Part III: Dinner, Adventure and a Shikon Shard @.@

 

            Kagome sighed happily as they reached the Tendo dojo.  It had been years since she had last been there.  The place looked practically the same.  When they entered the gate, someone went flying over them.

            “Good bye, Ka-Kasumi~!” [O.O*]

            The woman at the front of the house waved and smiled.  “Good bye, Dr. Tofu.  Sleep well.”

            “I w-wi-wi-will.”

            Kagome, Akane and Ranma blinked after Dr. Tofu as he disappeared down the street.  Kagome giggled.  “He’s still the same.”  The two nodded.  They then turned to Kasumi who was waiting at the door for them.

            Kasumi came forward with a smile.  “Oh, Kagome-chan!  It’s been since a long time since you came to visit.  I prepared a very special dinner for your arrival.  Everyone’s just waiting to eat it!”

            Kagome smiled.  “Arigato, Kasumi-san.  I’m so glad I could finally come.  I was really looking forward to your cooking!  You still make the best food.”

            Kasumi giggled.  “I’m glad, Kagome-chan.  Come on in!”

            The three entered, eager to eat.

            Soun Tendo and a giant panda were playing shougi by the door to the yard, Nabiki was counting yen at the table and Happousai was sleeping on a cushion by the table.

            Akane turned to Ranma.  “Ranma, can you take Kagome’s bags to my room?”

            “Sure.”

            Ranma dragged the bags upstairs.  Akane plopped down next to Nabiki, while Kagome said hello to everyone.  “Konbanwa, Nabiki, Soun-san.”

            Soun looked up with a smile.  “Well, if it isn’t Kagome-chan!  It has been a long time since I’ve seen your lovely smile.  How have you and your family been doing?”

            Kagome smiled.  “Very well.  My little brother is getting big and Ji-chan is still as spiritual as ever.”

            “That’s good.  Oh, let me introduce my old friend, Genma Saotome.  He’s Ranma’s father.”

            The giant panda held up a sign that said, “Pleasure to meet you.”

            Kagome bowed with a smile.  “Same here, Saotome-san.  Akane has told me a lot about you and Ranma.”

            The panda flipped the wooden sign around.  “Really?”

            Kagome nodded.  She then turned to a smirking Nabiki.  “Akane tells me you guys had run-ins with all the crazies in Nerima.  What do you think of our wacko population?  It’s been growing steadily since you were last here, ne, Kagome?”

            Kagome chuckled and sat down between Nabiki and Akane.  “Mm.  And I thought I had it strange in Tokyo.  But Nerima has been getting weirder.”

            Nabiki grinned.  “And you haven’t even officially met the principal of Furinkan High, Principal Kuno, yet.  Poor Kagome.  You have no idea what mess you’ve gotten yourself into from coming back here to visit.”

            Kagome shook her head and smiled at Akane.  “I really don’t care, Nabiki.  I haven’t seen Akane in a long while and I needed a break.  Even with all these loons wandering around Nerima and hovering around the Tendo dojo and Furinkan High is fine with me, as long as I can get away from the insanity in Tokyo for a while.”  Kagome sighed.  “Though probably a bit of that insanity is going to be following me.”

            Nabiki lifted an eyebrow as Kasumi entered the room with all the food.  Ranma came racing down the stairs and plopped down next to Akane.  “Really, Kagome?” Nabiki said.  “I can’t wait.  The same old wackos get dull after a while.  We need some new blood.”  Happousai woke up with the smell of the food.  Nabiki whispered the next bit of information to Kagome’s ear.  “If I were you I’d watch your underwear like a hawk while you’re here.  That old pervert will take it from you in no time if you’re not careful.”

            Kagome nodded.  Soun and Genma sat at the table, Genma pouring hot water on himself so he could eat properly.  Akane grinned and whispered back to her sister, “Well, if that bit of insanity really does follow Kagome from Tokyo to here then we won’t have to worry about that.  Anybody lays their hands on Kagome or her underwear he’ll probably kill them.”

            Nabiki’s eyebrows lifted.  “Really?  That violent, huh?  This will definitely be interesting.”

            Kasumi smiled.  “Dinner’s served.  Tonight is special because Akane’s friend Kagome has finally come back for a visit.  So, I expect all of you to behave yourselves.  Dig in!”

            Kagome blinked as the war over the food suddenly erupted.  Soun, Genma, Happousai and Ranma all attacked Kasumi’s dinner in a desperate attempt to get at it.  Kagome burst out laughing.

 

            “So, Kagome.  What do you think about what’s happened since you were last here?”

            Kagome looked up at Akane.  Her old friend was smiling at her from her bed.  Kagome was still unpacking.  She gave a little shrug and resumed unpacking.  “I don’t know, Akane.  But despite all the weirdness, it’s a relief.  It almost seems normal compared to what I’ve been through.  The closest thing to a youkai around here is Grandpa Happousai and the closest thing to a ghost is that harmless cat.  It’s such an ease to my spirit.  I really needed a break.  Away from youkai, away from people and things trying to kill me, away from the bloody Sengoku Jidai… Though sometimes that era seems so peaceful despite all the wars going on.”

            Akane nodded.  She took Kagome’s hand.  “Well, here you can rest a bit an stay away from all those things that are trying to get you.”

            Kagome nodded and sighed.  Akane looked worried.  “What is it, Kagome?”

            “I don’t know how long it will last.”

            Akane blinked.  “Do you mean because Inu-Yasha will follow you?”

            Kagome shook her head.  “Inu-Yasha is the least of my problems… No, that’s a lie… He’s my biggest problem, but not about taking away my peacefulness.  Even with him here, I’m sure I’d still have fun and be able to relax.  I’m not worried about him and what he’ll do here.  What I’m worried is what’ll happen because I brought these.”

            Kagome lifted a necklace and a little bottle in her hands.  Akane’s eyes widened.  The jewel on the necklace was only half there, as if it had broken, but it glowed with an inner light.  There were shards in the little bottle that seemed to be a part of the same jewel and glowed with the same light.  Akane’s jaw dropped.  “That wouldn’t happen to be…?”

            Kagome nodded.  “Ah, it’s the Shikon no Tama.  I can’t leave it at home; who knows what youkai may attack my home while I’m not there?  I have to take it with me… But I’m afraid of what will follow me here to get its hands on it, if it figures out the Shikon no kakera are here.”  Kagome attached the bottle to the necklace and pulled it over her head, putting it on the inside of her pajamas against her skin.

            Akane squeezed Kagome’s hand.  Oh, Kami.  “Don’t worry, Kagome.  If anything does come after the Shikon Jewel, I’m sure we’ll be able to handle it.  They may not look like it, but all the wackos are actually good fighters.  We should be able to hold back any youkai that’ll come after it.”

            Kagome smiled up at Akane but shook her head.  “You don’t understand, Akane.  I’ve faced demons that have been tough for Inu-Yasha to beat.  If Inu-Yasha, who’s a hanyou, has a tough time, there’s no way humans could ever defeat it.  What we’ve got to hope for is that nothing comes and that if something does, it’s an easy thing to  beat.”

            Akane grinned.  “Or that Inu-Yasha gets here a lot faster than planned.”

            Kagome giggled.  “That too.  But he’s probably going to be really upset at me when he gets here.  Actually, he’s probably going to be furious.”

            Akane shrugged.  “From what you told me, Kagome, Inu-Yasha is all bark and no bite.”

            Kagome grinned.  “Don’t ever tell him I said that.  He’ll kill me!”

            The two burst out laughing.

 

            Kagome blinked at the spectacle before her.  She had been here three days already.  She’d gone to the public baths with Akane, Kasumi and Nabiki (Shampoo and Ukyo decided to tag along too) and there’d been a heck of an adventure.  They went to the beach, to the local amusement park and to the mall.  Akane gave Kagome a tour of Furinkan High and introduced all the psychos more thoroughly.  Mousse turned into a duck and Shampoo into a cat.  Mousse was blind.  Kuno and his sister Kodachi were clueless.  Kuno added Kagome to his list of beautiful women he must date (she was now one of the top three, Ranma and Akane were with her).  Nabiki had shown Kagome her newest set of pictures to sell to Kuno and how she manipulated him with them.  She’d cooked with Kasumi and played shougi with Soun-san and Genma-san.  She met Principal Kuno and almost got all her hair cut off.  She’d chased after Happousai and her underwear with Akane and Ranma.  She’d shown her archery skills to Akane.  Kagome had okonomiyaki at Ukyo’s and gotten lost with Ryoga.  She had ramen at Shampoo’s place and got to know Grandma Cologne better.  The old lady had a lot of questions about Kagome’s ‘youkai’ boyfriend.  She’d gotten out of there quickly.

            And throughout all of this, she had watched Ranma and Akane fight.  Watched Ranma fight with Ryoga.  Watched Ranma fight with Mousse and with Kuno.  She’d seen Ranma take all three at the same time.  She’d seen Ranma fight with Happousai countless times.  She’d seen Ranma get turned into a girl (so many times that she didn’t even notice anymore) and get felt on by both Kuno and Happousai.  Kagome had already learned all of Ranma’s moves.  She’d learned all of Mousse, Kuno and Ryoga’s moves.  She’d even learned Happousai’s moves.  She’d even seen Grandma Cologne, Shampoo and Ukyo fight…with Ranma, with each other.

            Akane was right, Kagome thought as she watched another battle between Ryoga and Ranma.  All they ever did was fight, fight and fight.  She was watching that spectacle now.  Ranma was tormenting Ryoga and looking extremely bored at it.  Ryoga broke down another wall.  Kagome winced and sighed.  Akane sighed beside her and leaned her head on Kagome’s shoulder.  Kagome looked at her friend with a smile.

            Akane moaned.  “It just gets so boring after a while.  This is all they do, day in, day out.  Whether for real, for a spar or training, out of sheer stupidity or over me, this is all they do.  I just don’t care anymore.  I know Ranma will win—he always does—and Ryoga will still be just as upset as ever.  I’m surprised this city still remains in tact after all the things that go on here.”

            Kagome giggled.  “Well, at first it was interesting…but you’re right.  After seeing it so many times it does get kind of dull.”

            Akane groaned and winced as another wall collapsed.  “Let’s get out of here before something falls on us.”  She got up, dragging Kagome with her.

            Kagome blinked.  “But where are we going, Akane?”

            “Oh, anywhere, I don’t care!  Let’s go to the local temple.  I want to buy a charm.”

            Kagome shook her head and let her friend drag her.

            When they got there, Akane was looking at the charms, while Kagome checked out the temple.  It seemed like a perfectly normal temple.  No magical wells that led to other time, no youkai wandering about the edges.  A perfectly safe and normal shrine and temple.  Kagome sighed.  If only her life was easy as the people who ran this shrine.

            “Can I help you?”

            Kagome blinked and turned to the woman who had spoken.  She was dressed like Kikyou (white haori, red hakama) only she had orange colored hair [O.o].  Kagome smiled and shook her head.  “Mm.  I was just looking around while I waited for my friend.  I’ve never been to the shrine here.  It never occurred to me.  I live at a temple too.”

            “Oh?” the woman said.  “You’re a Shinto maiden too then?”

            Kagome shrugged her shoulders.  “I guess you could say so.”

            The woman seemed to ponder something as she looked at Kagome.  Kagome met the woman’s gaze.  “Is there something wrong?”

            She shook her head.  “I was just wondering why you answered that way.  You’re wearing shards of the Shikon no Tama around your neck and you say that you ‘could’ be a Shinto maiden?  I would say you’re a Miko yourself.”

            Kagome giggled.  “You figured me out.  I guess you could say I’m a Miko-in-training.  I’m still learning how to use my powers.  But right now, I’m on vacation.  I needed a little break from youkai extermination.”

            “Kagome!  Let’s go!  I just thought of something we could do!  Come on!” Akane cried from across the shrine.

            Kagome nodded and waved.  She turned away from the woman with a smile.  “If you ever want to get rid of it, just let me know.  I’m sure keeping youkai away from here and that Shikon shard must be tiring.  It’s my job to collect them all, but if you don’t want to part with it, I understand that too.  Oh, and by the way, you should put it in a safer spot.  That pocket in your haori isn’t a very good spot.  Anyone could just take it.  Ganbatte-ne!”  And with that, Kagome ran off to go to Akane.

            “Where are we going, Akane?”

            “Well, I just heard from the vender that there’s great place for kareoke…”

            The two girls and their voices faded as they left the shrine, leaving the woman blinking after them.  “A true Miko…?” she whispered, her hand over the Shikon shard in her pocket.