Hey guys! Sorry for the long absence. I appreciate all the reviews! Tho two reviews I got in a row said nothing but short, and short and incomplete chapter. And like, listen I know for the majority of you, this isn't the case, but I do recognize where my failings are. I try not to upload short chapters but between life and health, sometimes short is all I can give.

To those of you who do understand and are clearly invested in the story, I hope this chapter makes up for it! I do feel sorry looking over my past chapters, while my goal was never for long chapters for this work, my wording and sentencing could still be improved. Hopefully, again, this chapter makes up for it!

Thank you all for reading and please review!

Given that Kagome's transfer had been mid-class after she was given a tour of the place, the students were filled with a curiosity that they hadn't gotten a chance to throw her way.

That wasn't the only thing, however...

There was something about her countenance, her aura that held a cold aloofness, added with her beauty, she was like the image of an ice queen which left many feeling too intimated to approach during the first break.

Still, the students were in luck and found the next morning the perfect time to strike, curiosity having only mounted after having waited another night.

Kagome, for her part, was proud of herself that she didn't react physically aside from a slight jerk of her head when as soon as she had gotten comfortable in her seat, she found herself surrounded. Internally she twitched nervously at the students crowding around her desk.

She nearly hesitated, because to ask questions would surely lead to more questions, but she ignored the side of her that dreaded interaction and asked,

"...Can I help you...?"

A girl with dark hair, more forward than the rest; her aura was bright and brimming with excitement and a clear inquisitive nature spoke first,

"Higurashi-san we didn't get a chance to talk to you yesterday! Us girls wanted to welcome you to the school! You know, you didn't really say much when you introduced yourself to the class, and you disappeared so quickly during lunch!"

If Kagome could sweat drop she would, "Aha.."

She was hardly given a chance because another girl with a bob cut was speaking to her now, blunt and to the point,

"Did you come from the city? Why'd you want to transfer here? What made you transfer in so late?"

"Where are you from? Why'd you transfer in so late?"

"Um.."

Kagome wasn't one for nerves, but high school girls were ruthless in their drilling. She really must have spent too much time in the past, she found herself floundering a bit. Yes, she had her friends from junior high days, but even back then, her attentions never really laid in the same directions as her friends.

The girls were now speaking over one another, it seemed like the dam had burst,

"Did you come because you got kicked out of your last school?"

"Your hair is so long and pretty! How the heck do you have the patience for it? Do you use hair treatments on it?"

"Do you have any clubs in mind? The drama club could always use new and upcoming talents!"

"Is that your real eye color? Or are you just wearing eye contacts?"

Her head was spinning, they were too close, too many questions. While she could focus on the more basic level questions, a few thrown in had her questioning what grade they were in, because really? What'd she thought of the boys at the school? She'd only been there a day! This was getting ridiculous!

Raising her hands in a wait, wait gesture to stem the endless flow of queries. At one point she wasn't certain a boy asked her for her number to the laughter and roar of a few other guys. Which she most definitely would not focus on or acknowledge.

As the girls stopped, looking at her with excited eyes. Their aura's a mix of intent. She decided to answer the easiest and simplest ones first in hopes it'd appease them.

"..Ano... To start off.. I don't think I can answer all your questions, but I did come from Tokyo. I did not get kicked out" No, Kagome thought just a touch of sourness. That wasn't the reason at all.

"Not to disappoint you, I just came because...my family heard the air was better here.."

A couple of the girls, like she thought, seemed a bit put out and disappointed with such an anticlimactic answer. Hoping for more juicy details or at least a daring excuse of why she left Tokyo. But whatever they were hoping, she certainly wasn't going to give to them.

The first girl seemed ready to push, and a small frown began to form on the corner of Kagome's lips. She was saved from further interrogation when one of the girls who sat near the right of her said,

"Oh cut it out and give her some slack Yumi-chan. Bulldozing your questions at her won't get you anywhere." Smiling at Kagome, she continued, "I'm Sana! Glad to have you in our class Higurashi-san!"

Relieved greatly, Kagome was able to give a smile but truly smile back at her.

Sana's energy was quiet but held a storm filled with confidence. Her aura was genuine, and her face showed a friendliness that carried through her actions.

'With her help, maybe getting through the day without playing 20 questions will be possible...'

Clearing her throat, and smiling at the rest of those gathered, she said,

"It was a pleasure meeting you all", a clear end to the conversation.

Some replied in kind, granting her their names, but a few...she might have to watch out for. There was a small number who didn't really question and when they did, it was ..odd..

Kagome was unsure she would be able to keep track with all the names and faces, but if she wanted to blend in, she'd certainly have to readjust.

She hadn't been in a full school setting in a while, and it felt like the students of Kagawa High had little news of new entertainment, so what hint of a story they could grab they'd stick their talons in. She'd really have to be careful if she wanted to spend her high school days uneventful and in the background.

Class still had a few more minutes before it began and her eyes drifted to the seat a couple away from her own. Sohma-san, as most of the girls she heard mentioned in the halls had come in late and was in a bad mood. The other Sohma, still seemed as cheerful as ever, and when she glanced his way, he got her eye for a split second before she snapped her attention away.

Kagome didn't much bother with idle gossip, how could she, when she carried her own rumors and idle stories from her junior high days... Still from what she could gather the two were popular, and she did not want to get involved in all that. She recalled the previous day, guilt and embarrassment bringing a slight shame to her. Kagome knew better than anybody to see someone's shadow in another person. But for a second, she forgot, and she wasn't in Kagawa prefecture, she wasn't even in modern-day..

Still, their twisted aura's reading of a curse. A powerful one at that, gave her pause and concern. With her new job and just, adjusting to a home by herself, she hadn't the chance to look into it. It didn't seem to outwardly affect them. But complex curses rarely did...

And even if she figured out the answers to the questions, what then? She doubted they'd want some nosy girl in their business, did they even know of the curse? She couldn't just walk up to them and be like, 'hey! i know you don't really know me, but im a somewhat trained real deal miko and i want to help you'

Yeah...no...

Eyes refocusing on the board as the teacher strolled in, no, she had learned her lesson of involving herself unnecessarily, no matter how much she ached to help..

She had duly learned the lesson of interfering unnecessarily. If fate were to lead her to help she would, but for now... For now, she'd keep her distance and keep pushing forward.

As the class went on, Kagome was able to fully get into the swing of things.

She was always a pretty decent student, her adventures and irregular schedule made it a struggle to keep up. After the final battle, however, after a few weeks of rehabilitation, she spent the following months re-accumulating with new and old material and what her school may cover so she wouldn't fall behind with her fellow students.

Her new teacher had a droning voice, and she certainly hadn't missed this, but she had heard worse, and suffered more painstaking lectures, this, she could handle.

Her eyes strayed room the board filled with lecture notes to the window and peaceful sky, clouds passing listlessly by.

That was the thing, no matter where she was, or when, it was all under the same sky.

And that was what helped ground her and believe that things would be okay. Because no matter the chaos, the earth still continued to grow and change.

Drifting back to the board, she cleared her thoughts of philosophical notions and more on what that homework would require...

.../.../.../

Endnotes: A different reviewer kindly told me the name of the fruba high school! And I thank you! For now, i'll stick to what i have;; but I now know for the future! Also, technically kagome while she did go to high school, was in junior high at the start of the series and most of her journey. However my hc for this particular fic is with the transfer process/making up for lost time it'd still set her back a bit. Hope this makes sense!