Chapter 4
The mystery thief
The afternoon sun rose high in the sky, light playing though the clouds that strayed across the sky, sending shadows floating along the earth, as though they were living creatures let loose to play amongst the other creations of Mother Nature. As Ranma grudgingly walked through the forest.
As soon as the redhead woke up she thanked the headman and left right away, determined to find a way home. But as the day went on, Ranma had just as much luck as she did yesterday.
She still had no traces on how to get back to Nermia, and the redhead was finding and fighting demons every corner she turned. This aggravated her to no end.
Ranma was so aggravated that she didn't even notice that she was secretly being followed by a giant lizard demon.
'Yes this human is strong!'The lizard demon thought. 'Shes defeated so many demons, she can be useful to to me!'It snickered wickedly.
Without warning, Ranma came to a stop, and the lizard demon quickly hid behind a bush. "Geez! I ain't gettin no where!" She groaned loudly. "I don't even know where the hell I'm going, how the hell am I suppose ta get home!"
Suddenly a nearby bush began to shake. "Another demon..." The redhead assumed. She then cracked her knuckles, "c'mon out, and I won't beat ya up too bad!"
The bush shook again and a figure came out, Ranma expected to see some sort of monster but instead it was a man. The man was bald, he wore a robe, a sun hat, had holy beads around his neck, and carried a staff. "I am no demon I assure you." He said with a smile.
The material artist relaxed.'Is he a monk...or sumthin?"
"Hello miss." The man greeted. "I can't help but notice how troubled you are."
"Um.. yea I am." Ranma responded.
"I also understand that you need to find a way back home?" He asked.
"Yea I do." She answered
"I think I can help you with that." He said with a kind smile.
"What! Really?" Ranma said excitedly, but then added more lowly, "but...it ain't that simple..my home...ain't exactly from here."
"Oh really?" The monk asked. "Where are you from?"
"Well it's gonna sound crazy...but I'm from the future, and I got transported here." The redhead explained.
"Really, that's very unfortunate." He said sympathetically.
'Wow the guy actually believes me..' She thought. "Yea, that's why helpin me find a way back home ain't so easy." Ranma sighed.
"Actually, I still can help you return back to your home." He replied.
The redhead's face lit up. "Fur reals?"
The monk nodded. "Yes, as you can see I am a monk and I have great spiritual powers."
"What does having spiritual powers have to do wit me gettin back home?" Ranma asked skeptically.
"With my spiritual powers I can transport
You back to your time." He explained.
"Really! That be awesome man, thanks!" Ranma said gratefully.
"But..." The monk started, "there will be some things I will need to do this."
"If it's money, your outta luck, cuz I'm broke." The pigtail girl said dryly.
"No not money." The monk laughed. "It's some requirements I need too transport you back."
"What kinda requirements?" She asked.
"I'm going to explain to you very carefully what the are, because you are the one who has to retrieve them." He replied.
Ranma raised an eyebrow. "I am?"
The monk nodded. "But with your skill it should be fairly easy."
"Alright." The redhead agreed. "So just wat do I gotta get?"
"It's just three items in all." He said. "Two of them are in the same village. These objects are called the vase of heaven and the vase of hell."
"The vase of heaven and the vase of hell..." Ranma repeated.
"Yes." The monk confirmed. "They are in a village only a couple of miles from here. Each vase has it's own shrine, each shrine is located at the end of each of the village's sides."
"Ok..." The redhead said understanding all of this. "So when I get there do I just ask the village people to borrow it...or what?"
"Well, that wouldn't be the wisest idea.." The monk smiled. "These are very precious artifacts to the village, they wouldn't just hand it over to just anyone."
"So wait...ya want me to steal those vases don't cha!" Ranma asked.
"Well it's the only way for me to return you back to your own time." The monk explained, the smile never leaving his face. "And I promise to return the items back where they once were, once I've returned you home."
"Well...alright." The redhead said more convinced. "And what's the third item?"
"The third item might be a little bit more tricky to get." He said. "I will need a fragment of the shikon jewel."
"Fragment of the shikon what?" Ranma said confusingly.
"Shikon jewel, it's a jewel that was shattered and now is scattered all over the country." The monk explained. "It can make a person or demon twice as stronger than their originally strength."
"Sounds pretty stupid.." The redhead said bluntly. She didn't like the idea of using things to make you more powerful instead of training yourself to become strong. But she needed this shikon jewel thing to get back home. "So where can I find these jewel things huh?"
"That's what makes it tricky..." The monk replied. "The shikon jewel shards can be pretty much anywhere, it can be laying on the ground, but that is most unlikely. It'll be most likely for someone to have it, a demon or even a human."
"So I ma have ta 'borrow' this too?" She asked skeptically.
"Well this I shall not return because humans and demons should not possess any fragments of the shikon jewel, it's very dangerous." The monk explained.
"I guess that makes sense...cuz it can make ya way stronger." Ranma said.
The monk nodded. "Yes a fragment of the jewel, the vase of heaven, and the vase of hell is all I need to transport you back home." The monk said with a calm smile.
Ranma looked at the man, something seemed rather off about him, but she couldn't tell what. "Ok sounds like a plan."
"Good." He said. The monk then walked over to the bush he came out of and pulled something out of it. It looked like a backpack to Ranma.
"Here." The man handed it to the small material artist. "There are some items in there that would become useful."
Ranma opened the bag to see some apples and little black balls. "What are those things?" She asked.
"Smoke bombs." He answered. "If your in trouble at the shrines, throw it at the ground and smoke will emerge from it."
"Um...ok.." She said a little uneasily. 'What kinda monk has smoke bombs..?' "So which way the village?"
"Just keep going straight." The monk said. "It'll be the first one you'll see."
Ranma slung the bag over her shoulder. "Alright then, I'll get this junk as fast as I can."
The monk then sat down in a mediation position. "Ok I'll wait for you here."
"Ok I'm off, see ya!" The redhead said taking off. But then she suddenly stopped and glanced over her shoulder toward the monk. "And if ya lying to me, your gonna regret it pal."
The monk sweat dropped nervously, but tried to keep his composure. The tiny material artist then took off again.
As soon as she was gone from sight, the monk began chuckling wickedly, he suddenly turned green and his eyes became yellow. "Foolish mortal!"
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It was a dark, serene night as the luminous moon gleamed, and the twinkling stars gave harmony at the black, bluish sky.
A certain half demon with dog ears, long white hair, and wearing a red kimono, looked up at it. Lost in his own thoughts. 'Naraku...where's that bastard hiding...'
Inuyasha and his group haven't seen Naraku in awhile. 'Just what can he be plotting...'
His nose twitched as he caught the delicious smell of food cooking. 'Must be time to eat.' He then made his way back to the campsite.
When Inuyasha arrived his friends were all sitting around the campfire eating cooked fish.
"Thanks for telling me dinners ready!" He said huffily taking a seat at the campfire and grabbing a fish.
"I was about to come and get you." A girl with long black hair wearing a green and white sailor uniform replied. This was known as Kagome.
"Well it sure as hell looked like you were sitting down and stuffing your face instead." Inuyasha said as he took a big bite of his fish.
Kagome shot the half demon an angry look. "Inuyasha!"
"Now, now settle down you two." A monk with short black hair, wearing blue robes, and prayer beads around his right hand pleaded, not wanting to hear them argue. This was known as Miroku.
"There's no need to fight, Inuyasha your here now so it's alright." Another girl, slightly older than Kagome, who was wearing a pink kimono with a green skirt, added also trying to prevent an argument. She was known as Sango and she is a demon slayer.
"Whatever." He replied finishing off the fish with another bite.
"We just thought you would smell the food like you usually do." A tiny child with a fluffy tail commented. This was Shippo a fox demon.
"Shut up shippo!" Inuyasha yelled grabbing another fish and devouring it.
"Just what were you doing over there Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.
"Will you get off my back already! I was just thinking!" The half demon barked.
"To think a guy like Inuyasha actually has thoughts." Shippo chuckled.
Inuyasha didn't hesitate to bonk the young fox across the top of the head. "I thought I told you to shut up!"
"Ouch!" Shippo whined rubbing his head. "That hurt! It's not like I'm not saying anything that's not tru-OWW!"
The half demon smacked the fox over the head again. "Kagome! Inuyasha keeps hitting me!" Shippo cried.
"Inuyasha sit boy!" Kagome yelled.
The beads around Inuyasha's neck glowed and pulled him down face first into the dirt, with such force that shook the ground. "Kagome...why you!" He groaned.
"Be nicer to shippo!" She scolded.
Miroku nervously chuckled and Sango rolled her eyes, this seem to happen every night, and it became tiring to see.
The school girl then stood up. "I'm going to get some sleep guys...my back is killing me."
"Why's that kagome?" Shippo asked.
"Probably from sleeping outside so much, not exactly the most comfortable." She sighed.
"Well your in luck Kagome," Miroku spoke up. "There's a village very close to here, we should be reaching it by tomorrow."
The school girl's face brighten. "Really, that's great!"
"Not happening!" Inuyasha shouted rising himself off the ground. "We have to keep going! We don't have time to be relaxing at a village!"
"Oh come on Inuyasha..!" Kagome pleaded. "We haven't slept indoors for a while now."
"Finding Naraku and jewel shards is more more important!" Inuaysha stated.
"Actually inuyasha since we haven't been in a village for a while, they could possibly provide us some information leading to Naraku's whereabouts." Sango explained.
Sango did have a point, maybe they could find some information of Naraku. Inuyasha growled irritatedly, they always just have to team up on him. The half demon tossed his head to the side stubbornly. "Fine, whatever!"
But what the group did not know is that soon their fates shall cross with someone that would change their lives.
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The sky was a brilliant unbroken blanket of blue, not a single cloud insight when Inuyasha and his friends packed up and left for the nearby village. They were set on finding any type of information on Naraku.
But when they arrived, things weren't as they expected...
"We're all gonna die!" A man yelled.
"The world is going to end!" A woman screamed.
The Inu group stood in confusion as they saw all the villagers running around frantically panicking.
"What's wrong with everybody?" Kagome said in concern.
"Is there a demon attacking!" Shippo said nervously.
"No, I don't sense any demonic aura." Miroku assured.
"Let's go ask a villager." Sango replied.
The group began to walk forward but then Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Um... Inuyasha, I think you should wait here." She said softly.
"Why the hell should I!" The half demon demanded.
"Kagome is right." Miroku responded. "The villagers already seem frighten by something. I don't think them seeing a demon would put them at ease."
Inuyasha snorted. "Keh! Fine just hurry up!" He crossed his arms and turned his head to the side.
"Alright let's go." Sango announced.
Kagome, Miroku, and Sango once again headed toward the villagers as Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kirara stayed behind.
"Why are you here Shippo." Inuyasha asked the young fox.
"Didn't you hear Miroku." Shippo replied. "Seeing a demon would scare them more."
"Who be scared of a shrimp like you!" The half demon mocked.
"Shut up Inuyasha! They too would be scare!" Shippo stated stomping his tiny foot. "They be more scared of me than a half demon like-"
He didn't even get to finish as Inuyasha smashed his foot on the tiny demon. "You just don't know when to shut up!"
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About 10 minuets went by as Sango, Kagome, and Miroku tried to grab a villagers attention. But the villagers just kept running like they were on fire.
Inuyasha growled impatiently. "Damn! This is taking too long!" Finally he got tired of waiting and marched up to a villager. When the man attempted to run, Inuyasha snatched him by his kimono and pulled the man back to him. "Hey! What the hell is going on! Why are you all running around!"
"Ah! D-Don't hurt me! Please!" He pleaded.
"I ain't gonna hurt you! Just tell me!" Inuyasha demanded.
"T-There's been a crisis in the village!" The villager stammered.
"And what kind of crisis is that!" The half demon barked shaking him roughly.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, her and the others were walking back to him. "Put him down!"
Inuyasha growled, but did so and stuffed his hands into his sleeves huffily.
"I apologize for our friend's behavior." Miroku said. "But we would like to know what's going on."
"Oh are you a monk!" The villager asked hopefully.
"Yes I am." Miroku responded. "Me and my assistants travel the country coming to peoples aid."
Sango, Inuyasha, and Kagome blinked. "Assistants..?"
"You can help us then!" The man turned around and shouted. "Everyone it's a monk and his assistants! They can help us!"
"Just when the hell did we become your assistants monk! Last time I checked I'm the one always saving your ass!" Inuyasha commented.
"Remain calm Inuyasha." Miroku replied. "It's just so they can tell us everything without giving us any trouble, if they know your with me then it shall go smoothly."
"Keh! Stupid monk..." The half demon grumbled turning away from him.
The villagers stopped running around and quickly ran up to the young travelers, they all had pleading looks on their faces.
"Villagers what has happened? Why are you troubled?" Miroku spoke out.
"I'll tell you what happened." A man said stepping out of the crowd. "We've been robbed."
"Robbed?" The Inu group repeated.
"Yes, i am the headman of this village...and I take full responsibility for what happened." He said sadly.
"Keh is that it?" Inuyasha snorted.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, shooting the half demon a look.
"Do you have any idea who robbed you?" Sango asked the headman.
"No.., nobody saw." He explained. "The guards said they only saw a blur, then smoke appeared and our precious object was stolen..." The headman said practical in tears.
"You think it's a demon Miroku?" Sango asked the monk.
"It's possible." He responded.
"I was one of the guards." Another man announced stepping out of the crowd. "It's was so fast...it couldn't be human."
"So you people are saying it's a demon that stole from you?" Inuyasha asked.
The guard nodded. "It had to be, I've never seen a human move that fast."
"What was the object that was stolen?" Miroku asked.
"The object that was stolen was the vase of heaven." The headman answered.
The Inu group gave each other confusing stares, they never heard of the object.
"What is this vase of heaven?" Miroku asked curiously.
"It's a vase that is over 1000 years old, and it's a precious artifact to this village." The headman explained. "Its also known to be sent down from heaven and had to be protected from evil."
"All this crap for some stupid old vase!" Inuyasha spat.
"Inuyasha! Don't be so insensitive!" Kagome scolded. "This vase means a lot to them, they have every right to feel this way!"
Tears began rolling down the headman's cheeks. "Yes...it does! My ancestors have been watching over the vase of heaven for decades! And know it's gone!" He cried.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. 'Stupid humans...'
"And after the thief took our precious artifact..." The guard began and sounded as if he was going to start crying too. "This...was left in it's place..." He held out a crumbled piece of paper.
Sango took the paper and opened it. "It says...huh? There's just three letters..?" The demon slayer said confusingly.
"What are the letters Sango?" Kagome asked.
"I.O.U?" She replied.
Kagome blinked in surprise.
The headman began to sob louder, the guard was now crying too, and the villagers looked as if the world was ending.
"I.O.U! What does that even mean?" The headman cried.
"Well it is surely a puzzle we must solve." Miroku said expecting the paper.
"Um...you guys.." Kagome started slowly. "I.O.U means I owe you..."
"We already know I.O.U means I.O.U!" The headman said a little annoyed. "But we don't know what it actually means?"
"No no, I.O.U actually means I owe you." The school girl explained. "Like they owe you from stealing the vase of heaven."
The headman and the guard had blank stares for a moment.
"That doesn't matter!" The headman exclaimed. "There is nothing to owe us over the vase of heaven!" He then walked over to Miroku and clasped his hands. "Please! Help us!" He pleaded.
"Just what the hell do you want us to do old man!" Inuyasha responded. "Do you want us to chase this thief that's long gone by now, for some old vase! We don't have time to do that!"
"You won't have to chase the thief, because it's coming back tonight." The headman replied. Inuyasha gave the man a confused look.
"How do you know the thief will return?" Sango asked.
"I know because it will be returning for the vase of hell." He answered
"The vase of hell?" Kagome repeated.
The headman nodded. "Yes the vase of hell is located in our other shrine at the other side of the village."
"Why will the thief try to steal the vase of hell?" Miroku asked.
"Because they have the vase of heaven. Someone wouldn't steal one without coming back for the other, because with out each other the vases are useless..." The headman explained.
Slightly worried looks came across the group.
"...What happens when they're together?" Kagome said uneasily.
The headman frowned, "something...horrible.."
"What the hell happens!" Inuyasha demanded.
"If you have both vases together it can open the gates to heaven and hell." The guard answered.
The villagers gasped and the Inu group had shock looks on their faces. They did not know the situation was that serious.
"But only," the headman began. "If you have a shard of the shikon jewel as well."
"So what your saying is if both the vase of heaven and the vase of hell are brought together with a shard of the shikon jewel, it will open the gates to heaven and hell?" Miroku asked making sure he understood it fully.
The headman nodded.
The small group looked at each other. "This is far more serious." Sango said.
"We have to stay and help." Kagome commented.
"Keh it ain't that serious." Inuyasha said calmly.
"How is it not serious you dummy!" Shippo yelled. "If this thief gets the vase of hell, the gates to heaven and hell will open!"
"Yea if the thief gets the vase, but that's not gonna happen." Inuaysha replied. "Because I'm gonna guard the shrine tonight so no one can steal the vase of hell!" The half demon stated.
"You plan on guarding it alone?" The headman asked.
"Yea nothing can get past me!" Inuyasha said cockily.
"But inuyasha!-" Kagome whined but was interrupted by the headman.
"That's splendid!" He said cheerfully. "The rest of you can stay at my house."
"That's very kind of you." Miroku said with a smile.
"Um Miroku is it smart to leave this to Inuyasha?" Sango whispered to the monk.
"I think it'll be fine, this demon must not be very strong since I haven't felt any demonic aura." He whispers back.
"I'll come with you Inuyasha." Kagome
States.
"That's not happening." The half demon says dismissively. "I'll do this myself, you'll guys just get in the way. It'll be much faster if I go alone."
"Get in the way! What if something happens to you!" Kagome exclaims.
"Keh, nothing gonna happen to me kagome! I'm strong enough to handle some demon." Inuyasha said in annoyance. "And besides you wanted to sleep indoors, didn't you. So just get off my back and hurry up and go sleep in your warm cozy bed!"
Kagome clenched her fists and shook in anger. "Inuyasha! You idiot sit boy!" She shouted.
The half demon immediately smashed face first into the ground. He groaned in pain.
"Moron.." Shippo mumbled.
The school girl turned on her heel in a huff and walked up to the headman, Sango, and Miroku. "Shall we go."
The headman gulped a bit nervously. "Um... yes of course." And he began to lead the way to his house , with his guard on his side and the young travelers following behind.
"Don't worry Kagome, Inuyasha will be fine." Sango said softly with a smile, trying to cheer up her friend.
"Yes if Inuyasha gets into any trouble, we'll be there to help him." Miroku said also trying to cheer her up.
"Yea I know.." The school girl said lowly with a little smile. 'Its just... I was trying to help... Inuyasha why do you always have to do everything on your own...'
"Can we trust them?" The guard whispered to the headman.
He sighed. "We really don't have any other choice."
To be continued...
