Chapter 2: A Grandmother's Harshness
A few minutes later, Ai helps bandaging Kagome's swollen ankle and brings out an ice pack to place it on the bandage. "I'm just glad you weren't killed this time." Ai smiles to her daughter as she helps Kagome get into her bedroom. Inuyasha casually follows them in. "Mom, who is that lady that we saw at the shrine?" Kagome asks her as she positions herself onto her bed. Ai shows a sad smile, "I'm afraid to say this, but that your grandma Toho. My mother." Kagome tilts her head. "Grandma Toho? Your mother? But I thought that your parents died long ago, before me and Sota were born." Ai shakes her head. "That's what I thought as well. The thing is that my parents divorced a year before you were born. She wasn't much of a caring mother I wanted after I was born. That's when grandfather suggested that I lived with him. Seeing that she wasn't a motherly figure at all for me and you two." Ai explains to her daughter. "So uh, what is she here for? From the looks of the kimono that she's wearing isn't from around here." Inuyasha asks as he sits down on the floor as well as placing the Tetsusaiga on the bed. He's intrigued with this subject.
Ai nods. "You're right, she's not from this part of Japan. She's from the island of Kyushu." She tells them. Kagome widens her eyes, while Inuyasha looks baffled. "Kyushu? Where is that?" He asks Ai. Ai goes into the atlas map from her bedroom to show Inuyasha where that is. After turning a few pages, Ai points the island that is south of Japan. "Kyushu is on the most sacred places in the country. Not only that it has the world's best scholars graduated from it boarding school." Ai explains in a more tone of voice way than her usual cheery self.
"Mom, what is Grandma Toho going to do now that she's seen Inuyasha and I coming out of the well?" Kagome asks with so much worry that it begins to tears her eyes. Ai sighs, "I don't know, Kagome. And to be honest with you, it's something that I don't want to tell you." She leaves and her daughter and Inuyasha. After closing the door, Ai sobs quietly as she walks down to the living to find her parents talking among themselves. "He's a what?" Kimiko speaks in shock. Kaoru nods, "Afraid so. He's a half-demon. His name is Inuyasha. And he's the one who protects her from dangers." Kimiko is disbelief to hear such nonsense. "Then how is it that they were in that shed?" Kimiko asks as she tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together. "It's because Kagome is a reincarnated priestess. She and Inuyasha had the ability to go back in time to the Feudal Era." Kaoru explains so far to his ex.
Kimiko keeps her glare on her face. "Yeah right, a reincarnated priestess. Last time I've checked, I'm a full fledge priestess and you're just a phony." She crossed her arms as she leans back against the couch. Kaoru glares back. Knowing this, this isn't going well between. 'Maybe Ai might convince her otherwise.' Kaoru thinks in his head. Ai comes downstairs, "What's going on? I'm gone for 10 minutes nursing Kagome's ankle, and I'm come out here to catch you guys arguing about something I know way more than the both of you." Ai speaks quite angrily at her divorced parents.
Just hearing Ai speak like that made Kaoru and Kimiko look down in shame. This is foolish right from the beginning. And from the looks of it, she has a point. It's not right for two divorced parents to argue unknowing in front of their children. Kimiko sighs, "You're right, Ai. Okay for starters, how was it that Kagome is a reincarnated priestess?" She asks her. Kaoru widens his eyes, "Wait a minute. Just moment ago I told you about this and you didn't believe me. But you believe Ai?" He points to himself and then to Ai. Ai takes a sit in between them in a recliner. "Look, mom, dad. Listen. I wasn't aware for Kagome to a reincarnated priestess until she was dragged down the bone eater's well in the Well house." Ai begins her story. Kimiko slowly uncrossed her arms, in an intriguing manner. "Then how was it that Kagome's a reincarnated priestess?" She asks her daughter. Ai smiles, "It was when Kagome was born. After she was placed in my arms, I noticed a sparkled glow from within her. Ever since then, I couldn't but to believe that glow was the Sacred Jewel." Ai explains as she pulls out a photo album from the bookshelf in the room. After turning a few pages, she finds the photo of Kagome as an infant and surprisingly enough it shows the glows from within her. "Here. Does this look real to you?" Ai asks as she gives the photo to her mother.
Kimiko slowly widens her eyes. "That is the glow of the Sacred Jewel. But how was it that Kagome was born with it?" Ai sighs, "For that I don't know. I believe might have the answer to it than me or father." She suggests. Kimiko is about to stand up but Ai stops her. "For now, Let Kagome. Her friend will keep watch over her. It's best that you don't disturb them." She smiles at the end. Kimiko on the other is somehow disgusted to hear about this, but decided to hold it in until she goes talk with Kagome.
A few hours later Kagome is having a hard time resting because she can't sleep on her bandaged ankle. She groans from her pain. "Kagome, you okay?" Inuyasha comes to her side. Kagome weakly nods, "It's just sore." A knock on the door gets their attention. "Who is it?" Kagome asks the unknown visitor. "It's me, sweetheart." Kimiko speaks from the other side of the bedroom door. "Come in." Kagome spoke reluctantly. The door opens up to let her grandmother in. Once Kimiko enters, Inuyasha silently sniffs her scent. 'Something's not right about her.' He thinks to himself rather to Kagome because he doesn't want the old woman to get suspicious about him. Kimiko takes a spot at Kagome's desk. She clears her throat. "Sonny, I want to talk to Kagome alone." She shows a hard look that kind frightens Inuyasha. Kagome nods, "You should respect your elders and do what she says." Kagome agrees on her grandmother's words. Inuyasha glares at her and leaves the room.
After Inuyasha left the room, Kimiko pulls something out of her kimono. What she brought out is a brochure of something. "What is it?" Kagome asks as she receives it from Kimiko. "It's the Kyushu Island Academy." Kimiko replies in a matter-of-fact voice. "It's the same place grandpa and I met. Basically it's a boarding school." Kagome looks downcast because of the word she hates the most. "Why are you telling me this?" She looks back to her grandmother. Kimiko sighs, "I've been noticed by your principal about your long absence because you are in the Feudal Era. I'm afraid I cannot allow you got back in time to the Feudal Era." Kimiko speaks her mind.
Kagome got upsets by this. "I will not accept this. If you think I'm going to this Kyushu Academy for your own pleasure, you've got another thing coming." Kagome refuses and rips the brochure into many pieces. "And don't think I'll be going when my ankle is healed. My duty is in the Feudal Era to restore the Sacred Jewel." She speaks with so much anger that her hands glow and forced her grandmother out of her room through the opened door. Once she closed the door, she locks it and goes back to her bed and cries herself to sleep.
