InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ HeartSong ❯ Who Was She? ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, its characters or any quotes I may use.

Snickers but Akari is mine!

 

CHAPTER THREE: WHO WAS SHE?

 

Akari groaned inwardly and resisted the urge to drop her head down to her desk.

It doesn't matter where you go, or what country you're in. All around….school really, really sucks.

As her teacher droned on about the importance of math in today's world, Akari silently thanked her father for making her learn Japanese as she grew up.

“It's a part of your history. Of who you are” he would say with a smile when Akari grumbled.

But now it had become a blessing.

Moving to a new country and starting at a new school was hard enough, add a different language into the mix, and things got complicated.

Not to mention Akari's style was as looked down on here as it was back home. After a two hour debate with Hana over wearing the school uniform; which Akari noticed with a scowl was a skirt and blouse. Akari agreed to wear it as long as she could wear whatever else she wanted outside of school.

The bell rang and Akari quickly gathered her things and walked out.

Now she was starting to wish she hadn't given in. The skirts were short and swooshed up if you walked to fast or roughly; so now Akari had to walk slow and graceful. It was starting to give her a headache.

“Akari! Hey Akari over here!”

Akari growled softly and turned slightly to the left as she entered the cafeteria. Over in the corner her new friends greeted her with smiles and waves.

Koto Nakamura, Midori Fujiwara and Sakura Miyake; all three were beautiful, all three filthy rich.

They were a fairly popular trio and nearly everyone worshiped the ground they walked on, but they were surprisingly sweet and generous.

On Akari's first day of school Koto immediately came up to her and introduced herself and her friends.

Now, nearly two months later, they had become good friends. As good as Akari would allow, that is.

Koto and Midori's chatter and perky attitude some times got on the American girl's nerves and she found herself on many occasions resisting the urge to shove an apple in their mouths; or better yet, her fist.

While Sakura was the quieter and gentler of the three and usually spoke in a soft voice. Akari had quickly grown to like and appreciate her company.

Akari smirked as she made her way over to their table; Koto and Midori had been having a heated argument when Akari walked in and paused briefly to flag her down. Now they were back to their squabbling.

“50 bucks says it's about a boy” Akari muttered as she sat down.

“No way Koto! I can't believe you could say such a thing!” Midori cried.

Koto tossed her long black hair over her shoulder and half way shrugged, “It's the truth Mi. Deal with it.”

“I feel so betrayed!” Midori put her hands to her chest dramatically.

“Oh boy”

“I'm sorry Mi.”
“Don't say it!”

“Here it comes”

“Hideaki Ito is hotter then Katashi Saito.”

Midori let out a cry of despair and Akari let her head drop to the table with a loud thud.

“Dear God.”

“Oh Akari!” Koto cried, “Are you okay?”

Akari slightly lifted her head and glared at Koto, “Don't ever ask me that question after having a conversation like that.”

Koto and Midori giggled and Sakura smiled.

Akari just shook her head and pulled out her art book.

How Koto the crazy sports fanatic, Midori the loud drama queen, and Sakura the sweet straight-A student ever became best friends; she'll never know.

“Where were you this morning Akari? I couldn't find you right before second hour.”

Akari tilted her head slightly, “How could you not see me Koto? I'm the only one here with copper hair.”

Sakura and Midori laughed while Koto stuck her tongue out at Akari, “Very funny Kari. But seriously, where were you?”

“I…”

Akari debated about telling them. If she told them she was skipping, Sakura would frown slightly and Koto and Midori would exchanged glances and say no more. School was important to all of them, and they never could understand why Akari wanted to be anywhere else. So she lied.

“Oh Hana's been asking me to come home at that time.”

Akari offered no other explanation and the three knew better then to ask for one. Akari turned back to her book and Koto egged Midori into another argument about Hideaki Ito.

In truth second hour was science; a subject Akari hated with a passion. So she'd slip away and go to the shrine her grandparents had taken her to when she first arrived in Tokyo. There was nothing too special about it; large courtyard with an old tree in the back. A house stood in middle and a well house behind it, straight across from the tree.

Nothing special, yet Akari loved it there.

The family who lived there was kind and invited Akari in every time she visited.

The mother always had a smile on her face and never failed to ask Akari about her day. Normally she would find this annoying; but as she talked with Mrs. Higurashi, Akari couldn't help but smile back.

Maybe it was in the way Mrs. Higurashi spoke, the gentle smile she wore, or because she seemed to care the way a mother should.

Akari's pencil snapped in half and Sakura raised an eyebrow at her.

Akari growled in frustration and dug through her back for another pencil, ignoring Sakura look.

She hadn't given many details of her life back home. Just kept it short and sweet.

“Dad loves me. Mom hates me. Mom worships my brother Davis and didn't want another baby. Especially a girl. Dad spoils me, Davis loves me. Mom and I fight. It's life, it's mine. Butt out.”

The girls never asked about Akari's family again.

Akari went back to her drawing while absentmindedly crunching on some chips.

Time past and the bell rang again.

As the girl packed up their bags Midori leaned over and caught a glimpse of Akari's paper, “Hey Akari, who's that?”

Akari looked down and frowned slightly, “You know….I don't really know.”

It was a drawing she had been working on for the last 2 weeks, and she didn't even know who it was.

It was a man's face, very sleek and young. With hard, cold eyes that could send chills down one's back. He had no smile, but he wasn't frowning either. His lips were just there. Still and straight, as if frozen in time.

“He's cute” Koto piped up.

Akari smiled slightly and tilted his head, “Yeah” she murmured, “He is.”

Sakura grabbed Akari's arm, “Come on Akari. We're going to be late for class.”

Akari swung her bag over her shoulder and quickly followed Sakura out of the cafeteria.

 

Kagome quickly ran down the hallways; one hand holding her bag on her shoulder and the other holding her skirt down as she ran.

“I can't believe I'm going to be late. I'm finally living in the present day again, and I still manage to be late for school.”

She skidded to a stop and took a deep breath before opening the door. It was just her luck that the teacher was walking up from the back of the classroom to the front and saw Kagome open the door.

“Ah…Miss Higurashi!” Sensei Obayashi exclaimed. “How good of you to join us.”

Kagome flushed as a few chuckled floated through the room. She bowed, “I'm sorry Sensei. It will no happen again.”

Sensei Obayashi nodded and returned to his desk, “Good. Now if you'll please take your seat, we can continue with our lesson.”

Kagome kept her eyes on the floor as she walked back to her desk. Gently setting her bag down she slid into her seat and tried very had to pay attention.

But like that was gonna happen.

Kagome sighed inwardly. Ever since she found about the girl named Amaya Hikari, she could think of nothing else. It was even the reason she was late that morning. She had been up all night doing research on the case and the missing girl, and had fallen asleep at her computer; forgetting to set the alarm.

Kagome pulled out her notebook and started taking down notes as the teacher wrote on the board.

“Did she really go through the well? And if she did, how? She couldn't have had the Shikon Jewel. It was still in my body.”

Kagome bit her lip and frowned slightly, “InuYasha said he'd help me. But he can't do much good. He was pinned to the tree during that time.”

She started scribbling furiously; only it wasn't notes for class.

“Kouga was probably around then. And Kaede…but she never said anything about seeing somebody from a different time before me. Kikyo…no she was dead. Myoga would know for sure. What about…”

Kagome gasped audibly, earning her a glare from her teacher. Kagome smiled weakly and ducked her head back down.

“What am I thinking? I can't ask him! But then again…..he was around then. He could have heard something. But then again….would he care to remember it? Of course not. But it wouldn't hurt to ask….”

Kagome rubbed her hand over her mouth, and as she put it back to her paper she noticed red slightly tainting her fair skin.

“Blood?”

She touched her lip again and would have laughed out loud if it weren't the fact Sensei Obayashi would surely send her out of the class.

“I'm stressing over this so much. I made my lip bleed.”

Setting her pencil down she looked down at the list she had made. Looking at the last name she started to chew on her lower lip again, but stopped when she remembered it was already bleeding because of that.

“Sesshomaru.”

The guy was pretty touching on the subject of human. And seemed to despise Kagome most of all. Kagome had always pushed it off, thinking it was because she was with InuYasha. But now she wondered.

“Could he have met Akari?”

Kagome flipped her paper over, “I'm getting ahead of myself here. I need to figure out how the hell she got through the well in the first place.”

Sensei Obayashi started calling out lab partners and Kagome hastened put the paper in her bag.

“Another reincarnated miko? A fallen angel? A demon? Just a regular human?”

As she sat across from her friend Ayumi, a soft sigh escaped Kagome's lips.

“Who was she?”

 

After school Akari quickly disappeared before Midori could grab her and take her shopping for the up coming school dance.

Once she reached the long staircase, Akari slowly took one step at a time, thinking about her new life in Japan.

She liked it a lot more then back in New York; it was nice being able to go home and not feel hated bouncing off the walls. John and Hana were sweet and very kind. Akari wasn't sure if that was just how they were, or because they felt they needed to makeup for their daughter-in-law. As she approached the front door, she made a mental note to talk to them and make sure it wasn't the later. It was her mother's fault, not theirs and Akari didn't want them tripping over themselves to fix everything.

It was broken the moment she was born.

Akari knocked softly and stepped back. Moments later a woman with a small child on her hip answered the door. As soon as she saw Akari she smiled, “Akari! I'm so glad to see you again. How was school today?”

Akari took off her baseball cap and smiled back, “It was…okay I guess. Just school.”

Mrs. Higurashi stepped back and held the door open farther, “Please come in. Father and I were just about to sit down with a cup of tea. Would you like to join us?”

“Uh…sure.” Akari stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, “You sure are a brave one Akari….willing to sit down with my father…and his stories.”

Akari laughed softly, “I don't mind really. I-” the phone rang cutting her off.

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and looked at Akari, “Would you mind holding her?” she held the child that had been sitting on her hip out to the girl, “I need to get that and the biscuits out of the oven.”

Akari bit her lip but held her arms out anyways for the young child.

“Hey, how are you today?”

The child smiled at Akari and waved her toy in her face.

“A dog heh? Well that's cool. Why don't we go in here” she walked down the hallway and went into the living room, “So you can play with your other toys too.”

Akari sat on the floor and absentmindedly played with the little girl. Finally Mrs. Higurashi stuck her head into the room and smiled, “Hey you two. Ready for some tea and biscuits?”

Akari stood and picked the child up, “Come on Kagome. Are you hungry?”

She walked into the kitchen and nodded to Mrs. Higurashi's father, “Hello Gramps.”

“Well hello there child. Going to join us for tea?”

In spite of herself Akari smiled, “Yes. Tea does sound good.”

Mrs. Higurashi took Kagome and set her in a high chair while Akari took a chair next to Gramps.

Akari laughed to herself as Mrs. Higurashi poured the tea. She often wondered to herself why she kept coming back. She normally stayed away from adults and children. She was very suspicious of mothers as well. But there she was sitting with an old man, a mother and a young child. Smiling and laughing like she didn't have a care in the world.

“Maybe…this is what a family should be like.”

Gramps eyed Akari over the top of his tea cup, “Have I ever told you the story about the Old Well?”

Akari started to butter one of her biscuits, “No” she said shaking her head. “I don't think so.”

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled slightly as she sat down, “Well then my dear. You better get comfortable.”

Akari grinned while Gramps shot his daughter a dark look.

“Anyways” Gramps cleared his throat, “There is a legend that speaks of a magical well. In the olden days the bones of destroyed demons would be tossed inside, and mysteriously disappear. In fact…that well is right here on the shrine grounds.”

Akari raised her eyebrows, “Really?”

“Yes. It's in that well house that sits across from the Tree of Ages. Some of said the well is a way to a different land. But it is very hard to travel to.”

Akari looked over Gramps shoulder and out the window. In the far right corner she could see part of the well house. Even though she knew Gramps' stories were just stories. Her curiosity was peaked and she suddenly had the urge to go out and see for herself.

“Different land? Maybe….when I come tomorrow…I'll go-”

Her thoughts were interrupted by a clunk and Kagome's sudden laughter. Her plate now lay upside down and her food thrown across the floor. Mrs. Higurashi jumped to her feet.

“Kagome!”

 

“Kagome!”

Kagome jumped up and winced at the suddenly head rush.

Ayumi stood beside Kagome and frowned, “What is up with you? Aren't you getting any sleep?”

Kagome started to nod her head but instead yawned and stretched. She smiled sheepishly as she realized she just answered the question.

“Is that boyfriend of yours keeping you up again?”

Kagome winced slightly and shook her head. No, she hadn't seen InuYasha in nearly a week. They had a big fight, over Kouga no less, and she returned home. He still hadn't come to get her and she was starting to worry.

“No” Kagome finally answered aloud, “I've been…doing some research and I get so caught up in it, I sorta forget to sleep.”

Ayumi laughed and took the seat next to Kagome and looked at the computer, “Police reports? Missing persons? What the heck are you researching?”

Kagome bit her lip. She couldn't tell Ayumi everything. She still didn't know Kagome went to the Feudal Era through a well. So she opted for half of the story.

“Well…We got this new patient at the home, and I reminded her of her granddaughter.”

“Oh…” Ayumi's eyes flickered over the screen, “Amaya Hikari. I remember that story.”

“How? You were one.”

Ayumi laughed, “No, I mean I remember hearing about her. It was one of the stories mom told me to keep me from wandering when I was young.”

Kagome leaned forward, “This that what happened to Amaya?”

Ayumi nodded slowly, her eyes still focused on the screen.

“Yeah….she said….her little sister was friends with Amaya.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Apparently Amaya was kind of an odd girl. Very dark and liked to keep to herself.”

Kagome laughed, “I bet that was hard with your aunt hanging around her.”

Ayumi's watched beeped and she stood, “Yeah no kidding. Koto is not one to just sit in the corner and be silent. Sorry, but I got a lunch date so I gotta run.”

She suddenly reached over grabbed Kagome's pen, “Here's Koto's number if you want to call her.”

She finished scribbling on Kagome's notebook, “I'm sure she can help you out more then those police reports. That is, if you just want to know more about her.”

Ayumi tilted her head to the side, “Why do you want to know about her?”

Kagome half shrugged, “I'm not sure really. Just something I felt like I need to do.”

Ayumi shouldered her backpack, “Well whatever. Just tell Koto I gave you her number. I'm sure she'll be happy to talk.”

Kagome smiled, “Thanks Ayumi, this will help a lot.”

Ayumi waved and walked off, leaving Kagome to stare at the computer screen, her hand slightly covering the phone number.

“God…they really didn't know anything.” Kagome murmured. Everything she found was incomplete and inconclusive. The girl literally vanished.

“And I know where she vanished to.”

 

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!