Chapter 5
Kagome's head popped up from the well and she threw her backpack up so she could climb out easier. The second she reached the top a certain fox demon attached itself to Kagome's leg.
"Kagome! Your back! I missed you so much! And so did Inuyasha even though he won't admit it…Ouch!" Shippo yelled, as Inuyasha hit him over the head.
"Don't hit Shippo Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled.
"Ya gotta show him who's boss." Inuyasha said, holding his hands up in a 'I could care less' kind of way.
"…Never mind… this isn't going anywhere. Listen Inuyasha! A few days ago there was a boy in my class who had a shikon shard!"
"Did you get it from him?" Inuyasha asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"No…"
"WHY NOT! YA STUPID WENCH!"
"SIT!" Kagome said the magic word, and Inuyasha was now eating dirt.
"I didn't get it because he wouldn't give it to me. He was really strong so I couldn't just take it from him either."
"I'll deal with him then." Inuyasha said, relocating his left arm.
"But here's the thing. I found out that he's the son of this woman that lives in my city. She stops by our shrine often. She's a friend of the family and…"
"GET TO THE POINT"
"…He's missing. She's a wreck about it now too. She doesn't think he ran from home because he'd tell her…"
"He'd tell her that he's running away from home?"
"That's what she said…but that's not the point. The point is that he has a shard and we need to find him."
"Can't you just sense where he is? He does have a shard I mean."
"That's the weird thing. I can't sense him at all. He must be very far away. Or something weird must have happened. And according to Aunty Saotome…weird things happen a lot. Did you know he has three fiancés?"
"How'd he manage that?"
"I have no Idea."
At this moment Mirouku and Sango showed up from different areas of the forest.
"Kagome's back." Mirouku said to no one in general.
"You haven't showed up in over a week. We were starting to get worried Kagome." Sango said in her usual clothes. Not her uniform.
"I have to go to school every now and again. I don't want to fail."
"I still say that you should just flunk a year." Mirouku said, rubbing his chin.
"Shu…shut up!" Kagome said, her eye twitching.
"Well anyway. There has been some 'odd' demon sightings just to the east of hear. In the town of Koshi."
"Is there a shard involved?"
"I don't know but I think we should check it out."
"What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Inuyasha said, walking towards the town that was mentioned.
"Lets go…I guess." Kagome said following Inuyasha, everyone else tagging behind.
"Let's go D-chan!" Ranma said with excitement. He really loved that demon. Why? Even he didn't know.
"Can you please, just stay silent?" Kikyou asked, quite annoyed.
"I'm just glad that you're talking regularly now! You used to be silent all the time when we first met. I guess you were just shy." Ranma said, D-chan wrapped around his shoulders.
"I wasn't shy. I like the silence." Kikyou said calmly.
"Sure Kikyou. Whatever ya say." Ranma said sarcastically.
" *Sigh* Lets just go to Koshi and get this over with."
"Okay! Ya know it's funny. I thought you were a healer. I didn't know that you fought demons for a living too." Ranma said, walking down the path that the sign said to point to.
"I'm not. Ever since you started traveling with me people have started asking us to slay demons."
"Oh… That's because I'm the best! Right D-chan!" Ranma said, as D-chan nodded.
"Pride cometh before the fall Ranma."
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
"No, really. What do ya mean?"
"I mean that if you're too prideful you will get cocky. That will get you killed someday."
"Oh…"
It's been almost a week since Ranma first traveled to feudal Japan. He still hasn't found a Shikon Shard so he's basically stuck there. Kikyou Is still her emotionless self, but she's starting to actually talk to Ranma when he asks questions, though when he acts really stupid she'll ignore him and act as if he were never there.
Ranma had started to get pretty popular as a demon slayer, a demon slayer who asks for food instead of money. Considering the fact that he had only gotten to feudal Japan a little less than a week ago, that's pretty good.
However, Part of his popularity is due to Kikyou's healing abilities. He slays the demons and she heals the victims. They're a pretty good combination really. To bad Ranma annoys the souls right out of Kikyou. Though she had gotten used to it, She wished he would just shut up and give her some peace and quiet.
"Were almost there right? I'm kind of hungry." Ranma said, patting his stomach.
"Yes were almost there, and you're always hungry." Kikyou said, looking at him for a bit then turning her view to where she was headed once again.
"That's because I burn a lot of energy. I gotta eat if I wanna stay strong."
"Over eating is unhealthy too you know."
"Impossible."
"…"
"What?"
"…"
"C'mon."
"…"
"Not again!"
About half an hour later, they arrived at the town. It turns out that there has been a demon terrorizing the town every night. So they would have to wait until night until it came back.
"Tell me more about this demon." Kikyou wanted to know all she could. Ranma may go into a battle without knowing the dangers but she liked to have knowledge before hand.
"It's like a giant bear. It's slow, but very powerful. We tried hitting it with spears and arrows, but nothing penetrates its tough skin!"
"I see."
'Ranma's Mouko-takabisha should be able to penetrate, and if worse come to worse, I could use one of 'my' arrows'
"Tough skin's nothing!" Ranma said, his ego flying through the roof. "There is this guy I know, he repeatedly got hit by boulders causing his endurance to sky rocket. Now _that_ was a hard fight."
"Right… We will take care of the nuisance." Kikyou said, bowing.
"Thank you Miss Kikyou! Thank you!" The man yelled bowing repeatedly.
"Now about that food…" Ranma began.
"Oh, yes. We will prepare a feast for you and lady Kikyou once you destroy this monster."
"Alright!" Ranma said, giving the victory sign. D-chan just flew around happily.
"Lady Kikyou, I just have one question."
"Yes? What is it?"
"Why is there a demon in your group?"
"It is Ranma's pet. He has named it D-chan."
"Oh."
Time passed and nighttime fell. As usual, a crash was heard and Ranma came running out of whichever house or hut he was in to face off against the monster or demon that he had to fight.
"Let's get started." Ranma jumped up in the air and fired a small Mouko-takabisha at the bear like demons arm. The arm just reattached itself a second later.
"Ranma! It's got a shard! It's attached to the demon's forehead!"
And sure enough, there was a shard attached to the demons forehead.
"Easy enough!" Ranma rushed up and was about to tear the shard off of the beast's head but before he could get close it shot flames out of its mouth. Ranma flipped out of the way and tried again. This had the same affect as the last attempt.
'How the heck am I supposed to get near it? I don't want to destroy the shard.'
"Mouko-takabisha!" Ranma fired another blast, this time at the bear demon's gut. Gut in question was now disintegrated, but it soon regenerated.
'Damn.'
"Any suggestions Kikyou?"
"Don't get hit."
"I KNOW THAT!"
Ranma again ran up to the demon, ducking the flames that came from the demon's mouth. He then uppercut the demon under the jaw, causing this mouth to shut and the flames stopped. A split second later the shard fragment was off the demons head and in Ranma's hand. Ranma then disintegrated it with another Mouko-takabisha and the fight was over.
Kikyou ran over to where Ranma was but tripped. Ranma caught her and stood her up strait. Ranma was just about to ask if she were okay when a yellow energy came traveling towards Ranma at an alarming rate. Ranma flipped over it and looked at his attacker.
"Who the hell are you and what are ya doing with Kikyou!"
"Ranma Saotome. Now who are you?" Ranma said taking a fighting stance.
"Inuyasha, now never touch her again!" Inuyasha came dashing forward expecting to get a quick kill. Ranma jumped over Inuyasha and delivered a kick to his head, but was blocked by the Tetsusaiga.
Kikyou stood on the sidelines. She didn't know if she should stop the fight or let it go on. That's when she saw Kagome and the others run up. She'd let it go on for now.
Kagome couldn't believe what she was seeing. Ranma had somehow gotten to feudal Japan without her knowing it. He had to have gone down the well, but she would have sensed him. But more importantly she had to break the fight up between Ranma and Inuyasha. She didn't want Ranma to die.
"Stop it you guys! There's no reason to fight!"
Inuyasha landed a few feet away from Kagome then glanced her way for a short while.
"No way Kagome. I'm gonna kill this bastard right here, right now!" He then jumped back into the fight.
Ranma, noticing Kagome for the first time stopped for a few seconds so he could talk to his classmate.
"Oh, hi Kagome. I got my shard stolen and had to *dodge* get another one. *Dodge* Found another one though! *Dodge* By the way, Kikyou looks just like *Dodge* you! Can't talk now. Gotta fight! *Dodge*
"Quit moving!" Inuyasha yelled, getting very frustrated at the fact that he can't hit a regular human. "Damn human! Fight me with out the shard! Cheater!" This was a mistake.
"Wait a sec. Kikyou hold the shard for me!" Ranma ran up to Kikyou and handed her the shard. "Now lets fight!"
Kagome was once again surprised. Ranma was willing to fight Inuyasha without the power of the jewel shard. He must know something that she didn't.
"So you're going to fight me for real now." Inuyasha said, holding his sword out in front of him.
"Shut up and start fighting" Ranma said getting into a fighting stance once again.
"*Snort* Fine!"
Inuyasha took a slice at Ranma. Ranma jumped back to dodge then dashed forward knocking the sword out of his hands and out of the way.
"I bet your weak with out you sword aren't ya?" This earned him a punch in the face knocking him a few feet back. Ranma got up and brushed himself off. "Guess not."
They rushed towards each other at full speed. Inuyasha was surprised to see a human move so quickly. They met at the middle, Inuyasha full swing going all out, Ranma dodging every strike or blow Inuyasha could dish out. Ranma finally found an opening and uppercut Inuyasha in the same fashion he uppercut the bear demon. Just this time Inuyasha went flying into the air.
"Mouko-takabisha!" Inuyasha could not block the blast in time and was knocked even further into the air. He finally hit the ground unconscious.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. Running to her friend's aid.
"Did you kill him Ranma?" Kikyou asked, handing Ranma the shikon shard.
"Nah. I didn't kill him. I could tell that Kagome liked him so I held back on the Mouko-takabisha's power."
"I am surprised that you were able to defeat Inuyasha."
"He underestimated me. I might have been able to beat him anyway, but…I would have had a way harder time doing it. It would have taken a whole lot more than one uppercut and a Mouko-takabisha, that's for sure."
"I see."
"And he may be powerful. I'll give him that, but his skill is lacking. He fights just like this guy I know back home. Ryoga Hibiki. Even he has some skill. Inuyasha's a skilled street fighter. He's just not used to fighting a martial artist. If that makes any sense to you."
"I…see. I always thought Inuyasha was a great fighter."
"He is. If it weren't for the fact that he underestimated me I would have been way harder pressed to beat him. I just have pure martial arts skill. I'm just as fast as he is but he's a tad bit stronger than me. It's my skill in the martial arts that separates me from him."
"So. Are you going back to your own time now? You have what you were looking for."
"I guess so… The weird thing is. I really don't want to go back. I do, but I don't…"
"That makes no sense."
"I know…I'm going to talk to Kagome and find out what's going on." Ranma said, walking off with D-chan following right behind him.
"Okay. I'll be in the hut if you need me." Kikyou then left. She really didn't want to be near Kagome.
"Okay Kagome. What the heck's going on? One minute I'm trying to keep my friend from falling the next thing I know I'm being attacked by Mr. Dog demon here." Ranma said pointing at the unconscious form that is Inuyasha.
"First I want ask you something..."
"I came through the wardrobe."
"*Blink blink* that wasn't what I was going to ask but that explains how you got hear without using the well…I think… I want to know why that demon is following you around. It looks like one of Kikyou's soul collectors."
"It is one of Kikyou's soul collectors. Its name is D-chan. She gave it to me."
"You know Kikyou. Yeah… You look just like her. She's the friend I was trying to keep from falling down."
"Ah, I see now. Kikyou is Inuyasha's old girlfriend brought back to life and he gets really jealous. I'm her reincarnation you know. I'm so glad that there's someone from my own time that knows about this place. Now I'm not alone and…what?"
"*Blink blink* I think I got all that. So he attacked me because he was jealous?"
"Yep!"
"Oh."
"By the way. Your mother has been worried sick! She didn't know where you were. She's a wreck!"
"I lost the shard. I found a new one though…"
"Well, you have to get back to your own time!"
"Fine… Were pretty close to the well. I'll jump in first thing in the morning."
"That's good…but you seem so depressed."
"I guess I just don't want to go back. I liked traveling with Kikyou."
"Really?"
"Yeah. She ignored me a lot, but not too long ago we started to get along."
"Oh. I don't know her that well."
"That's understandable. She hardly ever talks. See ya later Kagome. Tell him that if he ever wants a rematch. I'm ready any time." Ranma and D-chan then headed off to the hut they were staying in. He had a lot on his mind.
To be continued…
AN. Sorry that it took so long to get this out. I have been really busy.
And sorry if this chapter isn't so good. It's kind of rushed and I'm just getting back into sink.
Tell me how ya like it. Ranma finally met Inuyasha. And friendship is blossoming ^_^
