Class Trip Chapter 7- Camping. How Different...
After a rather uneventful second hour of hiking (only 2 poison ivy scares, and the demon aura had disappeared), the class reached the campsite.
"This is a fairly popular campsite on the weekends," Miss Nomiso told the class as they arrived, "So there are logs to sit on around the fire and so forth. By tomorrow night we will have reached our first destination. I will reveal what the destination is tomorrow at lunchtime. I trust you all followed directions and brought enough food to last for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow?"
The class- including Kagome, to Inuyasha's relief- nodded.
"Good. We will be resupplied with food at our destination, but until then you'll have to rely on what you brought with you. You are also responsible for cooking whatever you brought, understood?"
The class nodded again.
"I have a couple pots for students who need them. There is a stream a few meters that way," she pointed to the left, "where you can get water to cook with."
A short girl with glasses raised her hand timidly.
"Yes?" Miss Nomiso pointed to her, "and give your name please?"
"Um, it's Sakura, ma'am. Ah, isn't cooking with water from a stream unsanitary?"
Miss Nomiso smiled reassuringly. "A good observation. I assume that anyone who would need water to cook with would need to boil it, correct?"
Those who did need water all nodded their heads.
"Well, boiling the water kills off any bacteria, so it should be just fine. A good question though. Any others? No? Alright then. Set up your tents, and you're free for the rest of the evening. But remember, don't go far from camp! We don't want to lose anyone!" She released them all with a wave of her hand.
Inuyasha dropped the pack-of-packs he was carrying and ripped his own bag loose, leaving the girls to recover their packs. Checking to make sure that Tetsusaiga was there, the lifted it onto his shoulder and looked at Hitoshii, who had been scouting for a good place to put their tent. Though Inuyasha had every intention of sleeping in one of the nearby trees, he didn't want to be "removed" by the weird woman Hitoshii had called a "sub". With a demon around, he wasn't about to leave Kagome alone with a bunch of humans, especially not Hojo. Of course, that's what he meant. His brain actually processed the thoughts as: 'I can't get kicked out of here, the stupid wench'll get herself killed without me around. Damn humans. They ain't worth crap if there's a demon around. Especially not that 'Ho-ho' bastard.'
Hitoshii found a spot near the trees, much to Inuyasha's relief. He could easily sneak off to spend the night comfortably in a nearby tree, and not on the ground confined by a pine-green 'tent'.
Kagome and Eri's tent was pitched not five feet away, mostly because Yuka forced them to put it there. Yuka placed her and Ayumi's tent on the non-boys'-side of Kagome and Eri's.
As soon as the tents were all up (about half an hour later, after most of the students had proven that they could swear like sailors and Hojo had nearly fainted because of it), they decided to have dinner. Or rather, Yuka decided and convinced Kagome and the other two, Kagome forced Inuyasha, and Hitoshii came along for support of "Guys' Camaraderie" against the army of girls. The group took over two logs at the fire pit, Kagome, Inuyasha, Hitoshii and Eri on the larger of the two (Yuka again) and Yuka and Ayumi on the other. Apparently everyone had brought instant ramen- Kagome had managed to grab extra for Inuyasha that morning- but no one knew how to cook it over a campfire. Except Kagome. So, she forced Inuyasha to fetch water and cooked six servings of ramen. She passed it out, contemplating the fact that she was going to have to do the same at lunch the next day. She started thinking as she stared into her Styrofoam ramen cup. 'It's just like normal. Except none of my friends is really similar to Sango, Hitoshii-kun is nowhere near as perverted as Miroku, and of course no one is anything like Shippo. But still, I always end up cooking ramen for Inuyasha. It's like I'm some strange mix of housewife/babysitter/'shard detector'/miko all in one. And I don't even get paid! It's really not fair.' She stayed lost in thought until she heard the cheering.
"Hurry up, Saiyuki! Hitoshii's dueling with some guy!" a boy yelled as he ran towards the back of the campsite.
"I'm coming!" Saiyuki yelled back, running after him.
Kagome looked over at the crowd that had gathered, with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew very well who that "some guy" was.