Summary: As Sailor Sun, Kagome is unwilling to accept her role. From fighting demons to taking on this new mantle, it seemed that a normal life had been entirely etched out of her cards. Luminescent and bright, she shines just like the sun. Through her sorrow, she failed to realize just how much the solar system relied on the sun.

Pairing: Haruka/Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.


Chapter Two


There was a hint of resentment in her eyes as she glanced at her reflection staring back at her through the full-length mirror. She really, truly didn't want to go through with all this. She felt her frustrations rise as the door to her room opened. Behind her, reflected in the mirror as well, was the silver-haired demon that bore a crescent mark in the center of his forehead. Kagome noted the way her expression faltered before she ultimately turned away from the mirror.

All things aside, the knee-length blue skirt was far more bearable than her prior shorter, green style.

"It suits you."

The comment made her glance up, blue eyes clashing against molten gold. Despite the warm hue, his eyes were still so cold. His face was free of emotion as he looked at her. Despite that, she wasn't unnerved by it. Not even a little bit. Oddly enough, that icy exterior- and interior, while she was at it- was a comfort. She knew his cold disposition often unnerved those who encountered it, but perhaps she wasn't affected by it because she knew the type of person he was.

His acts of kindness were often seen as small but not entirely exempt from existence. She'd learned how to read him and his very few emotions, enough to believe she knew him well enough. A bit of give and take, he now could do the same to her and her vastly many more emotions.

"I take it this means you're ready?" he mused in his usual monotone drawl. Kagome was silent in response as she seemed to think that question over very closely. After a moment, she sighed and brushed her hair back over her shoulder so it was no longer in the way.

"No," she admitted, "but I don't really have a lot more time to waste standing around. At this rate, I'm going to be late."

"You could always postpone it?" he offered some thought to a possible solution. Kagome shook her head and went to grab her bag from where it sat on the desk in her room.

"No," she responded, sighing softly. "I'm already going to get enough unwanted attention as it is," she said. "I really don't want more if I can avoid it."

Sesshomaru was silent as he contemplated her answer. He had nothing to say that would dispute her claim, and she knew that just as much as he did.

"Then it would be in your best interest to go now," he remarked. Kagome sighed and nodded, stepping past him to head through the door.

"I'm going, I'm going."


Kagome didn't even need her abilities and senses to feel the weight of dozens of eyes on her as she walked down the unfamiliar halls. She didn't need any help hearing the whispers- not when none of them were particularly trying to be quiet.

"She's that model, right? The one on that billboard…- You know the one!"

"Oh, totally! I think you're right! I can't believe she's going to our school! So cool!"

"She's gotta be some kinda snob. I mean, aren't most models?"

"No way! You think so?"

"Totally!"

The hushed murmurs from behind her eventually faded out as she walked further down the hall and further from the gossiping girls. Truthfully, if that's what they wanted to think of her, then who was she to stop them? Given that's their first impression, she had no sort of desire to try and change it.

Kagome rounded a corner, only to be taken aback when a figure stumbled into her- literally. Despite her petite build, she was the only one of the run-in to remain upright on her own feet. Kagome paused, glancing down as the other girl toppled backward onto the ground.

The girl's hair was blonde and long, styled in two twintails with buns at the top of each tail. When she looked up at her, Kagome's blue eyes met a pair similar in hue. It was reflexive- the way Kagome's expression broke into a small smile, the stoic facade melting away somewhat as she held her hand out to the girl.

"Are you okay?" she asked, unable to help the soft-spoken tone as she held her get steady back onto her feet. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

The sound of her voice seemed to pull the blonde from her stupor, and she hastily shook her head.

"N-No no, I'm perfectly fine!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry I ran into you like that… Ugh… I'm such a clutz."

Kagome's smile softened some as she shook her head. "Don't worry about it, it happens," she said. A second later, she held her hand out for the other girl to take. "Higurashi Kagome. You?"

"O-Oh!" The blonde girl perked up, quickly taking her hand as she looked at her with a bright expression. "Tsukino Usagi," she responded. "Kagome, huh…?" she hummed as she looked a bit closer at her face. "I've seen you before somewhere, haven't I?"

Kagome said nothing in response as Usagi seemed to think it over. A few seconds later, almost as if a switch had flipped in her brain, her eyes lit up.

"Oh, now I remember!" she exclaimed. "You're that new up-and-coming model!" Usagi looked at her face a bit closer, a faint flush of pink on her cheeks. "You know, I always thought your beauty came from makeup professionals and cameras, but nope-! You're just as pretty in person, you know."

The comment took Kagome aback. The surprise briefly showed on her face before it faded, getting replaced by another gentle smile. "Thanks, but it's really just the lighting and makeup," she responded. "What's on the billboard isn't really comparable with this," she said, motioning to herself with her hand.

"You're being too modest," Usagi responded. "You seem so warm and bright- like the sun, you know?" Usagi continued, clasping her hands together in front of her with a smile on her face. "It's nice."

The comment made her expression fall. It was meant to be a compliment, she knew, but…-

"Thank you," Kagome said, glancing away to avoid meeting her stare any longer. In the following silence, Kagome found herself focusing on something she'd previously not picked up on.

This was her, wasn't it?

Sailor Moon of the Sailor Scouts?

She was positive. She could feel it in her aura.

It was almost as if they were drawn to one another like moths were to light. Was she really the only one who could sense it, too?

"At that school, you'll be able to cross paths with Sailor Moon, which will also lead you to the other inner Guardians," Artemis remarked from his perch on her windowsill. Kagome was seated in the chair at her desk, absentmindedly rolling the jewel along the desk with her index finger. Artemis noticed her lack of attention, and he moved to the desk where she was, walking until he was directly in front of her. "Kagome…- Are you paying any attention?"

He looked a bit closer at her face, noting the despondent gleam in her eyes. He knew these changes were a lot, but he also knew that she could endure it. All she needed was a little bit-

"... I can't do this, Artemis," she murmured, pulling him from his own thoughts. He looked at her face, trying to get her to look directly at him. It didn't work, however.

"That's not true at all!" Artemis responded, trying his hardest to encourage her. "After all, you're Sailor Sun. You're…-!"

"Stop calling me that," Kagome cut him off, her grip turning a bit more tighter on the jewel. "I… I never agreed to any of this."

"Kagome, there's no one else who can be you," he said, his voice a bit softer. He knew those weren't the words she wanted, and he hesitated when he saw the shimmer of unshed tears in her eyes. Still, he knew he couldn't just back down in the face of a little bit of nerves from her. "The others, they need you. They need your light more than anything. I know it hurts right now, but-"

"I'm so tired of it being me," she said, burying her face in her hands. Artemis felt his ears flatten against his head at her defeated tone. "I was so happy to be able to be home, and now I can't even be home." She pulled her hands away, feeling a warm trail drip down her cheek. She moved to wipe it away, only for it to be replaced by more. "I just… I just want to be me. Is that so wrong?'

Artemis could tell she was hurting, but he didn't know what to do or what to say to try and comfort her at that moment. "This is you though," he responded.

Kagome was silent in response. Artemis felt as though he needed to say something more, but he couldn't think of anything to say.

"It won't be an easy road, but don't worry. I'm gonna be here by your side the entire time," he remarked, hoping it would reassure her.

"Just… leave me alone," Kagome stated as she got up from her desk. "I never agreed to any of this. I just… I need time to process it, at least."

Artemis watched as she walked over to her bed and promptly laid down. He sighed and decided to let the conversation drop for now. It wouldn't hurt to let her have some time, after all.

She couldn't believe she'd already crossed paths with her- granted the other girl seemed entirely oblivious to her undesired title. Though, there was no telling how long it'd be before that was a different matter.


Her head was full of conflicting thoughts as she made her way down the street. She hadn't decided to breach the topic with Usagi, but then again, she wasn't even sure she wanted to at this point. It seemed so… final.

A malignant aura brushed along her senses, making her come to a halt. Her frown deepened as she glanced over her shoulders- to the tree line that broke off from the park she was passing through.

Of course, there just had to be a demon out now. As if she didn't already have enough to worry about…-

She couldn't just leave it be. If she did that, then there was no telling what sort of trouble might arise for some poor soul. With a low sigh, she diverged from her path, making her way to the tree line and following the foul aura in the air. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long to deal with.

000

Despite her initial hope of the demon being easy to deal with, it didn't go down so easily. She'd handled it, but not before it got a cheap shot in on her, cutting her arm with sharp claws.

Kagome paused just after emerging from the treeline, setting her bag down as she turned her focus to the bloody wound on her arm. It's healed up some on its own, but with a little bit extra, it'd be handled in no time…-

"Fancy running into you a second time."

Kagome picked her head up, momentarily turning away from the cut along her arm. Her eyes landed on the familiar figure from the other day. Her grip on her wound tightened, moving the sleeve of her shirt to try and better hide it. It didn't do any good, not when they noticed it either way.

"That's pretty nasty," Haruka remarked as they stepped a bit closer to the smaller girl. "What happened?"

Kagome looked away with a shake of her head. "Nothing. I just… fell."

"Is that right?" they remarked. It was clear by their tone alone that they didn't believe her, but they didn't fully call attention to her lie. "You must be pretty clumsy to get a cut like that from falling."

Kagome didn't offer a response as she let her hand lower. She'd subtly healed it up as much as she could, using her shirt as a covering of sorts, but she knew she couldn't fully do it without causing suspicions to rise.

"Oh? Or maybe it's not as bad as I first thought," Haruka commented, spotting the mostly superficial cut.

"Must not have been," Kagome responded, turning back to grab her bag from where she'd placed it under the tree. "I should go get it bandaged."

"How about I walk you home?" Haruka offered. "That way you don't end up falling anymore on the way."

Kagome glanced at them, bright blue eyes settling on their face as she tried to get a better read of them. Their aura was that of a woman, but they definitely presented more masculine. At the very least, she could admit they were handsome. After a second, she shook her head and moved to walk around them.

"I'll be fine," she remarked. "It's not much further, anyway."

"That so?" Haruka asked, coming up to her side. "All the more reason to, then."

Kagome held back the sigh she wanted to heave, figuring that it wasn't worth it to try and keep arguing about it. The more she did that, the longer she was stuck with dried blood on her arm.

"Fine," she relented. "It's this way."

000

Kagome was quiet as they walked down the street. She'd occasionally give directions, only to then get quiet again. Haruka glanced at the dark-haired girl curiously.

"So, are you always this quiet?" they asked. Kagome glanced up upon hearing the question. There was a faint warm hue that flashed across her cheeks as she looked away.

"I just…" she trailed off, directing her attention down to the ground. "I just have a lot on my mind lately."

Haruka nodded. "Seems like you're stressing yourself out like that, though." They glanced at her with a faint smile. "I'm right here if there's anything you wanna vent about."

"You don't even know me," Kagome responded. Haruka nodded and shrugged.

"You've got me there but isn't that all the more reason?" they asked. Kagome glanced up at them, blue eyes peering up from behind raven bangs. "Sometimes a stranger is the best person to tell your worries to."

Kagome sighed and shook her head. "It's not really anything I can just share," she responded. "It's…-"

"Complicated, huh?" Haruka murmured. "I get it."

"Still…-" Kagome mused softly, a faint smile forming on her face. "Thanks for offering. It's the thought that counts, I suppose." She glanced up as the apartment complex came into view, turning her gaze back to Haruka. "This is it," she said, turning to fully face them now that they'd come to a halt there. "And thanks, again. For walking me home and, y'know."

Haruka smiled, pushing their hands into the pockets of their pants. "It's my pleasure, really," they said. Before Kagome could try and move away, Haruka reached to take her by the wrist. "Oh, wait, you wouldn't happen to have a spare sheet of paper in there, would you?"

Kagome glanced at her bag as Haruka motioned towards it. Wordlessly, Kagome rummaged through it, eventually finding her notebook and tearing out a page from the back. Haruka took it with a smile, a pen in their other hand. A few seconds later, the page was offered back to her, and Kagome looked at it with confusion flashing through her eyes.

"Is this your phone number?" Kagome asked as she looked at the number neatly scrawled along the top of the page. "Why…-?"

"Just in case you ever need someone to talk to," Haruka responded. They looked down, holding her stare as a silence settled over the area. "After all, I get the feeling we might have a bit more in common than you're letting on," they added with a knowing gleam in their eyes.

Kagome's response was silence as she caught the underlying tune of those words. She looked away first, her gaze going back to the ground. "I… I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Mhm," Haruka nodded, clearly not buying into her claim but not challenging it either way. "Well, when you do know what I'm talking about, don't hesitate to call." They walked around her, glancing back over their shoulder with a wave. "See you later, Kagome."

Kagome was left standing there as she watched them slowly get further and further away. Once they were no longer in her line of sight, she glanced back down at the piece of paper in her hand.

A part of her wanted to be frustrated, but… another part of her felt more relieved than anything.

Maybe… Maybe it wouldn't hurt to have someone else to talk it out with.


Auroua-chan: Finished!

So, Kagome's met Usagi, and she's able to recognize her as Sailor Moon. (A little bit of that might be from Artemis, but her senses as well.) For simplistic sake, Kagome and Usagi are the same age (15) and in their 3rd year of middle school.

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Reivew&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~