Chapter 10: Goddess vs. Goddess = trouble

Beware OC-ness

Coming in from my after exercise wash, I sat down to eat breakfast. I greeted my wisps drowsily. I laid down my head on the cool table. The exercises were getting easier to do, but I'm unusually tired. I sat up when I heard Tomoe come in.

"Today's breakfast includes yoshino kuzu ankake, rice porridge, and my special gomadoufu."

I smile as I took a deep breath to smell the food. It smelled so good.

"Thank you Tomoe! Idatakimasu!"

The food was just what I needed to wake up. I packed up my bike compartment with my usual stuff and large bento. I left with my usual farewell, waving them off. It wasn't until I got to school that dread pooled into my belly. The gloomy atmosphere from the other girls didn't help either. Even Nanami was a bit gloomy today, and she was a bit late. It wasn't until Isobe informed us of Kurama's absence. I know it wouldn't be because of his cheek since I healed him, and he didn't seem ill yesterday, so it must be because of his job.

It wasn't until lunch that the dread in my belly became a lead weight. I was powering through my lunch to help make it go away and to have extra time to practice a math solution. I wished that I could have slowed down to actual fully taste the delicious food. I had to pause in my scribbling of numbers to look up at an approaching Goddess coming to the classroom window. She made her entrance by shattering in through the windows without even touching them.

"You're Higurashi Kagome, aren't you?"

Immediately, this Goddess placed us in a barrier for privacy, I guess. She also confirmed it to me in her explanation.

"I'm a God with a shrine in Heaven, Princess Narukami, God of Lightning. I heard that you've become the Land God here. You were forced to bear such a heavy responsibility … You must have gone through a lot of hardships. You have such a slender body, but you were able to hold on all the way until now. You must have tried very hard…"

I tuned her out by then. My hand subconsciously drifted to rub my side where the jewel came out, that bite scar. Would this Goddess really relieve me on it? It is still there, in my side. All I had to do was take it out, and my burden would be over.

I could, but I won't. I am its guardian until the day I disappear. Besides, if I were to give it up, it would just pass on and cause suffering like it did so long ago. I was brought out of my thoughts when I was enveloped in a hug. She was still talking. Oops-ies.

"However, all your hardships will end today … I, Narukami, will take over Mikage's shrine for you. You must want to return to being a normal human. I … will set you free."

Oh, that is what she was talking about, not the Shikon Jewel. Well, she can't have that either. The Mikage Shrine has become my home now, and I'm not going to let taken away from me again. I gently pushed the Goddess away from me. I moved my hand from my side to fist it over my heart.

"I'm sorry, Narukami-sama, but I can't let you do that. The Mikage Shrine has become my home and its occupants my family. I am not going to have those two important things taken away from me again."

Then her face morphed into displeasure, and I readied myself for her wrath. Then out of the darkness, Tomoe came into the barrier with a paper lantern.

"Kagome! Are you alright?"

I smiled and nodded before moving away from the other Goddess slowly. The Goddess didn't pay any attention to me as I shuffled over to Tomoe's side.

"So you've come Tomoe," Narukami purred. I twitched. Really? Just really, it was about Tomoe this whole time!

"What is the meaning of this? Kagome is my master."

I'm just his Master?

"Such a little girl is your Master? You've fallen, Tomoe. I get really irritated when I see you slaving for someone else. I won't let you get in my way."

"It's none of your business!"

"I thought something like this might happen, so I borrowed this lucky mallet from the God of Wealth. Take this! Get smaller!"

When I heard that she had a godly artifact, I started to move. As soon as she began to swing her mallet, I pushed Tomoe out of the way. She must not have expected me to get in the way. With a poof and an uncomfortable shrinkage, I appeared out of the smoke as a 5 year old. At first I was amazed to still have my seventeen year old mind, then came the pain. Pink and gold clashed behind my eyelids. Then a red started to seep into the mix. Then purple combating the red. No, the jewel became active!

I could barely feel the hands around my body as pain of four different energies fighting to keep control. I screamed when the red flared in irritation, trying to subdue the others. Suddenly white filled my vision.

"K-! Kag-! Kagom-!"

I gasped for air. I looked around blurrily. Everything was so much bigger in the shrine. I looked for Tomoe. I screamed as the red tries to escape the white box within my a closer look it seems to be made out of lightening. Nurakami-sama. The purple was using itself as a medium to balance the pink and gold. The pain started to lessen the more I focused on trying to sit up. I reached to grab something, but I paused in shock when I saw that my tiny fingers are turning into a substance similar to the jewel. Sorrow and resignation flooded me. Tears sprang to my eyes. Small pearls of lavender colored jewel fell to the floor.

Tomoe filled my vision. I reached out to him in desperation. I needed to feel something to know I'm still human, well human-ish. Surprisingly, he did give me the embrace I need. In his embrace, I could feel his warmth, smell his scent. I sighed in relief as calm and equality resounded me. I looked over his shoulder to see a pouting Nurakami and her frantic lion dogs. I huffed a laugh to see a Goddess pouting.

I gently pulled back to see Tomoe more clearly. He looked stressed and worried. I poked his cheek gently and giggled.

"You're going to age faster if you do that."

He frowned immediately and grabbed my cheeks to stretch them out wide. It hurt, but I was happy. Once I got him to let go, I shuffled off his lap to stand. That was when I noticed that I was wearing a children's yukata. Turning this way and that, it was rather cute. I smiled. I looked up to see over Onikiri's shoulder. I was smaller than she was. I laughed a bit, but grimaced. My crystallization is closing in on my chest. I turned seriously to Narukami.

"Nurakami-sama, please return me back to normal. I know you may have realized who I am, but I need to be an adult to keep it under control. I also ask for your silence about this as well. If word got out about this it would be disastrous."

She glanced at me petulantly before sighing in sorrow and resignation. She grasped her mallet and with a shout of "Get Bigger," I was returned to normal and dressed in my uniform. I sighed in relief as the opposing energies became subdued themselves under my will. Everyone in the room could feel the release of the tension the jewel created when awakening. Jewel became dormant once more. I ran a hand through my hair in relief, but paused when I felt that there was more of it than before. My hair grew down past my butt! I turned to the somber Goddess when she started telling her woeful reasons.

"I'm sorry about all this. Just wanted Tomoe to be my familiar and mine, but I can see were his loyalty lies. I don't need a familiar who isn't loyal to me. I promise on my godhood not to tell anyone about what I know about you and who you are. I'll be looking forward to seeing you again, Land God. The burden is great on you and even I would not be of any help to you to lighten it. I'm sorry to say."

I gave an empty smile and looked at her with blank eyes.

"Even though I would have refused, I appreciate the offer. I was chosen to carry this burden until the time I disappear, and I will gladly do so. So others won't have to suffer from it. I thank you for your secrecy and hope to see you soon too."

I watched her leave grandiosely. She couldn't very well leave without a light show being the God of Lightening and whatnot. I got up, but my legs felt too weak to sustain my weight since the crystallization receded. I began to fall, not really caring to avoid it. Instead of the ground I was held up my Tomoe quit intimately. I blushed and looked away.

Tomoe was upset. That much was obvious. I was sitting on my futon with Onikiri and Kotetsu fretting and wondering over my receding crystalized feet. When Tomoe came back with some broth, he seemed to have calmed down some, but that black cloud is still there. I glanced at him from drinking my broth to see him blank. I sighed and put down the bowl and spoon.

"You need to eat-"

"What's wrong?"

He remained stubbornly silent. I huffed in frustration and tossed my overly long bangs behind me. I glared at Tomoe.

"Everyone has their secrets Tomoe. If you are miffed that I didn't tell you, then, oh well, now you know what I am. So you can either suck it up or remain upset for the duration of your stay."

I puffed up in irritation. Tomoe just looked at me stunned. He sighed in dramatic exasperation.

"Jeez, you are more trouble than I anticipated you would be, but I'll accept that."

I smirked. I'll take that. I placed my bowl off to the side, so I could lean over. I used one hand to cup Tomoe's face and gave him a kiss. I pulled back with a sense of relief.

"That was to reseal our contract."

I continued to drink my broth. I almost spilled a bit from almost grinning in amusement when I saw a stubborn look on his face with a blush on his cheeks. He couldn't hide it from my sight just by turning his head to the side. I had to repress giggles. This side of Tomoe was so adorably amusing!