InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Playgrounds of the Mind ❯ The Advent of Kagome ( Chapter 2 )

Playgrounds of the Mind

Chapter Two: The Advent of Kagome

[Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi]

Dedicated to my loyal anime buddy Baka-sama (isn't her name adorable? Just love that oxymoron)

Kagome Higurashi shakily brushed her hair out one last time as the prepared herself mentally and physically for her first day at her new school. Picking up a bobby pin she reflected on how she got in.

Aureate Winters Academy was the finest and the most difficult boarding school in the world, with a very exclusive student body. A prospective student had to pass a huge barrage of tests and writing exercises to get into the programs at the school. There were several, such as the Organic Chemistry track, Syntagmatic Cross-cultural studies track, Multi-variable Calculus, etc. The school was five years long, with the last year being a highly intensive study to prepare the seniors for college. It had the best facilities, the wealthiest alumni, and best of all the school offered a study abroad option for each semester.

Kagome sighed happily, Imagine spending every semester in a foreign city. She then frowned, growing nervous again. Usually only prospective freshman were allowed entry; the school board did not like students coming in from other high schools at different grade levels. But Kagome had worked extra hard, and due to the fact that her grandfather was old friends with the headmaster; he was able to convince the board to review Kagome's application. She still could not believe she had gotten in.

It was not going to be easy at all to stay at the top of the class, Kagome cogitated. In her last school, she was the first in her class, but who knew the stiff competition she faced at Aureate Winters. She just hoped she would not end up disgracing herself and disappointing her family.

Her younger brother Souta was too young to apply, and was in a very good elementary school back home. She would miss him terribly; they had never been separated for so long. Kagome straightened her shoulders and stared at herself in the mirror.

"Three months isn't so long", she murmured, smoothing down her skirt. Aureate Winters allowed a free dress day on Fridays only-every other day of the week there was a required uniform, but since Kagome had not yet received hers, she had chosen what she hoped was a sophisticated and serious looking navy blue silk suit. Applying some light perfume and attaching small gold earrings, Kagome snatched up her messenger bag and headed down stairs. Her family was sending her off with a nice farewell breakfast.

Half an hour later, she stood by the door, receiving hugs from her mom, grandpa and Souta.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much!" she wailed slightly.

"We'll miss you too, sweetie. You make sure to call the minute the plane lands."

"I will, mom. Bye grandpa, Souta. You too, Buyo", Kagome giggled, scratching the family cat behind his ears one last time. Her family walked out with her to the curb, anticipating the arriving taxi. With a slightly sorrowful look, Kagome picked up her luggage and slid into the backseat.

"Manhattan, here I come".

It was a bright late summer day in South Hampton. There was a slight depressive air to the neighborhoods, as kids of all ages alike realized summer vacation had once again come to a close, and the school year was looming large.

Inuyasha sat on a sand dune, watching the calm waves lap against the shore. Soon, too soon, he would be stuffed in the backseat of a limo with Sesshoumaru heading back to the Upper East Side, back to the Manhattan campus Aureate Winters Academy had chosen for this semester.

Way too close to home, Inuyasha thought. I'll be expected to come home more often, which means I'll be stuck with Sesshoumaru all the more. Why can't he go someplace else? The teen scrunched his toes into the colder sand beneath the upper layer where the sun had warmed it. Of course he can't go someplace else; neither can I. Only the best for a West, isn't that what Father and Mother always said.

Mother. . Tears threatened to fall as Inuyasha angrily shook his head. Why am I thinking of her? It was so long ago. Dusting himself off, he grabbed his things and headed over to where he left the car. Every time he saw it, it brought a renewed smile to his lips. Sesshoumaru had suffered the entire summer in a cast, meaning he could not play his beloved polo with his jerk friends from the club. The cast had just come off yesterday, and Sesshoumaru had spent the remaining days of vacation catching up on his rugby and polo matches. He had not lost any form at all. Figures, Inuyasha thought bitterly, he always was the best at everything-well maybe not everything. The teen stared at the rearing horse emblazed in metal on the steering wheel.

"There'll always be something you can't have, brother", Inuyasha contemplated, running his fingers over the Ferrari logo. "It's a great gift you left me, dad".

Leaving the airport, Kagome stared at the scenery rushing by. She re-crossed her legs for the twentieth time and started rapping her knuckles lightly against the windowpane. When are we going to get there, she wondered. She thought of calling her mom again, to pass the time, but figured she had left the house already. No need to act like a kid going to sleep-away camp for the first time, she mentally scolded. You're not so easy to scare. This is just school, she berated. Remember, school? The only thing you've ever worked so hard for, all your life? Kagome sat up authoratively and folded her hands in her lap. She felt better, until the car entered the city.

"Wow", she trailed off. There were so many distractions. Would she be able to handle this place?

After what seemed like an eternity, Inuyasha jumped out of the limo and shrugged his jacket off; it had been chaffing his collar from the moment he put it on. Not any different from last year. Sesshoumaru was directing some school officials to carry his luggage. Inuyasha followed suit, giving an attendant his room number and pointing out his suitcases.

"Inuyasha!"

The said individual turned around, letting his eyes fall across the freshly manicured campus greenery. He spotted someone running up to him. The jingling of many arm bracelets gave away his identity immediately.

"Miroku! How've you been?" Inuyasha regarded his fellow classmate, taking in his appearance. "Hey you cut your hair."

"Yep", Miroku turned his head, pulling at his short dragon-tail. "My mom finally cornered me one day and forced me to go to the hair studio. "It's not that bad is it", he suddenly asked.

"Nah, it's fine. Just a surprise." Inuyasha found it amusing how much Miroku cared about his looks. "Why", he drawled, "are you hoping Sango likes it?"

"Funny, man, very funny." The other boy narrowed his eyes. He immediately brightened, "Is she here yet?" Inuyasha was about to answer when a Lincoln Town car pulled up next to the two young men. Sango popped out and waved wildly. In her haste to free herself from the confines of the car she almost fell out onto the driveway. Inuyasha laughed to himself.

"Hey guys!" she shrieked as she approached the duo. "What's up?"

"Sango!" Miroku shouted, attempting to clap a hand on her shoulder. She quickly sidestepped his efforts. "What?" he questioned, a small hurt looking flashing across his features.

"Miroku, keep your hands where I can see them!"

"But I was merely going to give you a friendly pat."

"Oh really? Where, exactly?" She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Your shoulder, of course", he said in what he hoped was a charming manner.

"Mm hmm", Sango nodded, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. Meanwhile, Inuyasha had taken a pad of paper out of his breast pocket, and was scribbling something down.

"What's that?" Sango inquired.

"First official groping attempt of the year", he responded, drawing some more lines with his monogrammed pen.

"Hey", Miroku protested.

"See, there's a column for successful gropes and attempts. I think I'll rank a success a ten, and an attempt a five. Anything in between will be up to my discretion." The younger West brother closed the little book and tucked it safely away.

"Did you hear that Miroku?" Sango demanded. "That score better be damn low this year, or you'll be losing some appendages!" Miroku grimaced visibly.

"So anything interesting happen this summer?" Inuyasha asked, scrapping the sole of his left shoe along the curb, hands buried in his pockets.

"As a matter of fact, my mother who's on the board of trustees did mention a new student this year", Miroku replied, pressing the dimple in his chin with an index finger/

"So? There are new freshman every year", Inuyasha scoffed.

"Oh, this student isn't a freshman." Both Inuyasha and Sango looked up at this.

"Not a freshman?" Sango queried, coming to stand face to face with Miroku.

"Yep. She's a transfer. Don't see too many of those around here."

"Wow, she must be a real brain. What do you think Inuyasha", Sango turned to regard her friend. But Inuyasha was staring past Miroku's head, at a taxi that had just pulled up.

All right, third installment is on the way. Anyone have any comments or critiques for me?

Reviews are appreciated. Lastly, I hope the spacing came out all right. If not, please be patient, I'll figure it out.

-Leisachan