"Kagome…Kagome…Kagome…"

Shaking.

She hated being shaken awake.

Frowning and rolling over to face her cousin, she looked up through one sleepy eye, half her face still plastered to the pillow, at her cousin, and glared at her.

"Stop shaking me, Saki-chan."

Closing her open eye firmly once more, she laid there for a moment before jolting up. Saki was already in her uniform.

She went from really, very sleepy to wide awake in an instant. Now, mornings had never agreed with Kagome, and this one, in particular didn't. Heart hammering like a jackrabbit in her chest, she didn't glance out the window nor at the clock and raced around the room as Saki sat on her bed, watching the whirlwind that was Kagome.

It was only when she was trying to brush both her hair and her teeth at the same time that she saw the look of a just slightly too straight faced Saki. To Kagome, she looked about ready to die with laughter and, seeing this, Kagome glared into the mirror at her cousin's reflection her mouth still full of minty foam with her pink tooth brush sticking out to one side and she raised an eyebrow at her cousin who said, a little tightly as she kept her laughter back,

"You still have another two hours until it's time for school…thought you would want to eat breakfast and shower first."

Kagome blinked once, and then twice, and then finished brushing her teeth. Taking her eyes away from her cousin for the moment was all it took for Saki to disappear into the kitchen and as Kagome quickly joined her, everyone seemed to materialize.

Taking her time to enjoy her Oba-san's delicious cooking, despite her minty-fresh breath, Kagome was bombarded with questions about her first day, about any new friends she'd made, and what her teachers were like.

Kagome answered the first and the third question easily, and began to talk about Honda-san, Uo, and the Sohma's, but stopped as she thought of them. She hadn't dreamed about…him…thankfully, but she had dreamt something rather disturbing.

It had been about Sango and Miroku battling something that looked like a demon…but that wasn't. They had to be careful, she remembered, but why?

She didn't understand her dream, she just remembered something odd. They both seemed older, still fit and in shape, but a little more worn out by time, a little more aged, which Kagome found strange, but not impossible, to imagine.

Realizing she'd gone so quiet, however, Kagome cleared her throat a bit and complemented,

"Oba-san, your cooking is amazing!"

Smiling at Kagome, she thanked her, and as she went back to eating, she gazed over at her husband. Neither one of them had failed to see

Kagome go white in the face as she began to speak about some new acquaintances she'd met at school.

They exchanged a silent look of concern, and when Kagome left the table, her meal half eaten, which caused more raised eyebrows between the couple, they turned to Saki, who simply said, "Some of our classmates have strange signals…perhaps Kagome feels them too."

Her parents were still concerned, but nodded to their daughter, and Saki's mother said, "Saki-chan, remember, we have to make sure

Kagome-chan feels comfortable at her new school. If your classmates are strange…"

Saki shook her head and said,

"Don't worry, mama, if anything gets weird, I'll let you know."

Nodding, she kissed Saki's head and let her finish her food as Kagome began to get ready for the day once again, stepping into the shower and brushing her teeth once more. Day two, here she came…

"Good morning! How did you sleep? Did you have a good visit Higurashi-san?"

Blinking, Kagome looked up at Tohru, and then she smiled, nodding her head slightly. She liked this girl.

"Yes, it was nice to see my Oba-san, Oji-san, and Megumi-chan."

Kagome took her seat in their class and Tohru smiled at Kagome and began to tell the story of when she first met Hana-chan's parents and little brother, how nervous she had been…but Kagome was only half listening, which, she knew, was less then what Tohru deserved, but her eyes were wandering off to study Yuki and Kyo Sohma, both of whom were nearby. Those two, along with their cousins, were different, but there was something distinctly...inhuman about Kyo Sohma. She'd realized it earlier that morning when she'd had a few moments alone to think about it.

It wasn't that Kyo wasn't human…it was just…she didn't think that all of him was, but, then again, how could that be possible? Any hanyou would have gone into hiding, or would have died out, wouldn't they? Was it possible that Kyo didn't know he was a hanyou?

Lost in her thoughts, Kagome didn't realize right away as she spoke out loud.

"I wonder..."

Tohru paused in her story, blinking at Kagome, stopping politely, and when Kagome realized that she'd said that out loud, Kagome apologized,

"Sorry, Honda-san, I was just thinking out loud."

Tohru only smiled at Kagome, and nodded her head.

"That's alright! What were you wondering about, Higurashi-san?"

Kagome smiled over at Tohru vaguely, and only shook her head. There was no way she could tell even this sweet girl what she was really thinking. She opened her mouth to give an equally vague reply to go along with her smile until Uo and Saki showed up, and, after greeting them, was asked a question.

"So, Higurashi, what's this I hear about you living on a Shinto shrine?"

Kagome was surprised by the question, and looked over at Saki, before turning towards Uo.

"I'm sure Saki-chan told you, my family has owned the shrine for...years."

Kagome realized that she didn't know how long they'd owned the shrine, but it had always been in their family, or, at least, in her father's side. Shrugging mildly, not really thinking of elaborating more on the subject until she saw the frank interest and attention of everyone sitting within hearing range of her, which now included bothYuki and Kyo, who couldn't help being a little curious.

Tohru was ecstatic. Kagome, a little less so.

"Oh! A Shinto Shrine! It must be really great! I've never been to a shrine before!"

"Neither have I."

Uo said this mildly, but Kagome could see the idea forming in her mind…and to put it off, she said,

"Oh…it's not really all great…uh…"

Kagome felt a little like she was in a fish bowl with everyone looking at her, but she fixed her eyes on both Uo and Tohru, and said, hoping to push the subject of her family home off the current topic of discussion,

"Technically, I'm the priestess-in-training of the shrine, though my Oji-chan wants my younger brother, Souta, to become the priest. I'm not sure he'd really want that…but maybe we can introduce Megumi to him...what do you think Saki-chan?"

Kagome had said this playfully, not really meaning it, but looking at her cousins' expression, she could tell that the overly bland nature of it meant 'No way in hell.'

Try as she might, however, Kagome could not get the others to stop talking about it, no matter what tactic she tried, and had really given up hope as she began to answer the questions of her curious classmates.

A few of the boys teased her a little, and Kagome combated them easily, even teasing them back a little, which surprised her cousin, but impressed her as well. Whatever funk Kagome had been in, she was trying really hard to shake it…but…

That didn't stop her from thinking out loud.

"I was thinking I'd like to pay a return visit this weekend..."

Kagome looked up at Saki sharply, wondering right away what her cousin was planning, and if she and Arisa Uotani were both telepathic, but before she could run interference with the idea, it had already sunk in with the whole group pounced on the idea.

Tohru seemed most enthusiastic but Kagome looked aghast, and had gone very pale, as she was totally unprepared for this, and Yuki, astute as ever, said mildly, in a kind tone,

"I think it would be nice for Hanajima-san to visit, but I wouldn't want to invite myself along…"

Getting the message right away, Tohru began apologizing to Kagome for doing just that.

"Oh I'm so sorry Higurashi-san, I didn't realize it would be inconvenient for Uo-chan and I to come too. I'm so sorry! I mean, I would like to see a Shinto Shrine, but you don't know us that well and-"

Kagome raised a hand to cut Tohru off, and she only smiled kindly at the girl. Sighing slightly, feeling slightly put out but not all-together annoyed, Kagome simply said,

"Please, everyone come. It would be nice to have you over for the afternoon. Kaa-san would like to meet some of my classmates."

Tohru seemed surprised, but then grinned happily, as Uo let out a cheer.

"Alright!" She cried, grinning widely.

Kagome shook her head, amused and a little incredulous at their enthusiasm, but then she turned her eyes towards Yuki and Kyo, and said, still being polite,

"You both are invited too, if you'd like to come."

It only seemed right, after all. Tohru barely went anywhere without the two of them that Kagome could see, or without at least one of them, and it was pretty obvious that they were both protective of her, so she didn't want to ruffle any feather's about not giving them the option of coming.

Yuki agreed almost right away, slightly enthusiastic, and said, "I'd like that, I haven't been to a real Shinto shrine in a long time."

Kagome nodded her head, glad that he agreed.

Her ears perked up, however, when she heard Uo say,

"Hey! Orange-top! You're comin' too, right? You have to Come!"

Kagome observed that it didn't take much to make Kyo irritated, and, apparently, calling him 'Orange-top' did the trick. Amused, Kagome watched Kyo and Uo talk trash to one another and call each other names, but Kagome could tell that there was no real rancor in it.

However, their squabbling was cut short when Kagome cleared her throat and said, "Uotani-San, if Sohma-san doesn't want to come, he doesn't have to. It isn't like we can force him."

Kagome shrugged mildly, not realizing at first that she'd earned the surprise looks of most of her new friends, including a surprised look from Kyo.

Looking around at their faces, she only shrugged mildly again, and, turning to Kyo, said,

"I wouldn't mind if you came to the Shrine, Sohma-san, but we can't make you come, after all."

Kyo, used to Tohru's kind yet mild manners, Uo's abrasive teasing, and Hana's general creepy-ness, was unprepared for Kagome's level-headed quasi-compromise. He could come as he liked, something he wasn't used to, but he didn't need to. It seemed like a sign that she didn't want to pressure him, and so, it really surprised him.

The silence became awkward then, however, as he just blinked at her.

His staring began to get on her nerves, however, Tohru, like an angel, came to both of their rescues.

"I'd really like us all to go, Kyo. I think it would be fun…don't you think so?"

Kyo looked over at Tohru and he shrugged one shoulder slightly, and said,

"Ah! Alright already! I'll go with you!"

Tohru beamed at him. "Oh! That's great! Thank you so much!"

Kagome, having kept silent, only looked over him with obvious amusement on her face. So…if Tohru asked him to come…he was more than likely going to tell her yes. He obviously was very fond of Tohru, if her influence affected him that much, and Kagome like to see that she, at least, had a calming influence over the abrasive Kyo.

However, he didn't stay placated for long. Yuki had, apparently, looked at him the wrong way, and so, now they were mouthing off at one another, which made Kagome sigh wearily.

By some miracle, however, the teacher came in at that moment, and class began.

Oh, and I know I said I was keeping them pretty much in line with the FB story, but what are your guys' thoughts on Male! Vs Female! Akito? I'm all for going whichever way the readers want me to go, but, I myself am partial to Female!Akito. It gives it a nice little flavor of 'I know something you don't know' or even her ability to know the older Sohma's better, as well as see their motivations. I don't know, what do you think?

Oba-san means Aunt
Oji-san means Uncle
Itoko means Cousin
Oji-chan means grandpa
Hanyou means Half-Demon or Half-Blood