Kagome: Goddess of Japan

Chapter 2: the House of Kagome

Authors' note: when I was planning this story, I wanted to make sure that I use traditional Japanese measurements/calendar, etc. (and I forgot that with chapter 1)

So, when I said that the wall of shrubs that Hoshi and Kagome are standing next to is three meters tall. I should have said that the shrubs are a little less than 2 Ken tall (a Ken is approx. 1.8 meters.)

(FYI: when I write "week" do not assume that I mean 7 days. The traditional Japanese "week" is 10 days.)

"Yori."

"Yes, Mother."

"The ghosts of the city have warned me that a suicide strike team is in the city and is preparing to assassinate me today."

"Mother!" Yori calls out.

"Grandmother!" Hoshi calls out, as she almost drops the silk kimono that was in her arms.

Kagome raises her hand. "Do not worry, either of you."

Yori asks, in a quick voice, "Where should I send some officers to pick them up at, Mother?" he is, by his tone, sure that Kagome has already captured or neutralized them, somehow.

Kagome sighs, "I wish I could tell you that, Yori. But, real time and real space do not mean the same thing to some ghosts as it does in real life. I used my powers to examine where I was told they were at, but, nothing was there."

'My magical powers allow me to see into different places, even places far from here.' Kagome thinks, 'but, there are limits. I cannot see everything.'

She grins. "Just a couple making love. I'm quite sure the man was related to the ghost, but I didn't take time to be absolutely sure about that."

"What are you orders, then, Mother?" Hoshi asks.

"Shall I send additional officers to your house, mother?" Yori asks.

"No." Kagome says in a firm voice. "Do not do that, Yori."

"I... I am sorry, Mother." Yori replies in a shaking voice.

In a soft but reassuring voice Kagome says, "I am grateful for your concern, Yori, but it's not needed. If they had anything on them that could truly hurt me, I would know."

Hoshi raises her eyebrows at that.

Kagome nods to her, "I would know, Hoshi. There are only a few magical items on this planet that can truly hurt me." A thin smile appears on Kagome's face. "And I know where they are at all times. Archangels Michael's Sword has been moving about lately, but, that's just an attempt to disguise its location, nothing serious."

A pause. Then Kagome orders, "Yori."

"Yes, mother."

"My husband will find out about the suicide squad. I'm sure that he's being told about it right now. He will order an increase in my bodyguards."

"Yes."

"Place this order into the general net. I, the Goddess Kagome, order that NO additional guards are to be added to my detail. There are no exceptions, even if the Shogun says otherwise."

"Your husband will disapprove of that." Hoshi quietly says.

Kagome nods. "Send the order, Yori. My husband will yell at me."

She grins. "He'll be happy to yell at me. I'm sure. All the attention and the parades this week are things that he hates. He has never likes being forced to stand at attention for any length of time. Yelling at me will calm him down."

"Yes, Mother." A pause. "It is sent, Mother."

"Today will be interesting?" Hoshi asks, as she hands Kagome the thin, white, kimono that was on her arm. She thinks, 'is Grandmother thinking about that traditional Chinese curse about living in interesting times.'

"As in the curse?" Kagome replies.

Hoshi nods.

"Very much so, Hoshi, very much so." Kagome replies in a low, sad voice.

"As bad as that, Grandmother?"

Kagome nods. "Worse."

As Kagome places the kimono around her, it changes. The kimono was pure white, but, now, flowery patterns appear on it. A simple magical spell is woven into it, each time it is put on, a different pattern appears on it. (Kagome prefers flowers and leaf designs)

'Lotus flowers, today.' Kagome thinks as she looks at the sleeves of her kimono, then continues to think. 'The queen of the Anansi spider-demons will be at the Grand ball tonight. I will thank her again for her gift of this kimono. The magical spider-silk in it is unbreakable, uncutable, unburnable and invulnerable to magic. The weave is so tight that it is the best armor in existence.'

She hides a smile as she thinks, 'then, I improved it, I've woven my personal defensive spells throughout it. Wearing it, I should be invulnerable to anything short of a personal attack by the God of Abraham.'

Kagome hides a sigh, as she thinks, 'The Anansi spider-demons can't make this super high quality silk in large qualities, so only my kimono, the Spider-queens clothes, and Rin's kimono are made of the pure silk and super-tight weave. I've genetically modified a species of silkworms, with spider-silk qualities, and that is more common. My soldiers and police basic battlefield armor is a modified spider-silk bulletproof weave. I've got to make sure that the stockpiles of the silk are high.'

She sighs, "Hoshi."

"Yes, grandmother?"

"I will probably be wearing my kimono more often, so please give my handmaidens a note that they should not be upset if I wear it during the night, instead of letting them wash it, like normal."

Hoshi gulps, but nods. "That serious?" She whispers.

Kagome pauses, than reaches out and grips her granddaughter's shoulder. "Eventually, Hoshi. I do not expect to change my habits overnight." She says in a reassuring tone.

"Thank you, grandmother." Hoshi whispers. She straightens up and shakes herself.

Kagome looks at her granddaughter and thinks, 'She's Ok, just shaken, not even during the worst of the war of New York, did I wear my kimono all the time.'

Her eyes flick to the right, looking off in the distance. 'She's also not aware of the perversion of nature that has been placed nearby. I've neutralized it, but, still, its presence tells me all that I need to know about how serious things are getting.'

"What is next on my schedule?" Kagome asks, trying to begin the day like normal.

"Breakfast, grandmother." Hoshi replies, instantly. She pulls out a specialized hand-held computer. "Today, however, Your husband the Shogun, The Lord of the Western Lands, and his wife will join you."

Kagome purses her lips, "today, Hoshi, I must warn you that I will be altering my schedule."

Hoshi licks her lips. "Given what you've just said, Grandmother, I thought that might happen." She pauses, "can you give me some idea about what the changes will be today?"

Kagome sighs, "I would if I could, Hoshi. I know that it would help you out today. I would warn you that your assistants will need to be on their toes today, and on later days."

Hoshi nods. She brushes aside her hair and taps a large pendant earring. "They know, Grandmother."

Kagome grins. "No doubt they are waiting with baited breath."

Hoshi nods, as she grins.

Kagome sighs, "First, I think I'll visit my daughter, Sango."

Hoshi raises an eyebrow, delicately, so she doesn't ruin the makeup on her face.

With a thin smile on her face Kagome replies to the unspoken question in that eyebrow. "I know that she and I don't get along, but, that will change."

Hoshi's eyebrow raises higher.

"I will visit her, Hoshi." Kagome replies firmly, "She is doing her morning exercises now, correct?"

Hoshi's eyes flick to her computer. She nods. "Yes, she is in her training room. Miroku, Fujiwara, Naghaiye, and Sanura are with her."

Kagome nods. "As I thought. Shall we go?" She waves at the shrubs.

The tall shrubs that are next to them shift, creating an opening that both Hoshi and Kagome walk through.

After they pass through, the shrubs shift back to normal.

"Grandmother, I could have done that." Hoshi mentions, "If things are as bad as you are indicating, you should conserve your power."

Kagome grins, "If things get so bad that I need that little amount of power, Hoshi, then, I'm going to be worried about much more than that."

Kagome and Hoshi walk into Kagome's house.

Her personal quarters do not, on the outside, look all that special. The house appears to be a traditional, if spread-out, one-story Japanese house, although it is surrounded by a large and magnificent garden. It is larger then most, with several wings of rooms spread out throughout that beautiful garden.

Kagome conceals a head-shake, as she thinks, 'tonight, no doubt, as least one of the regional or provincial governors will hint about increasing the size and luxury of my house.'

She grins, 'Since nobody wishes to insult me by having a more luxurious house then mine, if my house increases in size or luxury, then, the governors can also increase their palaces.'

Hoshi, glancing at Kagome's grin, as they walk through the garden, remarks, "what are you going to tell, say, the Governor of Northern China, when he mentions about that if you add in some luxuries, you will increase the efficiency of your staff, grandmother?"

"Reading my mind for a change, Hoshi?" Kagome replies with a small giggle.

"You have mentioned before about your distaste for some of the luxury loving governors." Hoshi replies, also with a small giggle. This subject is something that the two of them, obviously, have shared many a giggle about it.

"I won't call it distaste, my dear." Kagome replies. "Just they don't see that if you are the leader of the people, you must lead in all things. If the people see me living in luxury, they will want it for themselves. And while, as a rule, I don't have anything against luxury I do prefer to keep things as simple as possible."

She pauses, "not to mention that the factories aren't designed for mass consumption of most luxury items."

Hoshi nods. 'The arguments between her economic advisors that want to increase to factory production to increase their profit margins, her social advisors that tell her that people like luxuries, and her own environmental concerns to limit the factory output cause some of the nastiest arguments that happens inside the household.' She thinks. 'But, the Goddess Kagome's environmental concerns win out, they always do.'

The couple of gardeners, already at work, stop and bow to Kagome.

Kagome nods her head to them, acknowledging their salute to her.

She glances at the sky, as she approaches her house. 'The weather spell is holding. Today will be a beautiful day, a perfect one for the parade. The people of the empire deserve, at least, one last celebration, before things begin to change.'

She walks up the couple of steps that lead to the front door of her household, the painted, Oak tree design, sliding door opens automatically in front of her and Hoshi.

Kagome, as she enters, nods to the camera that is set into the ceiling. It follows her.

(see author's camera note below)

That camera, and the others in just about every room in her house, is picking up her image and broadcasting it live, via the computer net, to the world. She can feel the surge of power, as people, who were watching the screen, pray to her.

'And, tonight, the governors and their friends will delicately complain about the cameras.' Kagome thinks. 'I ordered cameras in every room of all government agencies long ago. And the reason's why have never changed. I want all the officials, mine, the empires, the local officials in the government to be on the screen as much as possible. The less time that they are off-screen, the less time that they can make backroom deals. And, since their every action is recorded, if they make a mistake, It will be found out, and it will be corrected.'

Hoshi bows to the camera, and the people of the world that it represents, as well, as she follows Kagome. 'I wonder, will the people that will complain about the cameras know, that she wonders why you want to do something in private? And she will find out why.'

Hoshi hides a grin, 'most of the time, it is someone that wants to fool around with their secretary, but doesn't want the sex act broadcast so everyone can see it. Still, occasionally, new governors are assigned, and the old governor apologies for corruption.'

Kagome conceals a sigh, 'Now that major military actions are in the near future, I'll remind the security personnel about making sure that the security screens for military meetings are in place. That will conceal more of the day to day government than I like, so, I need to tell Hachi to move some special inspectors to look at the military bureaucracy, to try to limit the corruption and waste that will happen,'

Kagome makes a short walk to a bank of elevators. The door opens and she and Hoshi descend. Like most buildings in Edo, the bulk of her house is underground. Most of the above ground parts of her house are used by the servants/officials in her household. They are used as break areas (picnics) and/or meeting rooms. (Especially when the meeting is likely to be heated, that way they can open up the sliding walls, and let nature in, to calm people down.)

Kagome and her husband have a small private room, concealed in the garden, as well. (Although, as time as pasted, Kagome has needed less and less sleep. She doesn't really need to sleep, and only does it in an attempt to appear normal to her staff. The Shogun is, also, frequently out in the field, so that room is not heavily used.)

After a quick descent, the doors open and Kagome and Hoshi walk through the corridors.

To brighten up the walls, the corridor, and for that matter, the rooms, have full length floor to ceiling traditional Japanese rice paper paintings hanging on them. Each room and corridor has its own theme (they change every so often.) The themes? Outdoor scenes, of course. (Many houses throughout the empire, use a similar scheme for indoor decoration.)

The paintings come from the art classes of the schools of the Empire. Only the best are used in Kagome's household, and schools take major pride in having a painting that is good enough to be used. When the paintings are replaced, the old paintings are returned to the original school for that schools use.

The floor is, of course, traditional Japanese Tatami mats. (Kagome is still barefoot, and Hoshi has on thick socks.)

The corridors have, even at this early hour, many people in them. Kagome's household never sleeps, there are shifts of officials working at all hours.

As Kagome and Hoshi walk, all the members of her household, stop, and bow to Kagome as she passes.

All of the members of her household have a distinctive kimono pattern. The patterns, and each office have a different pattern, combined with the jewelry and other accessories, allow knowledgeable people to tell at a glance the office and approximate rank of each person.

(See authors' note: kimono patterns)

Kagome nods to each, acknowledging their respect for her.

After she passes, though, a wave of whispers begins to circle her household. Everyone knows her daily routine and she is breaking it. The rumors about why, start instantly.

'Before I get too involved with Sango, and then my husband, I'd better take of this, now. And, while I'm at it, I can give a real test to the telepathic technology. It is not as good as my natural powers, but, if it is working correctly, it will give me mental access to the supercomputer hundreds of Ken below ground.' Kagome thinks.

She conceals a wince as she remembers the last time that she tried to use her telepathic powers on a computer. Far too much data hit her brain faster than she could deal with it, and she had to stop.

Kagome reaches up and activates her telepathic earring. 'Sayuri?'

'Yes, mother? How can I assist you?' Sayuri replies, instantly.

'How is the subway system holding up? Today it will move more people than it ever has before.'

A few seconds pass, then, 'I'm sending the raw data now, mother. It looks good from what I can tell, though.'

Kagome hides a nod. 'Good.' She thinks, 'the computer link is working properly. I am being fed the data telepathically, and the data rate is superior to human norms. Although, some of the new species of computer demons can still process data faster than this. And, my computer people are experimenting with artificial intelligence/life forms. Sigh. More things to worry about.'

After a few steps, as Kagome thinks about the data, 'if you could, please, get the maintenance chief on the line, Sayuri' She asks.

A short delay, as Sayuri calls him with a regular phone line, and then patches that line into the telepathic system. 'Goddess, this is the chief of maintenance for the subway system of Edo, how can I help you?' a nervous sounding male voice with a strong Inca Indian accent appears in her head.

'Be at easy, sir,' Kagome replies. 'I just wanted to congratulate you on a successful start of the day.'

A huge, if telepathic, sigh of relief, sounds in her head, 'the boys didn't want to disappoint you, Goddess, they've been working overtime, preparing for today.'

'Pass along my congratulations to them. And, if the success rate continues at the current pace, I will schedule a visit, so I can thank them in person.'

'We'd be honored, Goddess.' The maintenance chief breaths.

'It will be, at least, at a couple of weeks from now. I know that you'll need time to fix the problems that will occur as the day progresses, and that will give your crews a chance to relax and prepare.'

'Thank you, My Goddess, I was thinking about that.' He replies.

'Keep an eye out for your best people, so you can tell me about them, sir. And either I or one of my aides will contact you, probably tomorrow or the next day, with further details.'

'Thank you, goddess.' The maintenance chief's voice is full of happiness.

'Good-bye, sir, I will see you in a couple of weeks.' Kagome cuts the connection once he says good-bye.

"Was that anything I need to know about?" Hoshi asks quietly.

'Kagome was using the telepathic earring, I could tell that, but, I don't know for what.' She thinks.

"See what can be shifted on my schedule, Hoshi, I would like to visit the subway's maintenance department in a couple of weeks or so."

Hoshi looks at her computer, "it was already tentatively scheduled, grandmother." She grins. "You've been worrying about the transportation problems surrounding today's parade for the last couple of weeks. I thought that, if successful, you'd want to make your appreciation known."

"Anticipating me, again, hmm." Kagome raises an eyebrow at her granddaughter.

Hoshi nods. "That is part of my responsibilities, Grandmother."

"Good."

Kagome and Hoshi have to stop walking, before they reach the exercise areas. An Art maintenance team is changing out the traditional rice paper wall sections. The team is half-a-dozen people, mixed males and females.

Kagome's household frequently changes the scenes on the wall. Normally this is done when Kagome isn't in the area, but, with Kagome's change of her schedule, she is walking into one of the maintenance teams.

(See authors' note: wall sections)

"That is a very nice forest scene. Which school?" Kagome asks, as she looks at the new section. It looks, superficially, like a traditional Japanese forest scene, but there are minor differences.

The Arts' maintenance team leader, she is a pretty woman from Bombay, India in her middle thirties, bows to Kagome and replies. "Yes, mother. It is." She looks at her hand-held computer. "It is from, ah, Gettysburg high school, North American Region, province eight. At least that is what I think it says, my English needs to be better."

Kagome nods. "Good. I thought the style was from a North American school."

Hoshi, looking up from her computer, says, "the percentages of new wall sections from North America, especially the northeast section of the continent is increasing at a steady rate, mother."

Kagome nods. "They are almost finished adjusting to the empire. The higher quality of the school's art, shows an increase in the knowledge and appreciation of traditional styles. The number of violent incidences in that province and its neighbors are down as well. Which is too be expected, the fall of New York City was close to forty years ago. Two generations have been born under the empire that is the normal adjustment time."

"The people that were born under the flag of the European empire are dying of old age. Most now, only remember living under you, mother." Hoshi says.

Kagome sighs, deeply. "Yes, that is what happens. You might be a rebel, you might even be a successful rebel, but sooner or later, you die, and I remain." Her voice is full of sadness.

"Mother?" Hoshi whispers. All the art maintenance team is staring at Kagome.

Kagome looks around and gives a calming hand motion to the maintenance team and Hoshi. "Today is the anniversary of the first time I arrived on this world, Hoshi. You know that I've always gotten a bit nostalgic during this week of the year. This year's anniversary is just hitting me stronger than most."

"A.h." Hoshi says and she bows to Kagome.

The maintenance team also bows to Kagome.

"We will be finished in a minute, Mother." The team leader says.

Kagome nods.

Once the team finishes, Kagome and Hoshi walk on.

A short distance, and a couple of turns, later, Kagome can see Naghaiye, and Sanura. Those two are part of her daughter's bodyguard team.

Naghaiye spots Kagome first.

He nods, respectfully, to her. He is a short, very hairy man with distinctive North America Indian features. He appears to be human, but his eyes are yellow, similar to Inu-yasha's. His uniform is a very simple pattern. Other than what appears to be a very plain pair of swords, he does not have any weapons on him.

"Naghaiye." Kagome says, as she nods to him.

He grunts.

Sanura, a young African woman from one of the Zulu tribes, starts as soon as she sees Kagome, to go to her knees, only to have Naghaiye reach over and grab her. "Nod." He grunts out. "You have special permission not to bow or to prostrate yourself to the Goddess."

Sanura, blushing very deeply, stands straight at attention. She stutters out, "G-Goddess, I am sorry, I." Her uniform, like Naghaiye, is also a very simple pattern. She brushes at it, trying to calm herself. Like Naghaiye, other than a pair of swords, she doesn't appear to have any weapons. The only other odd thing about her is that she is wearing a complex-patterned, metallic headband.

Kagome waves her, "I understand, Sanura. We've only met a few times before. And this time I was a surprise."

"Once we get off duty." Naghaiye begins to say in a low, growling voice, "we will go to an exercise area. And we will work on your reactions to surprise attacks."

Sanura pales and gulps. "Yes, sir."

"How is she coming along, Naghaiye?" Kagome asks.

He shrugs. "She needs some live fire training. And I would like to see her use her Ki powers in true combat."

Sanura licks her lips, but doesn't say a thing.

Naghaiye's lips twitch, "you are learning, girl."

Kagome nods. "Naghaiye may not be the best teacher in the world, Sanura, but, listen to him." She reaches out and taps him on the shoulder. "He is the one that saved Inu-yasha's life when the Archangel Michael almost killed him."

"I couldn't let that bastard kill my father." Naghaiye growls.

"He's your father!" Sanura squeaks out. She blushes, again.

"He didn't tell you?" Kagome says with a laugh, "I'm not surprised. Prying words out of him, is like squeezing water from rocks. Naghaiye walked out of the wildness of the North American rocky mountain about three hundred years ago, Sanura."

Kagome looks at him, her eyebrow raises, "And, to this day, I'm still not exactly sure of the details, but, during initial exploration of those mountains, Inu-yasha meet and mated with a female wolverine-demon or, perhaps, goddess."

Naghaiye grunts.

A pause, but since he is not talking, Kagome continues. "Since he came out of the wildness, looking for his father, he's been with the family."

She looks at his clothes. "And, while he hates to wear all of his medals and honors, the one thing that you need to know about him, is that the last time Inu-yasha felt that he needed a real bodyguard, for real combat, Naghaiye was the person that he chose."

Sanura looks at him, with a new hero worship in her eyes.

He grunts. "When will you take me off this soft duty, Kagome?"

"Soon, Naghaiye, soon. Make sure that she is trained."

He sniffs. "She's got that Ki headband. There ain't any training for that."

Sanura reaches up and rubs her headband. "I know. Every time I meet with the scientists, all that they can do is throw up their hands and say, 'they don't know how I do it.'" She throws a hopeful glance at Kagome.

Kagome sighs. "I'm not sure myself, Sanura. You have a connection, probably magical, with the Earth. That allows you to use the Ki headband in ways that no other person can do."

Authors' note Ki headband.

Kagome pauses. "Now, if you two would be kind enough to step aside, I would like to visit my daughter."

Naghaiye and Sanura step back.

The door to the exercise area opens automatically and Kagome steps into the room. As she does so, she turns off the cameras, her daughter is not part of the government, and she is sure that there will be some things spoken about in this room that should be private.

Hoshi stays outside the room.

The room is a large twenty Ken by twenty Ken room with a five Ken tall ceiling. The walls are padded and the floor has additional padding.

Lining the walls are various exercise devices. Some with obvious functions and some without out.

In the middle of the room two people (a young man and a young woman) are engaging in sword practice.

Near the door, an older man, turns to Kagome.

He bows, "Mother Kagome." He says in a loud voice, obviously to alert the other two people in the room.

They stop and turn to Kagome.

"Miroku." Kagome says.

The young man bows to her.

"Sango."

The young woman, who does not bow, growls out. "Why are you here, mother? And my name is Kiyoko, not Sango."

The end chapter 2

Authors' note: spider-silk:

Even in real life, spider-silk is 20 times stronger than steel. Kagome's advanced bio-engineered silk is 30 times stronger than steel. It is about 4 to 5 times better than kevlar armor. Her Kimono? Nothing has even penetrated it. (And she has tested it against all man-made attacks.)

Author's note: cameras.

Why?

Government officials should be acting on their best behavior and making decisions for the better of the group. If they are on the screen, all the time, they will, at least, act on their best behavior and act for the better of the group. (This doesn't stop corruption, but, Kagome, at least, thinks it helps to limit it. She, by the way, doesn't think that you can eliminate corruption 100. Too many greedy/stupid people. So, she tries to limit it. Plus, why should an official object to being on the screen? Are you trying to hide something?)

Do some of them play to the cameras? Sure. But, that is considered bad, embarrassing behavior, and, the official will/should be punished for disrespect of the office he holds.

Beginning in 1850-60 decade, Kagome ordered all government offices to have cameras in them, and all cameras would broadcast onto the computer net. (Normally there is a small delay in case some special security reason exists to prevent the broadcast from going out.)

Kagome's household live broadcasts, is unusual, but, she can signal when to cut the broadcast for security reasons. (People want to see her, so she gives them that.) The signals from rooms/corridors that she is not in, have a one hour delay for security editing. (And while she acknowledges that some editing must take place, she does watch the amount of editing that happens, and if it is more than she thinks is needed, the security officials will have to explain their reasons to her.)

How can the people follow her example, if they can't see her?

So, if you want to know what your local police are doing? You just go to their website, and you can watch them. You want to watch the decision making process on which company gets the road repair contract? Go right ahead.

And if you see something that looks wrong? There is a site to send a message. (And there are rewards, some very large, for helping to fight corruption/waste . . . )

Authors' note: Kimono (clothing) patterns:

In real life Japanese history (and European, Islamic, everywhere really . . . ) there were laws detailing the types/patterns of clothes that should be worn by various classes.

Since the Japanese empire in Kagome's world is an outgrowth of that culture, those laws still exist. The empire-wide laws are quite general (and mainly military dress codes), each individual province and, even, each city will add in details.

(Punishment, if you are wearing a type of clothing that you should not be? These are basically minor laws, so, some fines, but basically public humiliation type punishment. Ie wearing since you can't wear your real clothes, you can wear baby or children clothes for a week, that type of thing.)

These laws can, and do get, very very petty.

If you want an analogy, consider them similar to military regulations on dress-codes, medals, rank badges, etc. Generally speaking, as you walk down a street in the Japanese Empire, you can tell at a glance what is the job of the people you see.

(He's a doctor, she is a teacher, he is a carpenter, she is a government official.) And, if you're knowledgeable about local customs, you can tell, pretty much, exactly, what the job is, and the persons' reputation in his job is. (He is a doctor, but, his clothing pattern is very simple, like that of a beginning doctor. However he appears to be an old man, so, his ability as a doctor may not be all that good. If it was, his clothing pattern would be more complex, high quality, etc. reflecting his time as a doctor.)

There are some general clothing patterns that everyone can wear without any problems. And, especially for children and old retires, if you want to add in a personal modification to your clothes, that is allowed.

Authors' note: wall sections

The wall art comes from schools of the Empire. Kagome's officials will send out basic sketches and each school's art class will send, to the local priest, their best wall-art section. (Rooms, since they are complete themes, are done as a group.) The wall sections are judged, and the best ones are sent to Kagome's household. (The lesser ones grace other government offices, until new ones are made.) The school feels a huge amount of pride and accomplishment, if their art is chosen.

Once they are removed from her household, the sections are sent back to the school. The school can do with them as they wish. Some treat them as trophies, some donate them to the local temple (which uses them as holy relics), some sell them to collectors that want something that was part of Kagome's house.

Authors' note: Ki headband.

Kagome's scientists, about 75 years ago, came up with a tech device that allows a person (any person) to change their ki, or souls, into energy and throw magical appearing fireballs/bolts. The device is called the Ki headband.

It is the best attack method against magic or magic-based monsters known.

But.

Once activated, though, most humans, can NOT stop it. It sucks out your soul, changes it into energy and destroys whatever it hits.

Trained (highly skilled martial artists and highly skilled meditative monks) users can control it. But even they can only use it once, twice, maybe up to three or four times, before they collapse. It is so hard to control.

Recent improvements (making the fuses very, very delicate so it short-circuits before it sucks out the soul) has allowed it to be part of the military basic training.

It works, giving a strong attack, that burns out the device and, it still causes the untrained/limited trained user to become unconscious/very weak. But, it is the best attack against magic, so the military, as part of basic training, tests everyone on it. (Sometimes it's just got to be used in combat. There are times when volunteers are asked for to use it, to save the unit.)

Sanura . . . Is special. She can use it, at will, with no training, with no apparent limits. And, her ki-blast, at it's weakest is equal to a hand grenade. At it's strongest, she turned a tank into junk-metal.

Which is why she is part of Kagome's household. The scientists want to test her to find out how/why. And so does Kagome. So she was taken out of basic training and assigned to Kagome's household.

And while she's part of the household, Kagome assigned her to her daughters' bodyguard unit. (She is about the same age as her youngest daughter, so Kagome thought that might help her adjust.)

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton