Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.
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"So Kikyou, did you by any chance write this spell down anywhere?" asked Kagome. "Like maybe, I dunno, in a cookbook or something?"
"No. Priestesses do not make records of magical techniques, but will only teach them to trusted students," informed Kikyou. "This is in order to prevent our secrets from being abused in the wrong hands."
"But then what happens when you forget what the spell was?" said Kagome. "It seems like an awful waste... somebody probably spent a lot of time coming up with all of this magic stuff."
Kikyou sniffed. "A true priestess would not be so careless as to forget her training."
"But, um, Kikyou..." Kagome gave a nervous giggle. "Alright, so you never taught your sister Kaede the removal spell for the subduing necklace. Does anyone know that particular piece of information?"
"Oh yes, we were all taught by the same master at the school for priestesses," replied Kikyou. "Ah, those were the days," she mused with a dreamy, far-off look. "I remember one girl, what was her name? Chewbacca? No... I think it was... Tsubaki. Anyways, in those days she always saw herself as my rival, but..."
At this point, Kagome tuned Kikyou out. "She would really get along with my grandpa," she thought to herself.
Kagome turned around to face the other priestess. "Kaede?"
"Yes?"
"Do you know where we could find any of the other students who were taught by Kikyou's master?" asked Kagome.
"That is a difficult question to answer. Many, if not all of the student would be dead by now," responded Kaede. "Kikyou was the youngest student of her master. If there are any others alive, who knows where they may be now? I certainly have not heard of them for a long, long time."
"I see..." said Kagome. "I guess that kinda puts us back at square one, huh? I mean, as far as saving my keychain goes."
"... And that's why Tsubaki never, ever again tried to cast a hair-dying spell," said Kikyou, finishing off what had apparently been a lengthy tale. She turned to Kagome. "Are you sure you were listening?"
"Oh, um... sure!" replied Kagome just a little too cheerfully. "So, do you have any idea where we can find a spell to save my keychain?"
"I told you," insisted Kikyou. "A good priestess never forgets the teachings of her master. I may not be able to recall the spell right now, but I will in time."
InuYasha spoke up. "But why can't the whiny girl here-" he pointed to Kagome, "-get the necklace off of me? I know she has powers. She freed me from the sacred arrow, and she had the Shikon no Tama."
"Even if she could undo the enchantment of my sacred arrow, and dispel the barrier I placed on the outhouse, she couldn't have had the Shikon no Tama," scoffed Kikyou. "It was purified for good when Kaede made her wish on it fifty years ago."
"Actually," said Kaede, pulling Kagome's keychains (plus the Shikon) from her pocket, "She did have the Shikon no Tama. I don't know how, but here it is." Kaede held her hand out so that Kikyou could tell that she did indeed have the jewel.
"Hey, my keychain!" exclaimed Kagome. "I thought I'd lost it for good! You found it though, Kaede... I guess that's where you got my Hello Kitty keychain..."
"See?" commented InuYasha. "I told you she had the Shikon."
"Everyone keeps mentioning a 'Shikon no Tama'," said Kagome, tilting her head inquisitively. "What are you all talking about?"
"This," replied Kaede, indicating the round, pink jewel hanging from Kagome's Sunset Shrine keychain.
"That?" asked Kagome. "My grandpa gave that to me a couple of years ago. There was some kind of story that went with it..." Kagome thought back, trying to remember what her grandpa had told her.
---------flashback---------
"Happy birthday, Kagome!" her grandpa had said, handing her a small box tied up with a ribbon.
Unwrapping the little package gleefully, Kagome pulled off the top, examining the contents. "Ooooh, that's pretty! Thanks, gramps!"
"What I just gave you is called the Shikon no Tama, a legendary treasure," began her grandpa, in a tone of voice used only by the most boring of history professors. "The legend itself, took place at this very shrine..."
About here is where Kagome had tuned him out.
---------end flashback---------
"Ah well, I don't really recall anything about the Shikon no Tama," admitted Kagome. "Is it especially important?"
"Keh. Important enough to kill me over," spat InuYasha bitterly.
"Who are you to talk, demon? You're the one who gave me fatal wounds in your attempt to steal it," insisted Kikyou.
Kagome lifted an eyebrow. "Can I take this moment to point out the fact that neither of you are actually dead? What happened, anyways?"
"Fifty years ago, I used the Shikon to heal my sister wounds, which otherwise would have been fatal," said Kaede. "Earlier, she had used a sacred arrow to seal InuYasha to the tree that you released him from."
"So," said Kagome, looking from Kikyou to InuYasha. "Right now, you're both alive and relatively unscathed. Can't you just let it go?"
"Not a chance," said InuYasha, crossing his arms.
"Absolutely not," asserted Kikyou with a frigid glare. "How could you even suggest such a ridiculous idea?"
"Because if InuYasha and I have to stick around until you remember that spell, it would make things a lot easier if you two didn't hold a grudge," said Kagome with an optimistic smile.
"We'll see about that," responded Kikyou noncommittally.
"Keh," replied InuYasha, even more noncommittally.
"Perhaps we should return home and prepare some dinner?" suggested Kaede. "Kagome and InuYasha, since it seems that the two of you will be staying for a while, you should help out."
"That sounds good to me," said Kagome. "What are we having?"
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"Honey, what are we going to do about Shippou?" the red-headed kitsune woman asked her husband. "We can't leave him alone while we're gone, and we certainly can't cancel our plans," she complained. "It seems like a lose-lose situation, no matter what we do."
"Why not just take him with us?" asked her husband.
She shot him an indignant glare. "You are such an idiot! You know we can't do that; they enforce a strict no-children policy!"
He gave an embarrassed chuckle. "You're right, I'm sorry... actually, I think I know of someone who would watch Shippou for us."
"Really? Who?" She halted her nervous pacing and looked at him expectantly.
"I know a pair of old priestesses," he replied. "They're very trustworthy, our son will be in good hands," he reassured.
"Oh, thank goodness." The kitsune woman breathed a sigh of relief. "Make sure he's ready and we can drop him off on the way."
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Kaede shook her head in despair. She had suggested that Kagome and InuYasha make dinner in return for being allowed to stay at her house, and they had agreed, albeit reluctantly. Now, they seemed to be a little too enthusiastic about whatever it was that they were making, and the smells emanating from the cauldron over the fireplace offended her nose.
"Hey InuYasha, making stew was a great idea!" enthused Kagome.
"Keh. Of course it was," gloated InuYasha happily. "Here, I got some stuff to put in it!" Kaede's forehead wrinkled as she saw InuYasha add a few large handfuls of something that looked ambiguously meat-like.
Meanwhile, Kagome rummaged around in Kaede's collection of medicinal herbs, which she had apparently mistaken for cooking spices. She opened a few jars and sniffed the contents, adding large pinches of whatever she liked the smell of. Kaede winced. Hopefully, there would be no adverse reactions.
Kagome stirred the concoction in the pot, bringing a spoonful to her mouth. "Hmm..." she mused aloud. "This is good, but it's missing something..."
A sudden idea occurred to her and she pulled a small package from her pocket, emptying the contents into the pot. "Perfect!" she thought. "Although I've never tried breath mints in stew before... still, I'm sure they'll do wonders for Dog-boy."
InuYasha hovered over her shoulder. "Hey, what was that you just put in? Is it ready? Can we eat yet?"
"Sure, just get a bowl and I'll dish some up for everyone," agreed Kagome cheerfully. InuYasha held out the wooden bowl expectantly and Kagome spooned a generous potion of stew into it.
"So? How is it?" asked Kagome eagerly. "Did it turn out as good as we thought it would?"
"You bet it did!" answered InuYasha through a mouthful of food.
"How about it? Aren't you going to have any?" said Kagome, looking pointedly at Kaede and Kikyou.
"Ah, um... perhaps later," answered Kaede.
Kikyou nodded in agreement. At their age, neither wanted to risk the potential hazard to their health.
"Oh well," said Kagome with a sigh. "If you change your minds, just let me know. We made plenty." Kagome spooned herself a bowl and started eating contentedly.
"So," began Kaede. "Who taught you your, erm... cooking skills, Kagome?"
"Oh, nobody really taught me," replied Kagome nonchalantly. "I just practice at home sometimes."
Kikyou raised an eyebrow. "Where is your home, anyway? Many things about you- your clothes, your cooking, the 'keychains' you carry... seem unfamiliar."
"Oh, I live at the shrine," said Kagome. "Right near the well and the tree. Or, the shrine was by the well and the tree, I think. But my brother pushed me into the well this morning, and I hit my head, so I'm not really sure anymore," she finished uneasily.
Kikyou gave Kagome a penetrating glare. "You are not bound to the flow of time in a manner that is similar to other living creatures who exist in the temporal plane-"
"Huh?" blurted InuYasha and Kagome, sporting identical befuddled expressions.
"I believe what my sister is trying to say," translated Kaede, "Is that she believes you have traveled through time somehow, Kagome."
"Indeed," sniffed Kikyou. "And now we must devote our time to discovering a way of returning you to your own era. Honestly, first an entire village of needy peasants, and now this!"
Kagome panicked. "They can't just send me home like that!" she thought, outraged. "I have an algebra test tomorrow... if they send me home I'll have to take it! How could they be so cold-hearted?"
Kagome gave an audible, dramatic sigh. "I couldn't possibly ask you to go to all that trouble for me. As much as I will miss my family and home, I know that it would be unforgivably selfish of me to let you inconvenience yourselves like that."
Kikyou nodded appreciatively. "Then we have an understanding," she said with a warm smile.
Kaede lifted an eyebrow. Was this girl insane?
InuYasha, on the other hand, was duly impressed. Not only could this girl really cook, but she had a great sense of priorities!
Kaede cleared her throat. "Um, Kagome? Are you sure you're not being a little hasty? It wouldn't really be that much trouble..." Kaede's speech was interrupted by a polite tapping on the wooden doorframe.
"Come in," called Kaede.
"Ah, thank you..." came an indistinct voice from the other side of the hanging bamboo door. "No Shippou, you can wait outside. Do not wander away, understand?"
The bamboo door was shoved aside and a pair of full-grown kitsune walked in. The couple looked remarkably similar to one another- both with red hair and blue-green eyes- except, of course, for the obvious fact that one was male and the other was female. Neither of them stood taller than about four feet tall, and they were both wearing semi-formal attire in fashionable, color-coordinated greens and browns.
The female kitsune was the first to speak. "My husband here tells me that the two of you priestesses can watch our child for us."
"We would really appreciate it," added the other kitsune. "We've had a hard time of it since his babysitter was killed by an evil demon named Naraku."
"An evil, babysitter-killing demon, huh?" remarked Kagome. "Sounds really scary."
"Keh, that's not scary at all," scoffed InuYasha.
"Oh, that's not the half of it!" exclaimed the kitsune mother. "This particular demon is known far and wide for all kinds of crimes; including- but not limited to- vandalism, slaughter of entire villages, and wearing Speedos in public areas."
Kagome blanched in horror. "You're joking!"
Even InuYasha looked uncomfortable upon hearing that information.
"It's all true, though," affirmed the kitsune man. "In fact, I've heard that he's been looking for the Shikon no Tama to increase his evil power even further. He almost got it fifty years ago, but the jewel disappeared. Rumors say that he's willing to wait for all eternity to get the Shikon in his possession."
"Hm. Go figure," mused Kikyou. "Was it this Naraku's fault all this time?"
"Hey, that means you and InuYasha can get along now, right?" asked Kagome.
Kikyou's eyes softened. "Of course. I can't believe that I was so blind all of this time. InuYasha would have never willingly betrayed me..." Kikyou drifted off into silence, a tiny smile brightening her face.
After a few minutes InuYasha spoke up. "So... no more hard feelings about what happened fifty years ago?"
Kikyou snapped out of her reverie. "What are you talking about?"
"You know..." began InuYasha. "You've forgiven me, since I didn't actually betray you in the first place?"
"Are you crazy?" demanded Kikyou. "Of course you betrayed me!"
InuYasha smacked a hand to his forehead. "Didn't we just go over this a minute ago?"
Kaede put a hand on InuYasha's shoulder to calm him. "Don't worry about it, InuYasha. My sister is getting old, and she spent fifty years of her life believing that you betrayed her. It's only natural that she have trouble remembering things like this."
Mrs. Kitsune cleared her throat, shifting from one foot to the other impatiently. "As, erm... amusing as all of this is, my husband and I would still like to know if you will watch our son for us."
"Sure we will!" said Kagome. "I like kids! Well... maybe not so much my brother. But he couldn't possibly be more obnoxious than my little brother!"
"Um, of course not," agreed Mrs. Kitsune, suddenly unable to make eye contact. "Our dear Shippou isn't annoying at all. Is he, honey?" she asked, discreetly elbowing her husband in the ribs.
"Why no, a perfect angel!" enthused Mr. Kitsune.
"So where is he?" asked Kagomecuriously.
"Shippou! You can come in now!" called Mr. Kitsune. "You get to meet your new babysitters."
"Really? Cool!" squealed Shippou. He bounced through the doorway, scanning the room eagerly. "Which ones are my babysitters?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.
"I suppose they all are," said his mother carelessly.
"Hmph. You can count me out of this 'babysitting'," scowled InuYasha. "Kids are irritating, smelly, and a waste of time."
"Whatever," Mrs. Kitsune dismissed InuYasha with a wave of her hand. "Shippou, we have to leave now. Be good. If I hear that you gave them any trouble, it'll be time out for you when we get home."
"Okay! Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" called Shippou. "I promise I'll be on my best behavior!"
"That's a good boy!" gushed Kagome. "I'm Kagome, and this is Kaede, Kikyou, and InuYasha," she said, pointing out each person as she named them. "We're gonna have a great time! Are your parents letting you skip school, too?"
"School?" Shippou's expression of confusion was adorably comical (he had practiced it in the mirror on previous occasions).
"Oh... never mind," amended Kagome.
"Right, so what are we gonna do first?" asked Shippou, jumping up and down in excitement. "I'm really good at art projects... or maybe we could play hide and seek? Oh, oh, I know! I've been practicing my fox fire, it's really cool! Let me show you, Kagome!"
"No, Shippou! Not in the house!" yelled Kaede a second too late.
InuYasha ducked out of the way just in time to avoid a set of painfully charred ears. "Brat," growled InuYasha, "If you ever do that again, I swear..."
"Oh, get over it, InuYasha," reproved Kagome. "It's not like he did it on purpose or anything. Now get up and come outside. You're going to play hide and seek with me and Shippou."
"But-"
"No arguments. You're coming and that's final," said Kagome decidedly. "Besides, it's no fun with only two people."
InuYasha could have sworn that he saw that kitsune give him an evil smirk the moment Kagome's back was turned.
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AN: Erm... wow... only two reviews for the last chapter... WHERE DID I GO WRONG? (cues dramatic, angsty music, then gags on the melodrama)
OK, well congratulations to Phenomenon, who knew the Mystery Movie Quote from last chapter. Hm, lets see if I can put a Mystery Movie Quote in the next chapter. Randomly enough, I think it would be funny if I quoted from the actual show InuYasha... especially if nobody knew where I got the quote from.