Type: General (Humor most of the time, but it'll be serious when it comes
to the part concerning Inuyasha's future in Warring Japan).
Rating: General
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Ranma ½ and Inuyasha. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sensei.
Summary:
This fanfic is a sequel from my other fanfic, 'The Tetsusaiga race' (you may look through the list of fanfictions under my profile link on this page by clicking on my nickname).
Determined to know what has happened to Inuyasha 500 years in the past, Ranma brought Inuyasha to his school, hoping to make use of the resources in the library but Inuyasha ended up becoming a student in Fuurinkan High School, feigning as Ranma's long-lost brother. Kagome, Hinako, Gosunkugi, Saotome Nodoka (Ranma's mother), Hojo, Souta and Toufuu are added into this confusion. Humors involved.
SEQUEL TO THE TETSUSAIGA RACE
Chapter Three: The Power of Tetsusaiga
"MEOWWWWW!!!!!!!!!" Buyo ran after a purple cat with two bells attached to its fur in the front. The cat frighteningly dragged its Chinese-style clothes and ran into Kagome's house, straight towards the bathroom. It ran past Kagome's jii chan. He stared at the running cat confused.
"It must be one of Buyo's friends again," He muttered: "Must tell Kagome and Souta to control their pet, sigh!"
Buyo ran past him and followed the purple cat's trace. He reached the bathroom. Just then, a voice called after him.
"Buyo!" It was Souta: "What are you doing here?"
"Meow, meow!!!" Buyo cried, pointing his nose at the bathroom.
~~ BANG, BONK! ~~~
The sound came from the bathroom.
"Who's inside?" Souta called, thinking it was Kagome: "Nee-chan, is that you??"
Shampoo had changed back to her normal self in the warm water and leaped out through the window.
"Phew!" Shampoo thought: "That was close! And now it is time to look for Ranma!"
She headed straight towards the bone eating well and jumped into it.
Nothing happened.
"Oh....." She growled: "How did Ranma disappear in it?"
"Nee-chan!" Souta's voice called: "Are you in there?"
"Not AGAIN!!" Shampoo thought, panicked. A little face peeped inside.
"Huh? Whoo." Souta began. Shampoo leaped out and covered his mouth.
"Don't you dare to tell anyone I'm here," She hissed under her breath.
Souta nodded his head confused. She released her hand.
"Are you Inuyasha nii-chan's friend from Warring Japan?" Souta asked.
"Ahhh????" Shampoo tried to think of an excuse.
"Ah! I know! It's a secret, right?" Souta replied cheerfully: "Don't worry, I won't let anyone know you're here!"
"Souta! Where are you??" Kagome's jii-chan shouted from the compound.
"Coming!" Souta called, turned, winked at Shampoo and ran off.
"Sighhhh. when will Ranma come out of the well? I want to leave this place as soon as possible." Shampoo sighed to herself.
~~~ IN WARRING JAPAN ~~~
"You are going back with ME, Inuyasha!!!" Ranma growled and dragged Inuyasha (in full human-form) towards the well: "I've spent so much time and effort for you in school and now you are saying you are NOT RETURNING????????????!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Hey, wait!!" Sango called, running after them: "Who are you and where are you taking Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha pulled his hand from Ranma's grip: "Get your hands off me!!! I'm NOT going back!!!"
"Oh yes, you ARE!!!" Ranma roared, grabbing by his wrist again to prevent him from pulling the bracelet out. It would be more difficult to control a hanyou Inuyasha.
"Uh-huh," Shippou guessed: "Inuyasha must have done something unfaithful! You're such a jerk, Inuyasha!" He suspected Inuyasha had just ditched a girl in Kagome's time.
"Yeah, even their clothes are the same (NOTE: Ranma and Inuyasha were wearing school uniforms)," Sango continued sarcastically.
"Oi!!! Things are NOT what as you think!!!!!" Inuyasha shouted.
"Sigh, Inuyasha's in such a luck!" Miroku sighed: "I wish I can make a girlfriend in other time too!" He got a glare from Sango.
"Inuyasha, why are you so unfaithful to Kagome?" Shippou asked.
"I TOLD YOU THINGS ARE NOT AS WHAT YOU THINKKKKKK!!!!!" Inuyasha screamed, turning to female Ranma: "And I say, GET YOUR HANDS OFF MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" He swung Ranma's hand off, pulled out the bracelet and ran off into the forest.
"HEY!!!!!!!!! DON'T RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ranma shrieked and started after Inuyasha.
Sango petted Ranma on her shoulder: "Can you kindly explain what's going on here?"
Ranma sighed and nodded: "I'm Ranma," She introduced: "And Inuyasha's supposed to investigate his future in Warring Japan from information in my time..."
Suddenly, she felt a hand running on her butt. It was Miroku.
"YOU PERVERTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She shrieked and hit Miroku into the air with two fingers sticking out. Miroku shouted as he flew: "I thought you will feel happy about ittttttttttttttttttttttttttttt..........!!!!!!!"
Sango sighed: "When will he ever learn?"
~~~ **** ~~~~
Inuyasha hid among the trees and bushes, hopping Ranma would not find him.
"INUYASHAAAAAAAAAA, WHERE ARE YOU??? STOP HIDING!!!!" Ranma yelled from afar.
"Inuyasha!!! Ranma has explained everything to me!!! Come on out!!!!" Sango called.
"Hey, Inuyasha!!!! We know you are nearby!!!! COME OUT AT THIS VERY MOMENT!!!!" Shippou shrieked.
Miroku's voice did not appear as Inuyasha had expected (He was probably still soaring in the sky from Ranma's hit).
"Keh! I'll be a fool if I listen to your bidding." Inuyasha spitted.
'Huh? This feeling is coming again,' Ranma thought and followed her feel.
Inuyasha suddenly smelt Ranma's scent approaching him.
'Oh no!' Inuyasha tried to shift his hiding place.
"GOTTA!!" The female Ranma shouted and tried to grab Inuyasha. Immediately, he leaped away.
~~~~ THUMP!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~
Miroku landed on Inuyasha's back before he could run.
"Ooooooo... What's going on? Why are there so many stars and angels flying around meee...????" Miroku stammered with spiral eyes.
"GREAT JOB, MIROKU-HOSHI!!!!" Sango and Shippou cried and ran to help Ranma catch the hanyou. Ranma quickly slipped the bracelet onto his wrist to prevent him from escaping again.
"Miroku????" Ranma repeated.
"Yeah, he is Miroku," Shippou answered, pointing to the dizzy priest and feeling puzzled. What was wrong with Miroku's name?
"Miroku??? Isn't he Happousai that old pervert's ANCESTOR????!!!!" Ranma yelled with her hands above her ears. Inuyasha tried to grab the opportunity to get up, but Sango held him down again.
"Ancestor??" Sango echoed feeling confused and thought: 'Sigh! Even Hoshi's descendent is a pervert. what can I say?'
"Yeah," Inuyasha said angrily: "And she (pointing at Sango) is Sango-the ancestor of your Shampoo and Cologne o' baa baa!!!"
"Hehhh?" Shippou stared astonished: "Then, what about me?? Do I have any descendent in your time?? Do I?" He cried excitedly.
"How would I know? I never seen anyone looking like you there," Inuyasha snarled: "Besides, you ARE a youkai!!!! NO YOUKAI would STAY in A HUMAN- populated CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Wow!!!" Ranma grasped, surprised. It was like seeing many ancient people whom she would never see before her eyes. It was a live museum.
"And Shippou," Inuyasha said feeling exhausted: "Get some warm water and pour on Ranma's head or you'll really think I've got a girlfriend in the other world."
"Inuyasha, I never know you...." Shippou began.
"Just do it, bastard!!!!" Inuyasha snarled.
"Oh, ok, I know you'll say that," Ranma said and poured out some warm water from a container she had just boiled. She had prepared it before she had gone to search for the running hanyou.
Immediately, the girl changed into a boy.
"Hey, what is going on?" Sango and Shippou cried in shock.
"Alright, let me explain..." The boy-Ranma began.
"He SOUNDS EXACTLY like INUYASHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shippou shrieked.
"Shut-up, that's not the MAIN POINT, Shippou," Inuyasha snarled.
"The story begins with some cursed springs in China. I." Ranma began.
"I KNOW, I KNOW!!!! He is a han-onna!!! (NOTE: There's no such term as transsexual in Warring Japan, since there's a hanyou--- half-demon, then they assume that a person with two genders' probably a han-onna--- half- girl)" screamed Shippou.
"NO! He's a half-boy!!" Inuyasha protested.
"Grr." Ranma growled, hitting both of them on their heads: "Will you JUST listen to my story?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
By then, Miroku had regained his consciousness and learnt everything from Sango. He was disappointed to know that Ranma was actually a boy. Anyway, he was very happy to know that he still had descendents 500 years down the road.
Ranma told them about the cursed spring that turned him into a girl whenever cold water splashed on him and explained how he and his friends found Tetsusaiga in modern Japan, how it was passed down and how they learnt the truth from Inuyasha when they rescued him (He did not dare to admit that he was the one who caused the accident) from the cans of paint (SEE: The Tetsusaiga Race, chapter four).
"Hmmm, that's definitely mysterious, Inuyasha," Miroku said, rubbing his own chin in his thought: "You should go back and investigate this case. It might concern our last battle with Naraku."
"I-AM-NOT-GOING!!!" Inuyasha snarled and would have run if Sango had not held him to the ground.
"Kagome may not return within this one month and it'll be difficult to find the shards at this moment. I suggest you go with Ranma and check out our future. Maybe we can know and prepare what's going to happen next in advance." Sango explained.
"One answer, people." Inuyasha said stubbornly: "N! O! NO!"
Miroku -_-: "........."
Sango-_-: "..........."
Shippou-_-: "..........."
Ranma-_-: "............"
Miroku stared at Sango, Shippou and then at Ranma. They nodded.
"Gomen ne, Inuyasha," He said.
~~~~~~~~~A few moments later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inuyasha's wrists and legs were tied with ropes and the bracelet wore tightly on his wrist. Ranma picked him up in his arms.
"LET ME GO, BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha roared angrily.
"Ranma, if Inuyasha breaks this bracelet and tries to run away, I have some Buddhist seals to control his youkai power." Miroku said and stuffed some seals into Ranma's pockets.
"Geek, thanks, people!" Ranma said and went towards the well.
"DON'T TREAT ME AS THOUGH I AM A PET OR SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha yelled.
"And remember, don't agitate Inuyasha too much and don't steal his Tetsusaiga or else he'll turn into a cold-blooded youkai!!! The sword is used to control his youkai blood." Miroku warned, fearing his friends would snatch the sword away from Inuyasha.
"Ok, I know!!!" Ranma shouted as he balanced the hanyou neatly in his arms: "I'll bring him back a month later!!" Miroku, Sango and Shippou merrily waved him goodbye.
"SAYONARA!!!" They bided each side goodbye, ignoring Inuyasha's snarls.
"MIROKU, YOU TRAITOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU. (More scolding and curses as well as vulgar language)!!!!!!!!!! I HATE YOU!!!!!" Inuyasha snarled until they disappeared out of his sight as Ranma leaped down the bone eating well.
Shampoo was pacing uneasily up and down near the well when Ranma appeared with Inuyasha from the past.
"We must hurry, Ranma, almost all the household in this shrine are coming back!" She whispered. Ranma nodded and stuffed a cloth into Inuyasha's mouth to keep him from scolding. They leaped quietly out of the shrine.
In the house, Kagome just reached home and she entered the living room.
"Nee-chan, why are you so late from school?" Souta asked from his television programme.
"I've watched a movie with some friends, what's wrong, Souta? Did Mama question about it? I remembered I've told her!"
"Uh-mmmmm." Souta smiled mysteriously. Buyo yawned lazily besides him.
~~ *** ~~~
Kagome's shrine was soon out of their view as Ranma and Shampoo leaped from one roof to another among the low-rise houses. Inuyasha had stopped struggling and he was staring at a crowd of crows circling in the nearby sky.
"Ok, you may talk now, Inuyasha," Ranma said and pulled out the cloth.
"Youkai." Inuyasha said shortly.
~~~ THUMP!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~
Ranma and Shampoo hit Inuyasha repeatedly on his head.
"How dare you scold such a pretty me a youkai...??" Shampoo growled.
"When will you ever control your foul languages?????? I know I can change my gender with warm and cold water, BUT I'm NOT a YOUKAI!!!!!!!!!" Ranma snarled.
"I'm NOT scolding you both YOUKAI!!!! I FEEL SOME YOUKAI STRENGTH FROM THOSE CROWS, STUPID BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Those crows are youkai?" Ranma questioned, looking at the crows. They were flying towards them swiftly.
"Hey, I always experience transforming into full-human every month and I do have some instinct for youkai." Inuyasha snarled: "Although I'm not as sharp as Miroku and Sango, I .."
"DANGER!!!" Ranma carried Inuyasha and leaped off. A force hit onto a tree branch where he last stood. A crack branched through it and the wood broke into pieces.
"Huh! It's time to have a fight!" Shampoo smiled and prepared her battle pose.
"Kukukuku.." The crows giggled and started to change into human-forms with black wings at their back.
"Those crows must have gathered their youkai power when they feed on human fresh in the graveyards." Inuyasha said.
"Precisely! You are Inuyasha, right?" A leading crow said: "We've been gathering our strength for centuries to meet you."
One crow said to another: "I thought he is supposed to be dead 500 years ago since that battle!"
Another replied: "Well, that saves our trouble to look for his reincarnation for our revenge. That hanyou is now right before our eyes!"
"Oi, what's going on and what has happened 500 years ago?" Inuyasha growled.
"Oh, you have offended a lot of youkai, do you know that? Because of you, the status and number of youkai has fallen so much below that of human beings today!" The leading crow said: "Our anger shall not appease if we do not shred your flesh with our beaks."
The youkai crows suddenly dived at Inuyasha and Ranma.
"Shampoo, you look after Inuyasha!!" Ranma called and threw the hanyou to her. He leaped towards the crows.
"Why me??" Shampoo protested as she held onto Inuyasha by his arm.
"Tenshin amaguri-ken (imperial broiled chestnuts punch)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ranma yelled and flew his fists at the attacking crows.
The crows flew and attacked Ranma freely in the sky and their bodies were as hard as steel. None of Ranma's hits hurt them. He was in the losing side.
"Ranma, let me help you!!!!" Shampoo cried, pushed Inuyasha aside and leaped into the battle.
"I told you to look after Inuyasha!!" Ranma screamed. Most of the crows suddenly flew towards Inuyasha's direction.
Ranma knew Inuyasha was powerless in his human-form and could not fight when he was tied up by the ropes. He grabbed a sharp branch and swung it at Inuyasha's bounded wrist.
The rope snapped.
"Kaze no Kizu (Cutting Wind)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A bright wave of force shot the attacking crows and blasted them into pieces.
Inuyasha (in his hanyou form) stood with the red blade of a sabre resting on the ground.
There was no more youkai around. The rest of the crows had taken the opportunity to escape when Inuyasha activated his cutting wind using his Tetsusaiga.
"This is the force of Tetsusaiga?? The sword that is said to slay thousands of youkai in one blow?" Shampoo grasped.
"Inuyasha?" Ranma stared wide-eyed.
"Heh! Don't worry, I won't run back to my time so soon. There's really something I have to know in this world." Inuyasha replied, slipping his sword back into his scabbard. The enormous blade shrank into it.
~~~ THE NEXT MORNING ~~~~
"STUPID FILTHY OLD MAN!!!!!! WHERE HAVE YOU KEEP MY CLOTHES?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Akane shrieked and ran after Happousai with her mallet.
"What's going on early in the morning? It's a weekend and I need more sleep!" Ranma yawned and crawled out of his bed. The night battle had left his limbs sore and tired especially when the opponents were youkai. Inuyasha was sharing the same bedroom with Ranma and Genma during his stay in Tendou Martial School. As he usually sleep leaning against the wall, space and lack of bed was not a problem for him.
It was a rare day when they did not have to go to school. Because of the night's battle, Ranma let Inuyasha off for his rest and allow him to continue his research two days later.
"RANMA-BOY!!! HOW ARE YOUUUUUUUU?????????!!!!!!!" Happousai shouted.
~~~~~ SPLASHH!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~
Happousai flew a pail of cold water and it landed on Ranma's head, turning him into a girl. He leaped at Ranma's chest and got kicked into the sky instead.
"STUPID OLD MAN, CAN'T YOU TRY SOMETHING NEW??????!!!!!!!!" She yelled angrily.
Souun was reading the newspaper. Inuyasha (In his hanyou form) crept past him and switched on the television to watch a morning cartoon, 'Meitantei Conan'.
"Inuyasha-kun," Souun called.
"Huh?" Inuyasha replied.
"CAN'T you try something else BESIDES watching television?" Souun asked and suddenly grabbed him by his shoulder with eyes sparkling in the sun: "There's SOOOO MANY things to try and attempt in this time from yours and you only spend your time here WATCHING TELEVISION??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"OK, OK!! I'll think of something else to do!!" Inuyasha shouted and pushed Souun's hands away.
"Inuyasha! I need your help!!!" Nabiki shouted as she ran towards him.
"I'm getting away!" Inuyasha knew what she was asking for and quickly leaped out of the window.
~~ THUMP!!!! ~~~
He landed on Tatewaki on his head.
"SAOTOME?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tatewaki growled angrily.
"I'm here, Kunou senior!!" Ranma called cheerfully (in his boy-form, he had just splashed warm water on himself) and landed on Tatewaki's head: "Looking for me?"
"HAH???? Why are there two Saotomes????!!!!" Kunou Tatewaki screamed on top of his voice.
Akane ran towards Inuyasha: "Nah, Inuyasha, can you help me to find something?"
"What?" Inuyasha asked feeling bored.
"You have a strong sense of smell, don't you? Can you help me find my clothes located in places other than my bedroom?" Akane pulled Inuyasha to her bedroom before Tatewaki could talk to her. There, she let Inuyasha smell her t-shirt.
Since there was nothing much to do (Souun had occupied the television for his favourite game show), he lazily sniffed (Inuyasha was an Inu hanyou) around the place for Akane's items. He moved into Happousai's room and dug out Akane's underwear and bra from a crack on the ceiling. Happily, she took them back to her room and returned them in her drawers.
"Inuyasha, can you help me find some items too?" Kasumi asked: "I think I've misplaced them."
"Alright," Inuyasha replied lazily.
He felt a tug from Tatewaki: "Why didn't you answer MY question, SAOTOME???!!!"
"I told you SO MANY TIMES, I-AM-NOT-SAOTOME-RANMA!!!!" Inuyasha growled, word by word.
"And I told you SO MANY TIMES, he is INUYASHA, NOT ME!!!" Ranma shouted behind Kunou.
"Huh?" Inuyasha had a close view of Kunou Tatewaki. His face reminded him strongly of someone he knew..
"Inuyasha???? Isn't he the Inu youkai whose bones were used to create Tetsusaiga????" Tatewaki stood shocked (NOTE: He was not present when Inuyasha corrected the mistakes made by Happousai and Cologne).
"INUYASHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" An angry voice erupted behind him: "Why DID you touch MY TREASURES?????!!!!" It was Happousai. His dark head boomed before him like a giant and fiery aura surrounded him.
"FEH! How would I know? There's Akane's scent on them, so it's hers!" Inuyasha snapped and leaped off, forgetting Tatewaki.
"Youuuuuu....." Happousai growled.
"Oh no!" Souun grasped and tried to jump away before he was being affected.
"HAPPOU DAI-KA-RINNNNNNNN!!!!!"
A series of bombs flew at Inuyasha. He hit them with his fist and they flew back to Happousai. He leaped and they exploded on Tatewaki instead, turning him black with soot. Ranma conveniently kicked the blackened Tatewaki out of the house before he could remember that he had Akane to pester.
"Let's get out of this battle field!" Ranma pulled Inuyasha out of the house.
"Ranma, don't you have a duel with Ryouga today?" Akane asked, flipping a note in the air.
It read: "Meet me at your house for a battle in two week's time. Ryouga (Dated one week ago.)"
"Ryouga? Isn't he the guy I've met in the cat's restaurant?" Inuyasha asked.
"Uh-hem, but he is a direction-idiot, he is definitely not turn up even if."
"P-Chan, where have you gone to?" Akane called as a black piglet walked towards her. Ranma almost fell onto the ground in an awkward manner.
There was a familiar scent on the piglet, reminding Inuyasha of Ryouga.
Remembering the tales of the cursed springs, Inuyasha asked: "Is the piglet Ry..rggggg..." Ranma covered his mouth with a hand.
"Let's go to Shampoo's cat restaurant!" Ranma shouted and pulled Inuyasha along. He grabbed the bracelet for Inuyasha so that he would not frighten the customers in the shop with his hanyou appearance. Turning to Akane: "We won't be back for dinner!!!"
P-Chan trotted angrily behind them.
"Ranma! How dare you??!! You know I'm cooking today, don't you?? Don't run away!!!!" Akane growled angrily after them.
"What's wrong with her cooking?" Inuyasha asked curiously.
"You'll die if you manage to try her 'works', Inuyasha."
~~~BONK!!! ~~~
A stone fell onto his head.
~~ *** ~~~~
It was a quiet weekend morning.
Kagome was looking towards the direction of the bone eating well, it was the third day since Inuyasha accompanied her back to the present time and she was wondering what he had been doing at this moment. She fingered a piece of paper in her hand.
She had gone near the bone eating well last night and her feet had kicked onto something. It was an advertising pamphlet about a cat ramen restaurant (dropped by Shampoo on the night before).
"How did it get here?" Kagome wondered and she had stuffed it in her pocket.
Kagome studied the advertisement and made up her mind. She was going to check the restaurant alone.
"MAMA! I'm going off!!" She shouted to her mother as she stepped out of the house.
"Hi, Kagome!!" A familiar voice greeted her. It was Hojo.
"Are you free today?" He asked. The background suddenly turned bright and sparkling.
"Ah-hmmm, I'm going to somewhere." She replied uncertainly.
"Shall I accompany you?"
Kagome felt it harmless for a guy to accompany in her investigation and agreed.
Riding on their bicycles, they went to the Cat Restaurant.
~~~~ IN THE CAT RESTAURANT ~~~~
"Ranma!! Are you here to visit me today??" Shampoo cried happily to Ranma, turning to Inuyasha: "Don't worry, Inuyasha, I've told Great-grandmother and we decided not to pursue about yesterday's matter, but in return, we want to know your findings, agree?"
"That's much better, onna!" Inuyasha (in his full human form) scowled expressionlessly (In actual fact, deep inside, he was jumping for joy Blowing trumpet and flying in the colourful sky with wings at the back to be freed from Cologne's rules.)
"Give us two bowls of beef ramen, Shampoo!" Ranma said.
"Three bowls!" A voice said. It was Akane.
"Huh? I thought you're supposed to be cooking at home, Akane!" Ranma said.
"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!!!!" Akane shouted into his ears.
"Alright, three bowls of .." Shampoo recorded in her notebook.
"Four!" It was Ryouga.
"Hello, P-.." Ranma began.
~~ WRACK!!! ~~~
"Welcome to Cat Ramen Restaurant. May I know how many seats you need?" Cologne skipped on her walking stick and greeted politely to her new customers.
"Can you give us a table for two?" A boyish voice said. It was Hojo and Kagome was standing besides him. Her eye scanned through the area and caught sight of a familiar looking boy with long black hair in red kimono and was facing his back against her. He was holding a sword that looked suspiciously like Tetsusaiga. He was sitting with a pig-tailed boy and a girl with short hair.
'Inuyasha???' Kagome grasped with shock.
Inuyasha felt a strange feeling behind him. Although he could not smell Kagome in his human form, his instinct told him she was nearby.
"Hey!!! What was that?" Kagome suddenly whispered into Hojo's ear.
"What?" He started to look at the direction she was pointing at.
Quick as lightning, Kagome pulled him out of the restaurant into the street. She was too familiar with Inuyasha's character. If he ever saw her with another guy, he would explode into jealousy instantly (like what had happened between she and Kouga).
Inuyasha turned and saw no one standing at the door. Cologne stood puzzled by the strange and sudden action of the female customer.
Outside the restaurant, Kagome was panting heavily with Hojo besides her.
"What's wrong, Kagome?"
'What is Inuyasha doing here?' Kagome did not hear Hojo's question and thought to herself.
'Uh-huh! I must follow him and know what is going on with him.' Kagome thought and decided to play a game of detective with the Inu hanyou.
"Hojo, I'm suddenly feeling unwell, can I go home first?" Kagome asked.
"Shall I send you home?" Hojo asked concerned.
"No, thanks, Hojo, jah nah!" Kagome said and disappeared round the corner.
"Sigh! She's still as fast as usual despite her poor health," Hojo shook his head and went off.
Kagome carefully peeped behind a wall and made sure he was totally out of her sight and re-entered the restaurant again quietly to one table at a dark corner. Cologne stared curiously at her strange customer.
"Shhh. I have an important test tomorrow and I do not want any disturbance from anybody, k?" Kagome whispered secretly and started to pull out whatever notes she had from her bag.
The books consisted of a little notebook and manga magazines with the headings 'WEBSUNDAY' on their covers. Besides, it was a Sunday on that day after.
"Psss, can I have a bowl of beef ramen?" Kagome whispered, hiding her face with the magazine, not concentrating in its content.
'What a stupid lie,' Cologne thought feeling bored. Very obviously, Kagome was stalking someone.
Cologne secretly watched the direction where Kagome was watching. It was where Ranma, Inuyasha, Ryouga, and Akane were sitting. Shampoo had gone to prepare the bowls of ramen.
"That great grandson-in-law, has he made another girlfriend behind Shampoo's back again?" Cologne fumed. She had not interfered with his matters and did not wish to make this an exceptional.
TO BE CONTINUE......
Rating: General
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Ranma ½ and Inuyasha. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sensei.
Summary:
This fanfic is a sequel from my other fanfic, 'The Tetsusaiga race' (you may look through the list of fanfictions under my profile link on this page by clicking on my nickname).
Determined to know what has happened to Inuyasha 500 years in the past, Ranma brought Inuyasha to his school, hoping to make use of the resources in the library but Inuyasha ended up becoming a student in Fuurinkan High School, feigning as Ranma's long-lost brother. Kagome, Hinako, Gosunkugi, Saotome Nodoka (Ranma's mother), Hojo, Souta and Toufuu are added into this confusion. Humors involved.
SEQUEL TO THE TETSUSAIGA RACE
Chapter Three: The Power of Tetsusaiga
"MEOWWWWW!!!!!!!!!" Buyo ran after a purple cat with two bells attached to its fur in the front. The cat frighteningly dragged its Chinese-style clothes and ran into Kagome's house, straight towards the bathroom. It ran past Kagome's jii chan. He stared at the running cat confused.
"It must be one of Buyo's friends again," He muttered: "Must tell Kagome and Souta to control their pet, sigh!"
Buyo ran past him and followed the purple cat's trace. He reached the bathroom. Just then, a voice called after him.
"Buyo!" It was Souta: "What are you doing here?"
"Meow, meow!!!" Buyo cried, pointing his nose at the bathroom.
~~ BANG, BONK! ~~~
The sound came from the bathroom.
"Who's inside?" Souta called, thinking it was Kagome: "Nee-chan, is that you??"
Shampoo had changed back to her normal self in the warm water and leaped out through the window.
"Phew!" Shampoo thought: "That was close! And now it is time to look for Ranma!"
She headed straight towards the bone eating well and jumped into it.
Nothing happened.
"Oh....." She growled: "How did Ranma disappear in it?"
"Nee-chan!" Souta's voice called: "Are you in there?"
"Not AGAIN!!" Shampoo thought, panicked. A little face peeped inside.
"Huh? Whoo." Souta began. Shampoo leaped out and covered his mouth.
"Don't you dare to tell anyone I'm here," She hissed under her breath.
Souta nodded his head confused. She released her hand.
"Are you Inuyasha nii-chan's friend from Warring Japan?" Souta asked.
"Ahhh????" Shampoo tried to think of an excuse.
"Ah! I know! It's a secret, right?" Souta replied cheerfully: "Don't worry, I won't let anyone know you're here!"
"Souta! Where are you??" Kagome's jii-chan shouted from the compound.
"Coming!" Souta called, turned, winked at Shampoo and ran off.
"Sighhhh. when will Ranma come out of the well? I want to leave this place as soon as possible." Shampoo sighed to herself.
~~~ IN WARRING JAPAN ~~~
"You are going back with ME, Inuyasha!!!" Ranma growled and dragged Inuyasha (in full human-form) towards the well: "I've spent so much time and effort for you in school and now you are saying you are NOT RETURNING????????????!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Hey, wait!!" Sango called, running after them: "Who are you and where are you taking Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha pulled his hand from Ranma's grip: "Get your hands off me!!! I'm NOT going back!!!"
"Oh yes, you ARE!!!" Ranma roared, grabbing by his wrist again to prevent him from pulling the bracelet out. It would be more difficult to control a hanyou Inuyasha.
"Uh-huh," Shippou guessed: "Inuyasha must have done something unfaithful! You're such a jerk, Inuyasha!" He suspected Inuyasha had just ditched a girl in Kagome's time.
"Yeah, even their clothes are the same (NOTE: Ranma and Inuyasha were wearing school uniforms)," Sango continued sarcastically.
"Oi!!! Things are NOT what as you think!!!!!" Inuyasha shouted.
"Sigh, Inuyasha's in such a luck!" Miroku sighed: "I wish I can make a girlfriend in other time too!" He got a glare from Sango.
"Inuyasha, why are you so unfaithful to Kagome?" Shippou asked.
"I TOLD YOU THINGS ARE NOT AS WHAT YOU THINKKKKKK!!!!!" Inuyasha screamed, turning to female Ranma: "And I say, GET YOUR HANDS OFF MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" He swung Ranma's hand off, pulled out the bracelet and ran off into the forest.
"HEY!!!!!!!!! DON'T RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ranma shrieked and started after Inuyasha.
Sango petted Ranma on her shoulder: "Can you kindly explain what's going on here?"
Ranma sighed and nodded: "I'm Ranma," She introduced: "And Inuyasha's supposed to investigate his future in Warring Japan from information in my time..."
Suddenly, she felt a hand running on her butt. It was Miroku.
"YOU PERVERTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She shrieked and hit Miroku into the air with two fingers sticking out. Miroku shouted as he flew: "I thought you will feel happy about ittttttttttttttttttttttttttttt..........!!!!!!!"
Sango sighed: "When will he ever learn?"
~~~ **** ~~~~
Inuyasha hid among the trees and bushes, hopping Ranma would not find him.
"INUYASHAAAAAAAAAA, WHERE ARE YOU??? STOP HIDING!!!!" Ranma yelled from afar.
"Inuyasha!!! Ranma has explained everything to me!!! Come on out!!!!" Sango called.
"Hey, Inuyasha!!!! We know you are nearby!!!! COME OUT AT THIS VERY MOMENT!!!!" Shippou shrieked.
Miroku's voice did not appear as Inuyasha had expected (He was probably still soaring in the sky from Ranma's hit).
"Keh! I'll be a fool if I listen to your bidding." Inuyasha spitted.
'Huh? This feeling is coming again,' Ranma thought and followed her feel.
Inuyasha suddenly smelt Ranma's scent approaching him.
'Oh no!' Inuyasha tried to shift his hiding place.
"GOTTA!!" The female Ranma shouted and tried to grab Inuyasha. Immediately, he leaped away.
~~~~ THUMP!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~
Miroku landed on Inuyasha's back before he could run.
"Ooooooo... What's going on? Why are there so many stars and angels flying around meee...????" Miroku stammered with spiral eyes.
"GREAT JOB, MIROKU-HOSHI!!!!" Sango and Shippou cried and ran to help Ranma catch the hanyou. Ranma quickly slipped the bracelet onto his wrist to prevent him from escaping again.
"Miroku????" Ranma repeated.
"Yeah, he is Miroku," Shippou answered, pointing to the dizzy priest and feeling puzzled. What was wrong with Miroku's name?
"Miroku??? Isn't he Happousai that old pervert's ANCESTOR????!!!!" Ranma yelled with her hands above her ears. Inuyasha tried to grab the opportunity to get up, but Sango held him down again.
"Ancestor??" Sango echoed feeling confused and thought: 'Sigh! Even Hoshi's descendent is a pervert. what can I say?'
"Yeah," Inuyasha said angrily: "And she (pointing at Sango) is Sango-the ancestor of your Shampoo and Cologne o' baa baa!!!"
"Hehhh?" Shippou stared astonished: "Then, what about me?? Do I have any descendent in your time?? Do I?" He cried excitedly.
"How would I know? I never seen anyone looking like you there," Inuyasha snarled: "Besides, you ARE a youkai!!!! NO YOUKAI would STAY in A HUMAN- populated CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Wow!!!" Ranma grasped, surprised. It was like seeing many ancient people whom she would never see before her eyes. It was a live museum.
"And Shippou," Inuyasha said feeling exhausted: "Get some warm water and pour on Ranma's head or you'll really think I've got a girlfriend in the other world."
"Inuyasha, I never know you...." Shippou began.
"Just do it, bastard!!!!" Inuyasha snarled.
"Oh, ok, I know you'll say that," Ranma said and poured out some warm water from a container she had just boiled. She had prepared it before she had gone to search for the running hanyou.
Immediately, the girl changed into a boy.
"Hey, what is going on?" Sango and Shippou cried in shock.
"Alright, let me explain..." The boy-Ranma began.
"He SOUNDS EXACTLY like INUYASHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Shippou shrieked.
"Shut-up, that's not the MAIN POINT, Shippou," Inuyasha snarled.
"The story begins with some cursed springs in China. I." Ranma began.
"I KNOW, I KNOW!!!! He is a han-onna!!! (NOTE: There's no such term as transsexual in Warring Japan, since there's a hanyou--- half-demon, then they assume that a person with two genders' probably a han-onna--- half- girl)" screamed Shippou.
"NO! He's a half-boy!!" Inuyasha protested.
"Grr." Ranma growled, hitting both of them on their heads: "Will you JUST listen to my story?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
By then, Miroku had regained his consciousness and learnt everything from Sango. He was disappointed to know that Ranma was actually a boy. Anyway, he was very happy to know that he still had descendents 500 years down the road.
Ranma told them about the cursed spring that turned him into a girl whenever cold water splashed on him and explained how he and his friends found Tetsusaiga in modern Japan, how it was passed down and how they learnt the truth from Inuyasha when they rescued him (He did not dare to admit that he was the one who caused the accident) from the cans of paint (SEE: The Tetsusaiga Race, chapter four).
"Hmmm, that's definitely mysterious, Inuyasha," Miroku said, rubbing his own chin in his thought: "You should go back and investigate this case. It might concern our last battle with Naraku."
"I-AM-NOT-GOING!!!" Inuyasha snarled and would have run if Sango had not held him to the ground.
"Kagome may not return within this one month and it'll be difficult to find the shards at this moment. I suggest you go with Ranma and check out our future. Maybe we can know and prepare what's going to happen next in advance." Sango explained.
"One answer, people." Inuyasha said stubbornly: "N! O! NO!"
Miroku -_-: "........."
Sango-_-: "..........."
Shippou-_-: "..........."
Ranma-_-: "............"
Miroku stared at Sango, Shippou and then at Ranma. They nodded.
"Gomen ne, Inuyasha," He said.
~~~~~~~~~A few moments later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inuyasha's wrists and legs were tied with ropes and the bracelet wore tightly on his wrist. Ranma picked him up in his arms.
"LET ME GO, BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha roared angrily.
"Ranma, if Inuyasha breaks this bracelet and tries to run away, I have some Buddhist seals to control his youkai power." Miroku said and stuffed some seals into Ranma's pockets.
"Geek, thanks, people!" Ranma said and went towards the well.
"DON'T TREAT ME AS THOUGH I AM A PET OR SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha yelled.
"And remember, don't agitate Inuyasha too much and don't steal his Tetsusaiga or else he'll turn into a cold-blooded youkai!!! The sword is used to control his youkai blood." Miroku warned, fearing his friends would snatch the sword away from Inuyasha.
"Ok, I know!!!" Ranma shouted as he balanced the hanyou neatly in his arms: "I'll bring him back a month later!!" Miroku, Sango and Shippou merrily waved him goodbye.
"SAYONARA!!!" They bided each side goodbye, ignoring Inuyasha's snarls.
"MIROKU, YOU TRAITOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU. (More scolding and curses as well as vulgar language)!!!!!!!!!! I HATE YOU!!!!!" Inuyasha snarled until they disappeared out of his sight as Ranma leaped down the bone eating well.
Shampoo was pacing uneasily up and down near the well when Ranma appeared with Inuyasha from the past.
"We must hurry, Ranma, almost all the household in this shrine are coming back!" She whispered. Ranma nodded and stuffed a cloth into Inuyasha's mouth to keep him from scolding. They leaped quietly out of the shrine.
In the house, Kagome just reached home and she entered the living room.
"Nee-chan, why are you so late from school?" Souta asked from his television programme.
"I've watched a movie with some friends, what's wrong, Souta? Did Mama question about it? I remembered I've told her!"
"Uh-mmmmm." Souta smiled mysteriously. Buyo yawned lazily besides him.
~~ *** ~~~
Kagome's shrine was soon out of their view as Ranma and Shampoo leaped from one roof to another among the low-rise houses. Inuyasha had stopped struggling and he was staring at a crowd of crows circling in the nearby sky.
"Ok, you may talk now, Inuyasha," Ranma said and pulled out the cloth.
"Youkai." Inuyasha said shortly.
~~~ THUMP!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~
Ranma and Shampoo hit Inuyasha repeatedly on his head.
"How dare you scold such a pretty me a youkai...??" Shampoo growled.
"When will you ever control your foul languages?????? I know I can change my gender with warm and cold water, BUT I'm NOT a YOUKAI!!!!!!!!!" Ranma snarled.
"I'm NOT scolding you both YOUKAI!!!! I FEEL SOME YOUKAI STRENGTH FROM THOSE CROWS, STUPID BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Those crows are youkai?" Ranma questioned, looking at the crows. They were flying towards them swiftly.
"Hey, I always experience transforming into full-human every month and I do have some instinct for youkai." Inuyasha snarled: "Although I'm not as sharp as Miroku and Sango, I .."
"DANGER!!!" Ranma carried Inuyasha and leaped off. A force hit onto a tree branch where he last stood. A crack branched through it and the wood broke into pieces.
"Huh! It's time to have a fight!" Shampoo smiled and prepared her battle pose.
"Kukukuku.." The crows giggled and started to change into human-forms with black wings at their back.
"Those crows must have gathered their youkai power when they feed on human fresh in the graveyards." Inuyasha said.
"Precisely! You are Inuyasha, right?" A leading crow said: "We've been gathering our strength for centuries to meet you."
One crow said to another: "I thought he is supposed to be dead 500 years ago since that battle!"
Another replied: "Well, that saves our trouble to look for his reincarnation for our revenge. That hanyou is now right before our eyes!"
"Oi, what's going on and what has happened 500 years ago?" Inuyasha growled.
"Oh, you have offended a lot of youkai, do you know that? Because of you, the status and number of youkai has fallen so much below that of human beings today!" The leading crow said: "Our anger shall not appease if we do not shred your flesh with our beaks."
The youkai crows suddenly dived at Inuyasha and Ranma.
"Shampoo, you look after Inuyasha!!" Ranma called and threw the hanyou to her. He leaped towards the crows.
"Why me??" Shampoo protested as she held onto Inuyasha by his arm.
"Tenshin amaguri-ken (imperial broiled chestnuts punch)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ranma yelled and flew his fists at the attacking crows.
The crows flew and attacked Ranma freely in the sky and their bodies were as hard as steel. None of Ranma's hits hurt them. He was in the losing side.
"Ranma, let me help you!!!!" Shampoo cried, pushed Inuyasha aside and leaped into the battle.
"I told you to look after Inuyasha!!" Ranma screamed. Most of the crows suddenly flew towards Inuyasha's direction.
Ranma knew Inuyasha was powerless in his human-form and could not fight when he was tied up by the ropes. He grabbed a sharp branch and swung it at Inuyasha's bounded wrist.
The rope snapped.
"Kaze no Kizu (Cutting Wind)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A bright wave of force shot the attacking crows and blasted them into pieces.
Inuyasha (in his hanyou form) stood with the red blade of a sabre resting on the ground.
There was no more youkai around. The rest of the crows had taken the opportunity to escape when Inuyasha activated his cutting wind using his Tetsusaiga.
"This is the force of Tetsusaiga?? The sword that is said to slay thousands of youkai in one blow?" Shampoo grasped.
"Inuyasha?" Ranma stared wide-eyed.
"Heh! Don't worry, I won't run back to my time so soon. There's really something I have to know in this world." Inuyasha replied, slipping his sword back into his scabbard. The enormous blade shrank into it.
~~~ THE NEXT MORNING ~~~~
"STUPID FILTHY OLD MAN!!!!!! WHERE HAVE YOU KEEP MY CLOTHES?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Akane shrieked and ran after Happousai with her mallet.
"What's going on early in the morning? It's a weekend and I need more sleep!" Ranma yawned and crawled out of his bed. The night battle had left his limbs sore and tired especially when the opponents were youkai. Inuyasha was sharing the same bedroom with Ranma and Genma during his stay in Tendou Martial School. As he usually sleep leaning against the wall, space and lack of bed was not a problem for him.
It was a rare day when they did not have to go to school. Because of the night's battle, Ranma let Inuyasha off for his rest and allow him to continue his research two days later.
"RANMA-BOY!!! HOW ARE YOUUUUUUUU?????????!!!!!!!" Happousai shouted.
~~~~~ SPLASHH!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~
Happousai flew a pail of cold water and it landed on Ranma's head, turning him into a girl. He leaped at Ranma's chest and got kicked into the sky instead.
"STUPID OLD MAN, CAN'T YOU TRY SOMETHING NEW??????!!!!!!!!" She yelled angrily.
Souun was reading the newspaper. Inuyasha (In his hanyou form) crept past him and switched on the television to watch a morning cartoon, 'Meitantei Conan'.
"Inuyasha-kun," Souun called.
"Huh?" Inuyasha replied.
"CAN'T you try something else BESIDES watching television?" Souun asked and suddenly grabbed him by his shoulder with eyes sparkling in the sun: "There's SOOOO MANY things to try and attempt in this time from yours and you only spend your time here WATCHING TELEVISION??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"OK, OK!! I'll think of something else to do!!" Inuyasha shouted and pushed Souun's hands away.
"Inuyasha! I need your help!!!" Nabiki shouted as she ran towards him.
"I'm getting away!" Inuyasha knew what she was asking for and quickly leaped out of the window.
~~ THUMP!!!! ~~~
He landed on Tatewaki on his head.
"SAOTOME?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tatewaki growled angrily.
"I'm here, Kunou senior!!" Ranma called cheerfully (in his boy-form, he had just splashed warm water on himself) and landed on Tatewaki's head: "Looking for me?"
"HAH???? Why are there two Saotomes????!!!!" Kunou Tatewaki screamed on top of his voice.
Akane ran towards Inuyasha: "Nah, Inuyasha, can you help me to find something?"
"What?" Inuyasha asked feeling bored.
"You have a strong sense of smell, don't you? Can you help me find my clothes located in places other than my bedroom?" Akane pulled Inuyasha to her bedroom before Tatewaki could talk to her. There, she let Inuyasha smell her t-shirt.
Since there was nothing much to do (Souun had occupied the television for his favourite game show), he lazily sniffed (Inuyasha was an Inu hanyou) around the place for Akane's items. He moved into Happousai's room and dug out Akane's underwear and bra from a crack on the ceiling. Happily, she took them back to her room and returned them in her drawers.
"Inuyasha, can you help me find some items too?" Kasumi asked: "I think I've misplaced them."
"Alright," Inuyasha replied lazily.
He felt a tug from Tatewaki: "Why didn't you answer MY question, SAOTOME???!!!"
"I told you SO MANY TIMES, I-AM-NOT-SAOTOME-RANMA!!!!" Inuyasha growled, word by word.
"And I told you SO MANY TIMES, he is INUYASHA, NOT ME!!!" Ranma shouted behind Kunou.
"Huh?" Inuyasha had a close view of Kunou Tatewaki. His face reminded him strongly of someone he knew..
"Inuyasha???? Isn't he the Inu youkai whose bones were used to create Tetsusaiga????" Tatewaki stood shocked (NOTE: He was not present when Inuyasha corrected the mistakes made by Happousai and Cologne).
"INUYASHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" An angry voice erupted behind him: "Why DID you touch MY TREASURES?????!!!!" It was Happousai. His dark head boomed before him like a giant and fiery aura surrounded him.
"FEH! How would I know? There's Akane's scent on them, so it's hers!" Inuyasha snapped and leaped off, forgetting Tatewaki.
"Youuuuuu....." Happousai growled.
"Oh no!" Souun grasped and tried to jump away before he was being affected.
"HAPPOU DAI-KA-RINNNNNNNN!!!!!"
A series of bombs flew at Inuyasha. He hit them with his fist and they flew back to Happousai. He leaped and they exploded on Tatewaki instead, turning him black with soot. Ranma conveniently kicked the blackened Tatewaki out of the house before he could remember that he had Akane to pester.
"Let's get out of this battle field!" Ranma pulled Inuyasha out of the house.
"Ranma, don't you have a duel with Ryouga today?" Akane asked, flipping a note in the air.
It read: "Meet me at your house for a battle in two week's time. Ryouga (Dated one week ago.)"
"Ryouga? Isn't he the guy I've met in the cat's restaurant?" Inuyasha asked.
"Uh-hem, but he is a direction-idiot, he is definitely not turn up even if."
"P-Chan, where have you gone to?" Akane called as a black piglet walked towards her. Ranma almost fell onto the ground in an awkward manner.
There was a familiar scent on the piglet, reminding Inuyasha of Ryouga.
Remembering the tales of the cursed springs, Inuyasha asked: "Is the piglet Ry..rggggg..." Ranma covered his mouth with a hand.
"Let's go to Shampoo's cat restaurant!" Ranma shouted and pulled Inuyasha along. He grabbed the bracelet for Inuyasha so that he would not frighten the customers in the shop with his hanyou appearance. Turning to Akane: "We won't be back for dinner!!!"
P-Chan trotted angrily behind them.
"Ranma! How dare you??!! You know I'm cooking today, don't you?? Don't run away!!!!" Akane growled angrily after them.
"What's wrong with her cooking?" Inuyasha asked curiously.
"You'll die if you manage to try her 'works', Inuyasha."
~~~BONK!!! ~~~
A stone fell onto his head.
~~ *** ~~~~
It was a quiet weekend morning.
Kagome was looking towards the direction of the bone eating well, it was the third day since Inuyasha accompanied her back to the present time and she was wondering what he had been doing at this moment. She fingered a piece of paper in her hand.
She had gone near the bone eating well last night and her feet had kicked onto something. It was an advertising pamphlet about a cat ramen restaurant (dropped by Shampoo on the night before).
"How did it get here?" Kagome wondered and she had stuffed it in her pocket.
Kagome studied the advertisement and made up her mind. She was going to check the restaurant alone.
"MAMA! I'm going off!!" She shouted to her mother as she stepped out of the house.
"Hi, Kagome!!" A familiar voice greeted her. It was Hojo.
"Are you free today?" He asked. The background suddenly turned bright and sparkling.
"Ah-hmmm, I'm going to somewhere." She replied uncertainly.
"Shall I accompany you?"
Kagome felt it harmless for a guy to accompany in her investigation and agreed.
Riding on their bicycles, they went to the Cat Restaurant.
~~~~ IN THE CAT RESTAURANT ~~~~
"Ranma!! Are you here to visit me today??" Shampoo cried happily to Ranma, turning to Inuyasha: "Don't worry, Inuyasha, I've told Great-grandmother and we decided not to pursue about yesterday's matter, but in return, we want to know your findings, agree?"
"That's much better, onna!" Inuyasha (in his full human form) scowled expressionlessly (In actual fact, deep inside, he was jumping for joy Blowing trumpet and flying in the colourful sky with wings at the back to be freed from Cologne's rules.)
"Give us two bowls of beef ramen, Shampoo!" Ranma said.
"Three bowls!" A voice said. It was Akane.
"Huh? I thought you're supposed to be cooking at home, Akane!" Ranma said.
"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!!!!" Akane shouted into his ears.
"Alright, three bowls of .." Shampoo recorded in her notebook.
"Four!" It was Ryouga.
"Hello, P-.." Ranma began.
~~ WRACK!!! ~~~
"Welcome to Cat Ramen Restaurant. May I know how many seats you need?" Cologne skipped on her walking stick and greeted politely to her new customers.
"Can you give us a table for two?" A boyish voice said. It was Hojo and Kagome was standing besides him. Her eye scanned through the area and caught sight of a familiar looking boy with long black hair in red kimono and was facing his back against her. He was holding a sword that looked suspiciously like Tetsusaiga. He was sitting with a pig-tailed boy and a girl with short hair.
'Inuyasha???' Kagome grasped with shock.
Inuyasha felt a strange feeling behind him. Although he could not smell Kagome in his human form, his instinct told him she was nearby.
"Hey!!! What was that?" Kagome suddenly whispered into Hojo's ear.
"What?" He started to look at the direction she was pointing at.
Quick as lightning, Kagome pulled him out of the restaurant into the street. She was too familiar with Inuyasha's character. If he ever saw her with another guy, he would explode into jealousy instantly (like what had happened between she and Kouga).
Inuyasha turned and saw no one standing at the door. Cologne stood puzzled by the strange and sudden action of the female customer.
Outside the restaurant, Kagome was panting heavily with Hojo besides her.
"What's wrong, Kagome?"
'What is Inuyasha doing here?' Kagome did not hear Hojo's question and thought to herself.
'Uh-huh! I must follow him and know what is going on with him.' Kagome thought and decided to play a game of detective with the Inu hanyou.
"Hojo, I'm suddenly feeling unwell, can I go home first?" Kagome asked.
"Shall I send you home?" Hojo asked concerned.
"No, thanks, Hojo, jah nah!" Kagome said and disappeared round the corner.
"Sigh! She's still as fast as usual despite her poor health," Hojo shook his head and went off.
Kagome carefully peeped behind a wall and made sure he was totally out of her sight and re-entered the restaurant again quietly to one table at a dark corner. Cologne stared curiously at her strange customer.
"Shhh. I have an important test tomorrow and I do not want any disturbance from anybody, k?" Kagome whispered secretly and started to pull out whatever notes she had from her bag.
The books consisted of a little notebook and manga magazines with the headings 'WEBSUNDAY' on their covers. Besides, it was a Sunday on that day after.
"Psss, can I have a bowl of beef ramen?" Kagome whispered, hiding her face with the magazine, not concentrating in its content.
'What a stupid lie,' Cologne thought feeling bored. Very obviously, Kagome was stalking someone.
Cologne secretly watched the direction where Kagome was watching. It was where Ranma, Inuyasha, Ryouga, and Akane were sitting. Shampoo had gone to prepare the bowls of ramen.
"That great grandson-in-law, has he made another girlfriend behind Shampoo's back again?" Cologne fumed. She had not interfered with his matters and did not wish to make this an exceptional.
TO BE CONTINUE......