Summary: By nature, Kagome was anything but cruel. She was kind, compassionate, and friendly, so how in the world did she ever achieve the title of strongest girl in Japan? It was something she certainly didn't boast about. Instead, Takemichi couldn't help but notice how she seemed to regard such a thing as a burden, but why…?

Pairing: Undecided

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


Chapter Two


It wasn't fair.

How come she had to be stuck with the Shikon no Tama?

Blue eyes lingered on the round bauble placed on the table's surface, a mild look of malcontent visible on her face. Okay, maybe she was just brooding about it at this point, but, really, who wouldn't be in this situation?

"... can't things just go back to normal?" she murmured against her palm. From the other side of the room, the silver-haired demon present gave a mild noise of acknowledgment.

"By now I would think you're used to this."

The words made her sigh and sit back in her chair, turning her head up to idly glance at the ceiling. "Y'know, Sesshomaru, those two things can and do coincide," she remarked with a flat tone. She draped an arm over the back of the chair as she turned to look at him. "It's an inconvenience. I know it, you know it, we all know it. I'm still pissed about it."

He shrugged, reaching to tuck a long lock of silver hair back over his shoulder. "I never implied that it wasn't," he responded. "Complaining about it won't do anything to change it, nor will it cause it to improve."

She huffed, fighting the urge to roll her eyes at his comment. It didn't matter if whining about it didn't have any chance of changing things. It made her feel a bit better at least, being able to voice her complaints. "I know that," she stated. "Sometimes I wanna complain just to complain," she continued. "Sure, nothing's gonna come out of it, but it makes me feel a bit better."

Silence answered her as she turned to glance back at the jewel. A few seconds later, she reached to pick it up by the silver chain it was attached to. It was so small, but it felt so heavy in her hands. She was fighting a losing battle trying to reject it, but that knowledge didn't make accepting the weight of this burden any easier. She fixed it around her neck and stood up, reaching a hand up to brush her hair from her face.

"I'm gonna get out for a while," she stated. She hated wearing the jewel while she was cooped up in a building. It always made it all the more overwhelming. She didn't know what she was going to do, but right now that didn't matter to her. What mattered was being out in the open space where she could actually breathe.

"Very well," Sesshomaru responded. He didn't ask questions. He seemed to already be aware of what she intended to do, but she wasn't necessarily surprised by that fact. Ever the calm and collected type, he was probably the only person capable of reading her, and she was okay with that. Frankly, she'd rather he be the only one to bear that skill, for her sake and for the sake of others.

Kagome turned to leave, offering him a glance in farewell. As she stepped outside, a warm ray of sunlight swept over her. It wouldn't stick around for long, as the sun was to set soon. She paused, merely taking it in, as she savored the warmth it provided. After a few seconds, she glanced up at the sky over her head. Her expression was unreadable, and those walking by her on the streets merely offered a passing glance before continuing on their way.

"Man… adjusting back is so hard…-" Her voice trailed off in a soft whisper, those words getting carried off by the wind before eventually falling lost to the world around her. There was more to that thought, more that she didn't dare let slip free out into the breathing world.

Balancing between past and present was a challenge.

It was no surprise that friendships she'd once had weren't able to remain afloat during the challenging period of her life. While it made her feel even more alone, she couldn't exactly fault them. Times change, and people can't afford to remain in the past when everything is constantly changing. So without those friends, the only ones she really had were the demon companions that'd come to her in the present.

She was glad that she at least had them. She couldn't stand to think just how alone she'd be without them, especially now that the shrine had fallen mostly empty. A week following her final trip back through the well there had been an accident. She had been the only one to scrape by.

Sesshomaru, surprisingly, was the one to stick around the longest. She wasn't sure why, but she wasn't necessarily upset by his presence. In a strange way, it was somewhat comforting. He was cold and aloof, but he wasn't a bad person. Oddly enough, she even found herself enjoying his company more of than not. They'd become amicable in the past, but now she definitely thought of him more akin to family- not that she'd ever admit that to his face. Anyway, it wasn't like she had to say it in the first place. He was already more than aware of it.

A strange pulse of energy caught her attention, and she turned with a curious hum. She paused, taking a few minutes to fully focus on it. Something about it was familiar, and she spent a few minutes trying to decide if that was a good thing, or if it was a bad thing. The setting sun was slowly taking the warmth with it, and a soft sigh spilled from her lips as her curiosity got the better of it. It often did, after all.

One of these days it'd be the death of her, she was certain.

She made her way down the street until she reached a park. She spotted a group of rough-looking boys walking off, but she didn't give them so much as a second glance. Nothing about them seemed particularly interesting by her standards.

On top of a hill, she came to a halt. She glanced down at the ground below, tilting her head to the side. From where that group had just come from there was one person left. He was slumped on the ground. She didn't have to be close to know he was pretty battered and bruised. He didn't look familiar, but something about him prevented her from going on her way.

She made her way down the hill until she'd reached where he was. He didn't notice her presence, at first, and she couched to be on his level. At the same time, she held out her hand, offering a handkerchief to him.

"Here," she mused in a soft tone. The sound of her voice seemed to do it, and he abruptly scrambled back. If not for his current state, she would have laughed at his startled expression. Instead, she kept her expression one of neutral care.

It was silent between them for a few long seconds before he gradually reached a hand out, taking the offered object from her. She noticed the way his hand tightened, shaking some. "... thanks." Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"It's nothing," she remarked. "You look like you've been through hell," she stated. It slipped out in such a causal way, but he didn't seem fazed. "Kagome," she said, introducing herself. "What about you?"

"Hanagaki Takemichi," he responded. She nodded, settling herself down on her knees in front of him on the ground. "W-What're you…-"

"Here," she said softly, taking the cloth from him and gently reaching out to properly dab at the bloody wounds on his face. "You're gonna make it worse doing it like that," she added in a soft chiding tone, as if she were talking to a younger sibling. "Save yourself some trouble and don't agitate the skin around the cuts."

Takemichi was frozen for a moment as she gracefully worked. Her motions seemed so sure and precise, almost as if she'd done this a dozen times before. Sure enough, the pain was fading with each touch. Maybe it was his imagination, or maybe she just had some sort of magic touch. "Y-You don't have to…-"

"Sure, I don't," she responded with a shrug of her shoulders. "That doesn't mean I don't want to."

Her simple response stunned him, and he fell silent in the face of her answer. He couldn't think of a response to say. She'd said it as if it was one of the most obvious things, and that he was strange for not considering the possibility.

This…- This wasn't something he remembered.

Who was this girl…-?

000

Kagome watched him closely, unable to shake the sinking feeling in her gut when she finally realized why his aura felt so similar.

Time travel.

It bore such a distinct aura. It was one she knew very well. Nothing else could compare, but such a thing was far from good. She couldn't help the curiosity she felt concerning him. Along with it was a nagging pulse of concern. Just who was he, and what was he doing meddling with time? It certainly wasn't the best idea, that's for sure. She was one to know, speaking from experience.

Her hand fell to land in her lap once she'd finished. She'd taken the initiative to heal his wounds some to leave him a shorter recovery time. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt her, anyway. She downcast her gaze to her lap, a complicated light sinking into her bright blue eyes. A second later, she sighed and breathed a soft laugh. The sound took him by surprise, and he looked at her.

"Fate's a funny thing, isn't it, Takemichi?" she hummed softly. The question was abrupt, and it left him confused. She lifted her gaze to him, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. It felt like she was looking right through him, and it left him frozen. "Tell me… do you believe in fate?"

"Do I believe…-?"

Kagome nodded, a soft hum coming from her as she pushed herself up onto her feet. She tucked a lock of raven hair back behind her ear as she looked down at him. "It's fate we've met, don't you think?"

There was something more to her tone, something that made him fall motionless. "Is it…-?"

What's with this girl…-? Just who was she? Her words were cryptic, yet somehow they didn't seem that far off from the truth.

She laughed. The sound was lovely, charming. It sounded so peaceful. She glanced down at him, a stunning warmth reflected in her eyes. She shrugged, the action casual. "Who can really say?" she responded, her tone shifting to thoughtful. "If it is, if it isn't, does it really matter?"

Her shirt billowed in the wind. The midriff was already lifted some due to her raised arms, but when the wind blew it, a strange mark became visible along her hip. A harsh scar in the shape of a star caught his eye. It wasn't the only one.

The more he looked at her, the exposed skin had an array of marks and scars- far worse than what could be considered normal.

When he looked back at her face, he knew he'd been caught staring. Her expression had become unreadable. A second later, her eyes closed as a faint laugh fell from her lips. He was frozen as she lifted a hand to her lips, as if she was silencing any questions he might've had.

Once more, he was posed with that same question.

Who was this girl?

"Kagome~!"

A separate voice caught the attention of both of them. While Takemichi searched for the source, Kagome didn't need to. His eyes landed on a boy with long auburn hair swept up in a ponytail. It was instantaneous, the way he attached himself to her side. She didn't seem fazed by the contact, but Takemichi couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit intimidated by the new face when the boy turned emerald eyes his way.

He seemed to size him up, and Takemichi was positive he didn't want to end up on his bad side. Before he could say anything, Kagome laughed and shook her head.

"Well, I should be on my way now," she stated. "It was nice meeting you," she added as she turned on her heel. Takemichi nodded out of reflex.

"O-Oh, you too…-"

The words came automatically, but on some level, he really did mean them.

Takemichi watched the path they took, their voices steadily getting further and further out of range. He didn't move as he thought back on the encounter he'd just had.

Unusual, but openly kind, she didn't seem like a bad person, but…

How come it felt like she could see through him?


The next day in class, something unfamiliar happened. The teacher paused in the front of the room, calling all attention forward. Not long after, the door opened and a figure walked in.

Takemichi glanced up just in time to spot a girl with long raven hair walk into the room. For a moment, he thought he'd imagined it, but upon taking a second glance, he realized that wasn't the case. His pencil nearly fell from his hand as he found himself catching her gaze over the room.

"Everyone, this is Taisho Kagome," the teacher said, motioning to the girl. "Due to issues with her health, she's transferring to our school. Please see to it that she's welcome."

Following those words, Kagome smiled a bit brighter. Takemichi could practically feel the heightened interest from the male population of the room from where he sat.

"It's nice to meet you all," Kagome said. "I hope we can get along just fine.


Auroua-chan: Gonna end this one here.

This chapter kinda showed the first meeting between Kagome and Takemichi, as well as a hint of Kagome's life following her return from the Feudal Era.

Thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoyed! Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

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

Bye for now~