Disclaimer: I do own it. I'm NOT insane…I think.
Story: Due to the jewel shards on their necks, the last four members of the Shichinintai were somehow able to travel to Kagome's time. Unfortunately for her, the well has sealed up. At least they don't have their weapons!
Set after Ginkotsu's death.
Spoilers: After Ginkotsu's death, no.
Warnings: Eh, maybe…this is anime after all…
Pairings: No telling! Secret, secret!
A/n: I am so sorry for the wait! After getting over the rest of my sickness, I had to deal with finals. Then, the high school exit exam! Afterwards, I was starting to get sick again. Wai! This isn't fair! At least, I only skipped a week...I think? Now, I'm a bit drowsy so this chapter might not be as well edited as the others.
BTW I like Hojo. I feel sorry for him. Although, the way I wrote him reminds me of the guy (heh, forgot his name) in "Here is Greenwood" who's supposed to be Igurashi's best friend since childhood, but likes her. If you've seen the anime, then you'll get it. Cold and nice at the same time. Note the strange parallels I did: Igurashi-Higurashi; Hojo-Mr. Cold and Nice Best Friend; and the characters strangely resemble each other! It's wacky.
Kagome Higurashi! No Need for Shichinintai
Chapter Eight: Mischief Managed
Before Suikotsu could ask how it was, Kagome clonked out. Taking the glass from her hand and putting it on the nightstand, he took all but one pillow from under her head and threw them over his shoulder, sure that they hit the mattresses. Lastly, he tucked her in before he left with the empty glass.
"So, what'd she say?"
Was the first thing he heard from all three of them.
"Nothing, she went straight to sleep before I could ask her."
Jakotsu scrunched up his nose. "You mean she actually drunk that whole glass?"
Suikotsu nodded and everyone paused for a second.
"Yuck." They said together.
The phone started ringing.
"Hey, it might be that girl! Answer the phone, Renkotsu."
Renkotsu darted towards the phone and pressed the on button.
"Hey! You're supposed to put it on speaker."
Jakotsu was ignored and Renkotsu was muttering and nodding into the phone.
"…Okay, got that. We'll be ready."
Three of the Shichinintai cornered the last one and demanded to know what was going on and who was on the phone.
"The girl Eri says to be prepared in 40 minutes for her to come pick us up. She says not to worry about money or Kagome."
It was then, just 20 minutes after the phone call, that they were met with Kagome. They were starting to feel nervous but they were shocked instead.
"I feel great! Thanks you guys. I can't waste any more time so I'm just gonna bundle up and go Christmas shopping, mmkay?" She said happily to them, all dressed for the winter go.
"Uh, okay. Sure you don't want us to come?" Bankotsu asked for all of them.
"Nah. That recipe made me completely fine. Besides, I've tired you all out from the past few days and the snow's starting to get heavy. It's starting to pile onto the houses and ground outside has snow growing up to an inch. You've got only those shrine outfits to wear and with the past few days and nights of wearing them nonstop, they need to be washed. Didn't you figure when you had to wear your own clothes today?"
They nodded yes at her.
"Well then, I'm off. I'll see you guys later."
She put on her gloves, waved, and then left.
"Well, I guess the girl knew Kagome was going to leave today and leave us here."
"Then we wait and wonder how we're going to pay for anything or even how we're going to get anywhere."
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All four felt freezing in their battle clothes and even thought of putting on their armor to help warm them a little. But then there was some kind of honk outside and they rushed out, the only thing on their feet was the shrine sandals.
Of course, they were attacked by two other girls, Eri looking annoyed, and a boy smiling kindly at them leaning on a giant white thing.
"Oh, last time, we didn't get to question you four! We were so busy with Kagome that we forgot to pile on the questions!"
By then, Eri had reached them and she slipped in between Yuka and Ayumi, pulling on their ears. "Not now, you dolts. We have to go to the mall."
"Yay, the mall!"
The two girls rushed off into the car, leaving Eri with the guys.
"Sorry about that. You called when those two idiots were there and they wanted to come. Geez, only Kagome can control those two…Well, come on. Let's get into the car.
They stared at the thing that the girl had called a car.
Jakotsu gulped and went first into the thing. 'Technology. This is what Kagome calls technology.'
The others had similar thoughts as they got in, the mantra repeating until they were at this 'mall'.
However, there were several times during the ride where they got lost because of the conversation. For instance,
"Eri! Why couldn't we use a different car? Like your Porsche. Or the Ferrari! Yeah, anything but this dorky Express van."
"Because we all need to fit, Yuka."
"Why couldn't we take the limo?"
"Because I don't have a limo."
"We could've rented one."
It was silent and then a brush came sailing out from somewhere from the front and hit Yuka right in the face.
"Ow."
"Good. Now shut up."
Many more weird conversations were said and the Shichinintai stayed quiet, not knowing what a 'Porsche' was or what a 'condom' was and etc. They felt uncomfortable without Kagome there.
That said, they were glad when they finally arrived at the mall.
Once the car was parked, Yuka and Ayumi jumped out of the car and started to dance around like kids.
"Yay, the mall!"
A vein was starting to throb on Eri's head.
"We're here to go CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! Not to shop for ourselves. Now these four want to find Kagome a gift and now that we've accomplished her not knowing, we need to find suggestions."
Yuka and Ayumi looked at each other.
"I'll take this one!"
The crazy girls ran off with a Shichinintai, dragging them full throttle into the large building. Bankotsu and Renkotsu were left.
"Alright, Hojo, you take care of Bankotsu and I'll take care of Renkotsu." Eri dealt out tiredly before grabbing Renkotsu and heading towards the mall as well.
The nice looking boy from before gestured towards the mall. "I guess we should go, huh?"
Bankotsu nodded. Why did he feel like this boy wasn't going to like the fact that these four men were buying gifts for Kagome and only her? He could only guess that Hojo wasn't going to be as nice when he finds out.
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"So what's your name?" Ayumi said cheerfully.
"Jakotsu," he answered back curtly.
"Why're you buying Kagome a gift?"
"Because I want to."
"Uh huh. And do you like Kagome?"
Jakotsu shrugged. "Sure, she's the first girl I actually like."
"Ohhh. So you're gay."
"Uh…I guess.'
"And you don't like any other girls."
Jakotsu was getting exasperated quickly. "No."
"So it's a Kagome thing."
"Why do I get the feeling you're twisting my words?"
"…"
Jakotsu twitched.
"Oh, look! You can get her something from Victoria Secret!"
One, Jakotsu didn't know who this Victoria was and what was her secret and two, he didn't know what store he was being dragged into. He was too focused on staying upright as she bolted into the store.
Once inside, Jakotsu blinked at all the displays. "Um, this is underwear stuff for women, right? What are we doing here?"
"To get Kagome something!"
He looked around. The underwear stuff was like what Kagome had, not that he looked or anything –it was more like glimpses of it in areas around the house like the laundry and in her room and etc., but the things here seemed fancier and nicer looking. Or at least less plain.
"This is a good idea. I think."
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"To start with, do you know any of her hobbies?"
Eri started to drill Renkotsu and Renkotsu could only shake his head to the questions.
"Enough questions, Ren. Now, first things first. Kagome loves to draw. Or paint. Anything creative, she's an artist. Photography, singing, dancing, instrumental practices. Anything to do with that kind of stuff is a good thing to get Kagome. We'll go into this store and see if you can find anything that she might like. I'll tell you if I have anything."
They looked through a number of shops after the first before they entered an antique shop. Renkotsu walked through the crowded aisles slowly, looking very carefully at the collection. It was only Eri and him in the dim store but there were many things filling the shelves and the floor.
The girl had split from him a while back and he found himself at the back of the room. There were more trinkets here and Renkotsu's eye was drawn to an object a little hidden behind things.
He moved some things and he found himself staring at a miniature Sacred Tree with a small well a little ways away. It was a music box and as he opened it, it began to play that children's hymn of St. Hakushin.
"Found something?"
"Hmm."
Eri peered over his shoulder at the music box.
"Wow, it's pretty but so simple at the same time. Kagome will love it."
"Yeah. She would, wouldn't she?" He murmured, his eyes still not straying from the music box.
But his eyes began to formulate the form of a sleeping Inuyasha wrapped in those vines at the Sacred Tree and he knew that Kagome would more than love it. She would cherish it and he also knew what thoughts would begin to form at the sight of it.
He regretted finding it.
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Yuka started off.
"So what do you think Kagome would want? Get any idea and I'll agree or disagree with it."
"What a change," Suikotsu grumbled under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. I was thinking of making her something."
She stopped and he had gone forward a couple of steps before he realized she wasn't walking any more. He turned to face her and he saw her gaping face.
"What?"
She squealed and started jumping up and down. "Oh, that's so sweet! You're going to make her something yourself! All the hard work and care into such a gift! How romantic!"
His face was turning red. "Huh? What do you mean? I –er, you got it all wrong. I…uh…"
"Kagome's going to just be swept off her feet by you! What are you going to make her?"
"Um…" His blush was intensifying.
"Well?"
"I was going to paint her something…she mentioned she loved to paint some time ago and I wanted to try my hand at painting. For her. Uh, yeah…"
He really was starting to feel awkward.
"SQUEE!"
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"Who else are you going to buy presents for? Your friends?" Hojo asked cheerfully.
"No, just Kagome."
"…Oh…"
It became silent between the two and there was a tension that wasn't there before.
"Do you like her?" Hojo's voice had become terse.
"And what if I did?" Bankotsu answered back with a bite to his tone.
Both males stopped. Staring at each other, they became locked in a glaring match. Bankotsu and Hojo had narrowed their eyes and their bodies had unconsciously moved into a battle stance.
"I really can't see how you or any of the others –as I'm sure they're like you –have a chance with Kagome. She is 15, you know. All of you are much older than her." Hojo sweetened his tone, his mouth curling into a mocking smile.
"Well, she sure isn't looking at you, now is she?"
Both of them started to growl. Hojo scowled and looked at his watch. "We'll have to hurry. We're wasting time acting like idiots when we're supposed to be getting a gift for Kagome."
Bankotsu nodded reluctantly and backed off. Besides, it would be embarrassing for a grown man to act so immature when a boy was being more responsible. Even if, technically, though Bankotsu died at 17, he was over 500 years old in death.
"Right," Bankotsu muttered, still a little pissed off.
"We should go to a jewelers' or something. I don't see Kagome with much jewelry and she might like a simple necklace or something."
The Shichinintai leader followed the boy into a store.
Bankotsu's eyes scanned the place and his mind was thinking that everything was too flashy for Kagome. There should be something simple around here. He was going to ask Hojo if they could go to another jewelers' when he saw the boy had already found something.
Scowling, he turned and began searching more closely at the displays. His eyes caught a sign proclaiming a sale on engraved rings. He blinked and was glad that Kagome had taught him how to read a little.
"You looking at that sign?" Hojo asked, coming up beside him.
"Yes."
Bankotsu almost twitched a little but he suppressed it.
"Engraved rings are rings that have…writing on them, right?"
"Yeah…why don't we check out some of the plain rings they have and you can decide what to put on it at the same time?"
"O-okay…"
They looked around together at a display case, commenting on each ring before Hojo found a ring a little to the back. It was a simple silver band with a tiny diamond embedded in it. Just one and nothing else.
"I like this one," Bankotsu muttered to himself.
"Then it's settled." Hojo said softly.
When it was time for Bankotsu to choose what he wanted to engrave, he panicked. He hadn't thought of it at all.
"Uh…uh…" And then something clicked into his head.
"Wo ai ni –Shichinintai."
He knew what the others felt so they were apart of this too. And it would be safe and kept secret because Kagome wouldn't know what it meant.
It was absolutely perfect.
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"Okay, we're finished, right?" Eri asked everyone.
Everyone nodded a yes and she continued. "And don't worry about paying me back. It's not a problem. Just make sure you guys got good gifts. And –kusoyaro! Get down everyone!"
Everyone dropped to the ground with their purchases.
"What's wrong, Eri?" Yuka whispered frightened.
"Kagome just passed. That was really close. Oh no! She's heading out the doors. That means she's going home!"
The Shichinintai started panicking at the thought of being caught without Kagome.
"Alright, gang! This just means we got to get to the shrine before she does!"
They hurried to the car but before they could, Eri spotted several cabs. She paid three of them to cut and stall Kagome's car to buy them some time.
It then became an even scarier and crazier ride.
Eri weaved in and out of the cars to get pass traffic and she sped, pushing her feet on the pedal. She ran a couple of red lights and didn't stop at stop signs and didn't slow down an inch anywhere. In fact, she sped up even more.
Everyone was hanging on to dear life, clinging to their seats and hoping their seat belt was on tight enough. Yuka and Ayumi even screeched at times. It wasn't long before they reached Sunset Shrine.
"You know, the snow could've made us crashed." Hojo said plainly, but clearly from the look on his face getting over a heart attack.
Eri shrugged. "You think my driving's bad, you should go with Kagome. She's an excellent driver but she'll scare you into your grave when she needs to speed up or she's in a hurry. But you can at least trust her not to crash. It's the speed and shocks that get you. I know first hand from driving with her. Although, she was my teacher…"
It took the Shichinintai a few more seconds to calm themselves and their rapid beating hearts before they said bye and rushed up the steps to hurry and hide their things before Kagome arrived.
They had just settled into the couches when a grumbling Kagome had stormed into the room.
"God! The nerve of people these days! Almost running me off the road and whatnot! I don't care if you four are killers or not, if you're ever reincarnated as a cab driver I'll murder you, got that?"
The mercenaries didn't feel like mercenaries as they nodded feverishly.
She sighed and it seemed her temper had only been flared. Kagome looked much more calmed down after her rant and they could only guess her ire was fiercer when she had been driving and when she was walking up to the house.
"Alright, I guess it's time to get ready for the festival, right?"
Started 11/12/05 –Completed 11/14/05
