Chapter 3, Miroku's Ingenious Plan
Kagome had never been so alive before. Unlike the palace, where it's usually quiet and everyone walked and talked gracefully, the city streets were bustling with life. The townsfolk went about their daily business with much running around and shouting, and instead of bowing humbly in the presence of Kagome, they ignored her just like they ignored everybody else around them. The air was hot and humid, carrying the smell of sweat, rotten vegetables, and livestock such as chickens, geese, horses, and pigs. Kagome was just glad that the tempting fragrance of fresh-cooked meals and snacks from the nearby restaurant stands rose above the rest, covering up the disgusting smells. Kagome could pick out the scents of baking, noodles, dumblings, and all kinds of stir-fry. As she took in their scent she could hear her stomach rumble. "Are you hungry Kagome?" Sango asked. Kagome nodded, she couldn't speak because her mouth was nearly drooling. Sango chuckled at Kagome's comical expression, "Just wait a few minutes, we'll check out that restaurant over there. I heard they have really delicious ramen!" "Good, cuz I'm sooooo hungry!" Kagome happily chanted. Sango and Kagome giggled and chatted as they treaded their way through the crowds of people, almost touching shoulders with the passers-by around them.
Inuyasha walked ahead while Miroku followed closely behind, this hadn't been a good day for both of them. It's only their first day in Shikon and they already encountered a mishap: when they got up in the morning at the inn, the innkeeper had spotted Inuyasha's dog-ears and got really freaked out. He kicked them out of the inn and threatened to call upon the demon slayers. If it were not for Miroku restraining Inuyasha, the hanyou would've torn the fat innkeeper to pieces. So from now on, Inuyasha has to wear a stupid straw hat on his head, covering up his ears.
"Don't be so sullen Inuyasha, they are just not accustomed to demons here," Miroku said, trying to cheer his best friend up. "SHUT UP you big bouzou! It's all your 'brilliant' idea to come here remember?" Inuyasha snapped, "I should've known it's a bad idea. And do you know how strong these smells are? My nose is SENSITIVE! These smells are making me dizzy! Why can't these stupid Shikon people keep their streets a bit cleaner?" Miroku sighed, his friend was just not the tourist type. Suddenly, he heard a big "thump" and when he looked ahead, he saw Inuyasha falling face-first onto the stone pavement of the street. "Are you okay Inuyasha?" Inuyasha didn't answer. He jumped up and pointed his finger at two girls nearby. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" "Oh, I'm sorry I bumped into you," the girl in the blue kimono apologized, "it's my first time in the city and I guess I got a bit excited." "Feh," Inuyasha replied rudely, "THAT'S IT, Miroku, we're leaving!" The two girls shrugged then ran past them without a moment of hesitation.
"What? They ran away?" Inuyasha stared after the girls incredulously. "Well, yeah! They apologized!" Miroku said. "Feh! I'm going to teach them a lesson!" Inuyasha yelled, ready to launch himself at the crowd. Miroku got ready to restrain him but Inuyasha suddenly stopped. "Do you smell that Miroku?" Inuyasha asked while sniffing attentive at the air. "Smell what?" Miroku asked, deeply puzzled. "RAMEN!" Inuyasha shouted happily while pointing to a food stand by the edge of the streets. He grinned mischievously when he saw that the two girls from earlier were there as well. "Let's go Miroku!" Without looking back, Inuyasha dragged Miroku along as he made his way through the crowd.
Kagome was very annoyed at first. She didn't like some stranger off the streets shouting at her when all she did was accidentally bump into him, especially if she apologized afterwards. But all her quirks were forgotten when the mouth-watering aroma of ramen filled her nose. She admitted that the palace food was tasty and delicate, not to mention high-class, but she could never relax and enjoy it like she could here. Eating on the streets was a completely new experience for her and she liked it. Here she didn't have to mind the manners and rituals of palace dining, and she could eat as much as she wanted and be as messy as she could. Her mouth watered once again as she pictured the bowl of ramen in her mind. The strands of springy noodles were of a satisfying amount, floating in hot, delicious-smelling soup with bits of green onions sprinkled on top. It will be seasoned with salt, soy-sauce, pepper, and many other food seasonings that she couldn't name. Pieces of meat and purple-black seaweed would also be there, adding to the flavour. Now that's comfort food!
Kagome was too busy thinking about the ramen when she felt a strong hand pushed her aside rudely. When she looked up, she saw that someone had budged right in front of her. It took her several moments to realize that it's the boy she bumped into earlier. "Hey, stand in line!" she shouted angrily, the ramen stand appeared to be very popular and she had waited a long time in the line. She couldn't allow someone just step in front of her! "How about 'no'?" the boy answered cockily, "it's payback for earlier!" "Oh don't tell me you're still sour over that!" Kagome looked at him in disbelief. "Ramen! One order of ramen!" the ramen merchant yelled at the top of his lungs. "Oh, it's our ramen, Sango," Kagome said, handing the cook his money and took the hot ramen bowl and chopsticks from his hands. "Sango?" Kagome was puzzled at her friend's silence and turned around to look. She found Sango standing still, all tensed up, her face was as red as ripe apple and her hands trembling. "What's wrong?" Kagome asked with a concerned voice. Sango didn't answer her. Instead she yelled angrily, "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY BUTT YOU PERVERT!" Then there was a slapping sound of Sango hitting someone really hard. Kagome recognized the person slapped was a companion of the rude boy she got bumped into, no doubt they were a pair of lowlives. "Sango," Kagome said nervously as she noticed that by now, half the people on the streets were staring at them, "Let's just sit down and eat our ramen…" "Ramen, what ramen?" Sango asked. Kagome was puzzled until she looked down at her hands, it was EMPTY, no ramen bowl! She looked up, and there it was, held tightly in the boy's fingers. He already ate the half of it and was still slurping the noodles like crazy. "WHY YOU…" Kagome was seriously ticked off, she wanted to put this boy in a prison cell for ten, no, twenty years! Just when she wanted to yell something at him Sango tucked her sleeve. "Kagome," she said softly, "just drop it. We have to leave now. I saw one of your father's footmen coming this way and no one else knows about our little trip except your parents. If he saw us here he might freak out and expose our identity." Kagome searched the crowd and spotted the servant immediately, he seemed to be coming this way. Instantly the fight over ramen was forgotten as she followed Sango and was once again swallowed up by the crowd.
Inuyasha was eating his ramen happily. He thought the girl was going to yell at him and make a big commotion but she didn't. Instead she disappeared into the crowd. What little guilt he felt about being rude was completely consumed by the delicious taste of ramen. Looks like today's gonna be a lucky day for him after all. Miroku, on the other hand, was not as cheerful. Having being slapped by a female was not something he enjoyed, despite the fact that he had experienced it many times before. But this girl was different, she had strength. And being slapped by her was not something pleasant. Miroku soon noticed the reason behind her strength and toughness: she was a taijiya, a demon slayer. The weapon she wore on her back was the infamous Hiraikotsu of the taijiyas. The mere mentioning of the weapon brought chills to even the toughest and most blood-thirsty demons. There were only a few of these left among the demon slayers and those who could wield it were fewer still. This made him wonder if the two girls were more than just ordinary city girls out for a stroll.
Miroku's train of thought was interrupted when someone lightly tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and saw a man dressed the garments of a royal messenger. "Hello sir," he said politely, "I'm a humble servant of the Higurashi royal family, the ruler of Shikon. My master is having a grand feast tomorrow night and I'm in charge of sending the invitations. The guests' names are on this list but I'm ashamed to say that I can't read. May I ask, sir, can you read?" Miroku thought for a minute, somewhat reluctant to help a servant of the Higurashis. In the end he replied, "Yeah, sure. If I know how." The servant said apologetically, "Then sorry to bother you sir, have a nice day." He turned around to leave, but Miroku held him back. "Okay okay, I can read. Give me the list." After the messenger handed him the scroll, he read it out loud:
Lord Naraku and his sophisticated daughters, Kagura and Kanna;
His nephews Bankotsu and Jakotsu,
The honourable and beautiful priestess Lady Kikyo,
Prince Koga of the Wolf Demon Tribe
And the lively Ayame…
The list goes on.
After Miroku finished reading, the royal messenger took back the scroll. He thanked Miroku. Then, in a lowered voice, he said, "I see that you are a good man, sir. If you be not of the house of the Inutaishos, I pray that you and your friend over there to come and have a cup of sake." After he finished saying this, the royal messenger turned around and left. "I'll see to it that your invitation will not be wasted," Miroku said, grinning. Inuyasha jumped, "Are you crazy Miroku? He said 'if you be not of the Inutaishos'! Besides, I'll never go to a feast hosted by humans!" Miroku shook his head, "Inuyasha. Stubborn Inuyasha. Can't you see that the Higurashis will surely invite a lot of pretty girls to their party? I bet they will keep you entertained and soon, you will forget Kikyo's very name." "NEVER!" Inuyasha yelled, "I'll never forget about her! And oh yeah, I'm not goin'." "Um, Inuyasha," Miroku said, pulling out his last straw, "Kikyo will be there." "Really?" Inuyasha's eyes turned dreamy. "Really." "So, when does the feast start?" Inuyasha asked. Miroku rolled his eyes. Soon my friend, he thought, with the many beauties of Shikon, you will forget about Kikyo for good.