than usual and a breeze blew her hair into her face.

"Sara," a voice whispered in the breeze. She froze not recognizing it.

"Who's there?" she called out, her hand resting lazily on her sword hilt.

"You cannot escape the prophecy. You will fulfill it," it said next. Prophecy? What prophecy?

"Prophecy?" she asked and a laugh swirled around her causing shivers to run up and down her spine.

"You shall soon find out," it faded and she stood there staring into nothing as the last sentence rang throughout her mind.

You shall soon find out...

Whew! Got that chapter done. Well, review and tell me what you think!