Disclaimer:I do not own inuyasha or any of it's characters.
Chapter 1
New and Old
"Turoko-ishi Koneko." The principal walked around his office with a file in his hand, glancing toward the girl sitting in front of his desk. "Normally, we don't accept student transfers so late in the year, but your circumstances are….special." She smirked at him, "I am sure the money you are receiving has nothing to do with that, Mr. Takano." He sputtered with indignation, "You will address me with respect Ms. Koneko." She smirked again, "Of course sir, but remember that I am only here because of my parents last wishes, no matter how bizarre. Now then if you'll excuse me, I have classes to get to." She walked out of the office leaving a dumbfounded principal behind her.
Finding her way to her English class she knocked on the door. The teacher looked her over, frowning, but motioned her to the front of the class. "Class, this is Koneko, Turoko-ishi. She comes to us all the way from America." Everyone looked at the girl standing in front of them with curiosity, she was an average height. The things that set her apart though were her waist length black hair that was streaked with an aquamarine blue and her eyes were about the same color. She noted the odd stares, "Yes, I am from America, but I was born here in Japan. I am very pleased to meet you all, just call me Tori." Tori took her seat then and spent the class trying to ignore all the staring and whispering, at least until a girl came stumbling into the room.
The teacher narrowed his eyes at her, saying flatly. "Higurashi, nice to see you're present, at all." The classroom snickered as she blushed. Tori glanced up as this 'Higurashi' sat in the seat next to her and listened in as the students began to whisper. …heard she had small pox…amazing that she's up after that bout of rabies…. Tori shook her head in disbelief, Those are lies people! Sighing Tori got to work.
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The bell rang for lunch and Tori inwardly groaned, lunch time at a new school on your first day was a evil and annoying thing. It never got better, glancing around for an open space she spotted Higurashi looking very uncomfortable as a boy spoke to her and her friends answered for her. Getting closer she began to hear the conversation. "So, will you come to the movies with me Saturday?" Higurashi started to reply, "Actually…." Her friend interrupted, "Of course, Kagome would love too!" Then Tori actually got there, "Hey….hate to interrupt, but can I sit with you guys?" Kagome smiled, "Of course, you're new, right?" Tori nodded, "Yes and you are the student representative giving me the tour of Japan on Saturday, right?" Kagome saw Tori wink then hurriedly agreed, then added to the boy, "Maybe another time Hojo." Hojo looked disappointed but quickly smiled and left, Kagome's three friends trailing after him assuring him Kagome was indeed interested.
Tori took a seat across from Kagome, "So how often does he ask you out?" Kagome rolled her eyes, "Every time I see him, he's sweet, but…" Tori finished her sentence, "there is someone else?" Kagome started to cough on her drink, "No….there's no one!" Tori smirked, "Uh huh…and you just got over small pox." Kagome laughed nervously and went a little pale, "I…really am sick…my grandpa is just senile…" Tori shook her head, "Well you're the healthiest sick person I have ever seen…" Tori looked her in the eye, "I don't know what your hiding…" Kagome gulped as she continued, "but it's none of my or anyone else's business, so I will give you a list of reasonable illnesses and move on." Kagome sat there stunned, "Why…you barely know me…you don't even want to know?" Tori shrugged, "Of course I want to know, but I want to be friends and digging around in your business won't do that, but I can help a little." They smiled at each other and spent the rest of lunch chatting.
After school the two girls met in front, Kagome looked at Tori as she looked around to make sure no one was watching them. "Tori…Do you have anything to hide?" Tori quickly nodded, "Yes, yes I do. Now follow me." They walked quickly around the corner and down the sidewalk a bit when they came to a limo. Kagome gave Tori a questioning look. Blushing she just opened the door. When they sat down Tori grinned, "Well, this is my secret…I live in a limo." Kagome smiled, "So you're secretly luxuriously homeless." Tori sighed, "Well, where do you live, I will give you a ride home." Kagome told her, "I live on the Higurashi Shrine." Tori got excited then, "Oooh a shrine, maybe you can help me, I am looking for the Goshinboku Shrine." Kagome paused, "Actually, that is the Higurashi Shrine, The name was changed about ten years ago."
Tori rubbed her forehead, "Kagome, we have a lot to talk about. I need to see the owner of this shrine and the shrine itself." Kagome looked nervous again and deep in thought, Tori simply let her think. I am not sure I can bring her home….what if InuYasha shows up. On the other hand she seems really serious….maybe it wouldn't hurt….I could leave a hat in the well house. Yea that's what I will do. Tori was startled when Kagome started to speak, "Well, just give me some time to tell my mom you need to talk to her and I will come back and get you." Tori glanced out the window at the large numbers of stairs, then back at Kagome, "Are you sure you won't collapse from exhaustion going up and down those twice in a row. Think of your poor health." Kagome grinned, "Shut up, I'll be back quick."
X ~ X ~X
Kagome rushed into her house, luckily she ran right into her mom. Unfortunately, she ran right into her mom. "What on earth is a matter dear?" Helping her mom up, Kagome replied, "Well the new girl at school wants to speak to you about the shrine, it seems serious…..InuYasha isn't here, is he?" Her mom smiled, "No he isn't dear, now, who is this girl you're talking about?" Kagome smiled glad that things got a little less complicated, "Her name is Tori Koneko." Her mom suddenly looked serious, "Turoko-ishi Koneko?" To say Kagome was surprised, was an understatement, "You know her?" Her mom nodded, "We should get her up here and I will explain, Where are her parents?" Kagome frowned, "She hasn't mentioned them….at all. I will go get her."
Her mom watched Kagome disappear down the steps, suddenly getting a sad feeling that she couldn't shake. Tori was already waiting outside the car, "Here we go." They walked up the shrine steps in silence, each wondering about the conversation about to take place. Before they knew it, they were sitting around the kitchen table with Kagome's mom. Tori started, "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Higurashi, I think that this is something you would like to see." Tori pulled a small official looking file from her book bag and slid it across the table to Mrs. Higurashi, who open it and read. When she was done, she looked from Tori to Kagome and back to Tori. "Ms. Koneko, would it be alright if I shared this with Kagome?" Tori looked sad but gave a small smile as she nodded.
Mrs. Higurashi took a deep breath before beginning. "I have met Ms. Koneko before, but I doubt she remembers, she was a baby. Back then I had just had you, and just gotten you to sleep and decided to take a quiet walk around the shrine. That's about when I noticed a empty alcohol bottle next to the well house. When I got closer I realized that someone had broken the lock on the door, so I went inside to investigate. I found nothing but as I was leaving I heard a sound coming from the well and when I looked I realized that someone had tied a rope to the side of the well. Inside was a baby, Ms. Koneko. I called an ambulance and after checking her out and looking at the well house the figured that someone couldn't handle being a parent, there were some who thought that it was fear of her features at birth, you see, Ms. Koneko was born with those beautiful blue streaks and eyes." Tori blushed at the complement but waited for her to continue. Kagome seemed entranced by the story. "In any case they wanted to put her in an orphanage but I refused and decided to care for her until a family could be found. Three days later a couple came to the shrine to pray. They had lost their baby girl recently and could have no more children. I came to great them and when they saw her they began to cry, they told me that aquamarine had been their child's birthstone and that they had prayed for a sign that she was at peace, Ms. Koneko's hair and eyes convinced them of that and they fell in love with her. When they found out she was looking for a home they immediately volunteered. After that they left for America, promising to bring back their Turoko-ishi so I could see how beautiful she would become."
Mrs. Higurashi stopped there to let it all sink in. Kagome looked at Tori, "So, you were adopted…That doesn't explain why you are here though." Tori nodded, "True but there is more." Glancing at Kagome's mom, she continued, "You see, my parents passed away about six months ago in an accident. In that file are their last wishes for me in such an event." Kagome looked between Tori and her mother, "Well, what does it say." Tori smiled, "They wanted me to live on this shrine, they left everything to me and this was their one wish. I came to ask if I could live here." The dead silence that greeted her was not the reaction that Tori had been expecting. "Um….Did I miss something?" That is when the door swung open.